Spain / Balearics and holiday oxygen supplies

This is the question to the useful answer I pasted re free and reliable oxygen service in Spanish / Balearic hotels. If my original post doesn't appear later today, I will post it again without the email address it contained so that the mods won't have an excuse to mess us about. Sorry about this, Van x

Hi Rita

Thanks for posting this, I was interested in your holiday experiences in the Balearics whilst using oxygen.

I am thinking of going back there this year. and would appreciate some advice and info on how to get the oxygen to use at the hotel.

I am the same as you, 4 for ambulatory and 2 for LTOT, I was wondering if you use Liquid Oxygen whilst there?

Michelle has told us about Portugal and Lanzarotte, but I would appreciate any help or advice that you can give for Spain.

I have the freestyle portable and can manage with that during the day, it's the LTOT which is a pain, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

MaureenWink

Right, here's the 'baned' info;

Hello Maureen

The first time I used oxygen over there was 2 years ago when I was provided with liquid oxygen(which I hate but can put up with for 2 weeks!) for ambulatory but they also gave me a static concentrator with enough tubing seeming to go half way round the hotel!!

Last year they had told me prior to arriving that they would be providing a portable with a trolley instead of the liquid stuff plus a static concentrator and a large tank in case of electricity cuts. They deliver to the hotel prior to my arrival and I find it in my room, and pick up after I have left. Like you I have a personal concentrator XPO2 and will take that too.

So far I have not had to pay anything but if you know which hotel you can ask in advance if there is any fee? I contacted the people copied below and they usually ask for your EHIC to be faxed or scanned to them and then require your prescription HOOF - type from your nurse/GP/physio or whoever you deal with. They like 3 weeks notice if possible. I don't think it matters who your own supplier is in the UK

I shall be emailing them myself as volcanic ash permitting I am off on 14th May - yes!!!

The following email was a direct link and reason for the 'ban'

Fingers crossed, hope this one gets through! Van x

THIRD TIME LUCKY?!!! I just tried again and typed the e mail address in thinking if it wasn't directly liked they'd let this through - but obviously not. So this is my final attempt -- sorry I can't include the offending info!

Hello Maureen

The first time I used oxygen over there was 2 years ago when I was provided with liquid oxygen(which I hate but can put up with for 2 weeks!) for ambulatory but they also gave me a static concentrator with enough tubing seeming to go half way round the hotel!!

Last year they had told me prior to arriving that they would be providing a portable with a trolley instead of the liquid stuff plus a static concentrator and a large tank in case of electricity cuts. They deliver to the hotel prior to my arrival and I find it in my room, and pick up after I have left. Like you I have a personal concentrator XPO2 and will take that too.

So far I have not had to pay anything but if you know which hotel you can ask in advance if there is any fee? I contacted the people copied below and they usually ask for your EHIC to be faxed or scanned to them and then require your prescription HOOF - type from your nurse/GP/physio or whoever you deal with. They like 3 weeks notice if possible. I don't think it matters who your own supplier is in the UK

I shall be emailing them myself as volcanic ash permitting I am off on 14th May - yes!!!

And here's info I found on Portugal and Lanzarotte, though it doesn't give as much detail - all the same, with holiday season creeping up on us it may help point someone in the right direction - must admit I wouldn't have a clue where to start. Do add to the thread folks if you can give info on anything affecting travel / oxygen / insurance etc that may be of help to fellow travelers. Vanx

..... Just to note you cannot travel on ferries with liquid oxygen. I have a contact for Lanzarote and Portugal where you are able to get free 02.

In Lanzarote you do it through your E111.

In Portugal I have a contact for the supplier of 02. You can order it they will give you the cost of it. But to save paying for it if you get a prescription from your gp for the 02 you can take it to a Portugese hospital where they will give you a prescription to give to the 02 supplier and then you do not have to pay. I think they then claim it from England.

I have done this in the past and it worked out well. The 02 supplier delivered my 02 before my arrival. The deal was if I didnt get the prescription I would have to pay the bill. This was about £200 for two weeks. It took about an hour of my time at the portugese hospital .

It is very frustrating to try and find out this info. I only found out becasuse I knew somebody living in Portugal who asked their local chemist who sorted out the details for me.

The Lanzarote one I found by mistake on internet. I just arranged everything by email sending copies of my passport and E111 and prescription and they did the rest.

Not sure if you want to go through this but I was determined that I was not giving up my holidays because of being on oxygen. But I was able to fly. I fly with Monarch where possible because they take my concentrator and they used to take cylinders free of charge as well.

Have you actually had a flight test done? Or is this just the opinion of the consultant. I have only 19 per cent lung capacity but I fly no problems. I do have to double my 02 for flying though....

Ahh, I'm getting to grips with all this travel and oxygen stuff now (I daresay everyone else knows this already, but just in case other newbies like myself don't have a clue) .....

Forget the E111 mentioned above, what you need nowadays is the EHIC - European Health Insurance Card. This is free, and covers you for provision of oxygen in European member states (also covers dialysis and other med stuff).

To find out about and apply for your EHIC you go to the NHS Choices site and go to the section entitled 'Traveling in the European Union'. This gives info on all things medical and also has a list of the individual countries to click on so you can find out any peculiarities or procedures in that country. This is probably your best first port of call before booking a particular holiday in a particular country if you are on 02 or have serious health issues. Your EHIC card will cover you for two years after which you should renew it. VAN

8)

Hiya Van, My oxygen suppliers will supply in some parts of Spain (but I think they charge). I was aware of this reciprocal arrangement in Europe and tried to organise my free oxygen supply in Greece but was then not able to make contact with the company who supplies - Ika Etam, who had changed their telephone number and nobody seemed to have the new one. All the other companies charged quite a lot of money, which is why I ended up going without. Hopefully this year will be different - will let you know.

Jacee

Hi, here are the contact details for the Spain / Balearics region;

AP SUD EUROPA SL (SPAIN)

GROUP AIR PRODUCTS

Phone 00 34 91 657 93 27

Fax 00 34 91 657 93 62

spvacox@airproducts.com

Well done Van,:wizard:

your persistence paid off. Maybe we should have a thread with addresses and contact numbers abroad?

Jacee

xx