HELP! Trying to choose an oxygen concentrator

"JasF" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi:

I am in the process of trying to choose an oxygen concentrator for my mother

snip

Quoted message said:

This means that long-term dependability and reliability is at a premium. My mother lives in a multi-
story house, so portability (up and down stairs) is also a premium consideration.

Just a thought - maybe you should buy two - one for upstairs and one for downstairs. Then one could
charge up a cylinder whilst the other would be helping your mum. At the same time you would not be
completely stuffed if one of them breaks.

Jasna, I spoke to a neighbor who uses an oxygen concentrator. Not much information. Hers is from
AirSep, but it is probably not what you'd call portable. The model name is New Life Elite. She says
it has wheels and could be rolled, but it is about the size of a small bedside table. Probably not
right for hauling up and down stairs.

She has had no maintenance problems with it.

Anna

in article [email hidden], JasF at [email hidden] wrote on
2/25/2004 9:49 PM:

Quoted message said:

Hi:

I am in the process of trying to choose an oxygen concentrator for my mother (who is 80 years
old). Her blood oxygen level is much too low, and so she is going to need to use the concentrator
continually. We will be buying the concentrator in the US, but my mother lives in Europe, far from
any of the manufacturers (and far from any warranty service locations). This means that long-term
dependability and reliability is at a premium. My mother lives in a multi-story house, so
portability (up and down stairs) is also a premium consideration.

OK, my specific questions:

1. We would like to know about the concentrator that can be adapted to fill oxygen cylinders in
your home. If anybody had experience with two kinds: 1) Chad's "O2 total system" and Invacare's
"The Home fill system". How easy are they to operate? How reliable are there? Do they break
often? Do they fill O2 cylinders properly? Does it take forever to fill the M6 and M9
cylinders? Are they very noisy and do they use a lot of power?

2. We are also interested in the portable concentrator AirSep's LifeStyle™. We want to know if it
can be used every day for 10-12 hours, if anybody had experience with that. Is it reliable and
does it break easily?

3. The third kind we are interested in is relatively light concentrator Excel™ by Oxlife, Inc.,
(28 lbs) We have the same concerns as above. We also wonder if it is as good as the much
heavier version (54-56 lbs).

4. The same questions we have for Sunrise DeVilbiss type.

5. Finally, if anyone can make any suggestions about a good place to buy one of these, it would be
helpful. This purchase will NOT be covered by insurance in any way, so price is obviously
important.

Any help anyone can offer would be VERY GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jasna

Airsep makes a portable unit but it sounds more like you should use a liquid O2 device for
portability within the house. Of course you can use cylinders but those cant be easily filled within
a home setting. Also might want to check into a 02 provider in Europe who specializes in Homecare
O2.... IMO its better to rent it then to buy it just because of the service aspect of the unit, plus
supplies and tubing....

GMAN "Anna LeBlanc" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Jasna, I spoke to a neighbor who uses an oxygen concentrator. Not much

information.

Quoted message said:

Hers is from AirSep, but it is probably not what you'd call portable. The model name is New Life
Elite. She says it has wheels and could be rolled, but it is about the size of a small bedside
table. Probably not right for hauling up and down stairs.

She has had no maintenance problems with it.

Anna

in article [email hidden], JasF at [email hidden] wrote on
2/25/2004 9:49 PM:

Quoted message said:

Hi:

I am in the process of trying to choose an oxygen concentrator for my

mother

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

(who is 80 years old). Her blood oxygen level is much too low, and so

she is

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

going to need to use the concentrator continually. We will be buying the concentrator in the US,
but my mother lives in Europe, far from any of

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

manufacturers (and far from any warranty service locations). This means

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

long-term dependability and reliability is at a premium. My mother lives

in a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

multi-story house, so portability (up and down stairs) is also a premium consideration.

OK, my specific questions:

1. We would like to know about the concentrator that can be adapted to

fill

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

oxygen cylinders in your home. If anybody had experience with two kinds:

1)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Chad's "O2 total system" and Invacare's "The Home fill system". How easy

are

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

they to operate? How reliable are there? Do they break often? Do they

fill O2

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cylinders properly? Does it take forever to fill the M6 and M9

cylinders? Are

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

they very noisy and do they use a lot of power?

2. We are also interested in the portable concentrator AirSep's

LifeStyleT.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

We want to know if it can be used every day for 10-12 hours, if anybody

had

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

experience with that. Is it reliable and does it break easily?

3. The third kind we are interested in is relatively light concentrator

ExcelT

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by Oxlife, Inc., (28 lbs) We have the same concerns as above. We also

wonder

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

if it is as good as the much heavier version (54-56 lbs).

4. The same questions we have for Sunrise DeVilbiss type.

5. Finally, if anyone can make any suggestions about a good place to buy

one

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of these, it would be helpful. This purchase will NOT be covered by

insurance

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in any way, so price is obviously important.

Any help anyone can offer would be VERY GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jasna

Invacare makes a unit called a HomeFill which connects to
their Platinum5 concentrator and refills specially fitted M6
and M9 tanks, however, this device is only licenced for use
in the US only.

Your best bet is to get a local company to supply the
service, espically with EU rules dealing with medical
equipment.

JasF said:

Hi:

I am in the process of trying to choose an oxygen
concentrator for my mother (who is 80 years old). Her
blood oxygen level is much too low, and so she is going to
need to use the concentrator continually. We will be
buying the concentrator in the US, but my mother lives in
Europe, far from any of the manufacturers (and far from
any warranty service locations). This means that long-term
dependability and reliability is at a premium. My mother
lives in a multi-story house, so portability (up and down
stairs) is also a premium consideration.

OK, my specific questions:

1. We would like to know about the concentrator that can
be adapted to fill oxygen cylinders in your home. If
anybody had experience with two kinds: 1) Chad's "O2
total system" and Invacare's "The Home fill system".
How easy are they to operate? How reliable are there?
Do they break often? Do they fill O2 cylinders
properly? Does it take forever to fill the M6 and M9
cylinders? Are they very noisy and do they use a lot of
power?

2. We are also interested in the portable concentrator
AirSep's LifeStyle™. We want to know if it can be used
every day for 10-12 hours, if anybody had experience
with that. Is it reliable and does it break easily?

3. The third kind we are interested in is relatively light
concentrator Excel™ by Oxlife, Inc., (28 lbs) We have
the same concerns as above. We also wonder if it is as
good as the much heavier version (54-56 lbs).

4. The same questions we have for Sunrise DeVilbiss type.

5. Finally, if anyone can make any suggestions about a
good place to buy one of these, it would be helpful.
This purchase will NOT be covered by insurance in any
way, so price is obviously important.

Any help anyone can offer would be VERY GREATLY
appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jasna