Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Oxygen hardware info needed , PLEASE!
        
(Message started by: EstieSA on Apr 20^th, 2006, 9:40am)

Title: Oxygen hardware info needed , PLEASE!
Post by EstieSA on Apr 20^th, 2006, 9:40am

Hi all

Can you please give me details on the cylinder , capacity & pressure thereof , size , etc.

The local oxy suppliers cannot provide oxygen in a cylinder at more than 5 lpm!

I struggle to get what I need locally >:(

What is the typical lead time when ordering a Clustermasx ?

Title: Re: Oxygen hardware info needed , PLEASE!
Post by Garys_Girl on Apr 20^th, 2006, 12:06pm

Estie:

Welcome to the site. So sorry to hear you need "us." !!!!!

I don't know anything about distribution of oxygen in South Africa. You do need "hospital grade" O2. Here in the States Welder's oxygen is also "pure" enough to safely put into your lungs.

Also, here in the States you need a Doctor's prescription to obtain oxygen from a medical supplier, and the prescription has to indicate that a high flow regulator is required.

How much oxygen you need depends upon the length and severity of your CH attacks.

Here is a link to an oxygen use time calculator: http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/pstc/backup/paraoxca.htm

An "E" tank, which easy to carry, at 12 lpm will last one night if you have 3 attacks and need O2 for 20 minutes each. If you only need it for 10 minutes each, it would last for 2 nights.

Most people who have "E" tanks have several of them on hand at any given time.

An "M" tank at home with at least one "E" tank to spare would be my guess at what is a good mix for a clusterhead in cycle.

Re: Clustermasx. I don't know, sorry!

Good luck! Lots of best wishes,

Laurie

Title: Re: Oxygen hardware info needed , PLEASE!
Post by Garys_Girl on Apr 20^th, 2006, 12:08pm

Ooops - forgot to mention. An M tank is large, and would be difficult to get around, but not impossible to get from your car into your home.

Also, spend as much time as you can here reading! There is SO MUCH useful information about the many different potential medications that can be tried, and any time you have questions, feel free to ask. :)

Title: Re: Oxygen hardware info needed , PLEASE!
Post by Linda_Howell on Apr 20^th, 2006, 1:14pm

Also you can contact Jasmyn here. She may be able to help you with the info for So. Africa. Just find one of her posts and PM her.

Linda

Title: Re: Oxygen hardware info needed , PLEASE!
Post by Jasmyn on Apr 20^th, 2006, 4:13pm

Welcome Estie

I see you are from around the Gauteng area. If you want to you can e-mail me at jazzdebeer@tvcabo.com.

Afrikaans is my home language, as I suspect is yours from your name, although I live in Mozambique now. It would be nice to speak to another CHer in my own language. ;;D I know 2 other Clusterheads in your area as well.

In Pretoria, at The Little Company of Mary Hospital, there is a Neurologist, called Dr. Duim. He will give you a prescription for an oxygen cylinder that can deliver 12 lpm. This is the only way to get that capacity cylinders from the medical suppliers.

I unfortunately cannot get a cylinder through the borders to Mozambique as it is declared a pressure vessel. He gave me a prescription and does understand CH. So try and get an appointment with him.

In the meantime the big welders oxygen tanks does work but the welders oxygen in SA is not very clean. A few years ago I used these out of desperation when Jonny(a guy here on the board that knows his welding ;))suggested it. I worked at one of the Aluminium Smelters and just stuck, with duck tape, a latex glove/condom ::) around the regulator opening and inhaled very deeply into the glove/ [smiley=bag.gif].

I can vouch that such primitive solutions do work when you cannot find the real thing or a clustermasx.

I don't know of anybody that has ordered a Clustermasx to SA before but it may take between 3 to 5 weeks for you to receive anything from abroad through the SA postal service. :(

Hope to hear from you soon. :)