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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> If anyone needs help with 02 Therapy read Here
        
(Message started by: kingsiren on Jan 14^th, 2008, 9:51pm)

Title: If anyone needs help with 02 Therapy read Here
Post by kingsiren on Jan 14^th, 2008, 9:51pm

My insurance ran out after I was laid off work for 6 months and couldnt afford the buy up so I decided to obtain my own 02 set up. It was easier than getting it prescribed and delivered and in case anyone needs instructions how to do it I will post it here. Also please feel free to message me if you have any questions.

First thing that you need to understand is that the 02 used for medicine & welding is exactly the same, from the same source. This has been said many times before and is 100% true. The difference is in price, they can charge much more for medical gas. I use the same supplier to get my 02 that my former medical supplier used.

I needed a large tank with a regulator, some small portable tanks with a regulator, a non rebreathing mask, and a simple "whip" to transfer from the large tank to the small aluminum tanks in case im away from my house. You can buy both regulators on ebay for about $30 a piece, make sure that the one for the large tanks says cga540 and delivers up to 15lpm(some only go up to 8 liters per minute and that wont work). I just did a search there are dozens available.

You may be able to purchase a non rebreathing mask online or at a local medical supply. My brother is FDNY so I asked him but he actually took too long so I got one from a local EMT, I just walked up to his rig and told him why I needed it he handed me 2. He wouldn't even let me buy him coffee so thats as free as it gets.

Ebay also has the small portable E tanks, they use a regulator that says CGA 870, again 15lpm. You cannot take these to be refilled as they are strictly for medical use but you can buy them from ebay. I have also seen them used at medical suppliers but luckily I just stole mine from the supplier that my insurance company sent me to last time, they screwed me and I felt justified.....ahhh whatever as long as you have one or 2 in case you are going to be away from home. I'm sure that the tanks might wear after a decade of use but I think that you can tell by eye if they are in decent working condition.

You can then call your local welding supply house, preferably one that generates their own 02 they will be a bit cheaper and rent a "K" oxy tank for "welding". I paid $150 deposit, $50 for a years rental and $20 to fill the tanke. It holds about 250 cu ft of 02 probably the equivelant of 10 smaller aluminum "E" tanks. They are heavy but the best value, if you have no way to transport that size tank they make a smaller one that holds about 150 cu ft, expect to pay the same for either size. They never asked me what the gas was for so I didn't offer to tell them.

If you want to only use the large tank at home, then you only need to get the cga 540 regulator, rent the tank and scrounge a mask. If you need the smaller tanks like I do, then you have to get what is called an oxygen cylinder refiller. If you do a google search you will mostly find aviation suppliers that sell the cheapest unit for about $100. I dont recommend that unit, you need to go bottle to bottle with no hose or guage and its a pain in the neck. I found the refiller I use on ebay, it was $120 and works great, very well made. It is very simple to refill 02 tanks, divers, pilots, etc do it all the time. This is a simple instruction on how to do it:
http://www.mhoxygen.com/images/TR-875-manual.pdf

Plenty of helpful info can be found on their site as well as here:

http://www.airspeedpress.com/oxyread.html

Its alot easier than you would think and now I will never be without 02 again. If you need help with any of this just pm me, I'll answer any questions I can. I'm not on all the time but I pop in every week or so whether I'm in a cycle or not. I hope this is able to help someone I know how much my life sucked before I got the 02....

Title: Re: If anyone needs help with 02 Therapy read Here
Post by thebbz on Jan 14^th, 2008, 10:47pm

clustermasx.com ;;D
2600psi.....I would be careful attempting tank to tank re-fills.
K tanks weigh in at 180 lbs give or take. :P
thebb