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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Fresh Air Exchanger
        
(Message started by: Camerooskis_Mom on Jan 7^th, 2003, 1:59pm)

Title: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Camerooskis_Mom on Jan 7^th, 2003, 1:59pm

My son being recently diagnosed, the doctor mentioned that during the winter the oxygen levels within the home are much lower than normal. We live in the frigid north. He suggested I open a window in my son's room to boost the oxygen at night. Unfortunately safety concerns make this impractical. I was wondering if anyone has researched or installed a Fresh Air Exchanger in their home and if it was indeed beneficial. As you can imagine it is quite pricey at first glance but I am willing to figure out the finances if it could be at all helpful. Thanks.

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Margi on Jan 7^th, 2003, 2:45pm

Hi again, Mom...
You got some real good advice about cracking a window - it's the best (and cheapest) way to exchange air. Can't you open it even an inch for him? That's really all you need and it really would help him get that fresh air he so desparately needs.
Another concern during this season is fireplaces...they tend to suck all the available O2 out of the room and can quite often provoke an attack. Always a good idea to have a fresh air source when you're having a fire...

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Slammy on Jan 7^th, 2003, 3:48pm

I'm not sure that the level of change in 0xygen would be significant enough to abort or prevent a CH from occuring.

Slammy http://www.uselessgraphics.com/devil09.gif

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Margi on Jan 7^th, 2003, 4:10pm

see, that's what happens when I try to post while I'm talking on the phone... :)

you're right, Slammy, it sure isn't enough to abort an attack, just cracking a window. but it might be enough (the cracking of a window) to not PROVOKE an attack when the fireplace is starting up. i've seen that happen to Mike, (the starting of a fire in a fireplace provoking an attack for him because it sucked the oxygen out of the room to feed itself). it usually wouldn't happen if we left a window open though.

me and my abstract thinking.

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Slammy on Jan 7^th, 2003, 4:29pm

LOL! depends on who you are talking to on the phone! :P

anyways, I was too crptic on my post. I was refering to cameroowhosits_mom in regards to a pricey Fresh Air Exchanger...

crackin a window is free... ;D

Slammy http://www.uselessgraphics.com/devil09.gif

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Margi on Jan 7^th, 2003, 4:39pm

you're right, Slammy - those 1-900 numbers do tend to be a lil distracting.

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Karla on Jan 7^th, 2003, 5:22pm

having a window open in general will not help me by preventing or aborting a ha. Neither will fresh air outside. However, I live in the cold north and the cold air in the wintertime helps me alot. Heat is a trigger for me and I feel better with the cold. If I was in front of a fireplace the heat from it would trigger a ch unless I had a cold window open then I can offset the heat and be ok. However, standing outside will not abort a ha or prevent one long term. Hope you can understand all that and it makes scense.

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by talitha on Jan 7^th, 2003, 6:33pm

fresh cold air does seem to help some for me. don't know if an air exchanger would do the same as an open window.

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by brain_cramps on Jan 7^th, 2003, 6:38pm

While in cycle, I always sleep next to an open window, regardless of how cold it is! I'm lucky that most of my cycles are in spring or fall. I have even slept in the back yard in a sleeping bag.

When I am in cycle during the winter months, I will still sleep with the window open. It gets pretty damn cold in Saskatchewan in January. Its pissed off a couple of people I've lived with over the years, but what the hey?

I think fresh air makes a BIG difference. It may not abort an attack, but I believe the attacks are less frequent when I get LOTS of fresh air.

just my opinion,
grant

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Jarvis on Jan 8^th, 2003, 12:17am

Hi C's Mom- I know a little about these things. If you live in a newer and well insulated house I would reccomend highly an air exchanger. I dont know if it would be beneficial for ch but I do know that fresh air is good for all living things. Plants grow better children and adults suffer much less sickness....Our homes today are locked up pretty tight to the natural world and the air gets pretty stale if you cant replace it. Exhaust fans going, dryers and gas appliances consuming the oxygen/air, people and water creating tons of humidity, carpets and synthetic materials emmitting strange chemicals into the air, etc. etc.etc....Of course if you could leave a window open that would work fine too. However that gets expensive to heat or cool your home........What you want is an HRV or heat recovery ventilator. You would replace the air if properly sized every 2-3 hrs (depending on your climate)in the house with fresh outside air. The energy savings versus an open window will pay for the unit cost pretty rapidly as upwards of 90% of the heat or cooling from the exhausted air is returned back to the home. If you are in a humid area there are ways to control these to increase the air exchange rates. What I know for sure is that they are good for you and maybe Camerooski too. Sorry for the long ramble but one of my specialties is dealing with sick building syndromes in large commercial and industrial projects. Make sure if you do get an exchanger that its properly sized. Hope this helps a little.......mj PS: One company I have used for smaller projects is Raydot. Just put it in your search engine and you will find the web pages and more info that may help. Or a general search on HRV's

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Camerooskis_Mom on Jan 8^th, 2003, 11:58am

Thanks Jarvis, My husband is an HVAC service tech and loves the idea of fresh air being added to our house so I guess we will be doing this anyway.

As for the issue of cracking a window. We live in a very quiet neighborhood, usually. But in the last few months their have been several home invasions (robberies), some occurring when it was obvious people were home. Last week it happened to a neighbor behind us. We are in the process of rehabing the home and are scheduled to install new windows in the spring. My safety concern is two-fold. These old windows are heavy and tend to fall with extreme force - and Cameron has been the victim of such (fortunately minor injury). But also, I would prefer to make it a very loud undertaking for someone to get into my home while we are home and leaving the window open just makes me very nervous especially with it being to my youngest's room (although this window would not be an easy first choice, it faces my neighbors driveway and main door).

But I am very grateful for all the positive responses. Last night Camerooski woke me up at an onset of a headache, I took him outside on the back porch with me for a while and we rocked and held an ice pack to his head. While the HA did not shorten in the usual duration, it's intensity never came (very grateful for that, he rated it at a 6 at the peak). After being HA free for the last two weeks, (except for minor flares), I erroneously thought we had past his cycle. :( I'm very proud of him though, he is letting me know before it becomes full blown - which I think is pretty great for a 7 yo in my opinion. I just want to be able to do everything I possibly can for him. Thanks for letting me share and sharing w/ me. Being so new to this, all of you and your previous posts have been very helpful.

Title: Re: Fresh Air Exchanger
Post by Jarvis on Jan 8^th, 2003, 9:48pm

Hey mom, your husband can handle that X-changer task no problem. If he hasnt allready checked most HVAC wholesalers can get them and knock the price way down for you just tell them its for your son and they should give the absolute best price possible. ......................Sorry to here that Cams got CH. I've often wondered how a child would handle this pain. What does he do when hit. I bet he's a pretty tough fella.... Tell him that there are a lot of wanna be tough folks out here that say "CLUSTERS SUCK". And we really do know how they feel. Wonder if my mom would rock with me.