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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Welder's Oxygen
        
(Message started by: hilbily on Dec 13^th, 2004, 8:22am)

Title: Welder's Oxygen
Post by hilbily on Dec 13^th, 2004, 8:22am

Hi All ! Doc suggested I go on O2, but with my ins. it all has to come out of pocket. In this state I can't get a med O2 tank filled myself (have to go thru supplier) so I thougth I'd ask the experts. What's involved in using a welder's O2 tank for CH relief?

Title: Re: Welder's Oxygen
Post by Margi on Dec 13^th, 2004, 12:36pm

Hi Hilbily,
Jonny is our resident expert on welders' oxygen, and I'm sure he'll be off work soon and will post here to help you.

The biggest risk with welder's oxygen is delivery method - you really do need to use a flow regulator with it. You can risk tearing your lung tissue if you breathe in too much, too fast. Also very important to get yourself a non-rebreather mask. You CAN just huff it straight from the nozzle, but you'll find MUCH quicker and more longer lasting relief with a mask.

My husband used welder's O2 for a couple of years before the neuro finally prescribed medicinal O2 for him. Jonny had given us a regulator for the welders' tank and we were able to adapt it to the new one with no problem.

Best of luck to you. The secret to success with O2 is catching the attack at the FIRST sign and getting on the O2 at that point. If you wait too long, it probably won't abort the attack for you.

Title: Re: Welder's Oxygen
Post by Biker on Dec 13^th, 2004, 8:48pm

Jonny is the expert on welders oxygen. Myself, I just leased a few tanks, purchased a regulator for a gas-accetylene toarch, had a short hose made up, and put a thumb activated air valve (the type mechanics use to blow dirt out of stuff), and have been using that for years. At the first sign of a CH, or even a shadow, I reach for the tank. It works for me. There are alot of old folks out here who use welders oxygen instead of the expensive medical oxygen. Its the same stuff. They fill both types of bottles (welders and medical) from the same truck at the local welders supply store. The medical is just in prettier bottles, and get delivered to the hospitals and medicare patients in newer,cleaner trucks.

Title: Re: Welder's Oxygen
Post by marlin on Dec 14^th, 2004, 11:26am

While probelms using non medical grade O2 are probably unlikely, they are possible. The difference I was told is related to how the fill process is executed, not the O2 itself (that's the same stuff). Medical grade O2 fills require that the tank is completely evacuated before a fill and they are inspected on some prescribed schedule. There's also a requirement that they get filled upside down for whatever reason? If there's any moisture present in a tank the O2 accelerates oxidation so steel tanks get real rusty and aluminum tanks get a white chalky residue. There have also been cases of regulators getting fouled up using welders O2.

I just get medical O2. Doesn't cost much and those E tanks are easy to handle. I do cheat and use a scuba regulator. My O2 lasts forever that way.

Title: Re: Welder's Oxygen
Post by Biker on Dec 15^th, 2004, 12:53pm

I can understand the medical regulators getting screwed up by using a welding tank. Theres usually 2,600psi (give or take a couple thousand) in a reciently re-filled oxygen tank. If you choose to use one of those things that put moisture in the line, that alone will filter out any possible particles. As things are, I think it would be a rare thing to have rust floating around in a tank. Although kinda primitave, an oxygen/accetyline toarch, or cutting toarch will not preform with contamination in the lines.