I am new (first 2 months)to cluster headaches and my neurologist prescribed me O2 therapy. It seems kinda hard to take this large tank to work. do I have options I also have tried imitrex injection which works great unfortunately insurance only wants to cover 6 doses in a month.... anyways this is really affecting my work as we all know you just can't do anything while an attack is happening I really just want some tips on some things that might work while I am at work....

I don't know what you do at work, but some of us keep an "E" sized tank or two in their car.

I'm a computer technician and I have about two days of knowledge on using the O2 so forgive me but I am completely unsure what an E sized tank is :) I have alot to learn

Take a look at the following two threads:

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These should help get you going on the right track.  After reading them, if you have any questions at all you'd like to ask, please don't hesitate.  

Best,

George

Thanks George, I had to run for the tank... Best, Rolo... [smiley=hammer.gif]

wrote on Jan 11^th, 2009 at 12:31am:

Thanks George, I had to run for the tank... Best, Rolo... [smiley=hammer.gif]

Hope you're doing better now, Roland.  Must be, since you're back.   ;)  

Best,

George

K6 gone in 10 min at 25 LPM.

I was typing on the laptop in the dark by the tank in the BR George.

I'm still buzzin from the O2... ;)

thank you for those threads it seems it is the E size tanks that I have. the company I get my O2 from gave me 11 tanks to start out with ,man seems like alot then, I used them and it seems I go through this stuff fast :) thank God insurance covers me well

I didn't realize I'd be spending so much time at this site... There is a ton of information here I do believe I have found me a home on the web

It's like the Hotel California, you can check out any time you'd like.... ;D

I keep an E-Tank in my cruiser while on cycle. It's my security blanket! Hoping it works as well for you.

Joe

Hi,

This is a real problem for my husband john - he has his own web development company and prefers not to tell clients about his medical problems so o2 in the office is definitely out! Also we live in the city and don't have a car. Like you he's only just started on o2, but so far having some probs with rebounds.

All we can do is avoid setting up meetings or anything important at his worst times of day, and keep strong coffee and energy drinks handy for the milder ones. If that fails he just has to come home for the o2 and reschedule whatever work he can.

For him and some others I think, quickly downing cold energy drinks with taurine / caffeine can take the edge off or even abort a mild attack. That and strong coffee are socially acceptable and actually make you look hard-working rather than ill :)

I love that people are so unobservant - they have no idea when he's getting or just had an attack even though he looks like hell. They really don't notice when he's in so much pain he can hardly talk or think.  We are amazed at this but it's comforting and helps him not feel so self-conscious. He has time to get away before it's obvious and very few people have to know.

He has so much strength toughing it out to keep his job, working through the pain at every opportunity and keeping on meeting deadlines, but still people come down on him for being unreliable and uncommitted when he's unable to answer his phone during an attack, etc.! So unfair, and discouraging!!

Hoping others will have some more tips we can learn from. It's stressful enough going through this without all the problems at work too!  I really hope you get your beast on a tight leash soon :)

Lisa

Lisa,

Get a big tank of O2 along with a tank of helium. Get a bunch of self motivational balloons for the office and no one will even notice that you’re getting O2 delivered after that. As long as you change out the balloons regularly, no one will be the wiser… Then go in after hours and move the O2 into his office in a hidden cabinet.

Roland. ;)

I'd probably not realize it during an attack start sucking down the helium next thing I know I sound like mickey mouse for a week LMAO

didn't see the Lisa part of that but anyway just trying to turn a bad situation into a funny one after all laughter is always good medicine... ;D

hee hee brilliant plan! Roland definitely has a prime criminal mind.

Better still, stash o2 in the balloons for quiet quickies, and then if there's a client you really don't like you can just give them a balloon and invite them to light a cigar...

Hey Lisa,

I don't understand his reluctance.  Is there a private area at the company?  If so, stash the tank in there.  If not, just keep it in a closet.

I have an e-tank on the floor of my cube.  Very few notice it and fewer comment.  When they do I just say it's for my CH and then answer any questions they have.

I also created my own version of the collegue letter and sent it to anyone who was likely to see me using O2.

As for clients... I can see him wanting to keep them in the dark.  Turn to an energy drink and/or coffee till they leave.  He could keep the tank in a bathroom closet too.  

Good luck...

-Dennis-

I've had to excuse myself to "handle an emergency" and was back before time was a big issue. Having coworkers clued in to my problem helped immensely. Breathing O2 at 25 LPM seriously reduced the abort time making so much easier to slip away for a few moments.

With CH's you just have to learn to work around them. I would much rather explain my momentary disappearance than have a client witness a full blown attack.

Marc

I don't envy him the balancing act. CH is scary, watching someone in a full blown attack would unnerve most. My beat partners have a basic understanding and know why the green E-Tank gets loaded in the trunk of my cruiser while on cycle. They know if I logoff for a while with no explanation I'm just unavailable. But yeah, it is a balancing act!!!

Joe

Can anyone tell me about safety issues (if any) of travelling with a tank in the car?

I had a hell of a time getting my employer to allow me to have a tank in our staff lounge at work last round ( sadly, I work in a HOSPITAL!!!), so am gearing up for the same fight soon.

I keep an "E" tank at work and work in IT.  I agree that it is easier just to be honest with your coworkers.  I have been going through these for so long now that everyone knows when my door is shut and the mask is on to not come near me.  It actually works out well.

Dennis - Using 02 at work is just not so good when it's one of these trendy open plan spaces... Even the chillout space is open plan.::) Ok the bathrooms are not *totally* open plan,,, hehe. But certainly nowhere private to go. There are several companies sharing the space, and some of these are clients.

I think if clients knew about CH they'd try to be understanding but would naturally lose confidence, and word would get around. They'd probably tend to assume that his health was impacting their business whenever any of the inevitable project hiccups happened. Would love to hear from anyone with experience of this though.

I guess we can hope to be more open when the company is more established and he has a strong enough reputation to handle that.
Or get a car and keep it in there...

Thanks for the explanation. It clears things up quite a bit.

How about a d-tank?  They're roughly 1/2 the size of an e-tank and hold enough O2 to abort a single attack.  Very portable.  Lots of carrying options too.  Bags, backpacks, etc...

-Dennis-