Sometimes all I need is the air that I breathe...
March 17, 2020 4:23 AM Subscribe
Should I get hold of oxygen in preparation for a possible COVID-19 infection?
I'm in the UK, I'm 45 and healthy, swim regularly and play squash, however I have asthma. It's under control using a steroid inhaler and a reliever but a couple of years ago my asthma suddenly became worse and spirometry tests gave readings that caused my doctor to diagnose me with Moderate COPD - this was soon downgraded to Normal when my preventative steroid inhaler dose was doubled (and when I started taking it more conscientiously).
If I caught COVID-19 I think my lungs would react badly; they have when I've caught flu in the past, but I've never been hosptialised. If this happened when the hospitals are overwhelmed (possibly in about a month's time) I might not be able to get a bed. So is it worth me getting a tank of oxygen to keep for this possible emergency? How much would I need? Do I need a prescription? Is it wrong to ask my doctor for one?
I'm in the UK, I'm 45 and healthy, swim regularly and play squash, however I have asthma. It's under control using a steroid inhaler and a reliever but a couple of years ago my asthma suddenly became worse and spirometry tests gave readings that caused my doctor to diagnose me with Moderate COPD - this was soon downgraded to Normal when my preventative steroid inhaler dose was doubled (and when I started taking it more conscientiously).
If I caught COVID-19 I think my lungs would react badly; they have when I've caught flu in the past, but I've never been hosptialised. If this happened when the hospitals are overwhelmed (possibly in about a month's time) I might not be able to get a bed. So is it worth me getting a tank of oxygen to keep for this possible emergency? How much would I need? Do I need a prescription? Is it wrong to ask my doctor for one?
Get proper medical advice; depending on the progression of your COPD, improperly titrated oxygen can be HAZARDOUS. Do NOT try this at home.
posted by chiquitita at 5:12 AM on March 17, 2020 [12 favorites]
posted by chiquitita at 5:12 AM on March 17, 2020 [12 favorites]
I have thought about this too - my daughter has chronic lung disease of prematurity and was on home oxygen for her first nine months. But her pulmonologist said that it won't help - if she's sick enough to be in the hospital, she'd be needing a ventilator, not just supplemental O2. I don't know if that's true for all cases or specifically his thoughts on my kid.
It wouldn't hurt to talk to your doc though. We got a bunch of preventive daily meds to boost her lung function for if/when she gets it - stronger inhaled steroids, oral steroids, and an antibiotic. Just having the conversation gave me peace of mind. Your doc might do the same.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 5:12 AM on March 17, 2020 [4 favorites]
It wouldn't hurt to talk to your doc though. We got a bunch of preventive daily meds to boost her lung function for if/when she gets it - stronger inhaled steroids, oral steroids, and an antibiotic. Just having the conversation gave me peace of mind. Your doc might do the same.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 5:12 AM on March 17, 2020 [4 favorites]
I am in no way accusing you of thinking along these lines, your question is clearly about medical sources, but as a general note for the interested - Do not consider trying to rig up some kind of oxygen delivery system of your own. I have seen people posting elsewhere about the cheap availability of oxygen tanks from industrial suppliers. This kind of thinking is extremely dangerous. Hyperoxia is very real and extremely easy to achieve. Trying to supplement oxygen intake using anything other than a source designed for that purpose is potentially fatal.
posted by samworm at 5:19 AM on March 17, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by samworm at 5:19 AM on March 17, 2020 [5 favorites]
Probably not a good idea. Don’t take resources out of the pipeline .
posted by SLC Mom at 2:27 PM on March 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by SLC Mom at 2:27 PM on March 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
Oh yeah god that hadn't even occurred to me. Please PSA don't try to self-oxygenate without the right tools.
posted by aspersioncast at 6:38 PM on March 17, 2020
posted by aspersioncast at 6:38 PM on March 17, 2020
You cannot stock enough oxygen in your home to get through this on your own. Assuming you'll want high-flow oxygen (15 L/min by mask) and you're using H tanks (3455 L), you'll need 6 tanks a day.
I haven't actually done the math on this one, but I'm pretty sure if you fill your home with several hundred tanks of oxygen you will be at greater risk of springing a leak in one of them and lighting yourself on fire.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 7:23 PM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
I haven't actually done the math on this one, but I'm pretty sure if you fill your home with several hundred tanks of oxygen you will be at greater risk of springing a leak in one of them and lighting yourself on fire.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 7:23 PM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
Do not try to stockpile oxygen if you don't have symptoms. Actual sick people need it.
posted by Billiken at 10:39 AM on March 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Billiken at 10:39 AM on March 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Not sure what the situation is across the pond, but as someone who has been hospitalized several times for upper-respiratory issues combined with asthma, I understand the concern.
Nonetheless if there's any kind of supply issue I'd consider hoarding this kind of resource right now to be potentially taking it away from someone who literally needs it to survive now, not theoretically as a "what if."
That said, there are oxygen concentrators and all sorts of alternatives, and it's never wrong to ask your doctor about this.
posted by aspersioncast at 5:08 AM on March 17, 2020 [7 favorites]