Flexible spending accounts (or FSA's) are a great tool to save money on healthcare, especially if you or someone in your family suffers from a chronic medical condition. If you use oxygen therapy, a flexible spending account can be a smart way to cover special equipment and out-of-pocket costs.

Unfortunately, many people who use oxygen don't take full advantage of their FSA. You can use your FSA to buy all kinds of oxygen therapy supplies, but many people don't realize this or don't think beyond the basics.

The truth is, you can use your FSA to cover just about any oxygen supplies and equipment that your insurance won't cover. That includes small things—like softer tubing or your preferred brand of nasal cannula—and large things—like a brand new portable oxygen concentrator.

But if you have an FSA, you've probably experienced the end-of-year anxiety that comes before your plan expires. This time of year often signals a mad rush to use up FSA money before the funds are lost forever.

When this time comes, too many people spend their extra funds on the first, most convenient things that come to mind. While this isn't always a bad thing, many people are simply not aware of all their options and how they can put that money to best use.

Fortunately, there is a huge number of things you can purchase with your FSA, and it's easy to use up extra funds if you know what your options are. In fact, extra FSA money at the end of the year provides the perfect opportunity to invest in a portable oxygen concentrator or other oxygen supplies you've been wanting to buy.

In this post, we're going to explain how your FSA works and how you can make the most out of your funds before they expire. We'll explain what kinds of purchases are eligible, help you understand FSA restrictions, and give you some practical ideas of what to spend your extra FSA funds on.

Using oxygen isn't always easy, and it's important to utilize all of the options you have to improve the comfort and convenience of oxygen therapy. To learn more, continue reading this article to find out how you can use your FSA to fund a new oxygen concentrator for yourself or a loved one this year.

Here's a quick overview of the information we'll cover in this guide:

• What an FSA is and how it works
• How to understand FSA plan years and when funds expire
• Limitations on how you can spend your FSA
• How to use up your FSA funds before they expire
• What kinds of oxygen supplies are eligible for FSA funds
• How to buy a portable oxygen concentrator with FSA funds
• What kinds of mobility aids qualify for FSA funds
• How and when you can use your FSA funds on someone in your family

How Does an FSA Work?

If you're already very familiar with what an FSA is and what it does, then feel free to skip ahead to the next section. This section is for those of you who aren't quite sure how an FSA works.

This section may also be helpful if you're a bit fuzzy on the details or need a quick refresher on what kinds of expenses you can pay for with your FSA.

What is an FSA?

An FSA, or Flexible Spending Account, is a type of spending account specifically for health and medical expenses. You can only get an FSA through an employer, and you put money in the account by taking it directly out of your earnings.

However, there are limits on what you can use your FSA funds for; in general, you can only use them to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare costs for yourself, your spouse, and your dependents. You also have to use up the money in your FSA by the end of every year, otherwise you lose the unspent amount.

The only way to put money into your FSA account is to get it deducted automatically from your paychecks. In general, you have to decide on an amount to contribute for the whole year and you can't change it until the new plan year starts.

The greatest benefit of having an FSA is that whatever money you put into it is income tax exempt. That means that you get to keep the full amount, before taxes, of any earnings you put in your FSA account.

For example, let's assume your income tax rate is about 30%, and you decide to contribute $300 from your paycheck to your FSA. Normally, you would have to pay $90 in taxes on that $300; however, since you decided to contribute that money to your FSA, you don't pay any income taxes and get to keep the full $300.

Because of this, there is always a limit to how much money you can contribute to your FSA account every year. The law limits each person to a maximum of 2,650 yearly, but your employer might limit your contribution to a different amount.

Many people try to max out their FSA every year to take full advantage of its tax saving benefits. Since you can use your FSA to cover such a wide range of healthcare expenses, it's generally not very difficult to find a way to use up extra funds.

An FSA is a great way to set money aside for future medical expenses like medications, operations, and medical equipment that your insurance doesn't cover. This can be especially useful for seniors, families with children, people with chronic diseases, and anyone who faces large or unpredictable healthcare costs.

When you need to spend the money in your FSA account on a medical expense, there are two main ways you can do that. First, you can pay the amount yourself and then submit a claim to get reimbursed from your FSA, or you can use a FlexCard to pay expenses directly from your account.

Here is a quick overview of some of the key features and benefits of using an FSA:

• You can contribute whatever amount you'd like every month, up to a maximum of $2,650 per year.
• The amount you contribute to your FSA gets taken directly from your paycheck.
• Any income you contribute to your FSA is income tax exempt.
• Your employer may choose to match the amount you contribute to your FSA up to a certain amount.

Now that we've covered what an FSA is, let's take a closer look at how it works. In order to use your FSA legally and get the most out of your account, it's vital to understand how FSA funds expire and what kinds of expenses you are allowed to pay for with your FSA.

The Funds in Your FSA Expire Every Year

FSA accounts work on a year-long cycle. At the beginning of every plan year, your accounts starts at $0, and any money you put in the account throughout the year has to be spent before the plan year ends.

At the beginning of the next year, your account gets reset to zero again, and any funds leftover from the previous year get forfeited. That's why it's very important to use all of the money in your account before it expires.

While the start and end of most FSA plan years usually align with the calendar year, this is not always the case. To avoid losing your hard-earned funds, make sure you know the exact date that your FSA plan ends and don't lose track of it throughout the year.

If You Don't Use It, You Will Probably Lose It

Even if you have money left over in your FSA account, you will lose it forever after the start of the new plan year. Because of this, many people spend December looking for useful ways to spend away the rest of the money in their accounts.

There are some exceptions, however; some FSA plans give you a month or two grace period to use unspent funds after the end of your plan year. Alternatively, the Affordable Care Act allows employers who don't offer a grace period to allow employees to roll over up to $500 in unspent funds from the previous year.

How your FSA works depends on the particular plan offered by your employer. Regardless, under most plans you stand to lose a significant amount of your balance if you don't use it up by the end of your plan year.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to use up all your hard-earned FSA funds before they expire. Even if the deadline is close, there's nothing to stop you from going on a last-minute healthcare shopping spree.

There are Strict Limitations on How You Can Spend Your FSA

FSA funds can only be used to pay for qualified medical expenses, which the IRS defines as “costs of the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and the costs for treatments affecting any part or function of the body.” However, when it comes to the specifics of what you can and cannot pay for using FSA funds, the rules can be somewhat vague.

The IRS also specifies that the healthcare expense must also be used “primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical disability or illness.” However, expenses related to general health, such as vitamins and health foods, are not considered qualified medical expenses.

We'll go into greater detail on what kinds of supplies and equipment do and don't count as qualified FSA expenses in this next section. In the following sections, we'll lay out exactly what kinds of oxygen supplies, oxygen equipment, and other helpful supplies you can purchase with your FSA.

What You CAN Purchase with FSA Funds

Here is a list of some general healthcare expenses that are qualified for FSA funds:

• Medical care that you receive from any legal medical practitioner, including physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other specialists.
• Medical equipment, medical supplies, and diagnostic devices needed for medical purposes (e.g. first aid supplies, oxygen therapy supplies, and blood sugar test kits)
• Prescription medications
• The cost of your health insurance premium (but not dental insurance)
• Transportation costs you incur traveling to and from medical care
• Long-term care services (and, in some cases, some of the costs of long-term care insurance)
• Over-the-counter medications, but only if you have a doctor's prescription (excluding insulin)

Here is a list of some common products that qualify as medical equipment and supplies:

• Thermometers
• Antiseptic
• Bandages
• First aid kits
• Blood pressure monitors
• Defibrillators
• Sunscreen
• Condoms
• Prenatal vitamins
• Adaptive mobility aids (e.g. shower chairs)
• Oxygen equipment and maintenance products

What You May NOT Purchase with FSA Funds

Here is a list of some general healthcare expenses that are NOT qualified for FSA funds:

• Any “general health” items that are not needed to treat or prevent a specific illness, disease, or medical condition
• Toothbrushes and over-the-counter dental products
• Over-the-counter medications without a prescription
• Fitness trackers and pedometers
• Gym memberships and exercise equipment
• CBD products and medical marijuana
• Cosmetic procedures
• Dental insurance premiums
• Feminine hygiene products
• Diapers
• Hair loss products
• Medicare alternative insurance premiums
• Medicare part B insurance

Here are a couple more great resources for figuring out what specific things you can and cannot buy with FSA funds:

• The FSA Store
• General list of eligible and non-eligible items from Wageworks

You CAN Buy Oxygen Equipment and Supplies with FSA Funds

Fortunately for people who use oxygen, you can use FSA funds to pay for medical equipment and supplies that are necessary for oxygen therapy. That includes the cost of oxygen and oxygen equipment used to “relieve breathing problems caused by a medical condition.”

In the following sections, we'll go into more detail about exactly what kinds of oxygen supplies and equipment count as qualified health expenses. We'll also show you how you can use your FSA to pay for pricier equipment that may be difficult to fund otherwise, such as a portable oxygen concentrator.

How to Use Up Your FSA Funds Before They Expire

You can get the most out of your FSA by thinking outside the box and considering all your different spending options. That's why it's important to understand your FSA's full potential, and that it can be used to cover much more than basic costs like co-pays and prescriptions.

If you use supplemental oxygen, you can use your FSA pay for all kinds of practical supplies to make your daily life easier. For example, you can use FSA funds to purchase a shower chair for your home or get that high-flow nasal cannula you've always wanted to try.

There is a wide variety of FSA-qualified oxygen therapy equipment, adaptive mobility aids, and other supplies you can choose from. You can use your FSA to pay for small equipment expenses and for more expensive devices like portable oxygen concentrators.

In the following sections, we're going to give you some ideas for how to use FSA funds on oxygen and mobility supplies that will actually make a difference in your life. From portable oxygen concentrators to mobility aids to luxury oxygen equipment, we'll show you a variety of practical items that can improve your quality of life.

Since the money in your FSA account disappears at the end of the year, you should think about how to use up the entire balance before that date comes. Luckily, there is a plethora of worthwhile things you can purchase with your FSA, many of which you might not have thought about before on your own.

You Can Buy a Portable Oxygen Concentrator

If you've ever considered buying a new or used portable oxygen concentrator but worried about the price, you can always fund the purchase through your FSA. It's a great way to use up extra FSA funds, and it's one of the most worthwhile investments that someone who uses supplemental oxygen can make.

A portable oxygen concentrator allows you to take oxygen with you anywhere you go, without having to handle any bulky equipment. They are some of the lightest, safest, and most hassle-free oxygen sources available, and having one can be life-changing in the best possible way.

A portable oxygen concentrator allows you to move freely without being tethered to a stationary oxygen concentrator or heavy oxygen tank. This allows you to take back some of the freedom you lose when you have to use supplemental oxygen.

Buying a portable oxygen concentrator is a long-term investment that is also immediately practical; it is something you can utilize both inside and outside your home every day. Portable concentrators are also durable, high-quality pieces of equipment that you can benefit from for many years to come.

There are many different types of oxygen concentrators available in a variety of sizes and with a range of useful features. To learn more about the best portable oxygen concentrators on the market, check out the following links:

• The best portable oxygen concentrators of 2018
• Top 4 continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators
• Top 4 pulse flow portable oxygen concentrators

How to Pay for a Portable Oxygen Concentrator with FSA Funds

Even if you don't have enough money in your FSA to pay the entire price of a portable oxygen concentrator, you can still use it to cover part of the cost. Whether you have $200 or $2,000 in your account, you can put as much of it as you like toward the balance and use another payment method for the rest.

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Here at Life Point Medical, we offer great financing options that can make it even easier to pay for a new or used portable oxygen concentrator with your FSA. You can cover the initial cost with the money in your account right now, and then pay for the rest over time with low monthly payments.

You Can Buy a Variety of Oxygen Equipment and Supplies

If you use oxygen for any reason, you can get the most out of your extra FSA funds by spending them on new oxygen supplies. There is a wide variety of FSA-qualified oxygen equipment and maintenance items that can make oxygen therapy more comfortable.

In general, you can use your FSA to pay for the following oxygen supplies:

• Oxygen concentrators and accessories, including:
• Battery packs and power cords
• Compressors
• Filters
• Oxygen equipment maintenance items, including:
• Cleansing wipes
• Disinfecting and deodorant sprays
• Oxygen delivery supplies, including:
• Nasal cannulae & oxygen masks
• Extension tubing
• Humidifier bottles
• Nebulizer equipment
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• CPAP/BiPAP machines and accessories, including:
• CPAP machines
• CPAP headgear
• CPAP equipment cleaning supplies

Your FSA is also a great way to fund specialty oxygen equipment, which is often pricier than the standard equipment most oxygen suppliers offer. For example, you could use your FSA funds to buy more comfortable nasal cannulae or higher quality tubing supplies.

In general, you can use your FDA to pay for any oxygen therapy supplies that your insurance won't cover. To learn more about the many different types of nasal cannulae, oxygen masks, tubing, and more that you have to choose from, take a look at our guide on making oxygen therapy more comfortable.

There are many different kinds of specialty oxygen supplies you can buy that are designed to make oxygen therapy more comfortable and convenient. For now, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Examples of oxygen supplies that are eligible for FSA funds:

• High-flow nasal cannulae
• Nasal cannulae with soft tubing and comfort features
• A finger pulse oximeter to monitor your blood oxygen saturation
• Comfortable oxygen masks
• Replacement extension tubing
• Humidifier bottles that attach to your oxygen delivery equipment
• Sanitizing sprays and solutions for cleaning your oxygen equipment
• An extra battery for your portable oxygen concentrator
• Replacement filters for your portable or stationary oxygen concentrator
• CPAP/BiPAP masks

You can also purchase a variety of FSA-eligible oxygen and CPAP supplies from our online store. We offer a variety of different CPAP machines and accessories, portable oxygen concentrators, and other oxygen supplies.

You Can Buy a Variety of Qualified Mobility Aids

Living with a chronic condition that requires supplemental oxygen can be difficult. Many people who use oxygen suffer from breathlessness and other physical ailments that limit their mobility and interfere with daily activities.

The good news is that you can use your FSA to pay for many different types of adaptive equipment to make daily living easier. In general, adaptive mobility aids for bathing, dressing, and feeding all qualify for FSA funds.

In some cases, you might need to provide proof that your adaptive equipment is necessary. If proof is required, you will need to have your doctor write a letter of medical necessity (LMN) explaining why you need the equipment for your health and how it will improve your standard of living.

Here is a list of some common mobility aids and equipment you can purchase through your FSA:

• Shower chairs
• Shower grab bars
• Tub seats
• Bath transfers
• Dressing sticks and sock dressing aids
• Long-handled dressing tools (e.g. shoe horn, zipper pull, button hook)
• Grabbers
• Toilet modifications
• Adapted dishware and utensils for eating
• Mobility scooters (with a LMN)

There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning to symptoms like fatigue, stiffness, chest pain, or grogginess. However, this is a reality that many Americans face, especially those with pulmonary illnesses like COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and asthma.

According to Dispatch Health, fatigue is the second most common symptom of COPD behind dyspnea (shortness of breath). This study found that the amount of COPD patients with clinically significant fatigue is around 50%, in contrast to 10% in elderly people without COPD.

Although there are many factors that contribute to tiredness, fatigue, and grogginess in COPD patients, the most significant cause is decreased lung function. According to WebMD, it can take up to 10 times as much energy for someone with COPD to breathe as it does for their healthy counterparts.

As you can imagine, over time, this can become quite exhausting. Additionally, if labored breathing leads to reduced oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxemia), this can lead to further fatigue.

While we could sit here and rattle off all of the causes of fatigue in COPD patients, you’re probably a lot more interested in the solutions. That’s why, in this post, we’re going to be discussing some of the proven ways for COPD patients to improve their energy levels.

Whether you have mild, moderate, or severe COPD, these tips will help you take back control and start feeling more motivated in your daily life. As always, if you have any questions for us, please leave them in the comments below or speak with an oxygen concentrator representative.

Quit Smoking Immediately

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of lung disease in the world. A burning cigarette emits more the 7,000 chemicals, and when they enter the body, they quickly damage the air passages, air sacs (alveoli), and your lungs’ natural immune functions. 

Years of smoking almost inevitably leads to some of the most common lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and more. But lung damage is not the only thing that you have to worry about when you light up a cigarette. The way smoking affects the brain is of equal concern.

One of the most concerning chemicals found in cigarette smoke is nicotine. You probably know this as the chemical that makes cigarettes “addictive”. While this is true, it has far worse effects on the body than this. Like coffee, nicotine is a stimulant. Smoking a cigarette or two will give you a sort of “high” where you feel like you have a lot of energy and alertness. 

However, when the effects of nicotine begin to wear off, you’ll start to experience a crash and eventual withdrawals, causing you to start the whole process over again. Over time, this can mess with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle causing you to lose sleep at night.

Another way that smoking can lead to reduced energy levels in COPD patients is through the development of mood disorders. We talk about mental health a lot here at LPT Medical because, no matter how physically healthy you are, you can’t be happy if your mental health isn’t in check. 

Studies have found that, contrary to popular belief, cigarette smoking leads to increased anxiety, and smokers are more likely to develop depression and other mental illnesses than their non-smoking counterparts. According to Hopkins Medicine, about 75% of people with depression have trouble getting to sleep at night.

Manage Your Diet Carefully

If there’s one thing that everyone should be taught from a young age, it’s the importance of a healthy, well-balanced diet. While you can go through all of the foods you eat and pick out the “unhealthy” from the “healthy”, it makes more sense to think of what your individualized needs are and then tailor your diet to that. 

For example, COPD patients often have trouble maintaining their weight because they have a higher energy expenditure than healthy people due to their reduced lung function. This means that COPD patients oftentimes need to increase their protein intake. Loss of muscle mass (muscle atrophy) not only leads to fatigue but can also lead to osteoporosis and other bone disorders.  

Another thing you should do is replace simple carbohydrates in your diet (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) with complex carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, and fruits). The problem with simple carbs is that they are broken down and digested very quickly by the body. 

This leads to a quick spike in blood glucose and thus immediate energy. However, consuming simple carbs also means that you will experience a “crash” later on, which will leave you feeling exhausted and unmotivated. According to the Lung Institute, carbohydrates produce the most carbon dioxide in the body in relation to the amount of oxygen that’s used to break it down while fat produces the least. 

So eating too many carbs as a COPD patient can lead to increased breathlessness and fatigue.

One last modification you can do to your diet to have more energy throughout the day is to eat more frequently. While you’ve probably been told before that “snacking” is a bad thing, it can be incredibly beneficial if you do it the correct way. 

Many store-bought snacks like granola bars, candy bars, or yogurt are filled with sugar and other additives but if you create your own snacks, you can be sure that they’re healthy and won’t sap your energy. For example, a piece of fruit, some veggies, and hummus, or unsalted nuts will provide you with lots of energy to make it through the day. 

One of the best benefits of healthy snacking is that you won’t be so hungry once mealtime comes around, meaning you’ll eat less and won’t feel so bloated and exhausted afterward. 

Stay Hydrated

As a whole, the human body is around 60% water, the lungs are about 83% water, and the brain is 73% water. Water plays a pivotal role in some of the most basic functions of the body including circulation, digestion, and temperature regulation. And according to Healthline, being dehydrated can make you feel tired even when you’re fully rested. 

This is likely due to low blood pressure that results from having insufficient water intake. While there are many drinks you could consume to stay hydrated, water is always the best choice. The Lung Institute recommends that COPD patients drink between 64 to 96 ounces par day. 

In addition to drinking enough water, it’s important to avoid things like sugary, caffeinated, or alcoholic beverages. Although sugar and caffeine are great for a quick pick-me-up, they are not a good long-term solution to your fatigue and sleepiness. 

Alcohol, on the other hand, is a central nervous system depressant that causes feelings of sleepiness and relaxation. Overconsumption of alcohol has been shown to delay the onset of sleep and many people even experience sleep disruptions or poor quality of sleep. 

Get Tested for Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamins and minerals play a vital role in the body’s function. They are considered “essential nutrients” because they have hundreds of functions from assisting in bone development to boosting your immune system. Unfortunately, many COPD patients are deficient in vitamin D which is responsible for regulating bone health and energy levels in the body.

Vitamin D assists mitochondria to use oxygen in the healthy function of muscles and various other parts of the body. In other words, when you are vitamin D deficient you’re at a higher risk for osteoporosis and low energy levels.

There are several reasons why COPD patients might be vitamin D deficient. Firstly, our primary source of vitamin D is the sun because our bodies naturally produce vitamin D when we’re exposed to sunlight. 

However, many COPD patients are not as active as they used to be before being diagnosed and may avoid going outside when it’s sunny because of the risk of respiratory exacerbation or heat exhaustion. Another reason COPD patients may be vitamin D deficient is their diet has changed. 

Fatty fish, egg yolks, and vitamin D fortified foods are some of the best sources of vitamin D. 

If you have reason to believe that you are vitamin D deficient, it’s best to consult with your doctor to discuss your symptoms. Typically, vitamin deficiencies are diagnosed through a type of blood test called 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D for short. Your vitamin D levels are measured in nanomoles/liter (nmol/L) or nanograms/milliliter (ng/mL):

• Deficient: under 30 nmol/L
• Potentially deficient: 30-50 nmol/L
• Normal: 50-125 nmol/L
• Higher than normal: over 125 nmol/L
  
  

Take Oxygen as It’s Prescribed

Supplemental oxygen is a type of medical therapy designed for people with impaired lung function. In the case of emphysema, the tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli become damaged and swollen. Since the alveoli are responsible for transferring oxygen to the blood and carbon dioxide back into the lungs, this disease results in low blood oxygen levels. 

Emphysema patients need to use oxygen as it was prescribed by their doctor in order to maintain the appropriate level of oxygen in their blood.

When someone with emphysema has low blood oxygen levels for an extended period of time, this can result in hypoxia or low oxygen levels in the body’s tissues. This can cause complications like headaches, confusion, fatigue, and even organ failure. 

On the other hand, increasing your oxygen intake to an amount higher than what your doctor prescribed can be equally harmful. Oxygen toxicity is what happens when you ingest too much oxygen. It can result in symptoms like difficulty breathing, chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.

One of the best ways to ensure that you have access to a reliable supply of oxygen wherever you go is to choose the right oxygen device. While oxygen tanks have been used by COPD patients for decades, they are not the best option for the majority of people. Portable oxygen concentrators tend to be a much better choice because they don’t need to be refilled like oxygen tanks do, and they’re also much lighter and smaller. 

What this means is that you won’t have to stop what you’re doing constantly to find a place to refill your oxygen device. Concentrators run on batteries, so you only have to carry what you need.  

One of the greatest features of newer portable oxygen concentrators like the ARYA Airvito, Inogen One G5 and Caire FreeStyle Comfort is their auto-adjusting flow rates.

If you’re using the device while you’re sleeping, the concentrator will adjust its oxygen output based on your breathing rate and breathing depth ensuring that you always get the optimal amount of oxygen. 

This will prevent you from receiving too little or too much oxygen while you sleep resulting in fewer interruptions and more restful sleep. And finally, if you’re taking oxygen as it was prescribed but you still feel out of breath or fatigued, be sure to consult your doctor before increasing your flow setting.  

Exercise Consistently

Exercise is important for everyone, regardless of their age and health condition. However, a healthy exercise routine looks different for everyone. For example, if you’re in early-stage COPD and your symptoms are very mild, you might want to try a high-intensity exercise routine. Conversely, if you’re in stage three or four COPD, you may need to resort to moderate exercise.

The important thing is that you’re consistent with your exercise routine and you don’t resort to long periods of sedentary behavior. This will keep your body’s circulation in check and ensure that you don’t overexercise.

According to WebMD, studies show that exercise is a great way to improve energy levels, even in people with chronic diseases that are associated with fatigue. By exercising, you’re improving your cardiovascular health and strengthening your lungs and muscles meaning your body, as a whole, will be more efficient and you won’t get exhausted from simple things like carrying the groceries or walking to the mailbox. 

Believe it or not, the stronger your muscles are, the less oxygen they need in order to function properly. If you want to start exercising but don’t know where to begin, ask your doctor about pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a course where you will learn the proper way to exercise with your disease.

Another way that consistent exercise boosts your energy is by helping you get restful sleep. If you feel restless and anxious when you go to bed, you’re not alone. According to SleepHealth.org, 70% of Americans report getting insufficient sleep at least once a month, and 11% report feeling this way every night. 

Sleep disorders are a major issue in the United States, especially amongst people with COPD and other chronic diseases. 

Conclusion

Studies have shown that fatigue is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of COPD. These patients spend a significant amount of energy just getting a full breath and alterations to their diet can leave them without the nutrients they need to feel alert and full of energy. 

If you or your loved one has COPD and is experiencing fatigue, restlessness, or sleepiness, try some of the tips above or consult your doctor who can help you get to the root cause of the issue. Most people are surprised to find that these symptoms can be treated naturally and without having to drastically change their daily routine.

In the meantime, if you’re in the market for an easy-to-use, reliable, and affordable oxygen generator, look no further than LPT Medical. We have a wide variety of units available including but not limited to stationary oxygen concentrators, continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators, and pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators. 

We also sell a range of different accessories to help you make the most of your new concentrator such as backpacks, extra battery packs, external charges, oxygen tubing, and much more. If you have any questions, just give us a call or email us and ask to speak with an oxygen concentrator specialist.

In this day and age, it’s harder than ever to navigate America’s convoluted health care system. At times it can feel like it’s impossible to find an answer to the simplest of questions. And other times, it can even feel like our own doctors, caretakers, or medical equipment providers are working against us instead of for us. What’s more, as we age, we face higher health insurance costs with fewer and fewer options for saving money along the way.

It’s not all grim, though! If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), or any other respiratory illness that requires you to undergo oxygen therapy, there are many resources out there to help you answer your most burning questions. Most notably, our respiratory specialists here at LPT Medical are here to answer all your questions concerning oxygen delivery equipment and oxygen therapy in general.

Feel free to get in touch with us either by phone or email and ask us anything you need. Remember, there is no “silly” or “bad” question when it comes to your health. Chances are if you’re wondering something, there are other people in your situation who are wondering the same thing. In the meantime, continue reading to discover the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about oxygen concentrators.

What is an Oxygen Concentrator?

An oxygen concentrator is a type of oxygen administration device used to treat a variety of respiratory ailments including COPD and cystic fibrosis. Oxygen concentrators are similar to oxygen tanks in that they deliver medical grade oxygen which is inspired via a nasal cannula or oxygen mask. Concentrators were introduced around the 1970s and portable versions became more widely available in the early 2000s.

Are you newly diagnosed with COPD? Do not make these common mistakes, read this post to learn about what and how to avoid complications early on! 

Getting diagnosed with COPD can seem overwhelming, especially when it catches you by surprise. It's often even more overwhelming to get used to all the new treatments, medications and lifestyle changes required to keep your lungs healthy, especially while you're still trying to come to terms with your diagnosis.

As a chronic disease, COPD requires constant work and careful decision-making to keep the symptoms under control. Because of this, it's no surprise that new COPD patients make a variety of mistakes that can affect their health and well-being.

Between making changes to your diet, exercise routine, medications, and many other activities of daily life, there are a lot of opportunities for error. As you adjust to life with COPD, it's important to avoid making mistakes that could serious consequences for your health, or at least catch and correct them early on.

That's why you should learn and pay attention to the mistakes that other new COPD patients tend to make. It helps you learn more about your disease, what to look out for, and how to keep your body and lungs as healthy as possible.

In this guide, we're going to help you avoid common pitfalls by showing you the mistakes that new COPD patients frequently make. Along with each mistake we've provided solutions so you'll know how to avoid that mistake and do the correct thing instead.

By taking the time to learn from others' mistakes, you'll be much less likely to encounter the same problems yourself. In the next sections, we'll give you all the information you need to avoid falling into the same pitfalls that other patients end up in.

However, it's important to remember that mistakes and struggles are inevitable as you adjust to the many changes that getting diagnosed with COPD brings. But if you educate yourself now, you can easily correct these mistakes and avoid serious problems that could permanently affect your health.

A major part of keeping your lungs healthy and keeping your COPD under control is learning everything you can about your disease. It also means being an active, motivated participant in your treatment and knowing what you shouldn't do just as much as the things you should.

The Mistake: Not Using Your Inhaler Correctly

While inhalers may seem like fairly straightforward devices, a surprisingly large percentage of patients don't use their inhaler correctly. This happens to many patients who never learned the proper technique or forgot the correct steps over time. Other patients get too complacent or careless and skip steps to save time, not realizing each step is important.

Most of the mistakes patients make with their inhalers have to do with preparing the inhaler and using the right breathing technique. This is a serious problem, since these steps are necessary for getting the medication into the lungs where it needs to work.

Unfortunately, many doctors don't do their due diligence in training their patients to use their inhalers correctly. Even though doctors are supposed to check patients' inhaler technique at every appointment, it is often rare for them to take the time to do it properly in practice.

It doesn't help that many doctors don't even know proper inhaler technique themselves, meaning they can't give their patients adequate instruction. Luckily, the medical community has recently acknowledged the extent of this problem and is making efforts to raise awareness among doctors to correct it.

Here are some of the common mistakes to look out for:

• Not shaking the inhaler before each puff
• Not exhaling fully before using the inhaler
• Not holding the inhaler in the correct position
• Not timing your inhale with the spray from the inhaler
• Not inhaling deeply enough
• Not inhaling slowly enough
• Not holding your breath after inhaling the medication
• Inhaling through your nose instead of your mouth

Making any of these mistakes can result in getting too little medication or none of the medication that you need. This can be very dangerous when you suffer from COPD, because you need your full dose to prevent serious symptoms and exacerbations.

The Solution: Learning Proper Inhaler Technique

Because all inhalers are different, the only way to ensure that you're using your inhaler correctly is to re-read your inhaler's instructions and re-evaluate your technique. That means going over all the steps and guidelines in the information packet that comes with your medication.

This is important whether you're a newly diagnosed COPD patient or you have been treating your disease for some time. No matter how well you think you know it, it never hurts to double check.

You should also take your inhaler with you to every doctor's appointment so you can show your doctor exactly how you usually use it. That way, your doctor can identify any mistakes you make and show you the correct technique.

Every time you use your inhaler, make sure you follow every step and don't rush or cut any corners. Don't forget to shake or prime your inhaler if needed, and always remember to exhale before using it.

Timing your inhale with the spray from your inhaler is extremely important, but also difficult, which is why this step tends to cause patients the most problems. It may take some practice to time correctly, and you may need to use a spacer attached to the mouthpiece to help you do it right.

Studies show that when you inhale too early, then you only get about 35% of the full dose you're supposed to get. If you inhale to late, however, you end up spraying the medication in your mouth and throat instead of inhaling it into your lungs. This makes the medication ineffective and puts your lungs at risk.

To make sure you inhale at the right time and get the full dose, start breathing in slowly just before you press the button to release the medicine. Continue inhaling slowly and deeply as you feel the spray to draw the medication all the way into your lungs.

Remember that inhaling the medication isn't the last step; you still have to hold your breath to keep it in your lungs. Most recommend holding your breath for about ten seconds, then you can slowly and gently exhale.

If you are using an inhaler that contains steroid medications, then you still aren't done quite yet. To prevent the medication from drying out your mouth and throat, you need to rinse your mouth out with water before you're done.

If you ever have any questions or concerns about using your inhaler, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor. You can also ask your pharmacist to demonstrate how to use your inhaler(s) or to answer any other questions you have.

You can also find tips and information online for a variety of different types of inhalers. However, this should never be a replacement for the information you can get from your doctor and prescription information.

The Mistake: Not Knowing When to Take Which Medications

Nearly all COPD patients take two major types of medications: maintenance medications and quick-relief medications (also known as rescue medications). Both medications are delivered via inhaler, which is why patients sometimes get them confused.

This can be dangerous, because you need to use both medications correctly in order to treat your COPD effectively and keep your symptoms under control. Mixing up the two medications or forgetting to take them at the right time could make your symptoms worse or cause you to have a serious COPD exacerbation.

Other medications can be confusing to use, too, especially if you are only supposed to take them on certain occasions. For example, many doctors prescribe oral antibiotics and steroid medications for their patients to use as needed to prevent and treat COPD exacerbations.

The Solution: Following Your COPD Action Plan

Every COPD patient should get a COPD action plan from their doctor shortly after getting diagnosed. If you haven't received one yet, ask your doctor to work one up for you, as studies show that they help patients better manage COPD at home.

A COPD Action plan acts like a set of guidelines for you to follow based on how bad your symptoms are from day to day. For example, most action plans have three major “zones” that correspond to the severity of your symptoms; the first zone is for when you are feeling fine, the second for mild flare-ups, and the third for more serious symptoms and complications.

Click here to see what a sample COPD action plan looks like.

Every day, you should evaluate your symptoms to determine what “zone” to look at. Then, you simply follow the instructions in that zone for what medications and what doses you should take. Most action plans also include guidelines to let you know when its safe to exert yourself and at what point you should call your doctor when your symptoms flare up.

Because most COPD patients have several different medications to keep track of, it's extremely important to take the time to learn all of the important facts about each of your medications. That includes learning their full names, what they look like, and what you are supposed to use them for.

This ensures that you can match your medications with the instructions in your COPD action plan and use them exactly as your doctor directs you to. It also makes you much less likely to mix your medications up, take them at the wrong time, or forget about them altogether.

You should also bring a complete list of your medications with you anytime you go to the hospital or doctor's office. This will make it easier for the medical professionals who look after you to ensure you get the best treatment possible.

It is also important to bring this list with you whenever you travel, especially if you will be taking your medication with you on a bus, train, or airplane. You may need to present your list of medications to travel personnel, and it will come in handy if you need medical attention while you're away from your regular doctor.

The Mistake: Not Quitting Smoking

One of the most important things you can do for your health when you have COPD is to stop smoking. Unfortunately, too many patients believe it's too late for them to quit and continue to smoke even after their COPD diagnosis.

The thing is, even after you've developed COPD, there are still enormous benefits to quitting. In fact, having COPD makes it even more imperative to quit, since continuing to smoke can cause your disease to rapidly get worse.

COPD is a result of reduced lung function, often due to smoking, but continuing to smoke after COPD has set in will only harm your lungs even more. Smoking causes you to lose lung function at an accelerated rate compared to COPD patients who are able to quit.

Reduced lung function will make it even more difficult to breathe, do physical activities, and can significantly reduce your quality of life. If you quit, however, you may even see an improvement in your COPD symptoms, and you can enjoy the lung function and lifestyle you have for much longer.

While quitting smoking cannot reverse the damage that's already been done to your lungs, it can slow down the damage from getting worse. It can also increase your lifespan and reduce the number of exacerbations, flare-ups, and hospitalizations you experience because of your COPD.

Don't forget that quitting can reduce your chances for a variety of other serious health problems as well. For example, you can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke if you successfully quit smoking.

The Solution: Making the Decision to Quit

It's important for every COPD patient to understand that it is never too late to quit smoking. Whether you are 25 or 65, you can improve your health and possibly even your lifespan by making the decision to quit today.

It's not an easy decision to make, and it's even harder to actually follow through. However, every year at least 350,000 smokers in the US are able to quit completely, and there's no reason why you can't be one of them.

Although quitting is hard, there are many things you can do to increase your chances of success. For example, using a quit-smoking medication or joining a quit-smoking program can make your quit attempt more likely to succeed.

When you make the decision to quit, remember that you are not alone and there are many ways to get support. First, you should talk to your doctor to see what kinds of medications and support programs are available to help you.

You may want to try nicotine replacement therapy, which is proven to increase smoking cessation rates. There are many different forms available, too, including nicotine gum, skin patches, tablets, oral sprays, and inhalers.

For more information on how to quit smoking, visit the CDC's website for a variety of helpful links and resources. You can also find helpful quit-smoking tips from the American Lung Association's website or from smokefree.gov.

Don't be discouraged if your first, second, or even tenth attempt to quit smoking ends up failing. It takes most smokers at least six attempts to quit smoking, and sometimes up to twenty, before they are able to quit long-term.

As the CDC puts it, “Quitting smoking is a marathon, not a sprint,” and you have to be in it for the long term if you truly want to live smoke free. Even though it is a long and difficult process, it is more than worth the benefits you will receive through improved health, reduced COPD symptoms, and your overall quality of life.

The Mistake: Not Eating a COPD-Healthy Diet

In order to keep your lungs and the rest of your body strong, you need to feed them the nutrients they need. That means eating a healthy, balanced diet every day to give your body fuel to work as efficiently as possible.

Unfortunately, many new patients find that controlling their weight and eating healthy foods is difficult with COPD. The disease can make it difficult to exercise and prepare healthy meals, both of which are vital for a healthy lifestyle.

COPD can make it difficult to lose weight and difficult to gain weight, which is why some patients struggle with being underweight while others struggle with obesity. Either situation is bad for your health and can make it more difficult to breathe.

If you get too few calories and nutrients, then your lungs won't have enough fuel to keep up with your body's needs. However, eating too much and gaining weight puts extra strain on your muscles and lungs, which can also make your COPD symptoms worse.

Also, because COPD makes your lungs less efficient, it means they have to work harder than healthy lungs in order to get enough oxygen to your body. This means that COPD patients need more calories and more nutrients to fuel the needs of their lungs and breathing muscles.

Another danger that many new COPD are unaware of is eating a diet that's too high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates actually put extra strain on your lungs when digested, because they release large amounts of CO2 that then has to be processed through your lungs.

The Solution: Eating Whole Foods and Balanced Meals

If you’ve been searching for a medical oxygen device to treat COPD or another respiratory condition, you’ve likely come across terms like “oxygen tank” or “oxygen concentrator.” These are both popular options for people who need long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT), but there are some fundamental differences between the two like how they produce oxygen, how they’re refilled, in addition to the benefits that they offer oxygen patients.

If you want an oxygen device that both meets your medical needs and allows you the freedom to go about your daily life comfortably, you first need to understand the difference between oxygen tanks and oxygen concentrators. Read on for a simple oxygen device comparison guide and be sure to let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

What is an Oxygen Tank?

An oxygen tank is a cylindrical container that stores compressed oxygen gas. There is a nozzle located at the top of the device that can be adjusted in order to change the flow of oxygen and there is a gauge that will tell you how much oxygen is left in the tank. Oxygen tanks were first used in hospitals around the 1950s and portable versions were introduced around the 1970s.

 Despite being the original medical oxygen device, oxygen tanks have not changed much over the years. Oxygen is a gas and the molecules in gases are much more spread out than with liquids or solids. What this means is that you can’t just keep compressing oxygen without it becoming dangerous. As a result, oxygen tanks are pretty standardized when it comes to their size and the amount of oxygen that they store.

In an attempt to mitigate the issues posed by compressed gas, liquid oxygen tanks were invented. Rather than storing oxygen as a compressed gas, liquid oxygen tanks store oxygen as a compressed liquid. While this allows the user to carry a lot more oxygen, liquid oxygen tanks come with their own set of problems. In order for oxygen to be stored as a liquid, it has to be kept at temperatures of around -297 degrees Fahrenheit (-182 degrees Celsius) which means you need a specially designed tank in order to do this. These tanks tend to be very expensive and complicated.

What is an Oxygen Concentrator?

Although oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen tanks both store oxygen, oxygen concentrators do not follow this trend. Instead, oxygen concentrators are electronic devices that take air from the surrounding environment and remove all gases except for oxygen. It then concentrates this oxygen through a nasal cannula that the oxygen patient will breathe through.

Oxygen concentrators were invented in the 1970s and they were designed to replace oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen tanks. Since oxygen concentrators are electronic, they afford oxygen patients an infinite supply of oxygen as long as they have a source of power such as a wall outlet, car outlet, or a battery. There are many types of concentrators currently available including stationary oxygen concentrators, portable continuous flow oxygen concentrators, and portable pulse dose oxygen concentrators.

How Are Oxygen Concentrators and Oxygen Tanks Similar?

They Provide Medical-Grade Oxygen

Earth’s atmosphere contains about 21 percent oxygen, 78 percent nitrogen, and a mixture of several other gases. This is the perfect amount of oxygen for someone with healthy lungs, but for someone with COPD or other respiratory impairments, it is not enough to maintain the body’s blood oxygen level. Since impaired lungs have trouble processing air and removing the oxygen, you’ll need to increase the amount of oxygen that they receive. The Compression Gas Association (CGA) classifies oxygen into seven different “grades” — each one is given a label “A” through “G” and they’re used across four different industries: welding, research, aviation, and medical.

Medical-grade oxygen is high purity oxygen that is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since oxygen is considered a “drug,” oxygen manufacturers and retailers need to collect a prescription from their patients before selling an oxygen device to them. If no prescription was collected upon selling an oxygen device, the machine either does not output medical oxygen or it is being sold illegally.

While oxygen tanks and oxygen concentrators both put out medical grade oxygen, it’s important to make sure you’re buying from a reputable oxygen company. There are many devices sold on popular retail sites that claim to be “oxygen generators,” but if you look at the fine print, they usually say that it’s not intended for medical use. This is designed to protect the retailer from lawsuits. Fortunately, here at LPT Medical, we only sell oxygen concentrators that provide the user with medical-grade oxygen.  

There are two different types of oxygen concentrators: continuous flow and pulse dose. Continuous flow devices usually have both a continuous flow and pulse dose setting whereas pulse dose machines just have a pulse flow setting. One of the best-selling continuous flow concentrators is the Respironics SimplyGo and one of the best-selling pulse dose concentrators is the Caire FreeStyle Comfort.

They Have Continuous Flow and Pulse Dose Options

There are two different ways that oxygen can be administered: continuous flow or pulse dose. Think of continuous flow like a constant stream of oxygen, whereas pulse dose oxygen is only administered when the user is inhaling. In other words, continuous flow tends to waste a lot of oxygen because oxygen is still being administered even when the user is exhaling.

Continuous flow oxygen delivery is what all oxygen tanks provide. If you want to switch to pulse dose, you will need to purchase something called an oxygen conserving device (OCD). OCDs attach to the top of your oxygen tank and they carefully track your breathing. When you inhale, the conserver will deliver a puff (bolus) of oxygen, and when you inhale, the oxygen release valve will be shut off. This allows you to go much farther with one tank of oxygen.

There Are Portable Options

In the past, being prescribed long-term oxygen therapy meant having to give up your freedom to go out of your house. However, portable oxygen tanks and portable oxygen concentrators have allowed oxygen patients to reclaim the freedom they had before being diagnosed with COPD. Oxygen tanks come in a variety of weights and sizes and they’re typically wheeled around using a rolling cart. Portable oxygen concentrators tend to be much lighter and smaller so you can carry them around on your shoulder or back.

How are Oxygen Concentrators and Oxygen Tanks Different?

Size and Weight

Like we mentioned earlier, oxygen tanks are not going to get any smaller or lighter than they already are. Oxygen molecules can only be compressed to about 3,000 pressure per square inch (psi) before they become too dangerous to handle. A portable “E” tank weighs about 8 pounds and it will provide you with about 5 to 6 hours of oxygen on a flow setting of 2 liters per minute (LPM). On top of this, portable oxygen tanks have an oblong shape that makes them difficult to carry on your shoulder or back.

Portable oxygen concentrators, on the other hand, are electronic devices that operate off powerful and lightweight lithium-ion batteries. As a result, oxygen manufacturers can make them much smaller and more portable. Lithium-ion batteries are the same kind of battery that’s found inside your smartphone, and as you’re likely aware, smartphones have been getting much smaller and lighter over the years. Another benefit of these batteries is that they can be charged many times over without losing their efficiency. 

Convenience

Unfortunately, while portable oxygen tanks allow you to get out of the house they can be extremely inconvenient in certain situations. For example, oxygen tanks are banned by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so you won’t be able to go on flights. So your only option when traveling across the country will be to drive or take some other form of transportation. This can also be tricky because you’ll have to find a place to refill your oxygen tanks while you’re traveling.

Another inconvenience of oxygen tanks is that they’re difficult to maneuver. For example, if you need to go up a flight of stairs, you’ll have to either pull your oxygen tank up behind you or pick it up. Another example is if you need to go to a crowded area like public transportation, your oxygen tank will take up a lot of space and people might end up bumping into it if you don’t keep an eye on it.

Portable oxygen concentrators are much more convenient because they can be carried on your shoulder under your arm. This way, when you walk into crowded areas, your oxygen device will always be accounted for and you don’t have to keep looking back to make sure it’s not getting caught on anything. It’s also much easier to walk up a flight of stairs because the weight of the oxygen device is centered over your body.

Cost

While portable oxygen concentrators have a higher upfront cost, in the long term, they are much more affordable than portable oxygen tanks. The reason for this is because oxygen tanks need to be refilled either by an oxygen company or by using a homefill station. If you opt to have full oxygen tanks delivered to your home, this will run you several hundred dollars per month which adds up real fast. On the other hand, if you choose to purchase a homefill station that operates similar to an oxygen concentrator, this will run you several thousand dollars. 

Many people think that portable oxygen concentrators will cost them an arm and a leg, but this simply isn’t the case. Portable oxygen concentrators cost between $1,000 to $2,500 on average and they last between 5 and 7 years on average. This is significantly less costly than spending several hundred dollars per month getting oxygen tanks filled and delivered. What’s more, portable oxygen financing is an option that will allow you to pay for your oxygen device slowly over the course of many months or years. This makes the upfront cost much more manageable.

Portable Oxygen Tank Overview

Portable Oxygen Concentrator Overview

Conclusion

Oxygen concentrators and oxygen tanks are two different sides of the same coin. They’re both designed to provide medical-grade oxygen for people with COPD, cystic fibrosis, and other chronic lung diseases, but they each provide different pros and cons. Oxygen tanks are usually sufficient for someone who doesn’t want to leave the house or move around too much, but portable oxygen concentrators are best for those who want to get outside, travel, and visit friends and family. In the long-term, oxygen concentrators are also much cheaper and more reliable than their counterpart.

The first step in choosing an oxygen concentrator is to ensure that it meets your oxygen needs. Once you’ve done that, you can narrow down your options based on your preferences such as weight, size, battery life, and additional features. If you reach out to our respiratory specialists here at LPT Medical, we will walk you through every step of the process so that you end up with a device that helps you achieve your short- and long-term goals. If you’re looking for a portable oxygen concentrator in Denver, please feel free to give us a call or send us an email today to get started.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most prominent lung conditions. Worldwide, it affects more than 328 million people and this number is only expected to increase over time. 

While there are many different treatment options for COPD such as a refined dietary regime, inhaled medication, and pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy remains one of the best ways to keep symptoms in check.

Whether this is your first time looking for portable oxygen concentrators for sale or you’re back on the market after selling an old oxygen unit, you need to take some time to consider what options are available to you. 

It may be tempting to commit to the first oxygen machine you find that meets your needs, but studying each one will ensure that you get the device that’s ideal for your lifestyle.

However, this is not always easy considering the fact that there are hundreds of medical oxygen devices out there and many of them are falsely advertised making it difficult for an oxygen patient to weed out the bad ones.

 Fortunately, here at LPT Medical, we only offer oxygen concentrators from the most reputable brands in oxygen manufacturing so that you can always be sure you’re getting a machine that does exactly what it says it does.

To help you narrow down your choices, we’re going to be taking a look at two different portable oxygen concentrators today: the ARYA Portable Oxygen Concentrator and the Respironics SimplyGo.

Oxygen Output

Above all else, you need to make sure that your new oxygen machine meets your health needs. Before making any choices, you’ll need to speak with your doctor or pulmonologist and learn the exact volume of oxygen and how many hours a day is appropriate for you. It’s important to note that the ARYA is a pulse dose portable oxygen concentrator and the Respironics SimplyGo is a continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator.

What this means is that the ARYA only puts out oxygen when the user inhales, whereas the Respironics SimplyGo puts out oxygen irrespective of the user’s breathing rate. 

What results from this is that the Respironics SimplyGo has a much higher oxygen output, but most of the oxygen is wasted when the user is not inhaling. With that being said, both concentrators are designed to accommodate the needs of the majority of oxygen patients.

On a maximum flow setting of 6, the ARYA  puts out 1,050 ml/min of oxygen. The Respironics SimplyGo goes up to a maximum of 2 LPM on a continuous flow setting. 

What this means is that if you’re inhaling 50% of the time and exhaling 50% of the time, you’ll be receiving 50 ml/min of oxygen less with the SimplyGo than with the ARYA. We understand if this is confusing, so be sure to address any questions you may have with your doctor and respiratory specialist.

One more thing to note about the Respironics SimplyGo is that it also offers a pulse dose option. Like the ARYA, the Respironics SimplyGo can go up to a pulse flow setting of 6, so you’ll have plenty of options to adjust your oxygen delivery on the fly. 

One of the reasons you may want to switch to pulse flow is if you want to save battery life on your device. Continuous flow tends to drain your battery life much quicker than pulse dose.

Battery Life

Most oxygen patients have battery life top of mind when choosing a new portable oxygen concentrator because the more powerful the battery, the more freedom you will have to get out and do the things you want.

 Both the ARYA and the Respironics SimplyGo use lithium-ion batteries, a special type of battery that’s been designed to be powerful and lightweight. In fact, these are the same types of batteries that are used in most modern smartphones.

One of the main differences between the batteries in these two devices is that the ARYA uses one external battery while the Respironics SimplyGo uses two smaller internal batteries. 

However, by “internal” we don’t mean that you’ll need to send your device into the manufacturer to have it replaced. This just means that the batteries slide in and out of the device. The batteries on both of these devices are very easy to remove and replace.

Another benefit of the SimplyGo is that you’ll have the option to use either one or two batteries, but with the ARYA, you’ll be able to choose between an 8-cell battery that comes with the device and a 16-cell battery that doubles the battery life of your portable oxygen machine. 

If you compare the batteries straight out of the box, you’ll find that the ARYA offers a bit more freedom than the SimplyGo, especially when it’s used on its continuous flow setting.

On a pulse flow setting of 2, the ARYA will give you up to 4 hours of battery life. This can be extended with a 16-cell battery to 8 hours. The SimplyGo, on the other hand, comes with one battery that will offer 3 hours of freedom which can be extended to 6 hours if you purchase a second battery. 

This is significantly decreased when you switch to continuous flow, however. If you switch to continuous flow, 3 hours of battery life will be reduced to 1.6. Be aware that if you increase your flow rate, the battery life will be reduced.

All around, the ARYA will offer you more freedom than the SimplyGo, however, if you have other reasons for buying a SimplyGo, you’ll want to keep extra batteries on hand and consider using the pulse flow option. 

Accessories like the external battery charger will help you keep all your batteries full and ready for use no matter where you are in the world.

Weight and Size

The concept of portable oxygen therapy is not all that new. Oxygen cylinders have been used by COPD patients since the 1950s, but they were anything but convenient. As opposed to portable oxygen concentrators of today, oxygen cylinders are big, bulky, and difficult to maneuver. 

What’s more, they don’t run off of batteries like concentrators so they need to be refilled constantly. This requires you to either have a device called a “homefill station” in your home, or you need to go out of your way to find an oxygen retailer.

Fortunately, portable oxygen concentrators like the ARYA and the Respironics SimplyGo are both much lighter, smaller, and easier to carry than oxygen tanks. Instead of having to wheel them around with a carrying cart, these POCs can be slung over your shoulder and carried with ease. Let’s take a look at how the two of these compare.

The ARYA weighs in at only 5 pounds making it one of the lightest portable oxygen concentrators ever produced, just behind the AirSep Focus which weighs 1.75 pounds, and the Inogen One G4, which weighs 2.8 pounds. In terms of size, the ARYA is only 10” H x 7.3” L x 3.1” W or 226.3 in². So it’s very small and compact.

Continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators are naturally heavier than pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators; however, the Respironics SImplyGo still only weighs in at 10 pounds making it twice as heavy as the ARYA. 

The SimplyGo is the lightest continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator and it’s also the smallest continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator at just 10” H x 6” D x 11.5” W or a volume of 690 in².

All around, the ARYA is going to be a much better choice for you if size and weight are a concern. If you suffer from chronic shoulder or back pain as many people do, you won’t experience any additional strain by carrying this oxygen machine. Since it’s small, it can easily rest under your arm without it disrupting your normal walking posture. While the SimplyGo is much heavier, it does come with a rolling cart that can make things a lot easier.

Optional Features

If you’ve taken the time to narrow down all of the most important aspects of your portable oxygen concentrator like oxygen output, weight, size, and battery life, it’s time to take a look at the additional features that these oxygen machines offer. 

Fortunately, we live in a time of innovation; a time where people are coming up with unique and cost-effective solutions for people with chronic disabilities. This is no different when it comes to portable oxygen concentrators.

If you’re looking at the ARYA, you’ll be happy to know that it is one of the most feature-heavy portable oxygen machines on the market. Unlike something like the AirSep Focus which is a completely bare-bones oxygen concentrator, the ARYA uses something called telehealth technology. 

Telehealth is the concept of working with health professionals over long distances using modern technology. An example would be holding a video conference with your doctor to discuss the symptoms you’re experiencing.

But that’s not all ARYAview allows you to do. Since it’s a telehealth service, it will allow you to transmit all your data over a secure network so that both your oxygen provider and your healthcare provider will be about to monitor your oxygen use. If you fall back on your treatment plan, then he/she can reach out to you and help you correct it.

The data that’s tracked through ARYAview can be viewed through the portal on a desktop computer or with a smartphone device like an Android or an iPhone. It’s very easy to set up and use, but it is optional. So if you’d rather use your ARYA without any of this, you will be able to do so. Unfortunately, the Respironics SimplyGo doesn’t come with any features like this.

CPAP/BiPAP Compatibility

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are both common conditions and they can both affect the quality of sleep you get at night. 

When they both occur simultaneously, it’s known as COPD-OSA overlap syndrome. If you’re diagnosed with this condition, your doctor may advise you to use either CPAP or BiPAP and oxygen therapy while you sleep. However, you need to make sure your two machines are compatible first.

CPAP and BiPAP machines work by expanding the airways while you’re sleeping so that they don’t close up, causing you to get a poor night’s sleep. Because of this, these machines are not compatible with pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators like the ARYAt that need to be able to precisely measure your breathing rate. 

They are, however, compatible with continuous flow oxygen concentrators like the Respironics SimplyGo which put out a constant stream of oxygen.

In order to set your Respironics SimplyGo up with your CPAP/BiPAP machine, all you will need is a bleed-in adapter which will allow you to feed oxygen into your CPAP mask while you sleep. Be sure that your SImplyGo is set to your preferred flow setting and that it’s in the “continuous flow” mode as opposed to “pulse flow.”

Conclusion 

There’s no doubt about it, it’s not easy trying to choose a portable oxygen concentrator. Whether you’ve used an oxygen tank for years and you’re looking for an upgrade, or you’re looking for your first oxygen device, there are a lot of options out there. 

Unfortunately, it can be very challenging to find the resources you need in order to make an educated decision.

This is why we’ve made it our mission here at LPT Medical to make this process as easy as possible. This post compared two of the most popular portable oxygen concentrators on the market, however, there are a lot of other devices you should consider.

Simply reach out to one of our respiratory specialists either by email or phone and we’ll walk you through the whole process and find you the best deal possible. Once you’re ready to buy, we’ll set you up with a payment plan that works for you.