Portable oxygen concentrator

Again thank you!

Thanks for all the responses. I posted this question almost a year ago & I am still receiving great suggestions. How time flies. I am still on oxygen after 18 months & still learning about it everyday. How time flies!

I have the Inogen G5 and very happy with it and the company. Their representatives have been helpful and knowledgeable. It stopped working once and they replaced it with overnight air. I called Inogen direct for mine and once my pulmonologist provided the prescription they received approval from Medicare and my secondary insurer so I don’t pay anything. Had it 1 and 1/2 years.
Good luck.

Thanks for your reply. Good idea to go direct to manufacturer. Happily, I don't have to pay anything either. I just need someone who is willing to work with Medicare.
I guess one can't swim with these things...oh well
But I do want to go to Europe with it. So I will ask the manufacturer for converter

Great info, thanks
I want to go to Europe later this year, so I know I will work it out with the airlines. Oxygen is of course dangerous. My Pulmonologist will test me first to see if I need oxygen on the plan.
I need to do overnight oximeter this weekend to see if I need night oxygen also. Good point about local providers able to provide immediate tanks.
And the wheel chair service is fantastic! I went to Italy in March 2023, and had wheelchair assistance all the way. AS soon as I entered the door here in Minneapolis, there was a wheelchair. I sat down and they took me to place to check luggage, through security all the say to the gate. No looking for which way to go or waiting in lines! It was well worth the tip!!! And coming back, I stayed at the hotel at the airport in Milan Italy. A motorized wheelchair came to pick me up! it was a long walk to the gate, a very long walk, but I just cruised.

Yes good idea. I have not tried a long flight with mine. I have one extra regular battery which Delta required for a trip. Check with your airline to see how many hours of battery at 2 lpm you will be required to have with you.

The Inogen G4 portable was hurting my shoulder, back, and neck to carry with the strap over my shoulder or crossbody. I was off balance carrying it and prone to falling.

I bought a set of 6 Bagail packing cubes on Amazon. The set that included a shoe bag with a handle. The G4 fit perfectly in the blue bag with a grey clear supply bag (pictures are attached). The bag fits under my seat on a plane or in a shopping cart. I unzip it to give the G4 air when I turn it on.

I also bought an Osprey backpack that was fitted to me by the sales clerk at REI and adjusted by my physical therapist. It transfers the weight to my hips and off my shoulder and neck. My hands are free for traveling, balance is better, and I am more stable on hikes. It is perfect for outdoor walks, hikes, day trips, and storage. I put shoe bag with the G4 inside the backpack with other travel items and make sure the G4 is well vented so air can circulate.

I use the Inogen G4. It overheated on me earlier this week. I will be far more cautious in the future, but it is hard to keep a car cool in Florida.

I flew with Respironics Simply Go to Central America and back. We had tickets on hand and after covid i needed o2. Batteries do drain faster on higher elevation. I had 2 extra batteries, was enough for 4 hrs flight, then chargr between flight. It was continuous o2 at 2l, sometimes 3l with higher altitude.
Its true what someone saud that o2 drops even more at a higher elevations. I rented mine for a month to get through the trip. Md note is needed to bring onto plane.
On one out of 4 flights (within central america) pilots wanted to know how much and at what flow i would use it. They also wanted to see sticker on the back that says comtable on airplanes.
At home i had concetrator during the day, i used tall tanks at night (to sleep as much less noisy), then i finally got shoulder strap small tanks with pulsed/on demand o2 to go out in the community.
I hope this helps.
I found Respiratory Therapist who runs small business who was renting/seling products (outside of my insurnace) and asked him bunch of questions pros and cons of products. He helped me a lot

I talked to someone from Inogen and they told me that G5 has been discontinued and new model now Rove 6. They said also that when one goes through Medicare one gets a refurbished model not above G3. I also asked if I buy the model, will Medicare cover the "maintenance" and they said no. But Medicare site says it does.
I learned long ago to not take the first answer and keep asking until I am satisfied!!!
Do you need oxygen at night? They suggested I could use the portable model for my night needs (I am waiting for test results). I am thinking that might consume the batteries faster so better to have a stationary concentrator if I need at night.
Also I wonder about servicing to be sure that the machine is continuing to perform correctly.
My prescription says something about evaluate to maintain oxygen% at 90. So I need someone to check it if I buy it. Whereas if I go through Medicare it is part of the contract obligation.