Any suggestions for type of mask compatible with COPD?

Good morning mrbill. Have you tried a homemade one made out of cotton? Many stores are selling them. How are you?

Merry, Thank you for reply. Will find a cloth one. Doing better. Thank you for asking. Mr. Bill

@mrbill I have made and given away hundreds of masks, mostly to seniors who often have underlying health conditions - including some friends with COPD. They general find they are able, as Merry suggested, to tolerate the 2-layer cotton masks. See if you can find a friend or acquaintance who makes them. The others that work for people with breathing issues are the blue, usually pleated, surgical style masks. These have become pretty widely available by the package or box in stores and online. Another option is a bandana folded into a triangle and tied over nose and mouth. While not as effective as an N-95 mask, these are all better than no mask.

One caution - disposable masks should be discarded in the trash after use, and cloth ones or bandanas washed thoroughly with soap and water and rubbing of the surfaces then allowed to dry (no need to be fancy here - soap and water plus friction kill the virus.) Please don't put masks in the oven or microwave to "sterilize" - unnecessary & potentially dangerous.

I hope one of these will work for you.
Sue

Thanks Sue. Will find some cloth ones.

@mrbill and @sueinmn- Linen has been recommended because of its tight weave. It's made from cellulose fibers that grow inside of the stalks of the flax plant and is one of the oldest cultivated plants in human history. I just ordered one from etsy

Merry, Are you able to provide me with link to mask? Not sure if forum allows link to retail. Thank you,
Bill

MR Bill- Please PM me!

I also have difficulty with masks. Will try a cotton one. I wonder if I could be excused from wearing a mask. It is almost impossible to breathe because I am wearing oxygen cannula in my nose and the mask hampers getting adequate air throught it.

Just ordered a linen mask from Etsy. After ordering and paying it tells me it is shipping from Lithuania or some country in that region. This should be interesting. Oh well. lesson learned. Not sure it would be a good idea to go into area where mask is required, and be without one. However, some of the masks do make it difficult to breath. Even though I have oxygen therapy my oxygen levels are usually in 92 to 98 area. Predominately 94. I have taken it upon myself to do without the oxygen. May not be a good idea on my part. However, I have not used o2 for 2 - 3 weeks. Swept out garage and cars today and level is at 97.

@mrbill- I've ordered several things from Europe and they arrive pretty quickly. Japan is very slow.
My pulmonologist vsaid that o2 levels in the 90's is good. Of course, the higher the better.
Why were you on oxygen? Does your doctor know that you've stopped?