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Holiday Travel Tips
When you have COPD, or any other lung disease requiring supplemental oxygen, preparing for holiday travel is a little different. We are here to help make your travel as easy as possible this season.
Planning Your Holiday Travel
Traveling for the holidays can be joyful and exciting or, if you have a lung disease like COPD, it can require a lot of careful planning. If you use supplemental oxygen, planning for travel can pose challenges.
Traveling with compressed or liquid oxygen tanks requires an eye to detail when it comes to planning and comes with some restrictions. These oxygen tanks are not allowed on airplanes,[1] and some cruise ships restrict them,[2] too, so any traveling with this type of oxygen may be restricted to car or train.
Since compressed and liquid oxygen tanks can only hold a finite amount of oxygen, you must ensure that you will have enough oxygen with you so that you do not run out. This may mean bringing several large, unwieldy tanks with you to get you through the trip.[3] Imagine trying to lug multiple oxygen tanks through a crowded train station. For some people, this makes holiday travel more trouble than it’s worth.
Traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator, on the other hand, is an entirely different experience. Many portable oxygen concentrators (POCs), including all of our Inogen One models, meet FAA acceptance criteria for POCs used onboard aircraft, meaning you can bring them with you on any airplane. You can also bring a portable oxygen concentrator with you in the car, on a train[4] or on a boat.[2]
Portable oxygen concentrators provide a safe source of oxygen-enriched air to provide medical oxygen as prescribed by a physician. Whether operating from battery power or plugged in, portable oxygen concentrators continue to produce oxygen as long as the unit has power.[5] Additionally, many portable oxygen concentrators are lightweight and easy to carry.
Travel Tips for People with COPD[6]
Traveling is always a little stressful, but for someone with COPD who depends on supplemental oxygen; it can create a unique challenge. Holiday travel is particularly busy—therefore, it requires special attention. There are a few tips that may help you manage your holiday travel with supplemental oxygen this year.
- Do your research first.
If you want to travel for the holidays, it is helpful to do a little research in the months leading up to your travel dates. Traveling with oxygen can require special paperwork, an updated prescription and more, so look into what might be required before you make any concrete plans. That way, you can get started on the necessary preparation before buying any tickets. - Make an appointment with your doctor before making travel plans.
It is important to see your doctor before booking any travel. You will need to make sure you are up to date on your vaccinations and that you are in good enough health to travel—especially if you have recently experienced a COPD exacerbation. If your doctor says you can travel, discuss any possible changes you might need in your oxygen therapy prescription for airplane travel or traveling to a different climate or elevation. Get a copy of your oxygen prescription, just in case, and get any medication you use refilled during this visit, too. You can also get started on any paperwork you might need in order to bring your supplemental oxygen with you during travel. - Check with your travel provider to make sure you meet any requirements.
There are different requirements depending on what kind of supplemental oxygen you use and how you will be traveling. For example, if you travel by airplane with your portable oxygen concentrator, you may be required to present a statement of medical necessity detailing your medical condition and your need for supplemental oxygen during the flight. Each airline, train company or cruise line may have slightly different requirements, so it is essential that you check with your travel company to make sure you can meet all requirements well before you leave for your trip. - Prepare to travel safely to stay healthy.
As someone with COPD, it is important to take special care during travel, as you may be exposed to any number of germs and viruses that could jeopardize your health. Plan ahead to travel as safely as possible. Allow for plenty of time to get where you are going during travel so that you do not need to rush and exacerbate your shortness of breath or increase your anxiety. It is also essential to bring along a few extra supplies to protect your health.
References:
- PackSafe Oxygen (compressed or liquid) https://sps.smext.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/more_info/
- Can I take oxygen on a cruise ship? – TRAVELWITHOXYGEN
- Supplemental Oxygen Therapy: Types, Benefits & Complications (clevelandclinic.org) https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/23194-oxygen-therapy
- https://www.amtrak.com/accessible-travel-oxygen-equipment
- Oxygen devices and delivery systems – PMC (nih.gov)
- Traveling with Oxygen | American Lung Association
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Inogen® Portable Oxygen Concentrators
USES: Inogen® Portable Oxygen Concentrators provide a high concentration of supplemental oxygen to patients requiring respiratory therapy on a prescriptive basis. It may be used in home, institution, vehicle and various mobile environments.
DO NOT USE IF: This device is not intended to be used in any way other than described in the indications for use. Do not use in parallel or series with other oxygen concentrators or oxygen therapy devices. This device is to be used as an oxygen supplement and is not intended to be life sustaining or life supporting. ONLY use this product if the patient is capable of spontaneous breath, able to inhale and exhale without the use of a machine. The conserving, or pulse dose, oxygen delivery technique used by this device is contraindicated in persons whose breathing during normal resting would be unable to trigger the device. Proper device triggering, set up and operation must be confirmed by an experienced clinician or other respiratory professional. Not for use by tracheotomized patients. Use of this device has not been studied in pediatric populations. Consult your physician before using the product for pediatric patients.
WARNINGS: The device produces enriched oxygen gas, which accelerates combustion. Do not allow smoking or open flames within 2m (6.56ft) of this device while in use. If you feel ill or uncomfortable, or if the concentrator does not signal an oxygen pulse and you are unable to hear and/or feel the oxygen pulse, consult your equipment provider and/or your physician immediately. If you are unable to communicate discomfort, you may require additional monitoring and or a distributed alarm system to convey the information about the discomfort and or the medical urgency to your responsible caregiver to avoid harm. Use only spare parts recommended by the manufacturer to ensure proper function and to avoid the risk of fire and burns. To avoid danger of choking or strangulation hazard, keep cords away from children and pets.
TALK TO YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER: The oxygen flow setting must be determined and recorded for each patient individually by the prescriber, including the configuration of the device, its parts and the accessories. It is the responsibility of the patient to periodically reassess the setting(s) of the therapy for effectiveness. The proper placement and positioning of the prongs of the nasal cannula in the nose is critical for oxygen to be delivered.
Inogen At Home® Stationary Oxygen Concentrator
USES: The Inogen At Home® Oxygen Concentrator is used on a prescriptive basis by patients requiring supplemental oxygen. It supplies a high concentration of oxygen and is used with a nasal cannula to channel oxygen from the concentrator to the patient. The Inogen At Home® Oxygen Concentrator may be used in a home or institution.
DO NOT USE IF: This device is not intended to be used in any way other than described in the indications for use. This device is to be used as an oxygen supplement and is not intended to be life sustaining or life supporting. ONLY use this product if the patient is capable of spontaneous breath, able to inhale and exhale without the use of a machine. Not for pediatric use. Not for use by tracheotomized patients.
WARNINGS: The device produces enriched oxygen gas, which accelerates combustion. Do not use the device when smoking or near open flame, matches, petroleum, oil, grease, solvents, radiant heaters, aerosols, etc. If you feel ill or uncomfortable, consult your equipment provider and/or your physician immediately. If you are unable to communicate discomfort, you may require additional monitoring and or a distributed alarm system to convey the information about the discomfort and or the medical urgency to your responsible caregiver to avoid harm. Use only spare parts recommended by the manufacturer to ensure proper function and to avoid the risk of fire and burns. To avoid danger of choking or strangulation hazard, keep cords away from children and pets.
TALK TO YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER: The oxygen flow setting must be determined and recorded for each patient individually by the prescriber, including the configuration of the device, its parts and the accessories. It is the responsibility of the patient to periodically reassess the setting(s) of the therapy for effectiveness. The proper placement and positioning of the prongs of the nasal cannula in the nose is critical for oxygen to be delivered.
Rove 6, G3, G4, G5, Inogen, Inogen At Home, and Inogen One are trademarks of Inogen, Inc. The usage of any Inogen, Inc. trademarks is strictly forbidden without the prior consent of Inogen, Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.
The Inogen® portable oxygen concentrators are available by prescription only. For safe and proper use of the Inogen® devices, please refer to https://www.inogen.com/support/inogen-manuals/
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