When someone is put on Oxygen, is there a chance (at all) that they may be taken off of it?

Question

My mother had lack of oxygen to the brain. We discovered, while in the hospital, over a choking incident, that she also has COPD. They put her on Oxygen. She has a few follow-up tests & we were told that she may be taken down a notch. Right now, her home Oxygen is set on 3. The nurse said that the test results may show she can come down to a 2. So if this is possible, I'm curious as to whether there is a chance that she may possibly ever be able to go without the Oxygen. She is 70 years old. But she had lack of Oxygen a few years back, went to the hospital for a week & came back out fine, without needing home Oxygen. I'm hearing mixed things. Some people say, "Once on Oxygen, forever on the Oxygen". The next thing I hear is that it is possible that her health may improve & she may not need to use the Oxygen 24/7. Or she may be able to quit it period...at least for a while. I would like to know the truth from someone who knows. Only serious answers, please. Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes, it is possible for someone who is on Oxygen to come off or to decrease to only needing it at night. It all depends on the type and amount of damage she has as well as her response to treatment. My little girl has a lung disease (with very severe lung damage initially, she even needed the ventilator for a few weeks) and has been on oxygen for 10 months now, but she is expected to get off oxygen sometime in the near future. She had a very good response to her treatment, so we are lucky there. Sorry, I don't mean to compare my daughter to your Mom. They have different diseases, and each case is different also.

From my other experience (I am a nurse who has worked in a pharmacy for years dealing especially with home oxygen patients), we've had a few COPD patients who started out needing 3 liters at home and ended up only needing it only at night. Seems like they were all aged 65-75 also, so yeah, it is possible. In most cases, though, improvement generally resulted only in needing a lower liter flow. Probably the best thing to do would be to talk to the doctor and see what he or she thinks.

I do understand completely your wanting your mother off the oxygen. Carrying those tanks everywhere is SO inconvenient! Other things to consider, though, are the benefits your mother is receiving from the oxygen. You may have noticed an increase in her physical endurance since she started using the oxygen. You may also have noticed that she might not be working quite as hard to breathe. I know in my daughter's case, it has been so beneficial to her overall well-being, and she has actually developed as a "normal" little one thanks to not having to use up all her energy on breathing. Today, her pediatrician made a comment about her being a "little saint" for keeping it in her nose as well as she does, but she really knows how much it helps her. Like you, I hope my daughter gets off the oxygen very soon, but I am not about to let anyone even think about taking it one minute before she is completely ready.

If it turns out that your mother is one of those unfortunate people who end up needing it forever, it is important to remember that living with oxygen does not have to be a prison sentence. If you have not already, make sure her oxygen provider is providing adequate quantities of portable oxygen for your Mom to be as active as she wants to be. Often, providers try to limit this to a few cylinders a month as a way to keep costs down for them, but when it comes down to it, it usually would not cost you any extra whether you get 2 tanks a month or 20. Another thing to consider is getting her tested for a demand regulator (which only puffs the oxygen during inhalation, stops when she breathes out). This makes it possible to use much smaller tanks as less oxygen is wasted, which makes getting around with it as convenient as carrying a two or three pound purse.

I really hope some of this helps! Good luck to you!

Answer 2

i think 3 liters per minutes is a high number among patients diagnosed with COPD because too much oxygen among COPD'ers trigger hypoventilation, therefore worsening the condition.

would there be a time when she would not need oxygen anymore? (the tank i mean), maybe... but her condition would more likely be permanent.

how other patients manage to get off oxygen therapy? they were sent to pulmonary rehabs to do various exercises as prescribed by doctor, these increases their tolerance making it easier for them to live a more normal life (if possible, without the help of an oxygen tank). if you're mother is in her early stages of COPD, then there is a chance that oxygen therapy may not be permanent. it all depends on her progress... if she smokes, urge her to stop smoking, because if she doesn't -- this will only worsen her condition.

Answer 3

COPD is a chronic disease. Unfortunately it gets worse and not better. There are treatments other than O2, however it is inevitable over time.

With COPD, she needs to quit smoking, if she is a smoker. Dust and other environmental indicators need to also be reduced if possible.

Is she on a nebulizer? The medications used in a neb, i.e. atrovent, proventil, can really help to relieve distress, SOB and to keep her active.

The best advice I can give you is to make sure that her home care provider monitors her compliance - and that you help her to maintain compliance with her orders.

Answer 4

In my experience I have seen many patients with severe pulmonary disease come in requiring intubation and a respirator and go out without O2. As long a the O2 is available in case of distress, she may well be able to be off O2 for periods. The usual O2 is set of 2 Liter/min.Higher levels are discouraged because of reducing the patient's respiratory stimulus.

Answer 5

I am a respiratory therapist so this is my field of work. It really depends upon the severity of the COPD. She may have to stay on O2 for the rest of her life. The medications she may be taking (albuteral and atrovent and possible inhalation steroids) helps with the amount of O2 she needs.

Answer 6

yes she can recover well.recentltly in feb 2006 i got serious attack of gbs(gullian barraie syndrome).after three or four days i was lack of respiration due to respiratory failur and i was kept on respirator due to the insufficient inhaleation and lackof oxygen to my body and brain.as i came to know from my wife & sons i was on respirator for 12days.then i came out of this very sucessfully.i am well now and doing all my activities well.i am 60+at this movement.hope ur mother will do well in her life.all the best wishesh to her

Answer 7

Don't go on other people's opinions!!!! Speak to the doctor. It's the medical people's job to know these kind of things. Only they will give you the best of answers.

Good luck and I hope your mom has a speedy recovery!

Answer 8

yes