OXYGEN

OXYGEN IS A MEDICATION REQUIRING A PRESCRIPTION FROM YOUR DOCTOR. YOUR PRESCRIPTION WILL INCLUDE A LITER FLOW AND THE LENGTH OF TIME YOU ARE TO USE IT. OXYGEN, LIKE ANY MEDICATION, HAS TOXIC LEVELS. THEREFORE, NEVER INCREASE THE LITER FLOW ABOVE THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO YOU, EVEN IF YOU BECOME VERY SHORT OF BREATH. IF YOU DO BECOME SHORT OF BREATH AT THE LITER FLOW PRESCRIBED FOR YOU, NOTIFY YOUR DOCOTR. THERE MAY BE AN UNDERLYING CAUSE FOR YOUR INCREASED SHORTNESS OF BREATH THAT YOUR DOCOTR MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE.

OXYGEN MAY BE ORDERED FOR YOU ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS. THIS MEANS YOU SHOULD USE IT ALL OF THE TIME. YOU MAY TAKE IT OFF LONG ENOUGH TO WASH YOUR FACE, SHAVE OR CHANGE YOUR NASAL CANNULA OR MASK. IF YOU ARE USING A MASK, YOU SHOULD HAVE A NASAL CANNULA TO WEAR WHILE YOU ARE EATING, DRINKING FLUIDS OR BRUSHING YOUR TEETH.

YOUR DOCTOR MAY PRESCRIBE OXYGEN ONLY FOR SLEEP. THIS MEANS YOU ARE TO USE IT AT NIGHT AND FOR ANY NAPS DURING THE DAY.

ANOTHER WAY IT MAY BE PRESCRIBED IS FOR EXERCISE. EATING, BATHING, DRESSING AND OTYHER ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING ARE ALL CONSIDERED EXERCISE.

YOUR PRESCRIPTION FOR OXYGEN MAY INCLUDE A COMBINATION OF ANY OF THE ABOVE.

WHEN A MUSCLE IS OUT OF CONDITION, IT REQUIRES MORE OXYGEN TO PERFORM AN ACTIVITY THAN IF IT WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. YOU HAVE MANY MUSCLES THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF. AMONG THESE MUSCLES ARE THE HEART, THE STOMACH AND MUSCLES THAT HELP YOU BREATHE. EACH OF THESE MUSCLES, AS WELL AS THE OTHER ORGANS (KIDNEYS, INTESTINES), REQUIRE AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF OXYGEN TO FUNCTION WELL.

EACH OF US IS BORN “DEPENDENT” ON OXYGEN. IT IS THE SUBSTANCE THAT SUSTAINS LIFE. WHEN YOU AREN’T GETTING ENOUGH OXYGEN, YOUR WHOLE BODY IS UNABLE TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. WHEN YOUR LUNGS CAN NO LONGER MEET THE OXYGEN NEEDS OF THE BODY YOU BECOME SHORT OF BREATH, ARE MORE TIRED AND MAY HAVE VARIOUS MUSCLE ACHES. LACK OF OXYGEN CAN ALSO AFFECT YOUR EYES OR SKIN AND EVEN YOR ABILITY TO THINK AND REMEMBER. GRADUALLY YOU BECOME LESS ACTIVE BECAUSE DAILY ACTIVITIES ARE NOW TOO DIFFICULT TO DO. SLOWLY YOU BEGIN TO NOTICE YOUR ENERGY IS GONE AND YOU ARE MORE AND MORE “OUT OF SHAPE”. FOR THESE REASONS, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE OXYGEN PRESCRIPTION YOUR DOCTOR HAS ORDERED. SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN CAN BENEFIT YOUR WHOLE BODY BY EASING THE WORK OF BREATHING AND HELPING YOU CONTINUE WITH YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES.

(Rev 3/05)