First time medical oxygen users can feel overwhelmed at the idea of the logistics of planning a trip abroad \u2013 how to cope with regulatory requirements and ensure that you can travel while still accessing your vital medical equipment and supplies? Can I fly with oxygen? A simple checklist detailing each step of the way is what you need.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
This article will provide exactly that medical oxygen travel tips checklist so recent users of oxygen therapy are reassured that they can travel and explore the world and stay healthy while they do so.<\/b><\/p>\nYour First Holiday With Oxygen: A Step-by-Step Checklist<\/b><\/h2>\n
Pauline* had been struggling with breathlessness and fatigue for months, so it was no surprise when her doctor prescribed<\/a> her a course of medical oxygen. The problem was, Pauline loves to travel. When she was first diagnosed, some of her family members told her that she would have to stay home, from now on, that she wouldn’t be able to travel any more \u2013 and certainly not as often as she liked to. But Pauline got in touch with OxygenWorldwide<\/a> and talked to our experts who quickly reassured her that while her to-do list would now include a few extra steps and that she would have to be a little more regimented in her planning, she absolutely could still travel widely \u2013 thousands of people who use medical oxygen travel every year for a variety of reasons ranging from leisure to business and everything in between.<\/span><\/p>\n Let’s have a look at what Pauline should do before her first holiday using oxygen.<\/span><\/p>\n People with chronic medical conditions often need something called ‘medical clearance’ before they travel. This is a form or certificate that lets airline officials, customs agents and any other relevant authorities know that the traveller is fit to travel, even though they depend on medical equipment. This is a very normal part of life, and will be quickly arranged for most patients by your doctor’s office.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you have received your medical approval, you can get in touch with OxygenWorldwide. Do note we will need you to obtain medical approval <\/span>before<\/span><\/i> OxygenWorldwide can begin to handle the logistics for you. You will also need to obtain an up-to-date prescription, in hard copy, to take with you \u2013 this is often needed to confirm your need for medical oxygen in your destination country. Prescriptions are often tweaked as your condition is better understood or as your needs change, so you must make sure that the prescription you take with you is the latest version, and in date.<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, while you are at the doctor’s surgery, let your medical team know where you are going and what you will be doing there. Regina* let her doctor know that she would be travelling to a high-altitude country and doing quite a lot of walking around. Bearing that in mind, he increased her required flowrate so she would be able to access more oxygen to account for the thinness of the atmosphere and her additional exertions.<\/span><\/p>\n Pauline uses LOX<\/a> at home as she has limited space and a high flowrate for night times. During the day she uses LOX at home, and a portable concentrator for short trips outside the home. But for her trip she may need to switch to cylinders \u2013 but what does this all mean?<\/span><\/p>\n LOX is liquid oxygen, a pale blue-green (cyan) liquid which is actually highly compressed gaseous oxygen \u2013 when LOX is used, it ‘boils’ off into gas, expanding tremendously as it does so. This means that an LOX tank can hold a huge quantity of oxygen in a relatively small tank \u2013 but it can be highly explosive under the wrong conditions. For this reason, LOX cannot be transported on a plane, and access to it is usually strictly controlled. It is ideal for patients with high flowrate needs who are using their oxygen in their homes or while travelling terrestrially \u2013 such as in a motor home, for example.<\/span><\/p>\n Portable Oxygen Concentrators<\/a> (POCs) are small and relatively light devices that filter nearly pure oxygen from the atmosphere by removing the nitrogen content. They are ideal for short term use during flights and while commuting, and are also ideal for travellers who need oxygen during day trips and excursions. Many oxygen therapy users have an oxygen concentrator for travel abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n Cylinders range in size from fairly small \u2013 about the length and thickness of a man’s arm \u2013 to impressively large, but these last are usually used in hospital settings. They are ideal for high-flow rate requirements in static situations: in your hotel bedroom, for example, for use overnight.<\/span><\/p>\n Julio* suffers badly from cluster headaches and these tend to worsen with the stress of travelling. His doctor has prescribed him high flowrate oxygen therapy during which he uses up to 12l of oxygen per minute for thirty minutes at a time, as this has been found to be effective. When he travels, he uses OxygenWorldwide to liaise with local suppliers so he can use the treatment as soon as he signs into his hotel \u2013 he has found this prevents the onset of a headache which would otherwise ruin the first few days of any trip.<\/span><\/p>\n NB: OxygenWorldwide does not currently supply oxygen in the United States. OxygenWorldwide is also unable to provide oxygen in aircraft cabins.<\/span><\/p>\nStep One: Speak to Your Doctor<\/b><\/h2>\n
Step Two: Know the Regulations Regarding Your Equipment\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Step Three: Fill in OxygenWorldwide’s Enquiry Form<\/b><\/h2>\n