Managing Depression Depression is “more prevalent in people with COPD than in people with other chronic conditions, such as heart disease and even cancer,” says Dr. Rachel Norwood of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, CO. So how do we fight depression? If you were a cigarette smoker, do not get into…
Product Corner Stephanie Egan Bond worked as a medical equipment sales representative when she encountered many people who would express discomfort with the oxygen carry bags provided to them. She is now the founder of O2Totes and says, “It has been the greatest feeling when people express how much they enjoy their totes! They also…
Traveling Tales Get Up and Go! For those of you fortunate enough to have the time and resources to travel, we would like to invite you to join Celeste and staff from The Pulmonary Paper to travel and learn with the Sea Puffers. We will be escorting people whose lives have been affected by lung…
Feelings It always helps to vent! If you or your caregiver would like to write about how you really feel about any aspect of chronic lung disease, we will credit you with a year’s membership. Please send to: The Pulmonary Paper, PO Box 877, Ormond Beach, FL 32175. Mary Ann Barbour of Georgetown, TX, thinks…
Exercise and Pulmonary Fibrosis Pulmonary Fibrosis causes moderate to severe shortness of breath due to the formation of fibrosis or scarring within the lungs. As you know, breathlessness can be very uncomfortable. Many fall into the trap of adopt- ing a more sedentary lifestyle to avoid the discomfort. However, the greater the degree of inactivity,…
Don’t Take Our Breath Away! To recap our continued watch of oxygen reimburse- ment issues: On January 1 of this year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decreased payments to oxygen suppliers by 9.5% and stopped monthly payments for oxygen 36 months after a concentrator was first installed – the 36-month cap. The…
Calling Dr. Bauer Dear Dr Bauer, Carmen Bilinski, Tampa, FL How does my doctor know what liter flow I should use my oxygen at? I hear people at my support group say they use 2, 3 or 4 liters per minute and didn’t understand how the doctor knew what liter flow to prescribe! A…
Product Corner AirGuard Medical Products offers people with respiratory problems a way to protect their airways this winter. According to the manufacturer, the adjustable CT Mask lessens the risks of breathing cold air. Inside the mask is an efficient thermal exchange module that warms the air before is it inhaled. The CT Mask is made…
Traveling Tales Traveling with Oxygen Fran Zimet of Texas recently went to Northern California and could not get liquid oxygen in San Francisco and Monterrey Bay. She says, “I went through two oxygen companies who made phone calls for me. Liquid oxygen was unavailable, period. I found my portable oxygen concentrator, the Inogen One, was…
Tax Time Is Approaching Fast! It’s time for our annual income tax article! If you are an oxygen user, you may be able to take the cost of the electricity used to operate your concentrator as a medical deduction. Check with whoever prepares your annual income tax return if you can or would benefit from…