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Hey Barcode Yeah, I'm sorry to say that in my experience ins companies and suppliers stuck out loud when it comes to O2, especially when you're talking high flow! I'm about to turn 71 and Medicare won't pay for oxygen for clusters period! My work around is taking the docs, ins companies, and suppliers out of the equation......paid $321 for a large (48" tall x 9" dia) cylinder full of O2 at my local welding supply......$50 fir an oxygen regulator at harbor freight......$30 for a clusterO2mask at the ch.com store......and $21 per refill/exchange. In 2016 I cycled from Mid May til Mid Oct and used 3 refills.....$63 and no freaking hassle!! Welding ox and med ox comes out of the same faucet.....med tanks have to be vacuumed prior to refilling while they just do a sniff test for welding tanks.....been huffing it since 2007 with no ill effects and I know many other clusterheads who use it as well! Dallas Denny

Batch thank you, 20 K of d3 seems to be my daily dose needed, still taking b1. The last few weeks my cch has been suppressed. Enjoying life and learning to smile again, I couldn’t have done it without this place. Hope your days are pain free, peace.

CHf....I thought the EXACT same thing...it's like offering a free car...with only 3 wheels!.....You can drive it....but it aint gonna get you very far............

As Jon said, relationship with the store manager is a critical factor. We first got O2 from an "ignorant" Lincare store manager, but one who was willing to listen, read, and learn, and became exceptionally helpful. Call up. I worry that if you don't call, you might not get a tank at all, but a "concentrator" that makes O2 from room air. You don't want that. Also, make sure they're giving you a nonrebreather mask, not nasal cannula or a rebreather mask, and, as Jon and Denny suggest, at least one big tank for home use and one smaller tank for portability. (We eventually went the welding O2 route and it generally has been better, except for the schlepping of tanks that Jon mentions.) We provided the store manager (and the respiratory therapist who worked there) with several journal articles. The bedrock one is this study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19996400 While it calls for 12 lpm, most regulators that go up to 12 will also go up to 15, which is a good starting-place. (In my opinion, you will get some relief at 12, and maybe even full relief at 12/15.) On the right side of the page, under "Similar Articles," you'll see another article, about masks, and if you click on that one and look under "Similar Articles" you'll see several more potentially relevant ones. But as you say, just getting a basic system probably should be your immediate priority. Another O2 mystery: Why would a doctor who knows enough to prescribe O2 without your having to ask, write you a 10lpm prescription? Amazing.

Hey BCJ...sorry to see this given to a CH patient without qualification for THAT condition. NOT uncommon for O2 suppliers to be ignorant of clusterhead needs(btw...DIFFERENT than venal or uncaring, since 'ignorant" is fixable). I have been a Lincare patient since 1985 (tho not lately) and found the most important part of the relationship was with the store manager. Some are perfect for the position (care, concern, compassion, flexibility)...some are just droids. I suspect Lincare corporate has tightened down on options available to individual managers...and I suspect it's a) corporate paranoia (read that lawyers got involved...SHEESH, that always come out well) and b.) the increasingly complex, confusing, and voluminous requirements that health insurance companies have visited on EVERY aspect of the health care "industry". I've had several doctors quit because of it..... and some other types of providers decline patients with particularly troublesome insurance. So....your first step should be developing a relationship with the manager (give 'em a copy of this: http://www.clusterheadaches.com/O2/index.html)...can't hurt....second would be to get a script with HIGHER lpm listed....AND the medical necessity letter you described (this can be PRICELESS in MANY circumstances beyond just O2). My script said 8 lpm...I used 5-15 without any concern over being monitored for usage. Actually, I talked them into stocking M tanks...since E tanks are much smaller and lasted only a few hits for me. Kept 2 M's for home...and 3-4 E's for 'travel' and work (one in car, one at work, two in reserve.) Regulators off the internet...don't buy or...God forbid... lease them from the supplier. I got 2 25 lpm name brand regs for $25 ea!! And a non rebreather mask from CH.com store (a PRIZED possession). Lot of folks out there go with welding O2...NONE of the problems described above....probably cheaper...just less convenient depending on your health level and living situation (e.g. 3rd floor apt....no elevator...YIKES!). Still, If you travel out of state...Lincare has an excellent program for continuance of service in many far flung locations. I used it in Oklahoma, Nevada and California multiple times. Kinda tough to drag a welding tank around....................... Best Jon PS Sorry for any redundancy...I failed to re read the whole thread.............................