Travelling With Oxygen

Lots of people need help breathing. We don’t really give a thought to our ability to breathe, until we struggle, until we have problems. So many of us get on with our everyday lives, going out and about without a thought of how we will breathe that day. On the flip side of the coin, other people need to plan every move with detail to ensure they can still have air in their lungs. There are a number of lung conditions where there is an inability to get enough oxygen into the lungs from normal air. This is when people need to carry oxygen with them to ensure they can stay alive. Let’s have a look at how to travel when you require oxygen.

Store Properly

One of the most important things to remember is storing your oxygen properly when you are travelling. It needs to be secured properly. Ideally behind the front seats or on the back seats as that is the middle of the car. However they can be strapped down in the boot if needs be. If you were to be rear ended, this can cause a problem though. You need to inform your insurance company that you will be travelling with oxygen. It’s good to know that The Oxygen Store offers a wide array of products to make your life easier. Both at home and for travelling too.

Travelling In The UK

If you are holidaying in the UK, you might need to check with the owners of the place you are staying to see if oxygen is allowed and an be stored safely. Your respiratory team will be able to advise you and the accommodation owners if any help is required. Be sure to give your oxygen supplier plenty of notice if you are planning on travelling, ideally more than a month. This is even more important during those busy travel times of year, like school holidays and the summer months. You’ll need to have access to everything you need to planning and preparation is key.

Flying Abroad

If you are planning on flying abroad, you need extra planning. Firstly, you might need a fitness-to-fly test to confirm your need for in-flight oxygen. Contact your doctors surgery for help in completing this test. Different airlines have different policies on oxygen so you need to check with who you are planning to book with. Do this before you book. If the airline allows you to have oxygen, you will need to look at portable concentrators that you can carry on. Be sure to have a spare battery pack or back-up cylinder. Remember international plug adapters too! Some providers don’t allow you to take your UK hired equipment out of the country, in which case, you will need to organise the hire of it whilst you are away.

There are many things to consider when you are relying on oxygen and considering a trip away. Getting away form the same four walls can be therapeutic in itself though with new sights and new sounds to be enjoyed. Before doing any travel though, you should talk to through you health needs with your respiratory specialist.