• Effectiveness

  Major (for low oxygen saturation while sleeping)
• Effectiveness

  Major (for shortness of breath (dyspnea))
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Always
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 2 other Daily

• Effectiveness

  Major (for fainting)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Not at all hard to take

Dosage: 3 other Daily

Advice & Tips: I use the electric concentrator at home, I also have three large tanks for home use (if the power is out) and I have two sizes of smaller oxygen tanks for when I'm outside or on a short trip (like shopping or a meeting).

Cost: < $25 monthly

• Effectiveness

  None (for hepatopulmonary syndrome)
• Side effects

  None
• Adherence

  Usually
• Burden

  Somewhat hard to take

Dosage: 2 L Daily

Advice & Tips: I was prescribed the oxygen at night to create less stress on my heart and lungs, not necessarily to treat the hepato-pulmonary syndrome. I was advised by my doctor that there would be no noticable improvement in my breathing or respiratory function. 98% of the time, I would wake up to find that i had removed the oxygen at some point in the night and the cannula was either on the floor or wrapped around me somehow. I also found the air to be quite dry and mess with my sinuses (I'm already susceptible to infections and bloody noses, don't really need any more help with that thanks!). I decided that it wasn't worth the effort or money, nor the slight "downer" it was mentally to put that on every night as a 38 year old, but I'm a little stubborn that way. The concentrator may make it back into our house at some point.

Cost: $50-99 monthly