Oxygen is the only prescription that has been demonstrated to prolong life for COPD patients. What your FEV1 is doesn't make any difference as it has nothing to do with needing O2 or not. You can have a very high FEV1 and need O2 or have a very low FEV1 and not need O2. It's your saturation level that is the key to needing O2 or not. If you don't use the O2, you will develop right heart failure and brain damage. You don't want either. You need the O2 to keep your body well saturated. O2 won't make you breath better, but it will keep you alive longer. If you use it, you should be able to exercise longer and harder and therefore make good progress in becoming stronger and more fit. Then you will feel better.

@A MyCOPDTeam Member, very confusing, how can you say o2 does not make us breathe better when it brings our saturation level back up where it should be? O2 is first thing they put on people when ER or ambulance is called and we need it for some tasks when moving about........Oxygen Treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Oxygen treatment increases the amount of oxygen that flows into your lungs and bloodstream. If your COPD is very bad and your blood oxygen levels are low, getting more oxygen can help you breathe better and live longe.........

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A MyCOPDT...

What Jean means is that Oxygen in itself does not stop you getting SOB...It is the Amount of Oxygen in your blood that is important. So basically if Oxygen Saturation falls below...lets say i believe personally,,below 92% then the need for either Supplimentary or Full time Oxygen Therapy is warranted. and all that is dependant on having an assessment done, A one off use of Emergency Oxygen is the normal procedure in most emergencies where breathing is concerned and does not impact on the future need for it.

Unless your body can get rid of the Carbon Dioxide, it does not matter how much oxygen one gets in, SOB will always be a major problem......

@A MyCOPDTeam Member also if 02 levels stay low for long periods of time it tends to much your brains and other fun stuff Ray

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A MyCOPDT...

Good to know Jean thank you