“Ten years ago I was hiking, raising a son and working full-time. I held myself to a high standard, but when PH hit hard and heavy I couldn’t meet that standard any longer. I speak from experience when I tell you that when your body goes to hell in a hand basket, it can easily take the rest of you with it.”

Jump to a section:

What to Expect
PH and Self-Image
PH and Body-Image
Loss of Perceived Identities
Adapting and Moving Forward
Demystify Your Thinking
Accept What You Can’t Change Today
Make Positive Changes Where You Can
Additional Resources
What to Expect

Pulmonary hypertension is a “whole life” condition that can influence everything, from how long it takes you to shower in the morning to your social life. Changes to your body, both real and perceived, can be difficult to adjust to, practically, intellectually and emotionally. In a society that celebrates youth, fitness and health, it can be challenging for people living with a chronic disease like PH to figure out how they fit in.

PH and Self-Image

Our self-image is made up of all the ideas we have about ourselves, including how we look, how intelligent we are, how connected we feel to those around us, and how hopeful we feel about the future. Being diagnosed with PH can affect every aspect of an individual’s self-image. Many patients describe feeling isolated, either because they can’t get out much or because strangers, friends and family don’t understand their disease. One young woman described how being house-bound has limited her social circle with far-reaching effects: “I used to know lots of people my age at church but now no one is around. They are all either married, have kids, or moved away. Their lives are full of adventure but mine stays here.”

Others find it difficult to maintain a positive self-image with so many of their old “feel good” activities and plans for the future suddenly stripped away. Tiffany said, “Everything I do, my efforts and ability are limited. Cooking, cleaning, working, shopping and decorating my home are all things I love and need to do to enjoy my life. I cannot do these, or I’m limited in how I can do them.” Some of the activities that PH patients have to give up are the very things they did to maintain a healthy self-image before diagnosis, such as running, dancing or staying up late chatting with friends and family. Cut off from self-affirming activities, it can be difficult to reestablish a positive sense of self after diagnosis.

PH and Body-Image

Many PH patients also struggle with one central aspect of self-image: body-image. Physical symptoms of PH and associated conditions, including chronic breathlessness, low energy, weight fluctuation, fluid retention, skin rashes, facial flushing and sweats, can make patients feel like they’re “starting over” in a body that feels totally foreign. Teresa told us, “It’s like a body transplant! You’re the same person inside, in terms of personality, interests, hobbies. But you’re presented with a body that doesn’t do those things anymore.”

Some patients on supplementary oxygen and intravenous medication find that the discomfort and conspicuous nature of their medical devices can take a toll on their self-confidence. One woman with a Flolan pump confided, “People stare at me and my self-esteem has been lowered. I cry all the time.” Others report feeling self-conscious even in front of their spouses, particularly in the bedroom. A woman in her late 20s described the “horror” of having to go on a date for the first time with an oxygen tank in tow.

Loss of Perceived Identities

Between all the symptoms, medical equipment and life changes, people diagnosed with PH often find themselves experiencing what one support group leader called “the loss of who they once were.” A 42-year-old former cyclist told us that he didn’t know who he was if he wasn’t an athlete. A 65-year-old mother of three told us that after she was diagnosed she thought she’d “never feel like a woman again.” After being told that pregnancy can be life-threatening for women with PH, one young woman was surprised to find herself grieving the loss of a “future mother” identity she didn’t realize she was holding onto. Loss of perceived identities is just one more way PH can alter your self-image.

Yet it’s important to keep in mind that self-image isn’t static. Over time, people with the intention of changing the way they think about themselves are capable of doing just that. According to Dr. John Wynn, medical director in the Department of Psycho-oncology at Swedish Cancer Institute of Swedish Medical Center, “A healthy body-image is a sense of one’s physical self that feels easy and acceptable. What it comes down to is how do you think of yourself and do you accept who you are?” For many living with PH, the answers to these questions change from one day to the next, and the path to a more positive self-image is ongoing.

Adapting and Moving Forward

While everyone deals with changes to their self-worth and body-image differently, there are strategies that have helped others with PH reflect and improve upon their self-image over time. Here are a few approaches to get you started. Some also find it helpful to seek out professional counseling to work through some of these issues. Talk to your healthcare team about finding a therapist in your area.

Demystify Your Thinking

A negative self-image can feel the most isolating and overwhelming when you can’t put your finger on what you’re feeling and why. Without an awareness of the situations and circumstances that trigger negative thoughts, it’s easy to believe that you’re the only one who feels the way you do. By developing a critical awareness of the expectations you feel, however, it’s easier to recognize that your negative thoughts are just that — thoughts — and not direct reflections of reality.

Think about the expectations you encounter as you move through your day. For example, what expectations do you feel as a result of television, magazines and movies? What images do you see of people with chronic illness in the media, and how do these make you feel? What expectations do you feel because of your family or background? Many people grow up in families or cultures where illness and disability are stigmatized. Sometimes without realizing it, these individuals carry around the unrealistic expectation that they should feel and look healthy, energetic and upbeat at all times, even when they’re sick.

One way to develop critical awareness of your expectations is to make a list of all the elements that make up your self-image (the picture you have in your mind of your personality, your body, your ability to connect with others, etc.). How has your thinking in each of these areas changed since you were diagnosed? When do you feel the most vulnerable? When do you feel the most confident? Look for patterns. One PH patient, Lisa, found that she felt the worst about herself when she thought she was letting her family down because of her illness, like when they dropped her daughter off at college and she couldn’t help move boxes into the dorm. This simple act of recognition helped her see that she was unfairly clinging to expectations that were no longer attainable. It also helped her work up the courage to talk to her husband and daughter about how she felt in these situations.

By talking to her family, Lisa realized that when she couldn’t move boxes, mow the lawn, or cook a meal, she felt like a bad mother and wife. She was experiencing the “loss of who she once was,” a mother who showed her love for her family through actions. By identifying the root of the problem, she was able to start expressing her love in ways that she was capable of. She started spending lots of time with her husband and daughter when she was feeling well, folding laundry and doing other sedentary chores, and being vocal about how much she appreciated their help. Demystifying her thinking helped Lisa distinguish reality (she couldn’t move boxes) from her perception of reality (she was a bad mother). This helped her begin to accept her limitations without putting herself down.

Accept What You Can’t Change Today

While research has come a long way in the past two decades, PH is still a life-altering disease. Allow yourself to grieve for the dreams and activities you’ve had to give up. For some, accepting limitations and life changes can take a long time. Teresa told us, “My acceptance has been in fits and starts. It was prolonged grief for me because I didn’t know what was wrong with me at first. I felt guilt. I thought I was lazy. I kept thinking, ‘This isn’t who I am.’” Yet over time, Teresa got better at differentiating between things she could change and things that she couldn’t. She said, “At the end of the day, PAH is beyond my control. But how I choose to live with it is definitely within my control.”

Keep in mind that acceptance doesn’t mean giving up. By accepting what you absolutely can’t change today, you’re less likely to tire yourself out fighting unwinnable battles, and you’ll be left with more energy to take a fresh look at what you can change tomorrow. According to Diane, life with PH “is a balancing act of knowing what you can and cannot do. Each day is different.”

Make Positive Changes Where You Can

Once you’ve accepted what you can’t change, it gets easier to zero in on areas of your life where you are willing and able to take control. Here are some suggestions for implementing positive changes to improve your self-image:

Call in reinforcements. Surround yourself with friends and family who make you feel good about yourself. And don’t limit yourself to two-legged friends either. One patient told us, “The thing that helped me the most was going to the humane society and getting a dog. My dog loved everything about me. He saved my life.”
Be good to your body. Rather than focusing on the body you think you should have, focus on the body you do have. One patient told us, “When I was stuck on how fat I was, it didn’t matter what I ate because I was already overweight. What helped me was when I started putting my health at the center of every decision I made. Instead of stuffing potato chips down my throat, I started eating less sodium and feeling better.” Work with your PH team to develop a nutrition plan, make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep, and don’t push your body too hard when it’s telling you it needs rest.
Stay active. Talk to your PH doctor about developing an exercise plan. Low-level aerobic exercise, even just a daily stroll around your neighborhood, can be good for your body and mind. One patient started by walking out the back door to the end of her alley and back. Over the course of several months, she extended the walk bit by bit, and today she walks three miles a day. She said, “That was the thing that helped me cope emotionally with my body. Being out in the fresh air, moving my body, having my muscles respond, all these things helped changed my body. Everything happened together. I centered myself.”
Celebrate your accomplishments. When you reach a personal goal or finish a project, take the time to recognize your achievement. If you like to write or scrapbook, consider keeping a journal of your milestones. You could take yourself out to dinner, take pictures that remind you of the accomplishment, or make an announcement to friends and family. Finding ways to formally recognize your successes can help you build new, positive identities post-diagnosis.
Change the way you talk about yourself. If you find that you’re putting yourself down a lot (“What’s the matter with me?” or “I’m hopeless!”), challenge your negative thoughts by replacing them with kind words that don’t reflect unrealistic expectations. For example, on low-energy days, many PH patients will tell friends and family that they are feeling lazy. Lazy is a loaded word that implies that you should be capable of doing more. Instead, try using judgment-free language that acknowledges a more basic truth: your body needs rest. Using your feelings and needs as guideposts can be a helpful way of translating negative self-talk into language that’s more compassionate and realistic. Here are some more examples:
Negative self-talk Realistic self-talk
I’m too fat to go out. What will people at the party think? My body has been through a lot in the past year. My friends know how much I’ve been through and accept me as I am.
I’m a terrible person because I can’t plan my mother’s retirement party. I feel badly that I can’t help out as much as I’d like because of my PH, but I need more time to rest these days.
No one will ever want to date me with this tube coming out of my chest. I feel self-conscious about my disease and my medication, so I’m going to take this dating thing one day at a time. I can hold out for the kind of person who will make me feel at ease, PH and all.

Stay in the moment. Your self-image, like life with PH, will have ups and downs. Your body, your health status, your outlook: none of these will stay the same forever. It can be helpful to think about every day as a new beginning, and appreciate each moment for what it is. According to Dr. Tiffany Stewart of the Body Image Project, “The more we hold on to what should be, the less we can see what is and what can be. Opening up to this possibility is a shift in perspective and the essence of acceptance…acceptance of constant change. It takes realizing that the journey is about the journey, and not about certain preconceived expectations and outcomes. When we are able to cultivate this vision for ourselves, we unlock our own ability to let go of judgment and find a genuine appreciation, not just of the body, but of the whole person.”
Additional Resources

Information from PHA

Exercise and PH
Videos and webinars on staying active
Books and Web Links

Body Image Resources from the Our Bodies, Ourselves Health Resource Center
“Fostering a Positive Self-Image,” from the Cleveland Clinic
Good Days, Bad Days: The Self in Chronic Illness and Time, by K. Charmaz (Rutgers University Press, 1991)
The Chronic Illness Experience: Embracing the Imperfect Life, by Cheri Register (Hazelton, 1999)
Support Resources

Email a PH Email Mentor
Attend a PHA Support Group
Connect with other patients online
PHA is grateful to PH patient and former social worker Teresa Asselin-Hayes for her input and review, and to all the PH patients who contributed their experiences to make this resource possible. PH medical review by Debra Hudock, RN, MSN, CNS, of Akron General Medical Center in Akron, Ohio.

To review Conflict of Interest Disclosures for PHA’s med

Having tested the new Respironics POC ‘Simply go’
[remember I live, at around 5500 ft altitude]…for hours while riding in a car as a passenger, to a Better breathers, to two funerals, … and a couple of times really slowly on the treadmill, (did I mention the cart is a dream come true),t oday I put it to a really long walk on the Treadmill,
I walked 2.6 miles, tested it for 95 minutes- moving up to faster pace, while switching around
using different pulse values and also with

3 different oxygen delivery systems…very interesting

The TTO ( Transtracheal oxygen system direct into my neck) consistently oxygenated close to 1% above other oxygen delivery systems.
The Oxyview glasses slightly lower than TTO, +/- 1%,
then with
the Salter (regular) cannula sats were trailing behind a full one to two percent lower than TTO…

you might say they work: >good-cannula >better-Oxyview >best -TTO.
I am so glad I have a TTO since that helps me use POC’s [or any system for that matter],more efficiently thus all will last longer for me.

as you can see, I test my oxygenation using two Nonin Onyx II oximeters (I have /use others- but they are always + or – one higher or lower (as is even the patient model Nonin Go2) so I stick with the professional model. Terry should like the shirt I wore for the second testing. (see blog below).

My walking speed the other test days was at 1 mph – boosted up to 1.5 and then 2 MPH today.
testing the Simply Go while using the pulse flow mode
beginning with the highest #6 ,and then trying it lower at # 5.5, 5, 4.5 pulse settings.

and finally the lowest *I* could go and have adequate sats, was on #4 pulse – at which time -when I tried going faster at 2 mph then the MX alarm sounded with the cannula and glasses… causing erratic oximeter readings up and down, fluctuating…
so I stopped, retried same thing with the TTO and then it didn’t MX out until after a full five minutes of walking… it kept me at 93-94% until the MX signal. the HR a nice 111.
While sitting it holds my O2 sats nicely around 93% even as low as #1.5 pulse.

Deduction – for ‘my’ slow walk needs, use #4.5 pulse when not ‘plugged in’- or – walk a little slower to save battery when out and about,
but of course with the tread mill and plugged into an outlet – I can use as high a pulse as desired.
For someone not having the 53% diffusion problem I have, this would be one heck of a sweet machine-
and at sea level it would probably be great for me too… as it is, it does work for me enough to be very helpful at times- and I am using it as a ‘back up’ of oxygen when I do my all day trips, it eliminates having to fill so many liquid portables.
Of course there is nothing like liquid oxygen if I want to walk 4 mph- then I require 16 liters.

It will be a while before I can chart all this … I post about my testing as I go along on several on-line support groups… folks are very interested…then I post on the blog leading up interest in the charts later… these blog pages have some pictures of the machine, and my testing – also the last one shows the COPD+ team on Feb 28th.

on my BLOG>
FEB 21 2012 SIMPLY GO POC introduced

http://www.wellsphere.com/copd-emphysema-article/feb-21-2012-simply-go-poc-introduced/1613430

The ATS guideline on the Interpretation of Exhaled Nitric Oxide for Clinical Applications has now received formal recognition and support from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI). The endorsement by the ACAAI and AAAAI underscores the importance of measuring FeNO to assess airway inflammation in order to determine appropriate treatment for asthma patients. The ATS guideline, which was published in September 2011, defines clinical situations where FeNO testing is appropriate as well as guidelines for the interpretation of FeNO results. The ATS guideline, now also endorsed by the AAAAI and ACAAI, notes that FeNO testing provides valuable information to the physician that traditional clinical tools cannot provide.

“We are pleased that all 3 societies have come forward in support of FeNO. It provides another level of credibility to the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of the NIOX MINO® and our ability to help clinicians make more informed decisions,” said Scott Myers, CEO, Aerocrine.

“Several private insurance companies wanted all three societies to support these guidelines so this statement by ACAAI and AAAAI will now provide the proof that clinicians see the value and want to use our test. This statement of support will also resonate with physicians outside the US who look to other countries for guidelines and data to improve the way they practice medicine. We are pleased that all three societies support us in helping more physicians and patients”, continues Scott Myers, CEO, Aerocrine.

Asthma is a complex disease and its cost burden to society on an annual basis is over $50B in the U.S. alone. There is no cure for asthma, current therapy is focused on controlling the disease. Aerocrine’s NIOX MINO® FeNO monitor can help physicians identify patients who will be responsive to treatment with anti-inflammatory medications such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), and alert them to patients who are not adhering to their treatments. Now all of the major US respiratory societies recognize the importance of FeNO testing in managing asthma.

“FeNO measurements enable physicians to gain a perspective of underlying airway inflammation not otherwise possible using the traditional clinical tools of history, physical exam, lungfunction, and quality of life assessments. This represents a giant step along the road to improving the quality of care people with asthma receive”, said Peter Boggs, MD, FACAAI, a member of the joint ACAAI/AAAAI committee.

“The Joint Position Statement along with the ATS Guideline is exactly what we need to capitalize on payor coverage. It’s really quite simple – if airway inflammation defines asthma and if airway inflammation isn’t being measured, then how can a patient be optimally treated? Physicians don’t manage hypertension treatment without measuring blood pressure. Why then should asthma be managed without measuring airway inflammation?” said Kathy Hodgdon, US Director of Sales and Marketing, Aerocrine.

For more information regarding the ATS Guideline, visit www.thoracic.org. For more information on the Joint Statement, visit http://acaai-365.ascendeventmedia.com/Content.aspx?p=374

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-competitive-bidding




A. Allergists and pulmonologists are
considered the best trained and most
experienced physicians to care for
asthmatics. These physicians are
internists or pediatricians who have
done 2-3 years additional training in
allergy or pulmonology.
Q. Should every
asthmatic be seen by an
asthma specialist?

A.. In an ideal situation the answer
is yes but with up to 34 million
asthmatics in this country the
practical answer is that this may not
always be possible. Internists and
family practitioners provide a large proportion of this care, particularly
for patients with mild asthma. For these mild patients I
recommend at least a one-time consultation with an asthma
specialist to review the diagnosis and management and to ensure
proper treatment. Patients with moderate to severe bronchial
asthma require the regular care of an asthma specialist. These
individuals suffer more frequent asthmatic attacks and often
require emergency care. Despite advances in treatment, 3-4
thousand asthmatics still die of asthmatic attacks each year. I
know that every asthma specialist feels that each one of these
deaths is preventable.
Q. Does every asthmatic need to be tested
for allergies?

A. It is estimated that a little more than 50% of asthma is allergic
(also called extrinsic). Non-allergic (intrinsic) asthma is more
common in adults while the allergic form usually starts in
childhood. I feel that every person with asthma should have an
allergy evaluation. This information may be invaluable since it may
identify an asthma trigger such as a specific food that can be
avoided. If the results of the allergy testing are negative the
physician may then focus on reducing other common asthma
triggers such as cigarette smoke or infection.
Q. Is wheezing always an indication of asthma?

A. The old adage that “all that wheezes isn’t asthma” is still true.
A wheeze is a high pitched sound that comes from the air passages
of the lungs when the flow of air through them isn’t smooth. Unfortunately
patients who wheeze are often immediately labeled
asthmatic and are given an asthma spray without a correct
diagnosis. There are a number of illnesses that can mimic asthma.
In children aspiration of a foreign body may produce wheezing
due to a partial blockage of an airway. Elderly adults with
congestive heart failure may wheeze due to excess fluid in the
lungs producing narrowing of the airways. This is often called
“cardiac asthma”. Dysfunction of the voice box or larynx in which
the vocal cords move in the opposite direction that they are
supposed to may produce severe wheezing and be mistaken for
asthma. This entity is known as “laryngeal asthma”.

Q. How should asthma be diagnosed?

A. Although a patient’s history and physical exam may suggest a
diagnosis of asthma, a definite diagnosis requires the demonstration
of narrowed bronchial tubes that are opened by the administration
of a bronchodilator medication. This simple test is called
spirometry which requires a patient to exhale forcibly into a device
which measures air movement. The results taken before and after
the use of a short-acting bronchodilator are compared. A 15%
improvement after the use of the bronchodilator is the criteria for
the diagnosis of asthma. 

Dr. Adams is a pulmonologist in private practice in New York City
and is the author of The Asthma Sourcebook, 3rd Edition
(McGraw-Hill). He hosts Doctor Radio on SiriusXM 81every
Tuesday from 6-8AM and 4-6PM .

Anything Goes’ Julie Halston, Robert Creighton, and Surprise Guest Joel Grey Join Legendary Belter Darlene Love for Second Annual Broadway Belts for PFF!

NEW YORK, February 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — With honors ranging from the Rock’n'Roll Hall of Fame to the Tony Awards, Broadway’s best performers gathered Monday night to raise awareness of the rare disease, pulmonary fibrosis, and honor the memory of Associated Press theater critic, Michael Kuchwara. Hosted by award-winning actress and devoted Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) advocate Julie Halston, Broadway Belts for PFF! returned to Birdland in New York City for a second successful year. The event raised almost $50,000 to benefit the Foundation.

Sirius Satellite Radio’s Seth Rudetsky opened the show with an amusing monologue about belting and his favorite belters, including last year’s surprise guest Liza Minnelli. Broadway stars showcased their belting abilities under the musical direction of Jesse Kissel and returning director Carl Andress. The all-star cast included: Tony nominees Adam Pascal (Memphis) and Andrew Rannells (The Book of Mormon), Robert Creighton (Anything Goes), Lindsay Mendez (Godspell), Betsy Wolfe (Encores! Merrily We Roll Along), Heidi Blickenstaff (Now. Here. This., [title of show]), and Julia Murney (Queen of the Mist/Wicked). In a touching moment of remembrance, theater critic Adam Feldman took the stage and gave a heartfelt tribute to his friend and colleague, Michael Kuchwara

The evening’s surprise guest was famed Joel Grey, currently starring as Moonface Martin in the Broadway revivial of Anything Goes. He joined the stage with fellow Anything Goes cast member Robert Creighton to sing a duet of “Give My Regards to Broadway” and then an impromptu rendition of “Wilkommen” from his Tony Award
and Oscar Award winning role as the Master of Ceremonies in Cabaret. The evening culminated with the spectacular Darlene Love delighting the audience with “Today I Met the Man I’m Going to Marry” and “I Know Where I Have Been.” The entire cast joined Ms. Love on stage for an all-star, grand finale of the “Da Doo Ron Ron.”

“The success of Broadway Belts for PFF! is a testament to the hard work of Julie Halston and her amazing team,” said the PFF’s Chief Operating Officer, Patti Tuomey. “Their efforts amplify the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s mission, increasing awareness on Broadway and beyond. By raising almost $50,000 through this event, Julie makes our goal of finding a cure that much more feasible.”

Julie Halston, currently starring in Anything Goes, became the leading spokesperson for the PFF after her husband, broadcaster Ralph Howard, received a lung transplant due to pulmonary fibrosis. Ms. Halston hopes that the awareness created by Broadway Belts for PFF! will assist others affected by the disease.

“Five years ago, I had never even heard of pulmonary fibrosis. First my husband was diagnosed and then I lost my close friend Michael to the disease,” said Halston. “Now, I want to make sure everyone knows about the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, so that no one with the disease has to go through this alone. Together we can raise awareness and fund the research that will bring us closer to finding a cure.”

The PFF’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel M. Rose, MD, emphasized the importance of funding research, as well as raising awareness. “With no FDA-approved treatment or cure for pulmonary fibrosis, funding research is a vital element of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s efforts,” said Dr. Rose. “Over the last ten years, pulmonary fibrosis research has greatly advanced and the Foundation has an increasingly clear picture of what needs to be done to support researchers, doctors, and patients.”

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation would like to thank this year’s Broadway Belts for PFF! Presenting Sponsor, the Doug and Gay Lane Charitable Foundation and Director’s Circle Sponsor, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The Foundation would also like to thank the following Broadway Partner Sponsors: Margo Lion; The Nederlander Organization; Daryl Roth; Richard Rothberg and Gersowitz, Libo and Korek, P.C. ESQS; and Thomas Schumacher.

All funds raised by the event will go toward the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s Michael Kuchwara Fund for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research, Education, and Advocacy in honor of the late Associated Press theater critic and reporter. Mr. Kuchwara passed away from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in May of 2010.

For more information on the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, or to make a donation, please visit www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org.

Philips Respironics has developed the SimplyGo highly portable oxygen concentrator that weighs ten pounds (4.5 Kg) and offers both pulsed and continuous oxygen delivery. This means that almost anyone requiring external oxygen can go fishing with the nephew instead of being stuck at home. Just don’t get the oxygen delivery tube tangled around the fishing line.

Like all POCs, SimplyGo delivers pulse dose oxygen—a burst of oxygen triggered when the user starts to take a breath. But SimplyGo is different from smaller devices because it is also capable of delivering oxygen continuously, similar to stationary concentrators used at home. With oxygen output of up to four times that of some lightweight POCs, SimplyGo can meet the portable needs of nearly all oxygen users including those who are highly active or require continuous flow.

Philips designed its latest portable oxygen concentrator with a long-life compressor, high-impact resistant design and oversized cart wheels in order to be rugged and easy-to-use. SimplyGo was tested and subjected to extreme conditions, including impacts, vibrations and temperatures, to deliver reliable performance day in and day out in real-life conditions experienced by oxygen users.

SimplyGo comes with an attractive, functional carrying case; fold-up mobile cart; intuitive, easy-to-read screen; and detachable accessory bag. A lightweight and compact battery adds to its portability. Extra batteries are available and can fit easily into the zippered pouch on the carrying case or accessories bag for extended use.

Additionally, two-, three-, or five-year warranties and flexible service programs are offered with SimplyGo to give homecare providers a variety of options to meet their individual business needs. SimplyGo’s design and comprehensive service tools also allow technicians to perform work right on site, if they choose.

Press release: Philips Respironics introduces portable oxygen concentrator that meets the needs of nearly all oxygen users
Product page: Philips Respironics SimplyGo…

SimplyGo brochure…