There is everything you ever wanted to know (or didn't) up at this site <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.portableoxygen.org/">http://www.portableoxygen.org/</a> . For your specific question about types of portable oxygen (sizes and such) see <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.portableoxygen.org/weightsand%20durations.html">http://www.portableoxygen.org/...tsand%20durations.html</a> and <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.portableoxygen.org/october.html">http://www.portableoxygen.org/october.html</a>.
I know lots of folks who run with the little liquid cannisters in a backpack.
You have what they sometimes refer to as "markedly reduced exercise tolerance". Several studies have indicated that for folks with this condition that using O2 with oxygen protects the heart from damage.
See page 3 and the section on the NOTT trial in <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.nlhep.org/pdfs/lt_oxygen.pdf">http://www.nlhep.org/pdfs/lt_oxygen.pdf</a> . Note too that they say it is hard to separate the benefits of using oxygen from exercise and good nutrition. (And remember if you can only exercise hard if you are ON oxygen then if you choose not to be on it you are choosing not only not to use O2 but also not to have the full benefits of exercise.)
P.S. Do not let the fact that these studies were done on patients with COPD lead you to believe that they do not apply to people with cystic fibrosis. COPD stands for "Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" and there are many many chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (not just emphysema, say from smoking). One of these is bronchiectasis and bronchiectasis is what folks with CF have (tho' it is not the only way you can get it).
P.S.2 I used the quote from Medicare not because I thought you were on Medicare, but because (generally) Medicare is much more restrictive about paying for O2 use that private insurance is so if Medicare thinks you qualify for O2, then you can be darn sure you do.
I know lots of folks who run with the little liquid cannisters in a backpack.
You have what they sometimes refer to as "markedly reduced exercise tolerance". Several studies have indicated that for folks with this condition that using O2 with oxygen protects the heart from damage.
See page 3 and the section on the NOTT trial in <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.nlhep.org/pdfs/lt_oxygen.pdf">http://www.nlhep.org/pdfs/lt_oxygen.pdf</a> . Note too that they say it is hard to separate the benefits of using oxygen from exercise and good nutrition. (And remember if you can only exercise hard if you are ON oxygen then if you choose not to be on it you are choosing not only not to use O2 but also not to have the full benefits of exercise.)
P.S. Do not let the fact that these studies were done on patients with COPD lead you to believe that they do not apply to people with cystic fibrosis. COPD stands for "Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" and there are many many chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (not just emphysema, say from smoking). One of these is bronchiectasis and bronchiectasis is what folks with CF have (tho' it is not the only way you can get it).
P.S.2 I used the quote from Medicare not because I thought you were on Medicare, but because (generally) Medicare is much more restrictive about paying for O2 use that private insurance is so if Medicare thinks you qualify for O2, then you can be darn sure you do.