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Looking For Information On C02 Retainers.
A MyCOPDTeam Member asked a question 💭

Hi
A few of us are C02 retainers and getting oxygen can be detremental - can someone expand on this?

Lennie

posted October 26, 2020
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A MyCOPDTeam Member

My husband has severe COPD. He is a co2 retainer can't breathe when he exerts himself even a little bit but oxygen levels 98% so can't have oxygen nothing they can do for him

posted October 28, 2020
A MyCOPDTeam Member

CO2 retainers need supplementary O2 just like everyone else. Some docs still subscribe to the "hypoxic drive" theory which has been pretty much debunked by most pulmonologists. Basically the hypoxic drive theory says that people with CO2 retention can die if given too much O2, because the O2 reduces their "will to breathe". It has been demonstrated time and again that if treated properly with O2, people who are CO2 retainers do just fine with O2 and tend to do very poorly without it.

First there are very few true CO2 retainers and this can only be tested by an Arterial Blood Gas taken at prescribed intervals. Even people who are true CO2 retainers need to have sufficient supplemental O2 to keep their saturation levels up above 90. Like everyone, if their levels are chronically low, they are in danger of both brain damage and right heart failure.

If your doc or pulmo is telling you that you should reduce your O2 because you are a retainer, I'd ask for a second opinion. While there are a few true retainers, there are very few who can't be treated with breathing techniques or bi-pap, trilogy or other non-invasive ventilating techniques, and everyone of them includes use of O2.

posted October 26, 2020
A MyCOPDTeam Member

My husband has that problem and he now has an NIV mask to wear at night whilst asleep, this is the only way round it as far as I know as no other solution was presented to him.

posted October 28, 2020

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