I’m on 3 liters of oxygen and sitting my level is 92-94 but as soon as I stand it starts dropping. I can walk 15 steps to the kitchen and back to the chair it will be 68-70 even turning my oxygen up doesn’t help. I’m on Breo, Spiriva, breathing treatments and albuterol rescue inhaler. Does anyone else have this problem?
I had this problem, but Praise God, my breathing has gotten better. I needed to change my pulmonologist and my medications. I felt like I wasn't getting the proper attention for my breathing issues and what they were giving me wasn't working. I found a pulmonologist that did a special test on me and they found out that my hemoglobin were way out of range and gave me medication that they used to treat asthma due to allergies. I'm now using singular and a inhaler called Breztri and getting injections once a month, that have made a huge difference in my breathing. I'm now able to take showers with no issues and can do things around the house that I wasn't able to, behind getting breathless and so tired as quickly. I'm a stage 4 COPD with emphysema and just found out that I had sight allergies as well.
https://youtu.be/5ao0tk4szWw
Poor oxygen levels can also be caused by many things including low blood pressure, heart/circulation problems, or weak breathing techniques. Some times all at once. The short answer is we may have to take more time and "get Ready - to "GO"! A high pulse rate used to be my sign that a bathroom trip was in order. Just like my profile picture shows. Instead of just turning up the O2, I learned to exhale forcefully several times before I really had to be there.
Many COPD people are also CO2 retainers. Strenuous breathing techniques can help dispel more Carbon dioxide in the lungs during movement and activity. Remember, the finger meter only tells how much Oxygen we MAY have absorbed in our system. There is NO WAY for US to measure the amount of CO2 circulating. It is a complicated measurement that constantly changes. Even after one meal. But the brain knows. Also, CO2 continues to build up in the blood over time and contribute to Exacerbations which send us to the hospital. Staying hydrated helps keep that in balance. But that is another story.
Have a look at this video. Don't let the technical stuff ambush you. It explains how Oxygen is a good thing when used correctly. Your Doc should be happy to consider Respiratory Rehab for you if you are doing everything else at home the correct way. Be well.
@A MyCOPDTeam Member some of us gain and a few of us loose im on the loosing team ive gone frome 230 to 155 and eating is a daily fight insure has helped emensly i drink it in the am with my cerial
Thanks for the heads up.
Try turning your O2 up before you get up and see what happens. Or get up and just stand and raise the O2 until it's well above 90 and then start walking. See how high you need to have it so that it stays above 90 while you're walking. If you can't get it up that far, talk with your doc because you may need a concentrator that produces up to 10 LPM so you can stay saturated when you're moving. There may be several reasons for this: you may be very deconditioned and a good exercise program would help a lot, you may be air trapping, you could be overweight. All those things could be part of the reason this is happening.