COPD & Emphysema Support Group
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A friend of mine is in ICU...been there just on a week....She is having issues with very low oxygen levels and high carbon dioxide...So is on Bi-pap....Trouble is they are not making any progress to stabilise her....I understand the situation but not sure what the next step would need to be taken, as everything so far is not working.......I will just copy n paste her comments to make it easier......Thanks..
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Good morning everyone, tell me please? Is it only me who can manage to almost drown themselves during sleep?
I'm still in icu, a week now, grrrrrr. Co2 levels in high 80's. O2 levels about 55%. Eye sight stuffed, memory stuffed. But can still manage a laugh. And to almost drown myself with the fluid from the hiflow condenser. Turned the wrong was all went up my nose
Alternating 2 hours each on hiflow and BiPap, ABG still showing 80+% co2
Drs and an ambo were arguing about the the hypoxic drive theory, the ambo says it only affects 0.1% of 0.1% of copd sufferers and he pumped my O2 to 6 lpm when I was sitting on 54%
Last Co2 was 89% and rising at 12.15 pm.....Bipap not keeping it down
I had sp02 54% and ABG Co2 89%. O2 up and down, Co2 just hovering. Getting transferred to Prince of Wales hospital in Sydney.
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Good morning everyone, tell me please? Is it only me who can manage to almost drown themselves during sleep?
I'm still in icu, a week now, grrrrrr. Co2 levels in high 80's. O2 levels about 55%. Eye sight stuffed, memory stuffed. But can still manage a laugh. And to almost drown myself with the fluid from the hiflow condenser. Turned the wrong was all went up my nose
Alternating 2 hours each on hiflow and BiPap, ABG still showing 80+% co2
Drs and an ambo were arguing about the the hypoxic drive theory, the ambo says it only affects 0.1% of 0.1% of copd sufferers and he pumped my O2 to 6 lpm when I was sitting on 54%
Last Co2 was 89% and rising at 12.15 pm.....Bipap not keeping it down
I had sp02 54% and ABG Co2 89%. O2 up and down, Co2 just hovering. Getting transferred to Prince of Wales hospital in Sydney.
Isn't there any way to get C02 out? (do ventilators just pump in 02 or do they expel it also.?)
My sister had close to the same #'s her last couple of weeks. She said it felt like she was being suffocated. When she finally went to the hospital they gave her "comfort meds" (morphine & Lorazapam IV) and she said she finally was comfortable again.
They also kept her 02 at a low LPM.
My sister had a "living will" that refused anything, but comfort meds; so I am rather curious if there is an answer found for your friend would you please share.
So I am sorry, My sister experienced that, but I cannot share if there is an answer.
However, do tell your friend to ask for comfort meds. It made a world of difference for my sister not to feel like she was being suffocated.
Also, do be careful with the humidity, I'm glad your friend is keeping her humor, but that liquid going into her nose while she sleeps can cause her to aspirate!!
Prayers for your friend.
ps. I do not quite understand the "myth" part of the Hypoxic Drive. Here is an article with some comments about it, but I do not see any set "answer" to it.
http://respiratory-care-sleep-medicine.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Hypoxic-Drive-Myth-or-Reality.aspx (I hope the link works---otherwise, you'll have to copy & paste into address bar---curtosy of the new DS )