COPD & Emphysema Support Group

COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...

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funtimer 09/30/2013

Had my 3 month checkup from my Pulmonary Dr. today. He passed along some info that may be helpful when evaluating your condition.
First, I frequently have great ox. numbers [95-96] and have very serious SOB. The Dr. reminded me that it is not always the numbers. If you are one that has problems clearing the carbon dioxide from the lungs [I do] Your ox. can read great, but there is no room for more air, hence the feeling of gasping for air. I am sure I knew about that, but it has been so long that I had completely forgotten. He suggested that I use my emergency inhaler more frequently, and to work on my breathing more!
If you lean toward depression, which many of with this disease do, please, please bring it up to your doctor. I had never mentioned it to my Dr. and he read me the riot act. He said it is one of the biggest problems with us all. We don't want to bother anyone!!!! One of the best treatments is a good attitude. He has put me on a daily dose of Lexapro. Anybody ever used this.
Breath easy,
Ed

sherryb1947 09/30/2013

I am on daily dose of Lexapro and Xanax as needed. Think I would go crazy without it. Once you start taking the Lexapro DO NOT stop taking it, you will have to taper off this med.
My numbers are good and I get SOB too. I use my inhaler about twice a day plus the nebulizer. and of course the breathing exercising .

Good luck with the Lexapro I hope it helps you as much as it does me...

jarca 09/30/2013

that is interesting about the 02 reading.
lately my 02 reads in the mid to high 90's when i'm just sitting around.
i think i got into a "denial" stage thinking that somehow i was getting better (then whammo, an exacerbation)....
so if we are "carbon dioxide retainers" the numbers can read higher, but in reality it's not?

i've never taken Lexapro, but i do take an anti-anxiety medicine.
and in the winter i have a tendency for depression even more. so i think we all need to be aware as possible to bring these things up to our dr.

blueirisnw 09/30/2013

Thank you for your post, Ed. It is a welcome reminder to many of us.
I retain carbon dioxide; yet my oximeter shows my oxygen saturation is fine. Also, depression is a constant battle with me personally.
Depression and anxiety can go hand in hand----when facing this chronic disease. I am glad you are getting treatment.

deleted_user 09/30/2013

this sounds like my husband good numbers but sob. Is there a certain way that you do breathing exercises other then the pursed lip breathing. Are you also on oxygen. He does his nebulizer up to 4 times daily if needed and has inhaler, doesn't use the inhaler often, maybe he should. So glad you shared this info, I find this disease so confusing and it's been about 6 years, but has gotten so much worse last 2 years.

grannie 09/30/2013

I don't have depression but I do have SOB. Here is a Link that shows you how to get rid of that Carbon Dioxide and relieve shortness of breath.

http://www.rotech.com/respiratory/v2/health_hyper/retraining/nn4/retraining.htm

That is what Pursed Lip Breathing(PLB) does.

boldprint 09/30/2013

I take lexapro and it helps me. Unlike other antidepressants I've taken, lexapro has helped my anxiety.

debib399 10/01/2013

Thanks for the post, very good information. Hope the lexapro helps, let us know how it's going.

towngirl2 10/01/2013

I have been on Lexapro for a year now, and it has been a wonderful year, as far as settling and calming me down. I have a very high stress job, which was killing me until I started the Lexapro. Now, I can hang 10! Lol! I am also now newly diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, so the Lexapro is now being changed to Cymbalta, so I am curious to see how Cymbalta works. I also have a side order of Xanax for sudden anxiety times. I get SOB with good numbers also, but am now on Combivent which helps a lot more than the Atrovent inhaler. I hope the Lexapro works for you!

bjrapp2020 10/01/2013

That is good information to know. I was told by both my pulmy and my transplantt doctor, that the oximeter does NOT measure carbon dioxide, only oxygen in your blood. They also told me that it is a good thing to take yours to the doctors appointment and compare it to theirs, which should be calibrated correctly. Sure enough when I did, mine was 4 points off. So if it reads 95, it is really 91. Mine always reads high, like 98 or 99 when I wake up, and during the day if I am not active. Now I know to subtract 4 off it. When I asked the pulmy doctor about my readings, he said do not get to caught up in them, because the oxygen sats are the last to go. So I am happy as long as mine stays above 90.
Brenda

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