I'm not too sure what that is. CO2 retention however is another story. It is when the lungs do not perform the CO2/O2 exchange properly and you end up retaining CO2. If you increase the O2 rate it will cause more CO2 to be retained. Take a look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CO%E2%82%82_retention

Hugs,
Dennis

I found this article:

Carbon Dioxide Retention and COPD
Tuesday, Febuary 5, 2013
Comments (0)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) rentention is something that can occur in people with moderate to severe COPD. Normal arterial CO2 range is from 35-45 mmHg. CO2 becomes an acid in the blood, and can cause the bloods pH to change when the levels of CO2 change. As we know, COPD is usually a slowly progressing lung disease. When lung function declines over time, this normal range of CO2 may rise. When it happens slowly, the kidneys retain bicarbonate to keep the pH of the blood from becoming too acidic. All organs in the body will suffer if the blood pH is out of range. Some people with COPD can have a CO2 level of 60mmHg or higher, but as long as this rise occures over time, the kidneys are able to compensate, and make sure the pH of the blood does not drop (become more acidic). Even though the carbon dioxide level is higher than normal, the kidneys have compensated, keeping the blood pH in normal range. On the other hand, if the carbon dioxide level rises quickly, the kidneys do not have time to compensate, and the pH of the blood will drop (acute respiratory failure). This can be serious, and even life-threatening. There is some concern about using higher levels of oxygen in people who are CO2 retainers. There are some that feel that when oxygen levels in the blood are too high, the stimulus to breathe may be affected in people who already have higher levels of CO2. Other experts dispute this claim. The bottom line for me is that oxygen should be treated just like any other drug, using only the lowest level that will get the desired results. On occasion, people with COPD will need higher levels (usually closely monitored in the hospital), but the need should be re-assessed on a regular basis.

Hello,
Both Dennis and Grannie have good comments. The only way to find out if you are retaining co2 is to have your doctor order you an arterial blood gas test. There may be other ways doctors have to determine it, but this way you would know your number. \

Grannie thank you for that article. You know doctors never tell you everything unless you ask. Well, Dr. Bothel had me scared silly because he said I was a co2 retainer, and explained what that meant...Dr. Sanchez said my co2 is not good, but all right, it was 32, and according to your comment, was in normal range?

question; is "air trapping" on a PFT report the same as C02 retention?
when my pulm did a PFT test on me he had me inhale some gas & then tested it & he commented that the gas didn't "dissapate" out of my lungs.
dennis; in your links how to read the test is that the part on the PFT test that says DLCO?
(i learn so much when others ask good questions :)

Jarca and Denny: I too do not understand the DLCO part of my PFT testing. My Pulmonary Doctor always comments on it; but I have no understanding of the pertinence of those numbers. I always look at my FEV1; and think that is important. The Pulmonary doctor is pointing out his concern over other numbers. He looks at "Best" next to the percentage of FEV1. I am looking at my last PFT test. It shows 1.17 under "Best"; and 45 under %predicted. So, I thought I was better; as my FEV1 % was up; but Pulmonary Doctor worries about the "Best" number being lower; and tells me it is bad if it falls below 1. I am so confused. Previously; my FEV1 ranged from 20's to 30's----so I assumed I was better; whereas the "best" number continues to decline every 3 months. The DLCO? Many numbers that I have no understanding of; even though I have asked many times. It is called "diffusion". Is there a "dumbed-down" explanation for me; as I am suffering from cognitive deficits. Thank you.

Correct Brenda, the arterial blood gas test hurts a bit. I had one done years ago when I was sick as a dog and found out I had a gas leak in my house. I was OK but it did show a % of C02 the Doc said it was probably from smoking.

OK DLCO (Diffusion factor of the Lung for Carbon Monoxide) is the portion of the PFT where they have you take a deep breath hold it for a moment and then let it out. While you inhale, they inject a precise minute amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in the mixture. then when you exhale they measure how much CO is left. If you absorbed it all, then you would be at 100% or perfect (good) score. If you score 0% then you are not reading this, as you are probably occupied doing things on a higher plane. Anywhere in between give you a measurement of your lungs ability to transfer gases - diffusion. For many of us it has greater bearing on our abilities than FEV1.
Hope this helps...

Hugs,
Dennis

Please remember the DLCO measured in a PFT is not the same as the ABG measurement of CO2 in the blood...

gotcha, ty dennis---so is that why my pulm says i "have an interesting case"?
my fev 1 is 92%
but my dlco is 40
my pulm has quit doing PFT tests any more & just does HRCT (which shows all my aveoli are big holes) because he says PFT with me is "misleading"

also is the higher fev 1 because i have "hyperinflated lungs"?-

Blue -
The measurements under the (sometimes several) "best" columns for the spirographs use 2 numbers - volume of air in liters (for example your 1.17) and the next number is a percentage of what they thought it should be (predicted). In your case it was 45% or a little less that half of what they expect for an FEV1 reading.

Hugs,
Dennis

The 92% FEV1 with the 40 % DLCO is interesting. It appears that the blebs are positioned so that air isn't trapped. Instead it is passed through those areas with no air transfer benefits in spite of the close-to-predicted volume measured. A good example of why one has to know what they are doing when they interpret each person's measurements...

Hugs

Grannie, I have to totally agree with you cause that is exactly what happened to me...incl the respiratory failure that entitled me to 3 weeks on a ventilator...

The reason was my first doctor insisted my SOB was lack of oxygen and made me use it 24/7 the first year n a bit.....

I still get very SOB but PLB is the only way to fix it...

Now ya'll have me all confused, which is not hard to do at all. Dennis, if the fev score is 92, she should be breathing like a teenager it seems!
I mean mine is 29 or somewhere in there, and all those other things I have no clue what you mean, but I thought fevi was the amount of air you breathed out, so if she can do 92% that is almost perfect,,,what am I missing? Hi Gwapo, could to see you commenting...

Thank you for all the information. I am sorry I did mean retaining carbon dioxide not oxygen.

Karen

when i went to the pulm the 1st time he thought the same as you brenda and asked me why my PCP had me on 02 then he ordered that last PFT, ---and after seeing that he ordered the HRCT.
interesting to see the HRCT and "inside my lings" (he shows me & explains & i even get my own cd of it to look at on my computer).
i have those PFT readings, but to look "inside" my lungs with the HRCT those "grape bunches of avioli" that they show in pics---well i don't have a "bunch" at each, i just have 5cm "holes"
and because of the last dr that didn't take care of me in a HUGE exacerbation---the HRCT now shows the bottom of my lungs are nothing but scar tissue (pulmonary fibrosis)
so i guess i have these holes for avioli, and the holes don't "pass" the 02 thru to my blood?
i also was always very physically fit so i wonder if i just have bigger inhale/exhale abilities, but little transfers to my blood.
that is why i keep my excercise up, i need to keep that diaphram working as good as i can :)
(sometimes i feel like a rat being studied by both my PCP & Pulm because they both say, "i have an interesting case"---maybe they'll work harder to keep me going as long as possible so they can study me longer LOL

(if you want to get really weird, my "resting pulse" (sitting around) is around 52 ---of course if i get up & move that goes super high as my 02 goes super low)

sorry, i didn't mean to take over the discussion with "my stuff", but it just goes how we can all have the "same" disease, yet be so different. and i thought explaining "the grape bunches" we see in pics i get to see with HRCT....has anyone else had an HRTC?