Good post boo: This got me thinking so, I googled it and this is just one article I found.

http://www.webmm.ahrq.gov/case.aspx?caseID=172

I hope Dennis has more to add.

Gary

So scary Boo............I'm glad you are here to tell the story and didn't have to go through but gro posted on that website. It was a good article to read.
Bet Boo will be checking the 02 from now on :)))))). Glad you are ok and kudos to Val for checking it every time. Nice to have something that weighs less to carry around. I call mine the incredible hulk. lol...............
Hugs

Very Scarry!!! If you start getting a headache and,or getting sleepy, check the oxygen again!!! You are a lucky girl he saw that!!
Brenda

Sounds like in the exacerbation case study someone(s) screwed up - an assumption (94% SPO2 at 2LPM), a missing test (the ABG), the increased O2 to 4LPM on a patient that was in trouble to start with - and nobody looked until morning rounds. A resounding Bronx cheer for all those involved.
Those of us not having exacerbations are better able to monitor and control our titration. I always insure that my SPO2 is responding at proper levels for my O2 settings - which will vary from 4-7 LPM and 90-96 depending on activity.
When I'm sick it is another story. I try to maintain the 90-92 SPO2 Often more O2 LPM has little to no effect. I have to remember that my SOB is often not coupled to my SPO2.
The best way to insure that you are getting what you are supposed to is use an inline oxygen gauge on the end of your hose on at least a daily basis...

Hugs,
Dennis

Yet another piece of the story.
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Use-of-Oxygen-Therapy-in-COPD.htm
http://respiratory-care-sleep-medicine.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Hypoxic-Drive-Myth-or-Reality.aspx
http://respiratorytherapycave.blogspot.com/2008/06/hypoxic-drive-theory-completely.html
I am in agreement with the authors that in a normal situation, we can and should adjust to whatever O2 level we need to meet our level of effort - the maximum settings from the average concentrator should do little harm.
The danger comes in when we are under professional care.

For some reason that seems backwards to me...

Hugs again,
Dennis

I knew Dennis would come up with more good reading on this subject.

Boo, I completely get where your coming from. I have been nervous about O2 since I have been on it because when I 1st when on O2 my doctor warned me not to crank it higher than prescribed, because the lungs get lazy, and allow the machine to do the work. Since then I have monitored my supplemental O2 on a very regular basis. I would suggest you do as well. Take care, Bill

I had the opposite experience in that I inadvertently turned down my 02 and didn't discover this until I started waking up for the past three days with pounding headaches. I remember my primary physician told me if this happens to increase my oxygen at night from 2.5 to 3. When I went to do this, that's when I discovered my 02 had been on 2. That was yesterday and after adjusting I woke up this morning without a headache. I'll be checking my settings more often. Glad you are okay. Blessings

i'm confused (whats new huh)...
so we can get too much 02?
when i was in hospital once my sp0 (finger thingy) read 100%---i've never gotten that high of reading before or since---does that mean the hospital was giving me to much 02?

These are all good comments and very good articles. My experience with hospital o2 care had me more upset than the illness I was in there fore. My doctor already impressed on me that anyone prescribing oxygen to someone is walking a fine line, because sometimes it is to much sometimes not enough, but when they find the right dose, do not turn it up unless you are doing a lot of exertion, exercises, walking , ect, then after cooling down, turn it back down.
In the hospital, I was suppose to be on 1.5 to 2, if walking, and everytime a nurse or respriatory saide came in they would bump that dial and it would either go up or down!!! I did not notice this until one time I was sitting on my bed and glanced at the gauge which is on the wall by the bed, and the line was way up there!! Since I just had the girl hand me my inhalation treatment, I can only assume she did it. So I complained....next time, to "make sure",she turned it OFF and did not turn it back on!! I caught that in time also.......Gracious, pray for us patients!! It was finally where everytime a person walked into my room I told then my o2 was no higher than 2, was to be on all the time, so do not touch it!!!
Brenda

Bren,

I am still freaked out, that my machine had gotten bumped up to 5, and i didn't know it.

You know when you have a cat, and sometimes your tubing gets kinks, and you feel like you're not getting the full force thru the tubing?

I'm thinking at those times, oh, i have to untangle the kinks. Well, the past few days b4 i realized the O2 was on 5, it seemed like the force of O2 was coming out pretty steady!!!

Yup, it was, @ 5 liters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had jut changed cannula's so i thought that's what it was, never questioned it.

SO now, the past few days since it was exposed to the higher liters, i feel like my throat is scratchy, I've been hoarse, and coughing.

It may be me being paranoid, and i'm allergy symptoms, or maybe the antibiotic i'm on for the bladder infection shook up something else that may have been going on, right?

OR, is it being exposed to the unplanned increase of O2 liters from 2 until 5....AT 5, FOR 4 NIGHTS....??????????

I'm probably being a "nervous Nellie", but what do you all think?

Boo

I just found another good read about o2.

http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200212-1525OC

Gary