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...
Morning...
Couldn't sleep YET!! Something's wrong with my bi pap, I didn't feel like I was getting my full blast of air. I do have a rip in the mask.
Not sure how to handle that, cause the mask I use, is from the Sleep Study. They gave it to me. (i'm sure they billed my ins).
So, not sure if my Oxygen company will replace it?
Anyways, I went to the Dr yesterday. I've been sick for a week. O2 levels have been lower than usual. Was coughing, congested, headache.
Well, I have a double ear infection! So, she put me on the 5 day Z pack. Seems like cough is getting really loose, but I wasn't coughing too much anyways.
I'm concerned about my O2. Do you think being sick with an ear infection, and run down...that our O2 levels go down?
THe PA said that my lungs are clear, no pneumonia, and breathing is a bit labored, but not terrible.
My O2 has been running about 95..96 on 1 L....when i'm off the o2, SINCE I'VE BEEN SICK, it goes down in the high 80's, and 90, 91.
Does it sound funny that I forget to breathe right? When I see it drop, I start to breathe in thru my nose, and then pursed lip breathing out. It goes right back up to 95 or 96 immediately.
I don't know, I guess if it doesn't get better I should call the Pulm.
All I know is that I still feel sick, and with the congestion I thought maybe that's why my level is lower.
I only use the O2 at night when sleeping, but since I've been sick, I've been using it a lot more. I just get nervous.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Hugs,
Boo
Couldn't sleep YET!! Something's wrong with my bi pap, I didn't feel like I was getting my full blast of air. I do have a rip in the mask.
Not sure how to handle that, cause the mask I use, is from the Sleep Study. They gave it to me. (i'm sure they billed my ins).
So, not sure if my Oxygen company will replace it?
Anyways, I went to the Dr yesterday. I've been sick for a week. O2 levels have been lower than usual. Was coughing, congested, headache.
Well, I have a double ear infection! So, she put me on the 5 day Z pack. Seems like cough is getting really loose, but I wasn't coughing too much anyways.
I'm concerned about my O2. Do you think being sick with an ear infection, and run down...that our O2 levels go down?
THe PA said that my lungs are clear, no pneumonia, and breathing is a bit labored, but not terrible.
My O2 has been running about 95..96 on 1 L....when i'm off the o2, SINCE I'VE BEEN SICK, it goes down in the high 80's, and 90, 91.
Does it sound funny that I forget to breathe right? When I see it drop, I start to breathe in thru my nose, and then pursed lip breathing out. It goes right back up to 95 or 96 immediately.
I don't know, I guess if it doesn't get better I should call the Pulm.
All I know is that I still feel sick, and with the congestion I thought maybe that's why my level is lower.
I only use the O2 at night when sleeping, but since I've been sick, I've been using it a lot more. I just get nervous.
Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Hugs,
Boo
Just cannot afford another stay in hospital.....
hugs Peter....
As Peter said, go to the dr. You are too close to your surgery date and you have worked to hard to get there to have anything go wrong now. Do I have to send MaxPuppy to drag you to the Dr? You do not want that. Trust me. He can be very persistent.
Terry
I agree you should see a doctor about all that. You have to get well before your surgery, or it won.t happen!!!
In my opinion, the only reason o2 levels drop is because you are not getting enough circulating thru your lungs. If your air sacs are irritated and not opening properly, this could happen even if you are not conjested.
The nebulizer is an excellent way to loosen up the gook. It seems to go farther down in the lungs, faster than an inhaler. Ask doctor how often would benefit you.
So please get it checked out, and I would hope your medical supply people could replace that mask. I will keep you prayed up my sister.....
Peter, I am keeping you prayed up too my brother! It sounds like you have a lot of infection going on there. That is good if it is getting it up and out of you. Keep us informed, both of you, please.
Love and lots of Hugs
Brenda
If you don't start to feel better with the antibiotics I would go see your Dr. I also agree if you have a nebulizer use it. It seems to help me when I'm not breathing good and yes get your mask replaced. You don't want to be sick for the surgery coming up. As they say nip it in the bud.
Love and Hugs
After a somewhat discouraging at times battle with immigration, where we were charged with fraudulent documents even though it was third party fraud, we finally got our visa n should be back to the land of the living on 15th Dec. after 9 months of applying.
After this unexpected 7 days in hospital, our finances are so depleted but enough left to get by...so no way I can risk another stay....SO PARANOID now and even the slightest hint of my COPD playing up, its straight in to docs.....
Booooo....you are also in a situation that you cannot afford risks...get it checked early before it blows up into something major...
Luv Peter.....
am I hijacking this thread? Sorry Boo,,,,
Love and Hugs
and just because our lungs are "clear" doesn't mean they are working! i don't have pnuemonia, but i have a lung that isn't moving any air (again).
please wear your 02 if your stats are below 90%.
i don't understand this disease & have found that most dr's don't either---they want to treat us like people with normal lungs and ours aren't Normal.
i guess that's why god made pulm specialists LOL
i saw my HRCT scan's and was shocked that my lungs are nothing but big holes (emphysema) & scar tissue (pulm, fibrosis) with nice little nodules here & there, plus "hyperinflated" whatever that means, but my diaphram doesn't breath right somehow....
i go to my NEW PCP as he seems to understand & gets all my reports (and he's cheaper), but after my last dr not treating me in what i now know as an "exacerbation" (but my lungs showed clear in xrays)and letting me get so bad; i started going to specialists and i feel there is a time for specialists & a time for PCP's.
if you don't feel "right" go to your pulm!!!
that's my story & my 2 cents worth (you asked hahahhahaha)
my prayers are with you ((((HUGS))))
qwapo= so sorry you are having more problems (i wonder if the drugs they gave you started getting the gunk out? that you weren't coughing up before?) my prayers are with you also (((HUGS)))---but great news about your visa & getting to go home!!! i'm so happy for you!
((((HUGS))))) and prayers to all!
Nope, don't have a nebulizer, and forgot to ask my regular dr, cause I was so sick, just forgot.
My z pack is kicking in. Ears feel better, congestion is breaking up. O2 is back to 95 or 96 without O2, but with exertion it does go down. I have my inhalers with me at all times.
I also have severe pain in my thigh, (going to get an MRI), so my walking is quite the effort, since I can't bare weight on that left thigh. Been using my cane, but it's soooo painful.
Once I walk to my location, and do some breathing, it goes right up to 95 or 96.
I'm thinking of calling my PULM, to see if they can prescribe a nebulizer for me?
I will get an appointment to get checked out, just in case.
I know, you worry about me . Thank you!! It's hard being alone here.
OH!! On that note, I picked Mom up today, drove her to the hairdresser, and picked her back up. She had to use a wheelchair, and the hairdresser got her out of the car for me, and in the salon.
THen I picked her up, and since I can't walk well, and she can't either, I drove thru Dunkin' Donuts drive thru, and she got a sandwich, and I took her to the really relaxing Duck Pond, about 5 minutes from her nursing home. She ate her sandwich, and we talked, and watched the ducks, Canadian geese, and swans on this big pond. TOok some pics that I will put up on here too, so ck them out in a day or so.
It was nice. That was the first time, she's been outside for "fun", since January, when she went into the hospital. !!!! Told her, anytime, we can take a scenic drive, or whatever she wants.
Boo
They are also in general cost effective way to get your medications, too. I know that I can get a lot more albuterol for nebulizer for my buck than I can in an inhaler, and in general I believe is a more effective delivery system in general than an inhaler. I think some of the other meds we tend to be on are available in nebulized solution, too, and it might be worth checking into.
Love and Hugs,
Debi