Low oxygen

[Rubye]

I have a problem with low oxygen saturation, esp at night. Sometimes my O2 level gets down in the 50's. I was on a pulse-ox monitor for three nights to determine this. I am currently on 2 liters of O2 at night along with my CPAP. My CPAP is set on 8. The decrease in my O2 level is also happening during the day. Does anyone have a problem with this? I have been to the cardiologist and she found nothing wrong with my heart to cause this and the pulmonary doctor doesn't find my lungs are causing it. But at times I really struggle for air. (day and night)

[rested gal]

I'm not a doctor, Rubye, and I have no idea about why your oxygen levels might drop in the day. I am curious about this, however... how long have you been using cpap at that particular pressure? Is "8" the pressure you have always been on since starting cpap?

[Hugh Jass]

I can't answer your question, but do find it rather disturbing that an MD trained in Respiratory function doesn't know how your blood oxygen can be dropping so low, even while awake. Obviously something is not right !

You mention struggling for air. I would hope your MD tested for allergies and/or asthma.

Are you a shallow breather. I know for myself and restedgal, we are. We both also have noticed that we stop breathing during the day. Does this happen to you ? My oxygen dropped to 91% while I was awake during the sleep study, something I will be addressing when I see my SDOC next month.

The technical term for your problem is Hypoxemia - an abnormal lack of oxygen in the blood. Chronic hypoxemia stimulates red blood cell production by the bone marrow, leading to an excess of red cells. It is interesting that personally my Hematocrit levels were high, with no known cause, but now having been diagnosed with SDB, it makes sense since high hematocit levels (above 52%) can be an indicator of sleep apnea. High levels of Hematocrit are not good, since it can lead to blood clots forming and doing damage elsewhere in the body. Too bad most GP's don't know of the connection between high hematocrit and sleep apnea.

I googled causes for Hypoxemia while awake and found this:

http://www.thedoctorslounge.net/clinlou ... /chest.htm

Cardiac causes of hypoxemia:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Pericarditis
Aortic stenosis
Myocarditis
Mitral valve prolapse
If both the V/P scan and the echo are not revealing in the setting of hypoxemia then request an urgent CAT scan.

Lung and vascular causes of hypoxemia:

Aortic aneurysm
Pneumonia
Pleural effusion
Pneumothorax
Intrinsic lung disease


Don't know what all of them are, but further Googling may shed some light on it if you are interested in learning more.

I thought this link was interesting (I am not affiliated with whoever this is..)http://www.willishealthcare.com/oxygen- ... health.htm

From my own experience, I have learned that no doctor knows everything (even though they won't admit it, or give you the impression that they do). Maybe seeing another specialist can help. He/she may think of something the others have missed.

I would like to ask my own question for followers of this thread whether or not they have been prescribed supplemental oxygen, and if so, what criteria did the Dr. use to justify it.

Apparently, supplemental oxygen for CPAP users is only provided if your oxygen saturation drops below 88-90% at rest. (See http://www.sleepnet.com/apnea/bestof/113.html(under Pulse Oximetry)

Does that mean all CPAPTALK readers with oxygen saturation under 88% are on supplemental oxygen at night ?

Regards

[snoozin']

You say you struggle for breath, but neither the cardiologist nor pulmonary dr. found anything to cause this. Could it be caused by muscle weakness in the chest cavity/diaphragm area? Some neuromuscular diseases can cause problems with breathing, and if the chest cavity can't expand properly, the lungs can't expand properly. Might want to discuss this possibility with your doctors and see if that could be a cause.
Debbie

[wading thru the muck!]

Hugh,

Excellent and informative post. Valuable info on low o2 sats.

To answer your rhetorical question with another:

You Said:

Does that mean all CPAPTALK readers with oxygen saturation under 88% are on supplemental oxygen at night ?

I say:

Are all CPAPTALK readers with oxygen saturation under 88% even aware that's the case?

[snoozin']

Wading,
OF COURSE NOT. Mine dropped to 78% at one point during the study, and no one ever mentioned even the possibility of oxygen.
Debbie