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Post by Blossom/Jackie W. on May 20, 2014 13:54:35 GMT -5
What (SPO2) saturation do you try to maintain? I'm not talking about exercising though I'm curious about that too but....
The most frustrating for me is the sedentary to getting up and moving around etc.... Do you have a happy "medium/?"
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Post by Bo H on May 20, 2014 14:24:38 GMT -5
I try to keep my saturation at 95 to 99% all the time. Sitting most of the time I need 2 liters, walking around I need 3 liters so I just leave my settings at 3 liters so I'm not constantly changing the ltrs. I need 2 for sleeping and sometimes I remember to change the setting and sometimes I don't. When I exercise or do anything strenuous I use at least 4.
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Post by skate4life on May 20, 2014 18:05:27 GMT -5
Right now I just leave my concentrator on 4 lm (including sleep)and try to maintain 96-98%. Any lower than 95-96 I can feel the work of breathing increase and tiring. When I was on the treadmill, I sometimes had to increase it to 5 or 6 lm and can finish with 98 or 90 sat! A lot depends on my heart rate and rhythm....sometimes sat stays stable with 110-120 rate, other times, sat drops. I can no longer find any pattern. Sit to stand is becoming more of a problem keeping a steady state, especially when neb meds are waning. There are times when I awaken in the morning that sat is 99, and there are times just some mild coughing (and movement of a little mucus)will get sat up to 99 for a short while. I've tried going to 3.5 lm and find after while I am sensing a struggle.
Before disconnecting from 1st floor concentrator, I sit with 4.5 lm for a minute (slow PLB)until sat is a steady 98, then go upstairs, run conc at 6-7 lm and reconnect for a minute until sats come back up from 90-91 to 96 then decrease flow to 4 lm before getting off chair to walk into bedroom.
So bottom line, I like 98 to be comfortable....
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Post by al on May 20, 2014 21:24:35 GMT -5
I keep my sat at 97 if poss. ; Whenever I go higher I develop air trapping which results in lactic acidosis when exercise is involved.
At 98-99 I become very SOB because of the above.
Exercise every day is so important especially upper body , ( Use it or lose it.)
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Post by shelley on May 21, 2014 10:44:07 GMT -5
The only time I can now keep my sats around 96-97 is when I'm in bed at night. I'm using 4 LPM for sitting and sleeping now. 8 LPM for walking around the house and that keeps me at around 93-95 at best and 10 LPM on the treadmill and that will keep me between 92-94.
I remember Chris telling me, when I first went on oxygen 7 years ago, that there would come a time when oxygen will not supply the muscles, no matter how high. Perhaps I'm at that stage now. I am finding that I have a perpetual nose bleed but I don't like masks.
As for how I deal with keeping my 02 levels. I use liquid only and I fill my portables up, attach a 50 foot hose and have the portable beside me wherever I am most going to be. That way I can adjust as needed. One does what one has to in order to enjoy life! Ah well!
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Post by sandy07 on May 21, 2014 11:12:00 GMT -5
Mine is set at 3 1/2 all the time. I can't explain it but like skate, I can get off the treadmill and be 98 or 90...and that's only after 5 mins. I set it at 4 a few times before bed because I know I have mild sleep apnea. I had a hard time getting to sleep. Just that extra 1/2 blowing in my nose bothered me and I set it back. I'm sure my restless sleep is my body waking up so that I will breath deeper.
I'm not on the treadmill long enough yet for my oxygen to get too low. It drops the quickest when I do my kitchen step thing.
My happy medium is a setting of 3 1/2 which gives me 97/98.
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Post by skate4life on May 21, 2014 14:05:14 GMT -5
I remember reading on some forum about a twist knob that you can insert near your cannula end, best spot would be if you have a 5-7 ft cannula (like a wing nut) so that you can regulate the l/m flow (a crude, trial and error adapter)so that you don't have to keep getting up to change the concentrator. Basically it lets you blow off some of the l/m flow. Maybe a little wasteful, but what the heck.....
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Post by shelley on May 21, 2014 14:38:14 GMT -5
Softhose makes a flow control valve that goes between your cannula and you long hose. Take a look at softhose.com
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Post by skate4life on May 22, 2014 6:35:12 GMT -5
Thanks Shelley -
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Post by Blossom/Jackie W. on May 22, 2014 8:01:25 GMT -5
Good idea. Thanks Shelley.
So; are you guys running differently (night time/sleeping ) settings as well?
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Post by shelley on May 22, 2014 8:23:46 GMT -5
I use the same setting for sitting or sleeping....4 LPM. However, Jackie, I remember that you have had some CO2 probs in the past and since we breathe differently when we sleep, I'm not sure how that would affect you. Most that I know use the same settings for just sitting and watching TV etc and sleeping. Hopefully you'll get some more responses.
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Post by mumsie on May 22, 2014 11:42:59 GMT -5
I aim for 92 or anything above. I have 2LPM for sleep, and then adjust in daytime for what I need - so 2LPM or less around the house - I often leave it off now if I am sitting around and I stay at 92 - 95. I use 2 - 6 LPM for activity - like housework, exercise, hoovering etc I just adjust to stay at the 92% or above.
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Post by judi on May 22, 2014 18:10:49 GMT -5
I have to turn mine down when I sleep, I can't tolerate sats of 99% either without pounding heart, SOB, etc. I generally use 3.5 liters for sleeping but sometimes if I am breathing well I can to use as little as 2.5. I go to bed and wait for it to stablize at 96-98 without going up to 99%.
I have a hard time switching to movement too, especially at night. I either turn up the concentrator to go to the bathroom or use my LOX portable if there is anything left in it.
I generally use 5 when I am moving around the house and turn it to 4 when I am going to be sitting for awhile, I need 6 for housework. I either use 6 for going for walks and stop when I desaturate or use both my Marathon and Helios 300 with 2 cannulas. It looks funny and makes my nose sore but it keeps my sats up well. I need to move up to the Companion portable but I can't carry it without severe neck pain. I also recently discovered I can't use a cart without carpel tunnel pain. I need a burro...:-)
judi
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Post by sandy07 on May 23, 2014 21:41:40 GMT -5
My gosh judi. You get around a lot. Housework pretty much doesn't get done around here because I get SOB but my oxygen is good. Tonight especially is bad. Must still be pollen or something floating around. I was better this morning.
I don't change my setting at all. It's at 3 1/2 all day or night.
But Jackie your question was about what saturation level we try to maintain. Me.....I seldom look anymore....only if I don't feel right..like now. It's 97 so I'm good. I've been using oxygen for a few years now and sometimes forget I'm wearing it. I try for over 95 at least.
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Post by David on May 23, 2014 22:54:50 GMT -5
I am on oxygen at night and mine is set at 2 LPM. My saturation is around 93 and 95%.
I do use oxygen at the hospital when I exercise and set it at 2 LPM.
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Post by Douglas Brooks on Nov 14, 2018 11:28:51 GMT -5
I'm on a constant setting of three an it is no longer working If I go to a four or five what is my survival lasting prediction
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Post by gerald on Nov 14, 2018 15:46:06 GMT -5
I'm on a constant setting of three an it is no longer working If I go to a four or five what is my survival lasting prediction Douglas, there is no magic number or date. I am on 3-4 for day to day stuff and use 5 when I am out working, walking or hauling stuff.
Do you have a finger Pulse oxymeter to check your blood oxygen levels? What is your blood saturation level falling to? Shen you say it is no longer working, what are you experiencing?
I would recommend you talk with your doctor and explore the next steps and next setting.
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