Interesting information about what to watch for.
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What You Asked the Experts!
What are the symptoms of CO2 being too high? What can I do to prevent it?Response from John Bottrell, RRT:CO2 is a waste product during cellular respiration. When you inhale oxygen, you exhale CO2. We call this ventilation. When you are breathing normal, when your lungs are healthy, your CO2 levels stay at normal levels. Due to the disease process, some people with COPD have higher CO2 levels than healthy people. Your doctor will know what is a normal CO2 level for you.
That said, if your CO2 becomes higher than what is normal for you, symptoms may occur. Early symptoms may include confusion and sleepiness. As CO2 increases to critical levels, it can slow down your drive to breathe. It can make you feel very sleepy, even lethargic. It can even cause you to stop breathing.
There are strategies to help you keep your CO2 at your normal levels. This begins by seeing your COPD doctor on a regular basis. Make sure to do what your doctor recommends. This includes quitting smoking. Such a strategy may include bronchodilators (Ventolin, Duoneb). They can help keep your airways open. Machines like CPAP and BiPAP make sure your airways stay open. BiPAP makes sure you take a deep enough breath to blow off CO2. Most people only need to use CPAP or BiPAP when they are sleeping, if at all. I’m just mentioning these because they are options your doctor might recommend.
Another strategy involves working with your doctor to create a COPD Action Plan. Such a plan will help you decide what actions to take when you experience symptoms of COPD. It can help you and/or your caregivers know when to seek help. The earlier you seek help, the more likely you are to prevent high CO2 levels.
Response from Lyn Harper, MPA, BSRT, RRT:Initially a person may experience dizziness, headache, and confusion. If untreated, you may also begin to feel very sleepy and lethargic, as well as being short of breath. Obviously everyone reacts differently, in fact over time some people adapt to a higher CO2 level and this becomes their “baseline”. Our bodies have a remarkable ability to adjust to a “new normal”, which can sometimes happen.
To prevent this, especially if you have COPD, there are a few things you can do:
Avoid too much oxygen. Regulated oxygen therapy to keep the blood oxygen level where your doctor feels is the right place for you will minimize the risk of hypercapnia (high CO2).
If you smoke, stop smoking. Smoking inhibits your normal lung function in removing CO2.
Try to get enough exercise- even if it’s minimal. Some is better than none.
Keep to a healthy weight as much as possible. Obesity can contribute to high CO2 levels.
Response from Leon Lebowitz, RRT:Some types of COPD are characterized by a chronic elevation of carbon dioxide (CO2), while others have relatively normal levels of CO2. Symptoms of an elevated carbon dioxide level can include an increased respiratory rate, shortness of breath or feeling unable to catch one’s breath, fatigue, lethargy or feeling drowsy, and even falling asleep unexpectedly. An elevated CO2 can also result in a change in a patient’s mentation or their mental acuity, headaches, and even an elevated heart rate. Another example is feeling warm to the touch or flushed4.
It’s important to remember that not all patients will respond identically to rising CO2 levels. The symptoms can depend on the specific type of COPD that you have and even the severity of the condition.
To prevent an elevated CO2, it’s important to take care of yourself and your COPD. Stay on your treatment plan and medication regimen. Speak with your physician as to what your individual response to a rising CO2 is in your particular case. If you experience any of the characteristic symptoms and they are persistent or especially if they worsen, it’s time to seek help. It’s always better to seek help early rather than to delay intervention. Early intervention, when timed correctly, may help to prevent significantly worsening conditions and even a full blown exacerbation with the potential for a hospital admission.
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