[Treatment] oxygen?

[navy veteran 1968]

I spent June to September last year with pneumonia. In the course of my treatment
I used supplemental oxygen to my cpap machine. The pneumonia has mostly resolved, but I still have dyspnea on exertion. For the last three weeks I've been trying the O2 at night again. I feel it helps with my sleep, without it I don't feel I'm getting enough oxygen. My AHI has been below my average of 0.3 AHI with the oxygen. Three nights in a row it was 0. I'm on a fixed pressure of 8. Should I be retested? My pulmonary doctors think I should be done with the oxygen. I'm in the VA system and they have no equipment available to check my oxygen level at home while I sleep. Anyone's thoughts would be appreciated. Regards...[/i]

[justMongo]

I spent June to September last year with pneumonia. In the course of my treatment
I used supplemental oxygen to my cpap machine. The pneumonia has mostly resolved, but I still have dyspnea on exertion. For the last three weeks I've been trying the O2 at night again. I feel it helps with my sleep, without it I don't feel I'm getting enough oxygen. My AHI has been below my average of 0.3 AHI with the oxygen. Three nights in a row it was 0. I'm on a fixed pressure of 8. Should I be retested? My pulmonary doctors think I should be done with the oxygen. I'm in the VA system and they have no equipment available to check my oxygen level at home while I sleep. Anyone's thoughts would be appreciated. Regards...[/i]

What is your cardiac status? As strictly a layman, I would order a stress test with Technetium-99 radio tracer imaging.

[navy veteran 1968]

My heart is fine, I had an echocardiogram recently. My recent CT scan showed scarring and residue left from the pneumonia. Ron

[justMongo]

My heart is fine, I had an echocardiogram recently. My recent CT scan showed scarring and residue left from the pneumonia. Ron

Glad to hear the first sentence. O2 is a double edged sword.
Too much can be a problem; and too little a problem.

OTOH -- I was put on 2 LPM supplementary O2 5 years ago; and have never been told to discontinue.

If you have the out of pocket ability, you might consider a recording pulse oximeter. Supplier #19 carries them. (Supplier List at top of page.)

Kindest Regards,

Mongo
USAF RVN

[woozie38]

I spent June to September last year with pneumonia. In the course of my treatment
I used supplemental oxygen to my cpap machine. The pneumonia has mostly resolved, but I still have dyspnea on exertion. For the last three weeks I've been trying the O2 at night again. I feel it helps with my sleep, without it I don't feel I'm getting enough oxygen. My AHI has been below my average of 0.3 AHI with the oxygen. Three nights in a row it was 0. I'm on a fixed pressure of 8. Should I be retested? My pulmonary doctors think I should be done with the oxygen. I'm in the VA system and they have no equipment available to check my oxygen level at home while I sleep. Anyone's thoughts would be appreciated. Regards...[/i]

Hi, I'm not sure there's a direct correlation between SPO2 and AHI since AHI is an index of airway obstruction/restriction & SPO2 is a measure of blood oxygen saturation measured through the skin. Of course if you have an obstructive event, your O2 sat will drop down, but all being well after that it should recover as normal breathing resumes. INMHO an AHI of less than 1 is nothing to be concerned about. What really matters, & matters a lot is how you feel each day. So I too advise getting an oximeter and monitoring your O2 sat. It would seem you have some loss of lung function not related to SDB. Good luck

[retired_guy]

I really don't think the O2 at night will help the shortness of breath during the day. If the pneumonia is gone, then the daytime shortness may just be a matter of rebuilding your stamina. That can take some time. Just do a little more each day but don't wear your system out by doing too much.

As to feeling like you are not getting enough oxygen at night, that sounds more like an issue with the pressure being a little too low rather than needing supplemental oxygen. Kind of hard to tell for sure though without measuring it.

The little finger o2 test gadgets are a very inexpensive way to keep your eye on things. A better answer might be a recording oximeter available as was pointed out, from Supplier #17. I just ordered a CMS-50F from them myself. Service handling my order and getting the product in the mail has been great.