asthma attack but good oxygen sats? - Asthma Community ...

Asthma Community Forum

22,474 members24,860 posts

asthma attack but good oxygen sats?

5 Replies

Can you have good oxygen sats and still be having an asthma attack?

Yesterday i had surgery on my throat and when i came round my breathing was very difficult. I had a very definite wheeze on exhalation and that in itself is quite unusual for me. It was really hurting to breathe but the nurses were saying it just felt like i couldn't breathe cos i'd had a local anaesthetic in my throat as well as the general i'd had. I had the oxygen measuring thing on my finger which is probably why they were saying i was breathing ok. They did change me from breathing normal oxygen to humidified oxygen and my breathing eventually calmed down but it was pretty scary at the time :-( I felt like i wanted my inhaler or nebuliser but had neither the breath nor voice to tell them :'(

Read more about...
5 Replies

Yeah that happens to me usually post the asthma attack once i m past a and e and still cant breathe and still wheezing and just too tired and too breathless to say anything but my sats are like 96 on oxygen and nebs the 2 together so thats not bad but still rubbish its just coz the drs know in the hospital if they dont sort me out then its. Going to get much worse maybe if u write it on something to tell ur nurses? Hope u get better

I hope you are feeling better Jinglfairy. I have had asthma attacks requiring admission with ok oxygen and it doesn't really drop when I have been struggling for a while. I have found that when mine drops it does very suddenly though. So sitting in A&E I was once told my chest is clear (groan) and my oxygen was good so they would observe me for a while rather than giving the neb I was asking for. 10 minutes later they came back and my SATs were 85%.

GAs make my asthma bad too but for the last few procedures I have had they have known this and I take my reliever into theatre. the first thing I can remember these times was the recovery nurse asking how I felt and did I need my inhaler. The last time I wasn't even wheezing or needing it!

Thanks for your replies

Kayla, this is the 3rd GA i've had but the first time my breathing has felt really difficult on waking up. The first time i was crying LOL I was crying as they put me out and crying as i came round! The 2nd one was absolutely fine, breathing was easy and i didn't even feel sick. This time i had both! I'm not exactly sure whether it was true asthma or not, it did feel like it cos i could breathe in fine but not out but as far as i'm aware they didn't give me any asthma meds - just humidified oxygen and it did eventually calm down. I did actually have my inhaler with me - it was on the tray at the end of the trolley but they didn't ask if i wanted it.

Thankfully i'm feeling a lot better now, my throat is really sore but my breathing is fine. And ironically i've been hungry all day. Had 2 yoghurts, 2 jellies, a banana, some marashmallow and now got mash in the oven - it's really hard finding soft stuff that's filling!!!

Jinglefairy I hope you feel better soon without prying too much was the op to do with your asthma ?

no worries blondee, no the op wasn't to do with asthma - not directly anyway!

I had a severe chest infection in January and lost my voice as a result. I then got another viral thing on top about 4 weeks later, still with no voice went to the doctor he said he couldn't do anything abouth the barking seal cough cos everything was clear but he referred me to ENT cos of the no voice. ENT put the camera up my nose and down to my throat where they found my vocal cords were very red and inflamed and had white patches on. Monday's op was to go in and explore and take biopsies. Now i just have to wait for the results and follow-up appointment

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Bad asthma but good SATS. A&E experience

Had a bad attack yesterday and my daughter, a nurse (now community, formerly A&E staff nurse) took...
Cagsy27 profile image

Random asthma attack - reasons?

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site, but i've found it really reassuring reading some posts so i...

Asthma attack

At around 3pm our dog chased a bird in the garden, and I jumped up quickly and ran to catch her....
MacColl profile image

Can you have a asthma attack but with good sats and no wheezing?

Hi am 25 and only just been diagnose 2 mouth ago. In the last month I been on steroids and...

Someone stole my oxygen

Right, here's an odd one. I don't think anyone had similar experiences, but it's worth a shot. I...

Moderation team

See all
Homely2 profile image
Homely2Administrator
Lysistrata profile image
LysistrataAdministrator
ALUK_Nurses profile image
ALUK_NursesAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.