Co2 retention

[sinclair61]

Hi

Any Co2 retainers with mild copd? How common is it to be a retainer when not on oxygen?

Thanks,

Sinclair.

[O2Trees]

Goodness, fairly rare I would have thought. Are you on oxygen? It usually only happens when using too high an amount of O2. But I think perhaps hyperventilation may sometimes produce higher CO2 levels, and hyperventilation can happen at any copd stage or even if you don't have it but have asthma instead. Though with asthma the damage is different and doesnt tend to compromise the alveoli like happens with copd, so Im not sure whether you ever get CO2 retention with asthma. Hopefully some better informed members will be on with better information.

Why don't you call up the BLF helpline (03000 030 555 office hours) and run this by one of their nurses? Good luck.

[Spacecat1]

I have COPD and it was recommended I wore a NIV mask in bed which is good but I do have few problems with it waiting for appointment to come through. It sort of flubbers when I lie down tried tighten up mask with out choking myself. Going to get ear plugs to see if I can block out noise. Already changed masked.

[Spacecat1 in reply to Spacecat1]

Ps. I use oxygen all day and when we go out. I do retain a lot of CO2 the machine gets a check up every 6 months.

[Feelingblessed2013]

I live in the US, I have mild emphysema and I retain some CO2. I was told by my primary care and pulmonologist that it is normal. When your lungs are damaged, as with emphysema and you exhale, some of that "air" gets trapped in your lungs. I had a sleep study done about 2 years ago and was told that I have sleep apnea and that my breathing gets so shallow at night that my O2 level drops too low. I started using a CPAP machine at night which helped. Now I am on oxygen at night along with the CPAP machine (over the last 5 years I have lost 2 lung lobes to lung cancer).

If you have not yet had a sleep study done, I highly suggest having one if at all possible.