Breathlessness in a hospital isolated room

[fishpond17]

I am having problems with short of breath attacks so struggle to breath. I am on a ward which is totally filtered with sealed windows as is my room.

When i am taken off the ward into normal atmosphere i notice my breathing returns to normal as if i am affected by the filteration in my room.

I asked a very knowledgable nurse about this who said its common? He said its something in the air and the best way to deal with it is a fan to circulate the air. I have had a fan blowing in my face at times over the weeks which does control it.

I am being treated or have been over my 7wk stay for numerous problems but i picked up a fungal chest infection that has been difficult to treat. I would have been released in the week but checking for a possible oxygen dependancy but had none for two days and feel fine. My blood is showing high oxygen levels in the very high 90's.

What are your thoughts about my room filteration system please?

[Hidden]

Hi sorry to read about issues I think it air pressure sounds like.

As to fungus have the said what it is

[fishpond17 in reply to Hidden]

Its a long story with problems since my stem cell transplant last December. My own immune system attacked my heart but the experts dealt with all my problems.

I was put on steroids to treat this but because my immune system was so low a fungal infection developed on my chest and took months to treat. This affected my lungs and home in the next couple of days after nearly 7 weeks in hospital.

[knitter]

Is it possible for someone to buy you a small hand held battery fan and some spare batteries.

It may help with your breathlessness for a while.

Just use the fan near your face when you feel a bit anxious and breathless.

Have you tried puzzle books or similar, as a distraction .

I find they help to take my mind off the breathlessness.

Sending you best wishes for a speedy recovery, I bet you are happy about your O2 levels....a step on the way .

[fishpond17]

The hospital are pleased with my results and i would have been home by now but need 24hrs off oxygen,

[Kristicats]

Hi fishpond17

I’m in hospital at the moment and was having this discussion today with one of the nurses. She says the staff have regular sore and dry throats and says the air filtration does cause chest problems with the staff!

Strange thing is I was admitted in a hurry early yesterday morning without my inhalers and my breathing has been fine. Got an inhaler at 4 pm today and my chest is not as easy??

[fishpond17 in reply to Kristicats]

Yes it is strange and i think its caused trouble with my breathing. Thing is when i leave the sealed ward my breathing returns to normal within minutes. I should be home Monday and hope yours is a short stay in hospital.

[Hidden in reply to fishpond17]

I am in the US but never heard of a sealed off room with filtration. Why exactly was that done for you?

[fishpond17 in reply to Hidden]

It wasn't done for me, its the whole ward. None of the windows can be opened and have no opening gear anyway. The whole area of the ward and its corridors and side rooms have a filtered air system with no connection to off ward corridors or to the outside atmosphere. I think its for infection reasons but was making me panic and struggle for breath. I explained to a nurse who said its common and a desk top fan will recirculate whats in the room. Explains why it had been helping having the fan blow towards me. i'm hematology patient on a hematology ward where the doctors know me. Maybe if i was on a normal ward i wouldn't have made the post. I was unfortunate to pick up a lung infection while being treated for something else. Home tomorrow after nearly 7 weeks in hospital.

[Hidden in reply to fishpond17]

Thank you and hope you get better real soon!

[crafters23 in reply to Hidden]

SEALED ROOM IN THE USA,IS MOST LIKELY ICU.

[Hidden in reply to crafters23]

OH okay. Thank you.