Blood /oxygen

[robotman]

I was diagnosed years ago with C.O.P.D witch as expected has slowly gotten worse However my blood oxygen reading has remained very good ,ie 96 to 99. .Is this unusual?

[2greys]

I would say not particularly unusual, we are all different. You do not mention heart rate which can compensate. How deeply you breathe in comparison with other people.

There is no real normal, our bodies are as individual as our minds are.

I have a lung function of 28%, perhaps even lower now, yet I am still not receiving supplementary o2 and I can regularly hit o2 sats of 94%, my pulse rate can be at 110 bpm at rest though . Others may be receiving o2 with that level of function. Be thankful that your o2 sats are still normal and having to lug o2 bottles around with you is still a long way off yet.

[robotman in reply to 2greys]

Thanks for that, i am talking to specialist next week and i have plenty of questions for them. I usually just listen and then wished i'd asked questions.In the meantime look after your self Cheers.

[Beachballs in reply to 2greys]

Really reassuring to read your post, after a worrying and confusing couple of days. I have IPF and moving into year 5 of this illness. I was being considered for a lung transplant and had a telephone appointment with the transplant surgeon a couple of days ago, where he told me I would not survive the operation so not prepared to put me on the list , he told me my lungs were very weak and when I asked how long they would last , he said he did not know as everyone is different, he said an infection or pneumonia could claim my life. I asked about my recent lung function results as I knew I had declined as there was a slight panic with the gas test , where the guy said he needed to get a second opinion as the results did not make sense. The surgeon confirmed I had declined since January and that the gas test was down 20% from 31% to 25% which worried me . Does that mean my lung capacity is 25% ? I just don’t know ? Like you 2Greys my 02 sats are 92 - 94 and I feel ok , I don’t feel ill just restricted. He also suggested Morphine and Opiates which I have declined for the moment as I don’t need them. My mind is telling me I am ok , but my results are saying different! I look ok and apart from my family no one knows I am ill . So appreciate your post , it came at the right time for me .

[Maverick2]

It is normal, as blood is only a reservoir for oxygen and SPO2 remains high as long as utilization is less. The blood oxygen drops when oxygen is utilized in a large quantity like exercise. The blood oxygen will be replenished by diffusion from alveoli. Thus, the normal oxygen level of blood will be restored immediately after stopping the activity. It occurs so fast that you won't even notice an oxygen level drop when the diffusion rate is high.

COPD Emphysema causes alveoli destruction which reduces alveoli blood exchange, thus the diffusion rate of oxygen. if the diffusion is slow even minor activity leads to a drop of oxygen which will become noticeable. Thus the drop of SPO2 after exercise is a better measure of COPD. The diffusion rate DLCO better correlates to longevity than FEV and FVC.

Try to do DLCO test if possible.

As far as the worsening is concerned, it happens to the COPD population as a whole, but individually it does not happen to everyone. Some are stable for more than 20 years.

[robotman in reply to Maverick2]

Thank you Maverick .Looks like i need to read up more on this bloody awful subject before my telecon with my Specialist.

Regards

[Ergendl in reply to robotman]

If he's a good consultant, he should be able to take you from where you are to as much understanding as you want. There again...

[winfar in reply to Maverick2]

What is a DLCO test please?

[Maverick2 in reply to winfar]

DLCO (Diffusion capacity of Lung for Carbon Monoxide) is a test done to measure the efficiency of alveoli to blood oxygen transfer. Instead of measuring with oxygen, it is measured using carbon monoxide gas which has a similar affinity that of oxygen to the hemoglobin.

it gives the measure of how well your lung responds under strenuous conditions like exercise or under some hard work. it is a measure of how far you can push yourself.

For asthma, DLCO will be normal whereas it will be decreased in the case of COPD bronchitis and to a greater extent in COPD emphysema.

[winfar in reply to Maverick2]

Thank you for responding. I will ask about this test when i next speak to a consultant.

[robotman in reply to Maverick2]

Thanks for the knowledge