low blood oxygen - implications

hello

I was hoping the good people here could shed some light on low blood oxygen. I am in danger of scaring myself and so has anyone any knowledge, experience of this and it’s implications from heart disease perspective?

My blood oxygen levels have been between 84% to 99% while asleep, daily average 92-95.6% but this is I guess reduced by sleep readings which distort this range - damned statistics!!! this was over the last week. Similar over last month. over 6 months dropped under 80% a few times. But I range 95 to 100% when awake a lot of the time.

This is from my Apple Watch - my GP accepted these readings and referred me to a sleep clinic / department, 10 to 15 weeks wait for appointment. So I’m going to assume fairly accurate.

I recognise I have several factors at play including being overweight, having a congenital heart defect that affects blood flow and I’m asthmatic too.

Bit confused BHF nurse said not an issue, Asthma and Lung UK nurse said to contact GP and GP was quick to refer. I think I fit the profile of someone with sleep apnea but interested to understand the impact on heart / connection with heart disease.

I hope someone can help for understanding and from experience. Have posted on Sleep Matters, couple of members agreed I fit the profile. 😔 but until diagnosed keeping open mind and not trying to panic.

thanks

[Hidden]

Low oxygen. Good question. One that I may not have the answer to. However my low oxygen is due to the congenital heart problem. Now for me it does make sense. Fortunatly ( unfortunately) I had a ct scan last February. As I turned up at A and E with stats of 80%. They wanted to know why. So they checked my lungs and checked for blood clots. Nothing found. Thats why I ended up with having a echo and xray. Which then found the epsteins anomoly. Once they found this and after being in A&e for at least 7 hrs. My stats had come up to 92%. They where happy to let me go home. So the three things they found was the hypoxia, ( low oxygen ) my congenital heart issue, and my hemoglobin, HB 185. So to try an compensate this after having a stress test on a bike. We basically come to the conclusion that when I exert myself I get cyanosis. So that was when I was put on spironolactone, to remove water and help the problem to become more efficient. So has it worked,? Well I can get to the dizzy heights of 95% but that's afte being relaxed and taking deep breaths. The one positive I have to take from this, they are not too bothered as my body has compensated and that is why my hemoglobin is high. So i have more red blood cells to help move the oxygen about. Might not be the answer's you want but it is all a balancing act within the body.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

thanks I’m not sure what answers I want, I’m confused by it and just phased a little as is this another problem to deal with? Which I will I just don’t understand it that well, I’d rather know what’s what so thanks for sharing your experience what’s happened in your case. It’s all knowledge ❤️

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Your welcome. The best test to have is an arterial blood test ( ABG ) but I think you only get them in hospital. Had one of them when in A&e. But I know what you mean what answers do we want,?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

noted about the ABG, I’m not sure what a sleep clinic does so will look that up. I guess the answer we’ll never get - it’s all a bad dream and we’ll wake up any second! ❤️

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My brother in law has sleep apnea. He is quite fit. Only down side he has to sleep in another room due to the machine. Oh well you carnt have it all. Yes I agree that it is all a bad dream. And I want it to go away.

[Hatchjd]

My husband (65) has had chronically low blood O2 levels for 20 years always around 90%. He was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago after tests at the apnea clinic but couldnt tolerate sleeping with the CPAP machine. According to the anaesthesiologist after a surgery a couple of years ago where he had to be kept over night for low oxygen levels, has a poor airway - small overweight square man with a short neck and large tongue. A year ago he took up swimming. ( mostly out of fear he would sie prematurely). At first two widths of the pool at slow breast stroke was exhausting. Now he swims continuously for an hour 3-4 times a week, has lost 30lbs and his oxygen levels were 98% when checked by his cardiologist recently. His resting heart rate has also come down from the high 80’s to the low 70’s.

[Hidden in reply to Hatchjd]

this is inspiring and encouraging and well done to your husband, proves there can be hope.

I’m focusing on weight loss through diet as can’t exercise as only way at present to manage angina is keeping heart rate lower and not work the heart too much albeit symptoms come on when start to move. Sitting still manages the symptoms 😔

[devonian186 in reply to Hatchjd]

I think an awful lot of our health problems in many fields can be resolved or at least reduced by losing weight and sensible exercise.

[Hidden in reply to devonian186]

agree losing weight through diet, as I said can’t exercise. My cardiologist prescribed a med to keep my max heart rate at 60 - how logically can I exercise? Let alone move at all if heart rate should stay at 60 to avoid angina!

[MelB51]

My oxygen levels started to drop just over a year ago to the extent that I was put on home oxygen for at least 16 hours a day. Since then, the mount of O2 has been increased too. My level drips to low 60’s on slight exertion e.g. getting dressed but comes up with the supplementary O2. The nurse told e that my breathlessness was not due to the low O2 levels but that the level needed to be maintained to protect my heart.

[Hidden in reply to MelB51]

that sounds like a really difficult situation your in. I guess I am scared of damage to the heart. I think if I have sleep apnea and do end up getting oxygen help at least at night then that would reduce the stress and tiredness of not sleeping well and in turn help with my angina. And protect my heart?

[MelB51 in reply to Hidden]

Well all I can say is that I haven’t slept well since having to have the oxygen on! Maybe as you say, the peace of mind will overcome it so see if you can get it, x

[fishonabike]

What I am about to say is aimed at explaining a bit about what is happening to you, it may be a bit scary, but i hope it is helpful

long-term (chronic) low blood oxygen can be both the cause of and the result of heart conditions - when you have low blood oxygen your heart has to work harder to get the right amount of oxygen to your brain (most important) and the rest of your body - but it also needs enough oxygen for itself - so anything which causes low blood oxygen (e.g. anaemia, breathing problems, heart defects) can mean increased demands on your heart, which can add to the general wear & tear on it in the long term - this can be a factor in conditions like cardiomyopathy and valve issues

angina usually happens when your heart muscle is not getting enough oxygen, either because of vascular blockage/obstruction or low blood levels

I notice that you also mention that you have asthma and of course, that can also affect your oxygen levels

After assessment at a sleep clinic, the next step is overnight monitoring at the clinic - you are connected to monitors and your sleep patterns and other measurement are recorded to assess whether or not you have sleep apnoea before treatment can be suggested if necessary - if you go on to have treatment this should improve your oxygen levels and your sleep pattern and help you feel a bit better generally

In the longer term, it helps to reduce the demands on your heart

It sounds to me as though you have been living with some ongoing problems for a long time and this is just one more complication on top - hopefully, this can be successfully treated - good luck

[Hidden in reply to fishonabike]

firstly thank you for the “health” warning at the beginning! You’ve explained it really well and I thank you for taking the time to help me understand.

So I think if I’ve understood (helps to play it back):

1. Lack of oxygen = heart works harder

2. Heart works harder = significant compression of LAD (myocardial bridge heart defect) = less blood flow = lack of oxygen = angina = see 1 above

Throw in my other risk factors and asthma and it makes for a more complex equation.

This is definitely a chicken and egg scenario as well as a vicious cycle.

Maybe an external source of oxygen might help to break the cycle? Even if just to get a better nights sleep=better mental and physical health=less stress.

And the elephant in the room - wear and tear on the heart (I do have mild LVH - would like to keep it mild).

Thanks for explaining what happens at sleep clinic / assessment too.

❤️

[fishonabike]

well summarised - i suspect you didn't need my explanation😀

[Hidden in reply to fishonabike]

nope I definitely needed it - I was feeling quite confused and that really bugs me😁

[fishonabike in reply to Hidden]

ok, i'm glad that i was able to be helpful - it just shows that my teachers didn't waste their time!

[Tos92]

Hi  Hidden ,

Sorry to hear you’re still having issues with your oxygen levels.

My blood oxygen levels are very similar to yours as recorded on my Apple Watch. This has been going on for a little while and I too, am worried about the implications of this however, my GP doesn’t seem too concerned. I believe this is something that I would have to inform my cardiologist about. Naturally, due to having a heart condition, there is more demand on the heart which might cause hypoxia or dyspnea. Is it worth having your haemoglobin blood level checked out? I wonder if your GP could facilitate this before your sleep study and give you some reassurance in the mean time.

[Hidden in reply to Tos92]

yea definitely something to mention to cardiologist, always worth mentioning stuff, I’ll look into haemoglobin levels thanks don’t much about this.

Worry and stress are the worst illness going. So Thanks for the pointers,

I hope you find someone that can give you reassurance too on oxygen levels because everywhere I research the levels we’re getting imply need medical attention.

👍

[Hidden]

I sometimes have low oxygen levels while sleeping in the 70s according to my galaxy watch. During the day it will be normal at 99% but it drops while sleeping and I wake up feeling tired no matter how much sleep I have. Currently being checked out for irregular heart rate and i have a implant loop recorder to try and catch episodes as they happen. I've been diagnosed with lvh, bradycardia/tachycardia and a leaking mitral valve so the doctors are considering a pacemaker. Also my angiogram results came back ok apart from me having a congenital birth defect? Could this be causing me the problems I'm experiencing who knows but time will tell. Also while exercising yesterday my oxygen levels dropped to 84% not sure if that's normal while exercising? As mentioned it could be down to sleep apnea. Hope you get some answers soon and keep us all updated on your progress. Good luck..

Low oxygen level?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

thank you, so many factors can be at play and work against each other. So looks like the harder your heart worked the less oxygen you got which seems contradictory? Hope you too find answers.

What heart defect do you have? Sorry just read your last posts that quite a list of issues. Mine pale into insignificance. Hope your getting the help you need.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi I'm not sure what the medical term is but it was written as anomalous origin of the left circumflex arising from the right coronary artery with a retro aortic course. I'm still not sure if this plays a factor in my symptoms or not as I've not spoken to my doctor/ cardiologist yet only the bhf to get some advice.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I loathe the lack of clarity that comes with heart issues, several things can be noted on investigations but it’s whether they are “haemodynamically significant” I.e, of interest / warrant further looks (look at me using big words). And only a doctor / cardiologist knows which are which. I hope you find out soon as appreciate the wait can be unbearable!

[Hidden]

Hopefully you will get some answers soon with regards to the low oxygen levels and the reasons behind it.Regards

Taz.