Elevated Co2

[jld85]

Hey guys, has anyone experienced or had a loved one experience a rise in CO2 levels in the blood? If anyone has read my posts, yoy know my dad was on the vent for 10 days and he’s been off for right at 3 weeks. In the last week his CO2 levels have become elevated. They have been putting him on high pressure machine and mask to get rid of the CO2. It’s went down and then started going back up, so they put him back on the high pressure machine until that gets better. Has anyone experienced this?

[LeopardGecko]

I think my husband had raised CO2 levels and I believe they treated him in a similar way. They moved him from nasal oxygen to the CPAP mask. I think this was around the time that he contracted covid while in hospital so may be a bit different to your dad's situation as I know he is on the road to recovery. My husband was on CPAP for about a week before returning back to nasal oxygen.

I'm not sure if you are aware that ICU Steps Chester run a relatives group on Tuesday evenings via Zoom. It is open to people anywhere in the country and I am sure someone will be able to offer advice/reassurance etc. I know they certainly helped me.

[jld85 in reply to LeopardGecko]

Ok, great! Thanks! I might have to check that out. Thanks for the reply!

[LeopardGecko in reply to jld85]

That's OK. Sorry I couldn't help out very much with your query.

I might see you on Tuesday evening if you decide to join 🙂

[jld85 in reply to LeopardGecko]

You were of help, thank you! Ok!

[Hectorsdaughter]

My dads been going thru the same thing. It’s rough because he’s communicating and alert one day and the next, he’s incapacitated again and back on the vent. We just continue to pray and look forward to more miracles with his recovery. Many have happened and I have faith he’s going to pull thru.

[jld85 in reply to Hectorsdaughter]

Yes, miracles happen all the time. Luckily, they’ve gotten the CO2 levels down where they need to with high flow and the biPAP machine. Now, we’re dealing with fever and infection. Which today he hasn’t ran a fever, so that’s good. But yes, it just all takes time to get sorted out and it’s a roller coaster for sure. I have learned that icu and even in step down (where my dads at), it’s no smooth ride. The body just takes time to heal! Prayers to you all!

[jld85 in reply to Hectorsdaughter]

My dads CO2 is in the 40s right now, which is really good for him. I think if you look it up, it shows 31 being highest. That would be for someone with healthy lungs and assuming they don’t have lung disease. They said my dad may always retain co2. Right now while his lungs are still healing, he may be retaining more because of the weak lungs/damage. That should get better in time, so it shouldn’t get to a high level like it did while he was in the hospital. So the key will be my dad wears his cpap EVERY night and even when he naps. So that will help. But the doctors were even pleased when my dad’s level was in the 60s the other day. They say with where he’s at and the condition this lungs are in, that’s normal at this time. I don’t know if that helps at all, but just bc it’s somewhat elevated, it’s not a really bad thing. It just was sad seeing my dad so out of it, but I swear once they got his CO2 down, he was sooo alert. Your dad’s lungs just need time to heal.