Ok, about 02 saturation levels

Ummm. Ok, about 10 years ago I was seriously ill with  hypersensitivity pneumonitis. As in we were very close to putting me on 24-hour O2 and I had to take high doses of prednisone for months. My lung cat scans showed widespread inflamation. (I still have the scans, on disc - it looks ghastly.) My 02 sats and exchange rates were not good at all.  Over time that all resolved and I've been fine.

Lately I've been really tired. Last week I came down with a nasty headcold and shurfled  my brains out (two boxes of kleenex over a weekend).  Today I took a three mile walk (3 miles was round-trip) over level ground with the Daughter, and felt winded throughout it. I was very tired when I got home but attributed it to having had the cold. On a whim (ok, with the Daughter's one raised eyebrow and hectoring) we dug out my oximeter, and it showed her as having 98% saturation (good) and me having 88% to 90% saturation.  We did it several times, and then I laid down and rested for a bit and we did it again. The results are about the same.

So, if memory serves (and it's gotten very fuzzy) I was supposed to contact my pulmonologist, Dr. Dave, in the States if my 02 went below 92%. Given how tired I feel, I probably should contact the NHS. I will phone the GP for an appointment, when the office opens on Monday morning. Is it worth bringing my pulmonology records from 10 years ago to the appointment, or not?  In the unlikely event that my health takes a turn south over the weekend, is there an on-call doctor service to phone in Glasgow, or do we take a cab to an urgent care center? (Just so I can tell the Daughter what to do in a "worst case" situation. I don't want her panicking if I get faint and calling an ambulance and wasting their time.)

Dial 111 for NHS 24. It's the stop gap between GP opening hours and an emergency 999 ambulance.

https://www.nhs24.scot

Thanks. Even ~I~ can remember that number. 

https://www.nhs24.scot/when-to-phone-111

I’ve called them twice in the last 6 years. In the first instance it was for a colleague visiting from Spain and his English wasn’t too good so I did the translating. They made an an appointment for him at a 24 hour center and when I drove him round he went straight in to see a doctor who diagnosed his symptoms and wrote a prescription. I was very impressed. The second time was for myself and they decided I needed to go to the ER so sent an ambulance for me. (It was after midnight)

I keep one of these in the house, easy to use O2 monitor that goes on your finger. It was recommended at the heart unit I go to.

Yeah, that's how I got my 02 sats.   Same model, I think!

Good to know about the 111 service. That really is impressive. If I start feeling worse, I'll either phone or have the Daughter phone it.

Yeah, that's how I got my 02 sats.   Same model, I think!

Good to know about the 111 service. That really is impressive. If I start feeling worse, I'll either phone or have the Daughter phone it.

Excellent, hope you feel well enough over the weekend to see your GP on Monday.

Thanks.  Hoping I feel better enough not to need to. 

Remember when you measure, don’t have any dark nail polish on or be cold. They both affect accurate saturation readings.

Yeah, I know.    I don't wear nail polish, and it's 75F in here.  But thanks for reminding me!

Since they measure hemoglobin, maybe I'm just anemic? I'd rather be anemic than have my DLCOs be tanking again.

I would guess you might be anemic from the symptoms. If you were that low for a true reading you would probably feel like you were gasping for air. But 111 can advise if you need to go to the ER or can schedule an out of hours GP appointment tomorrow if they think it can wait. They may also have a paramedic come check you out vs sending an ambulance. Best to be safe with readings like that!

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

How are you doing today Nan?

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

I hadn't seen this thread until today.  Echoing margo, how are you feeling today?  Hoping you are doing better!   

I would guess you might be anemic from the symptoms. If you were that low for a true reading you would probably feel like you were gasping for air. But 111 can advise if you need to go to the ER or can schedule an out of hours GP appointment tomorrow if they think it can wait. They may also have a paramedic come check you out vs sending an ambulance. Best to be safe with readings like that!

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

When my iron levels were so low (an 11 is considered low. I was sitting at a 3.) requiring an iron infusion, my CO2 sats were never that low. I would get extremely winded while walking but I wasn't gasping for breath. My CO2 sats were about 98%.

Nans levels are way more concerning though and should definitely be checked out ASAP.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hi Guys.  I am feeling a bit better, thanks for your concern. I was soooo tired yesterday all day. It was nice, though, we had a pleasant breeze coming in the window so I napped on and off most of the afternoon in the sun that was streaming in onto my bed. I've been up today and had my cup of tea, fed the fishes, and have decided to read for a while. I don't feel as "washed out" as I did at this time yesterday.  I do note that my sats are higher if taken when I am sitting up than when I am laying down, but they are still a bit low. (88-90 after it stabilizes when I'm laying down and 94-ish when I'm sitting up. Not sure why there's a difference - perhaps the meter is faulty?) In any event, I am going to phone the GP tomorrow and get an appointment for a checkup.

We had planned to walk down to a restaurant nearby for a late breakfast, but it looks like the Daughter was up until almost dawn working on a paper and she is still fast asleep, so I am assuming we won't be doing that. I am going to try to get out for a bit of a walk later, though, to see how things are going. Assuming it doesn't start pouring down rain.