Wierd Question

ladybug · May 15, 2009

Hi, everyone.

So, I've been having issues lately with my O2 sats dropping. I'm normally around 97% at room air, but lately have been dipping to around 92% or so. I do have supplemental O2 at home that I can use, but I often do not unless I really feel SOB.

Anyway, my rather odd question is this:

What things actually effect your oxygen saturation?

Here are some things that have been different for me and I'm wondering if they'll effect it:

1. Heat and Ozone level rising rapidly in my city (today is over 100 degrees and dry and a haze of brown over the city).

2. Stress (I'm highly stressed with our impending move in July. I've been having panic attacks and am figety all the time. I can feel the stress on my shoulders like a heavy weight.)

3. Acute(?) sickness (I had a headcold that moved to my lungs and now I'm coughing up TONS of stuff. I haven't coughed this much up in a long time. Other than my gunky cough, I feel pretty good, well, except for the SOB when my O2 levels drop)

4. Heart Racing (I've noticed my resting HR has been about 110, which is high for me... what gives?)

5. Medications (I've been taking mucinex religiously to try to clear my lungs. This is new for me.)

6. Allergies (My nose has been really plugged and runny and I assume its allergies. Nothing is helping with my allergies and I'm on all kinds of stuff for them.)

7. Anything else? What other factors influence your O2 sats?

Also, I do have asthma, so I'm kinda thinking with the heat, stress, etc., the asthma is acting up nearly as much as the CF cough. Frustrating...

Thanks for any insight. <img src="">

ladybug · May 15, 2009

Hi, everyone.

So, I've been having issues lately with my O2 sats dropping. I'm normally around 97% at room air, but lately have been dipping to around 92% or so. I do have supplemental O2 at home that I can use, but I often do not unless I really feel SOB.

Anyway, my rather odd question is this:

What things actually effect your oxygen saturation?

Here are some things that have been different for me and I'm wondering if they'll effect it:

1. Heat and Ozone level rising rapidly in my city (today is over 100 degrees and dry and a haze of brown over the city).

2. Stress (I'm highly stressed with our impending move in July. I've been having panic attacks and am figety all the time. I can feel the stress on my shoulders like a heavy weight.)

3. Acute(?) sickness (I had a headcold that moved to my lungs and now I'm coughing up TONS of stuff. I haven't coughed this much up in a long time. Other than my gunky cough, I feel pretty good, well, except for the SOB when my O2 levels drop)

4. Heart Racing (I've noticed my resting HR has been about 110, which is high for me... what gives?)

5. Medications (I've been taking mucinex religiously to try to clear my lungs. This is new for me.)

6. Allergies (My nose has been really plugged and runny and I assume its allergies. Nothing is helping with my allergies and I'm on all kinds of stuff for them.)

7. Anything else? What other factors influence your O2 sats?

Also, I do have asthma, so I'm kinda thinking with the heat, stress, etc., the asthma is acting up nearly as much as the CF cough. Frustrating...

Thanks for any insight. <img src="">

ladybug · May 15, 2009

Hi, everyone.

So, I've been having issues lately with my O2 sats dropping. I'm normally around 97% at room air, but lately have been dipping to around 92% or so. I do have supplemental O2 at home that I can use, but I often do not unless I really feel SOB.

Anyway, my rather odd question is this:

What things actually effect your oxygen saturation?

Here are some things that have been different for me and I'm wondering if they'll effect it:

1. Heat and Ozone level rising rapidly in my city (today is over 100 degrees and dry and a haze of brown over the city).

2. Stress (I'm highly stressed with our impending move in July. I've been having panic attacks and am figety all the time. I can feel the stress on my shoulders like a heavy weight.)

3. Acute(?) sickness (I had a headcold that moved to my lungs and now I'm coughing up TONS of stuff. I haven't coughed this much up in a long time. Other than my gunky cough, I feel pretty good, well, except for the SOB when my O2 levels drop)

4. Heart Racing (I've noticed my resting HR has been about 110, which is high for me... what gives?)

5. Medications (I've been taking mucinex religiously to try to clear my lungs. This is new for me.)

6. Allergies (My nose has been really plugged and runny and I assume its allergies. Nothing is helping with my allergies and I'm on all kinds of stuff for them.)

7. Anything else? What other factors influence your O2 sats?

Also, I do have asthma, so I'm kinda thinking with the heat, stress, etc., the asthma is acting up nearly as much as the CF cough. Frustrating...

Thanks for any insight. <img src="">

ladybug · May 15, 2009

Hi, everyone.

So, I've been having issues lately with my O2 sats dropping. I'm normally around 97% at room air, but lately have been dipping to around 92% or so. I do have supplemental O2 at home that I can use, but I often do not unless I really feel SOB.

Anyway, my rather odd question is this:

What things actually effect your oxygen saturation?

Here are some things that have been different for me and I'm wondering if they'll effect it:

1. Heat and Ozone level rising rapidly in my city (today is over 100 degrees and dry and a haze of brown over the city).

2. Stress (I'm highly stressed with our impending move in July. I've been having panic attacks and am figety all the time. I can feel the stress on my shoulders like a heavy weight.)

3. Acute(?) sickness (I had a headcold that moved to my lungs and now I'm coughing up TONS of stuff. I haven't coughed this much up in a long time. Other than my gunky cough, I feel pretty good, well, except for the SOB when my O2 levels drop)

4. Heart Racing (I've noticed my resting HR has been about 110, which is high for me... what gives?)

5. Medications (I've been taking mucinex religiously to try to clear my lungs. This is new for me.)

6. Allergies (My nose has been really plugged and runny and I assume its allergies. Nothing is helping with my allergies and I'm on all kinds of stuff for them.)

7. Anything else? What other factors influence your O2 sats?

Also, I do have asthma, so I'm kinda thinking with the heat, stress, etc., the asthma is acting up nearly as much as the CF cough. Frustrating...

Thanks for any insight. <img src="">

ladybug · May 15, 2009

Hi, everyone.
 
 So, I've been having issues lately with my O2 sats dropping. I'm normally around 97% at room air, but lately have been dipping to around 92% or so. I do have supplemental O2 at home that I can use, but I often do not unless I really feel SOB.
 
 Anyway, my rather odd question is this:
 
 What things actually effect your oxygen saturation?
 
 Here are some things that have been different for me and I'm wondering if they'll effect it:
 
 1. Heat and Ozone level rising rapidly in my city (today is over 100 degrees and dry and a haze of brown over the city).
 
 2. Stress (I'm highly stressed with our impending move in July. I've been having panic attacks and am figety all the time. I can feel the stress on my shoulders like a heavy weight.)
 
 3. Acute(?) sickness (I had a headcold that moved to my lungs and now I'm coughing up TONS of stuff. I haven't coughed this much up in a long time. Other than my gunky cough, I feel pretty good, well, except for the SOB when my O2 levels drop)
 
 4. Heart Racing (I've noticed my resting HR has been about 110, which is high for me... what gives?)
 
 5. Medications (I've been taking mucinex religiously to try to clear my lungs. This is new for me.)
 
 6. Allergies (My nose has been really plugged and runny and I assume its allergies. Nothing is helping with my allergies and I'm on all kinds of stuff for them.)
 
 7. Anything else? What other factors influence your O2 sats?
 
 Also, I do have asthma, so I'm kinda thinking with the heat, stress, etc., the asthma is acting up nearly as much as the CF cough. Frustrating...
 
 Thanks for any insight. <img src="">

Havoc · May 16, 2009

Sonia,

Here's the quick and dirty answer since I don't have a ton of time to write a lengthy response.

1. Smog and particulate matter (PM 2.5 Etc.) could have an effect on SpO2 by way of inflammation of the airways. Allergies also fall into this category causing inflammation.

2. If you are sick you could be producing extra gunk in you lungs which will increase cough and could drop SpO2, since there is less surface area to exchange O2.

3. Your increase HR is probably secondary to your low SpO2, not the other way around.

4. Mucinex is not well understood as far as its mechanism of action. It's speculated that it may not work well in CF patients.

SpO2 is one of the least valuable markers for how well your lungs are doing. Lots of things can affect it, (perfusion of the finger, RBC count etc.). If you are having problems you need to go have a full work up (PFT's labs including CBC and diff, cultures, IgE, metabolic panel)

Havoc · May 16, 2009

Sonia,

Here's the quick and dirty answer since I don't have a ton of time to write a lengthy response.

1. Smog and particulate matter (PM 2.5 Etc.) could have an effect on SpO2 by way of inflammation of the airways. Allergies also fall into this category causing inflammation.

2. If you are sick you could be producing extra gunk in you lungs which will increase cough and could drop SpO2, since there is less surface area to exchange O2.

3. Your increase HR is probably secondary to your low SpO2, not the other way around.

4. Mucinex is not well understood as far as its mechanism of action. It's speculated that it may not work well in CF patients.

SpO2 is one of the least valuable markers for how well your lungs are doing. Lots of things can affect it, (perfusion of the finger, RBC count etc.). If you are having problems you need to go have a full work up (PFT's labs including CBC and diff, cultures, IgE, metabolic panel)

Havoc · May 16, 2009

Sonia,

Here's the quick and dirty answer since I don't have a ton of time to write a lengthy response.

1. Smog and particulate matter (PM 2.5 Etc.) could have an effect on SpO2 by way of inflammation of the airways. Allergies also fall into this category causing inflammation.

2. If you are sick you could be producing extra gunk in you lungs which will increase cough and could drop SpO2, since there is less surface area to exchange O2.

3. Your increase HR is probably secondary to your low SpO2, not the other way around.

4. Mucinex is not well understood as far as its mechanism of action. It's speculated that it may not work well in CF patients.

SpO2 is one of the least valuable markers for how well your lungs are doing. Lots of things can affect it, (perfusion of the finger, RBC count etc.). If you are having problems you need to go have a full work up (PFT's labs including CBC and diff, cultures, IgE, metabolic panel)

Havoc · May 16, 2009

Sonia,

Here's the quick and dirty answer since I don't have a ton of time to write a lengthy response.

1. Smog and particulate matter (PM 2.5 Etc.) could have an effect on SpO2 by way of inflammation of the airways. Allergies also fall into this category causing inflammation.

2. If you are sick you could be producing extra gunk in you lungs which will increase cough and could drop SpO2, since there is less surface area to exchange O2.

3. Your increase HR is probably secondary to your low SpO2, not the other way around.

4. Mucinex is not well understood as far as its mechanism of action. It's speculated that it may not work well in CF patients.

SpO2 is one of the least valuable markers for how well your lungs are doing. Lots of things can affect it, (perfusion of the finger, RBC count etc.). If you are having problems you need to go have a full work up (PFT's labs including CBC and diff, cultures, IgE, metabolic panel)

Havoc · May 16, 2009

Sonia,
 
 Here's the quick and dirty answer since I don't have a ton of time to write a lengthy response.
 
 1. Smog and particulate matter (PM 2.5 Etc.) could have an effect on SpO2 by way of inflammation of the airways. Allergies also fall into this category causing inflammation.
 
 2. If you are sick you could be producing extra gunk in you lungs which will increase cough and could drop SpO2, since there is less surface area to exchange O2.
 
 3. Your increase HR is probably secondary to your low SpO2, not the other way around.
 
 4. Mucinex is not well understood as far as its mechanism of action. It's speculated that it may not work well in CF patients.
 
 SpO2 is one of the least valuable markers for how well your lungs are doing. Lots of things can affect it, (perfusion of the finger, RBC count etc.). If you are having problems you need to go have a full work up (PFT's labs including CBC and diff, cultures, IgE, metabolic panel)

PinkPigg · May 16, 2009

Three words...get a sputum culture.

Over the last year or so when I get sick my resting heart rate gets over 100 when it is usually in the 70s. Sounds like you could be due for a tune up.

Peace,
Steph

PinkPigg · May 16, 2009

Three words...get a sputum culture.

Over the last year or so when I get sick my resting heart rate gets over 100 when it is usually in the 70s. Sounds like you could be due for a tune up.

Peace,
Steph

PinkPigg · May 16, 2009

Three words...get a sputum culture.

Over the last year or so when I get sick my resting heart rate gets over 100 when it is usually in the 70s. Sounds like you could be due for a tune up.

Peace,
Steph

PinkPigg · May 16, 2009

Three words...get a sputum culture.

Over the last year or so when I get sick my resting heart rate gets over 100 when it is usually in the 70s. Sounds like you could be due for a tune up.

Peace,
Steph

PinkPigg · May 16, 2009

Three words...get a sputum culture.
 
 Over the last year or so when I get sick my resting heart rate gets over 100 when it is usually in the 70s. Sounds like you could be due for a tune up.
 
 Peace,
 Steph

TwistedTanya · May 16, 2009