Gas Exchange & PF

[Guest guest]

Hi Gang,

Just buying into the discussion re difficulties with CO2 & O2....the reality is that PF sufferers have difficulty with BOTH...our Diffusion Rates show our lungs capacity to EXCHANGE both O2 AND CO2......GAS EXCHANGE RATES

O2 is the fresh stuff that has to travel across our air sacs to be distributed around our body.....those air sacs also have the job of getting rid of the old, stale air that is CO2.....obviously we can have the same trouble getting rid of CO2 as we do getting O2 into our bodies. .....Exchanging Gases

When we use O2 it is to FORCE extra O2 across those air sacs...the normal amount of O2 doesn't cut it...unfortunately there is nothing to help us get rid of CO2.....eventually it is CO2 build up can be the very thing that will kill us!

At some point there comes a time when there is no point to pouring more O2 IN because that will just cause a higher build-up of CO2 being unable to escape OUT!

I've been told to be cautious with AEROBIC exercise unless I know exactly what my SATS are doing while exercising. ANAEROBIC EXERCISE IS A FREE FOR-ALL/....can only do GOOD...it builds up muscle tone without putting stress on heart/lungs.

AEROBIC exercise in itself will not improve your lung function if you have PF. Aerobic exercise will improve the rate at which you burn calories & is therefore useful for weight control. Losing weight will of course help with heart/lung function BUT you have to be careful that you're not putting too much strain on those organs to do it! It is a BALANCING ACT.

However ANAEROBIC exercise will make your muscles work more efficiently & therefore your body requires LESS O2 to make them work. So it helps you make more efficient use of your available O2. SO it can help both lung/heart function as well as also burn calories! The more the better....

Once your muscle are fitter & more toned you may be able to improve how much Aerobic exercise you can safely do because it will take longer for your heart/.lungs to get stressed maintaining the amount of O2 you need to make your body do the work.

So the message I've been getting from the peoplke helping me(at the swimming pool) are....

1. keep doing Aerobic exercise but with CAUTION...ie use your oximeter to check your SATS & USE your O2 supply as neccessary to keep O2 levels safely ABOVE 90.

2. do LOTS of Anaerobic esercise to build up your muscle tone & function

3 increase Aerobic Exercise as your muscle tone & fitness increase.

That's MY take on it.. DISCLAIMER....check this against your own advice!

in Oz

IPF: Fibrotic NSIP/ UIP ????

Reynauds'

May 2007