Re: questions for the group

[Guest guest]

Mike

Just because you're breathing through your mouth doesn't mean the oxygen

isn't still coming through your nose. That would only be a major issue

if you were on a demand or pulse flow as you probably are with

portables. The only way to truly know your oxygen levels at night is an

overnight oximeter. However, the rapid breathing sounds more like a

gasping for air than simply a gasping for oxygen, so may merit a sleep

study.

As to the statement that you'd need double the oxygen with a mask that

you need with a cannula, there are many different types of masks but

what the Apria person told you makes absolutely no sense. I would bet in

addition the Apria therapist knows little to nothing about PF and thinks

of everything as they do COPD, I can't even attempt to grasp the

statement made to you. Talk to your doctor.

>

> Hi all,

> My wife has noticed since I went on oxygen at night that I have

several episodes where I have rapid breathing - actual panting. She

thought maybe it was the result of perhaps my breathing through my mouth

and therefore am not getting enough oxygen. But when she checks I am

actually breathing through my nose. Have any of you experienced this?

She said there are also times I sleep on my back and when doing so

breath through my mouth - somewhat defeating the attempt to keep my

oxygen levels where they belong. I have spoken to a therapist at Apria

and she says I could use a facemask but it would require using twice the

dosage of oxygen due to the CO2 buildup in the mask. I guess I could

use the same tape I use to keep my canolla in my nose to keep my mouth

shut. Any suggestions?

>

> Mike

>

[Guest guest]

BruceCan we buy an overnight oximeter?Dorothy reinecke fayetteville, ga66-UIP 7/05Sent via BlackBerry by AT&TFrom: "brucemoreland" Date: Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:54:46 -0000To: <Breathe-Support >Subject: Re: questions for the group Mike Just because you're breathing through your mouth doesn't mean the oxygen isn't still coming through your nose. That would only be a major issue if you were on a demand or pulse flow as you probably are with portables. The only way to truly know your oxygen levels at night is an overnight oximeter. However, the rapid breathing sounds more like a gasping for air than simply a gasping for oxygen, so may merit a sleep study. As to the statement that you'd need double the oxygen with a mask that you need with a cannula, there are many different types of masks but what the Apria person told you makes absolutely no sense. I would bet in addition the Apria therapist knows little to nothing about PF and thinks of everything as they do COPD, I can't even attempt to grasp the statement made to you. Talk to your doctor. > > Hi all, > My wife has noticed since I went on oxygen at night that I have several episodes where I have rapid breathing - actual panting. She thought maybe it was the result of perhaps my breathing through my mouth and therefore am not getting enough oxygen. But when she checks I am actually breathing through my nose. Have any of you experienced this? She said there are also times I sleep on my back and when doing so breath through my mouth - somewhat defeating the attempt to keep my oxygen levels where they belong. I have spoken to a therapist at Apria and she says I could use a facemask but it would require using twice the dosage of oxygen due to the CO2 buildup in the mask. I guess I could use the same tape I use to keep my canolla in my nose to keep my mouth shut. Any suggestions? > > Mike >

[Guest guest]

Dorothy

Theoretically yes for enough money but requires oximeter and equipment

to read it and print. You don't need to buy one. Just tell the doctor to

prescribe an overnight oximeter test. Oxygen company will bring one,

you'll use it, they'll pick it up and send the results. In some cases

too, a 24 hour oximeter reading is helpful. These are simple and so

informative.

Also, periodically an overnight oximeter should be repeated, especially

if your daytime oxygen requirements increase. Don't risk watching your

sats carefully during the day but letting them drop at night. Everyone

breathes slower at night so sats naturally drop. My first test at

diagnosis, mine were below 90% for more than 25% of the night. On oxygen

they are above 90% for over 99.9% of the time.

> >

> > Hi all,

> > My wife has noticed since I went on oxygen at night that I have

> several episodes where I have rapid breathing - actual panting. She

> thought maybe it was the result of perhaps my breathing through my

mouth

> and therefore am not getting enough oxygen. But when she checks I am

> actually breathing through my nose. Have any of you experienced this?

> She said there are also times I sleep on my back and when doing so

> breath through my mouth - somewhat defeating the attempt to keep my

> oxygen levels where they belong. I have spoken to a therapist at

Apria

> and she says I could use a facemask but it would require using twice

the

> dosage of oxygen due to the CO2 buildup in the mask. I guess I could

> use the same tape I use to keep my canolla in my nose to keep my mouth

> shut. Any suggestions?

> >

> > Mike

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Mike,

Keeping sats up at night can be challenging. We all breathe differently when we're asleep and everyone's sats drop to some extent overnight. The first and most important thing I would suggest is to ask your doctor to order an overnight oximeter. Apria will bring the unit out, show you how to use it and then pick it up the next morning. The results will be sent to your doctor. Some of us actually need a higher liter flow overnight than during the day. If there's any question of sleep apnea your doctor may order a full blown sleep study.

Please, please, please take what the individual from Apria said with a large grain of salt. It just does not make any sense. The thing to remember is probably 90-95% of the people he/she sees have some type of obstructive lung disease, emphysema, COPD, something like that. Beyond that there is the occasional lung cancer patient and only a few people like you or me with restrictive lung disease. OUR RULES ARE DIFFERENT. Most of the people that work for the O2 providers are not terribly familiar with our illnesses and make statements and give advice that is first inaccurate and secondly potentially harmful. I just changed providers for this reason.

Please call your doctor, tell him/her what's going on and ask for an overnight oximeter to start with. Keep us posted!

Beth

Moderator

Fibrotic NSIP 06/06 Dermatomyositis 11/08

To: Breathe-Support Sent: Sunday, September 6, 2009 10:41:56 PMSubject: questions for the group

Hi all,My wife has noticed since I went on oxygen at night that I have several episodes where I have rapid breathing - actual panting. She thought maybe it was the result of perhaps my breathing through my mouth and therefore am not getting enough oxygen. But when she checks I am actually breathing through my nose. Have any of you experienced this? She said there are also times I sleep on my back and when doing so breath through my mouth - somewhat defeating the attempt to keep my oxygen levels where they belong. I have spoken to a therapist at Apria and she says I could use a facemask but it would require using twice the dosage of oxygen due to the CO2 buildup in the mask. I guess I could use the same tape I use to keep my canolla in my nose to keep my mouth shut. Any suggestions?Mike