LOW SPO2
Posted , 4 users are following.
I have crazy anxiety. However, I fail to believe EVERY PHYSICAL symptom is related. Normally I use my oximeter to help calm down during a panic attack. When I feel out of breath my readings are really good. Probably from over breathing.
However, when I am relaxed with no care in the world it drops. The lowest I have seen is 88. That's low enough to be on supplemental oxygen. But I feel great, these of the rare times I am not out of breath. Of course, I have every test under the sun done. Doctors are very ignorant, some suggesting I should get more tests, others say it,s a waste of time. For instance, I have a PFO or hole in my heart from birth. One doctor says we should figure out how big it is, another says that they only worry about that if you had a stroke. They compared my readings to professional units and they matched. However, my oxygen has not dropped when they check me because I am not relaxed in that environment. Docter did not have an explanation but said "you should not have that". I just frustrated at this point.
Anyways does anybody know if under any situation that an SPO2 reading that low is normal? Like perhaps my body is relaxed and just does not demand it? I recorded it and I could show the doctor that it is actually dropping. But showing the doctor in the past stuff like this just makes them think I need another crazy med for anxiety. They rarely actually check things out.
Anyways I was thinking about buying a second meter. Just because my meter works fine when compared to the doctors does not mean it is always accurate. Perhaps if I have two meters showing the same low reading I will press harder to get an answer.
0 likes, 5 replies
samuels MarvinMartian
Posted
Hi,
Just reading through you story, you sound like me in medical terms ….. weird
Ordinarily your SpOZ (SpO2) when breathless is low because the oxygen is being used rapidly or there is less of it in the blood to supply the organs. Normal SpOZ is between 96-100 % , smokers get singled out when in actual fact anything lower than 95 they just can't put that down to smoking, I don't know if you are a smoker, but I have seen smokers not long have a smoke and their oxygen levels a quite normal, I suppose this depends on age and fitness levels, who knows.
I take it you have had your Haemoglobin checked for any disorders ? anything that starves oxygen from the blood there must be a reason, I don't think, well my oxygen levels are/were normal during a full blown panic attack, that was years ago now, mine gets low due to the fact I have recently recovered from a pulmonary embolism. Maybe being so relaxed could well lower your oxygen needs as the heart isn't working hard, and organs don't need the extra oxygens at this time ? Although I also suffer from Bradycardia and my SpOZ levels can be all over the place at times, I have heart rate between 40-49 bpm, sometimes it feels like it's actually going to stop, having a heart rate that low doesn't necessarily mean that you have a heart problem, it is also a sign that you are a fit and healthy person, I.E in regards to your question of could it be due to being to relaxed, In my opinion I think so, mind you I am not a doctor or associated with anything medical.
MarvinMartian samuels
Posted
Yeah, this is what annoys me. I have a bunch of conditions but they say I am healthy. The PFO (hole in my heart) high cholesterol, and right bundle branch block. Everything is said to be common and not a factor. They want to get my cholesterol under control and say I am healthy and too young to have blockages or any heart disease. (had two friends my age have heart attacks) They refuse to send a scope through my vessels and inspect. Not a smoker and never was. My parents are 70. I was physically active and exercised, not much overweight. My mom does not exercise at all and weighs 75 LB more than I do and about a foot shorter. My dad had two heart attacks. Both of them have lower heart rate and better SPO2. I just don't get it.
samuels MarvinMartian
Posted
If like me you have extremely high cholesterol levels they should be doing an angiogram to see if you do indeed have any blockages, that was the first thing they did with me. According to cardiologists worldwide I have an extremely weird lipid profile and paying for it now, depending on which cardiologist I speak to here, some say I have prinzmetal angina and others aren't convinced, yet it's been researched. I had my first heart attack at the age of 45, second one 1 or 2 years later, so actually before 50 and I'm now 52 with mild heart disease.
Yes I'd be seeking a second opinion and answers to all your questions.
cathy73259 MarvinMartian
Posted
Hi
I'm just finishing a load of investigations for low SPO2 - I've had chest xrays, ct scans, a panel of blood tests, lung function tests and an oxygen assessment. All of the tests came back almost completely normal- (even the oxygen assessment as i was feeling nervous which seems to increase my o2 levels) which doesn't account for my low oxygen level especially at night and when I rest when it can drop to 88% although it wouldn't surprise me if it dropped further whilst i was asleep. Then last week I had a bubble echo where they they flood bubbles into a vein then watch them with an ultrasound come into the right side of the heart - they then should head off to the lungs. however a good chunk of them just shot into the left side of my heart which the technician said was a pfo and was absolutely the cause of my desaturations. I've got a range of symptoms - fatigue, exercise intolerance, slow at work, slow at doing stuff at home, headaches when I wake in the morning. Luckily the first consultant I saw was persistent in finding the cause - pfos can be tricky to find. Waiting to see a consultant with fingers crossed that i can have the pfo closure op.
MarvinMartian cathy73259
Posted
Wow, I have the exact same thing. Bubble test immediately shunted to the the wrong chamber of the heart. But my doctor blew it off and told me "you always had it so I doubt its a factor in your symptoms."
I so easily get winded, and yes I also get every symptom you describe. Do you mind if I ask you your age? I am in my mid 40's.
But I have read that some athletes can't exercise "all of a sudden" because of a PFO. They get it fixed and they are fine.
The procedure to fix it is easy (normally) Just make sure you don't have any reaction to nickel. It may be used in the mesh that they cover the hole with. Talk to your doctor about that.
Did you get the scope down your throat to measure the size of the PFO? That is what the doctor wants to do next but my anxiety won't allow it. I was informed to get my anxiety under control then get the test because they felt it was unimportant. But if the PFO is causing these feeling that give me anxiety that is a different story.
Thanks for your reply on such an old topic! Take care of yourself.
Please update how you feel if you get the procedure done!