COPD

How long or how far should I walk to find out if i need O2 24/7 ?  SPO2 READING OF 88 OR LESS?

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
Normal SpO2 is 95 - 98%. SpO2 is the amount of oxygen that your red blood cells carry. Hence it depends on how well you are breathing. It is usually low in people with chronic obstructive lung disease. It can also be low in people with low RBC count, anemia or in people with sickle cell disease. You need to consult a doctor and rule all these possibilities out through pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays, blood counts and other tests.
The need for oxygen 24/7 does not depend on how far you can walk—you maybe able to walk far at a particular pace—and if you can then usually you will not need oxygen round the clock. However, you may need oxygen round the clock even if you can walk. It depends on your general condition, and oxygen saturation, and many other parameters. Correction of cause of low SpO2 often removes the necessity of round the clock oxygen. However, please discuss with your doctor. Take care!