oxygen levels

[daddyslilgirl]

My daddy just came home from the hospital and I am wondering what his oxygen level should read on the finger device given to us. What should it be a rest for someone with Copd with empasima and is recovering from pneumonia He is on 4 liters of oxygen. When it is removed for any length of time it will drop as low as 67 Being in the hospital makes him very agitated. Also he is prescribed Oxycodin will this bring his stats down as well. Will lower the level of oxygen bring it down if it is on 3.5 liters will it go up? Is he getting to much Carbon Dioxide?

[National Jewish Health]

Your daddy should be on enough oxygen to keep his oxygen level at 90% or slightly higher.  With both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and recovering from pneumonia, it is not surprising that his oxygen level would fall as low as 67%.  But, the fact that it drops so low is a sign that he really does need the supplemental oxygen.  You should strongly encourage him to use it at all times:  awake, asleep, moving about, going to the bathroom, shaving or showering etc.  Knowing only his low oxygen level, it is not possible to predict what his carbon dioxide would be.  You should ask his doctor what it was while in the hospital.  If his carbon dioxide is elevated and he is given too much oxygen, for example driving up the oxygen level to 95% or higher, that could be dangerous, since it could suppress his breathing and could lead to a loss of consciousness and that would be a medical emergency.

Good luck, as you try to take care of your daddy.