Fatigue and Heart Disease

Hey just want to throw out there that oxgen therapy is incredibly helpful with cardiac rehabilitation.  

That means preventing oxygen deficit.  If you are extremely fatigued, I encourage you to have your oximetry checked while you are active.  If you can't move around your day without low oxygen levels then you are getting nowhere fast!

Oxygen molecules cannot catch their ride on the hemoglobing of your red blood cells if you have less than 92% oxygen saturation.  It is a matter of gas laws.

If you have minimal heart function and more fluid than you can tolerate, you can bet your oxygen levels are probably low at night.  Even if your oxygen levels appear to be fine, you may find supplementing at night improves your fatigue.

I wish medical insurance would catch on.  They won't pay for home oxygen until levels are a much too low 88%.  Even then, they don't always provide education to encourage the patient to implement oxygen therapy as a valuable health tool.  Only a small percentage of those with home oxygen use it appropriately, and many don't use it at all.

Patient's who diligently use oxygen to keep 92% oxygen saturation level stand a much better chance of improving their oxygen levels and possibly getting off of oxygen.

Many blessings,
Carrie
PS- Remember that if you have no lung disease you may not see an oxygen deficit while sitting.


This discussion is related to By Pass Patient.