MS and oxygen supplementation??

Hi guys,  I feel like I have asked too many questions recently.  Sorry!

My nurse came today and did her usual things.  She was monitoring my ox levels while we talked.  She said we may need to talk about having oxygen here.  Your levels have been 89 - 93.  88 is the cut off point where they have to give you oxygen.
I was shocked to be honest

Have you guys every heard of this?  Can MS cause respiratory problems or something?  Any ideas?

Thanks   Red

[Sumanadevii]

From my research 20% of MS patients have respiratory problems.  I am surprised a nurse is diagnosing you and not sending you off to a pulmonologist.  Actually it would be him/her that would make the decision.  There are a lot of tests to go through before they can say it is MS or another problem.  I just finished up the battery of tests which included cscans of my diaphragm and lungs.  Also tossed in was a spiral scan (?) of the lungs and lung function tests.  It was only after those tests that the decision was made along with my neuro that it was caused by the lesion on my brain stem.

[Sumanadevii]

Oh and they will also want a sleep study test to be sure you are getting the right amount of oxygen during sleepy time....

[jensequitur]

I went through about three months where I was short of breath.  It seemed to be related to position - sitting up from a reclining position, or standing up.  I went through the usual tests, but they found nothing.

[RedFlame]

Thank you so much for reponding Sumanadevii,  I'm not sure what she meant when she made the comment/question.  They call themselves a treatment team but they don't meet together as a treatment team should.  

I was referred for sleep study and cancelled it.

There are a number of things that will probably happen referral wise.

So did they make you do the treadmill and sit in the booth for tests.  I can't remember what the plastic booth was about a couple of decades ago.  

What is a spiral test?  Are you on oxygen now?

[thornygates]

Last year I got Asthmatic Bronchitis with ox level of 89. Dr said 90 was put you in hospital level. A breathing treatment got it up to 92 so got to go back home. Thinking back I probably shouldn't have. Ewok couldn't call for help. Ha.

Any how that's probably why she said that. Just a basic alert for them I guess.

[jensequitur]

When I got my pulmonary appointment, it was at a sleep clinic - but it wasn't for sleep apnea.  Evidently all the testing equipment was at the clinic.

[Sumanadevii]

Red!  lol...Me on a treadmill?  No...lol...Luckily I had that testing done with my heart (which they will also wanted tested)...nuclear type.  

As with any muscle weakness in MS mine comes and plays and leaves then returns.  It is not a 24/7 issue.  Right now I am having problems with both breathing and swallowing.  Inhalers are a joke when it happens.  They have given me oxygen but only for brief periods.  

What they do is....teach you exercises to strengthen those muscles.  My husband has learned to help tap on my back or I tap on my chest trying to bring a cough up.

Also because of the breathing difficultly pain meds are not given freely.  Lucky for me I need the lowest dose anyway.  I am given Xanax at a low dose too for the anxiety because each time I panic.

[COBOB]

The "Spiral Test" may have been a "Spiro Test" which is shorthand for Spirometry.  This test measure lung volume, tidal volume, forced expiratory volume, and a few other parameters.  Most people call it lung function testing.

Bob

[Sumanadevii]

Bob!  That is the name!!!!  But I also had lung function tests inside the "box" as Red calls it....but for sure it was a Spirometry!

[RedFlame]

You guys are the best!   Red

[HVAC]

From my training as in Heating and Air I have a question. What kind of heat do yo have?  Is it a gas shop heater mounted on a wall? In shops they are legal to be unvented meaning there is no flue pipe to take gases out of the building. This is because people are usually not in shops 24/7 and shops or garages are seldom insulated. If you are living with an unvented heater this could explain your trip to the ER and your low oxygen levels. Also if you have the slightest asthma or other breathing problems these heaters can be hard on you.

I had one in one garage apartment which was LP. I turned it on warmed up the room and turned it right off. I also was working and not there very much.

Alex