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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Low O2 an constant sputum
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Low O2 an constant sputum
by ChuckRyan, Jan 19, 2004 12:00AM
I was diagnosed with emphysema 8 yrs ago I continued to smoke like a fool I have been 16 days smoke free after getting the flu My question is:
Why am I having trouble keeping my O2 level in the 90s Also i am constantly coughing up sputum will I ever get better?
Why am I having trouble keeping my O2 level in the 90s Also i am constantly coughing up sputum will I ever get better?
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Jan 21, 2004 12:00AM
, Jan 21, 2004 12:00AM
Congratulations on quitting smoking and staying quit for 16 days!
You may want to look at our Quit Smoking Topic Center at http://www.nationaljewish.org/topic/smoking_cessation.html for ways to help you to stay free of smoking. Also check with your doctor for other quit smoking resources in your area.
When you quit smoking your lungs begin to recover from the years of smoking abuse. Constantly coughing up sputum is a good sign. It is an indication that your lungs are still capable of cleaning themselves. You will get better when your lungs are clean. This phase could last from a few months up to a year. When your lungs are cleared of sputum, your oxygen blood level will rise.
Emphysema is a chronic lung disease linked with cigarette smoking and worsened by contact with industrial dusts and other toxins. This is also called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is a disease that worsens over time. There is relatively irreversible obstruction of airflow and actual destruction of the airsacs in the lung. Normally the airsacs of the lung look like a bunch of grapes. Emphysema causes destruction of the walls between the airsacs. Over time these individual airsacs become one large airsac called a bullae. When this happens there is less surface area for oxygen to get from the lungs into the blood and for carbon dioxide to get from the blood into the lungs to be exhaled. When a person’s lungs reach the point where they cannot provide the body with enough oxygen to keep the blood level above 90%, the workload on the heart is increased and over time the heart will get large and work less efficiently. Once the heart is enlarged this cannot be reversed. Using supplemental oxygen will help to lighten the workload on the heart so that it doesn’t get large.
It is also possible for a heart problem to cause you to have trouble keeping your oxygen blood level above 90%. A complete pulmonary function test before and after inhaling a bronchodilator will identify if your emphysema is the cause. An exercise study done by the cardiologist with oximetry to check your oxygen saturation will identify if a problem with your heart is the cause.
You may want to look at our Quit Smoking Topic Center at http://www.nationaljewish.org/topic/smoking_cessation.html for ways to help you to stay free of smoking. Also check with your doctor for other quit smoking resources in your area.
When you quit smoking your lungs begin to recover from the years of smoking abuse. Constantly coughing up sputum is a good sign. It is an indication that your lungs are still capable of cleaning themselves. You will get better when your lungs are clean. This phase could last from a few months up to a year. When your lungs are cleared of sputum, your oxygen blood level will rise.
Emphysema is a chronic lung disease linked with cigarette smoking and worsened by contact with industrial dusts and other toxins. This is also called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is a disease that worsens over time. There is relatively irreversible obstruction of airflow and actual destruction of the airsacs in the lung. Normally the airsacs of the lung look like a bunch of grapes. Emphysema causes destruction of the walls between the airsacs. Over time these individual airsacs become one large airsac called a bullae. When this happens there is less surface area for oxygen to get from the lungs into the blood and for carbon dioxide to get from the blood into the lungs to be exhaled. When a person’s lungs reach the point where they cannot provide the body with enough oxygen to keep the blood level above 90%, the workload on the heart is increased and over time the heart will get large and work less efficiently. Once the heart is enlarged this cannot be reversed. Using supplemental oxygen will help to lighten the workload on the heart so that it doesn’t get large.
It is also possible for a heart problem to cause you to have trouble keeping your oxygen blood level above 90%. A complete pulmonary function test before and after inhaling a bronchodilator will identify if your emphysema is the cause. An exercise study done by the cardiologist with oximetry to check your oxygen saturation will identify if a problem with your heart is the cause.
It is possible for O2 saturation rates to improve after full recovery from an infection or flu. Also quitting smoking will slow the rate of your emphysema. Good luck!
Aloha,
Starion