Tag Archives: low oxygen saturation

Will Low Oxygen Saturation Prevent You From Recovering From Heart Failure?

Do you really understand what low oxygen saturation means for you?

Understand that when low oxygen levels become an issue for you, it inevitably leads to a weakened heart muscle because low blood oxygen levels deprive your muscles of oxygen and weaken them.

Your heart is your most important muscle. 

This is one reason that the world is suffering an epidemic of Heart Failure today. It can be difficult to identify and treat Low Oxygen Level (low blood oxygen saturation), but it’s the only way to prevent the oxygen starvation that will eventually weaken your heart.  

Oxygen is THAT important. 

The basic element of all life is Oxygen. Without oxygen life stops.

Is it hard to believe that most people are completely unaware and free of any significant concern while they experience extremely low oxygen levels?

How can you possibly be unaware of a life threatening condition?

When you feel short-of-breath, you are sensing the carbon-dioxide in your body. Oxygen does not effect you the same way. It seems like low oxygen should be accompanied by breathing problems, but it often isn’t until disastrous deterioration has occurred. Carbon dioxide is the culprit causing your anxiety. 

Pain, fatigue, short term memory loss, muscle loss and worsening eye sight are all caused by lack of oxygen.

All of these symptoms may be attributed to old age while your vital organs deteriorate due to low blood oxygen saturation. Your doctor might even give you a “clean bill of health”. Does your doctor even test your oxygen level? 

Over time, you may not even notice the weakening of your heart muscle. 

Feeling winded at the top of a flight of stairs?

Hard to catch your breath when you jump back in bed after a late night pee?

Do you have a frequent moist cough?

Acute Heart Failure doesn’t happen all of a sudden but it can be difficult to recognize early symptoms. 

Once you’ve suffered a bout of acute heart failure, you know your heart is weakened. The fluid in your lungs that make it so hard to breathe got there because your heart is too tired to do its job.  

You can’t breathe when you are drowning in your own fluid. Taking drugs to make you pee helps you breathe but it does not strengthen your heart muscle. If you are depending on pharmaceutical fluid balance, you should value oxygen therapy. 

You can expect low blood oxygen levels:

  • when you are exerting yourself
  • in the early morning hours
  • while sitting in a slouched position

You likely won’t be overly concerned when you first begin to experience symptoms. It’s a really good idea to keep self-checking your blood oxygen with your own personal oximeter (oxygen measuring device). You can’t avoid harm if you don’t recognize it. Just don’t expect this health draining issue to be easy to spot. It’s only easy to see low oxygen levels when you’ve ignored them too long. 

When you use an oximeter to check your blood oxygen level, be aware that the information the oximeter gives you is just one brief window of time AND it may or may not be correct. 

The oximeter is a wonderful diagnostic tool. It just has it’s limitations. Having said that, there are steps you can take to ensure that you are not over looking low oxygen levels. 

How to properly use an oximeter to discover low oxygen levels:

  1. Be patient.
  2. Check frequently, waiting for a steady consistent reading.
  3. Be as active as you feel capable of being (with your doctors permission.)
  4. Walk up a flight of stairs and check your oximetry readings before, during and after exerting yourself.
  5. Keep the monitor probe on your finger for several minutes after you feel completely recovered and without any distress. 

A struggling heart will experience significant low oxygen levels after very little excursion. 

If you have pitting edema at your ankles it’s easy to see that your heart is struggling. If you tend to store fluid in your belly, where it can hide itself a little better, it might be a little less obvious what’s causing your symptoms. 

Fluid in your belly and fluid at your ankles make sleeping a potentially harmful part of your life. Lying down allows the retained and accumulated fluid to creep up into your lungs. 

A struggling heart will experience low oxygen level at 3am when you get up to pee. 

Your doctor may not see low oxygen levels when you are sitting in his/her office, even though you experience dangerous low oxygen levels every time you exert yourself and routinely in the wee hours of the morning. Al the time you spend well oxygenated can’t save you when you are suffering oxygen starvation. 

The oximeter may not tell on you if you don’t use it when you are experiencing low oxygen levels, but the damage low blood oxygen  causes is unmistakable. The devastating consequences of low oxygen are not avoided without addressing the problem. 

Symptoms of chronic low oxygen

  • water retention (especially feet/ ankles)
  • shortness of breath/ difficulty breathing/ dyspnea
  • extreme fatigue
  • blue coloring around lips
  • mental confusion/short-term-memory loss
  • chronic cough of usually clear mucous
  • frequent bouts of pneumonia
  • frequent bacterial infections
  • muscle weakness
  • chest tightness
  • arrhythmia
  • acute heart failure
  • sudden cardiac arrest

Sudden cardiac arrest can occur when extremely low blood oxygen levels stimulate your vagus nerve. 

If you could feel low oxygen level it would be easier to avoid danger, but you can’t. All you can do is err on the side of caution. 

Not all doctors and nurses will be alarmed by oxygen levels that are low enough to be dangerous. Their lack of experience with the damage caused by chronic low oxygen levels causes them to minimize the significance of low oximetry readings. Perhaps supplemental oxygen in a home setting feels like over-kill to many health care professionals. 

Remember that oxygen can only do its job in your body if the pressure of oxygen is high enough to get where it’s going. 92% blood oxygen level is what is required to achieve enough pressure to send oxygen from your lungs, to your blood, to your cells, tissues, organs and organ systems.

Insurance Advice

Your insurance wants your oxygen level to drop to 88% before they are willing to pay for home-oxygen.

Ask your doctor to let you walk before checking you with an oximeter during medical appointments. You need your health care team to know what your normal daily need for oxygen is. Your oximetry reading during a short period of time when you are resting does not indicate how well you manage when you are up and moving around.

portable oxygen

The number “88” really doesn’t mean anything, as far as your health is concerned. It’s just a number that insurance companies require in order to pay for supplemental home oxygen.

Your oxygen level should be well above 92% at all times. If you live in the US you may have a difficult time getting a prescription for home oxygen use. Your health is more important than insurance company profit. It’s my hope that we will soon have single payer health care so we can take an honest look at how cost effective supplemental home oxygen really is. 

What is your situation? Is it difficult to access oxygen for home therapy use?

In order to best advocate for yourself, get your own personal and portable oximeter. They don’t cost a lot and they can allow you to keep an eye on an important indicator of your need to pay more attention to your health. With your own oximeter you know where your blood oxygen level is during your most challenging times.

Knowing about your low blood oxygen levels and doing something about it are two different things. Start by measuring your oxygen levels at least daily and recording them in your health log. Empower yourself to keep track of your health. 

Take a look at Oximeters On Amazon 

 

What Does Your Doctor Mean By Low Oxygen Saturation Levels Or Low Blood Oxygen Levels And What Can You Do About It?

low oxygen saturationYou likely heard the words “low oxygen saturation” and “low blood oxygen levels” from your doctor.

I hope you got the message that this is a very worrisome condition requiring immediate attention to address your risk of sudden death.

However, that isn’t the case for many people.

Oxygen levels are not very well assessed and can go undetected for long periods of time resulting in much suffering and harm!

If you ignore this dangerous debilitating condition you will suffer the harsh consequences:

  • short term memory loss
  • deteriorating eye sight
  • muscle weakening

Did your doctor tell you to “use it when you need it”?

I sure hope NOT!

Because, Continue reading What Does Your Doctor Mean By Low Oxygen Saturation Levels Or Low Blood Oxygen Levels And What Can You Do About It?

Will Low Blood Oxygen Levels Kill You?

Will Low Blood Oxygen Levels, Kill You

Low oxygen levels will kill you slowly, OR can kill you instantly!

For years I worked in a very large hospital in Tacoma, Washington.  I can not count the times that I have been part of a CPR effort on someone who had taken their oxygen off to get out of bed, and then experienced a cardiac arrest in the bathroom.

Very low oxygen levels can cause stimulation of your vagus nerve, which can stop your heart.  Bearing down can also stimulate the vagus nerve causing your heart to stop.

You do NOT want to have low blood oxygen levels when you are sitting on the toilet!

2am, lunch time for night shift at the hospital, the familiar bells, bing-bing-bing.  Code 4 room xyz, Code 4 room xyz!

Instead of lunch, we were on our knees in shit, trying to save someones life!  No kidding!  You WANT to meet your oxygen needs, especially when you are on the toilet.  When you are baring down you are much more likely to cause a dangerous situation if your oxygen level is low!

You can have low blood oxygen levels at various times:

  • when you exert yourself
  • while sleeping
  • with habitually breath holding

When low blood oxygen levels occur your vital organs are deprived of oxygen and suffer harm.

 

Low blood oxygen levels WILL cost you your eye sight, your short term memory, your strength, and your charming disposition.

Blood oxygen levels below 92% are low enough to cause you harm!

If you choose not to treat low oxygen levels you face the deterioration of your quality of life, and the possibility of sudden death!

Treat Low Oxygen Levels To Allow Healing:

  1. PREVENT low blood oxygen level (anything below 92% oxygen saturation) IF possible
  2. reduce restriction and tension to coax expansive breathing
  3. be as active as possible without depleting your blood oxygen level
  4. oxygen enhanced sleep and activity will improve your ability to utilize oxygen
  5. use food as medicine and guard against ingesting harmful irritants

Get all your questions answered!

Become a Masters Member of the “Life Breath Club

 

You WILL regain quality of life, avoid further deterioration, and even reverse disease by treating low oxygen levels with supplemental oxygen.

Just giving focus to this basic need will help you turn the corner toward healing.  Rediscover Your Sacred Breathing and you will realize just how miraculous your healing potential really is!

The real sticking point is that nobody likes using supplemental oxygen, but it’s impossible to heal once your blood oxygen levels fall below 92% with consistency because you are starving for oxygen.

“(Oxygen is) the conductor of the orchestra of the immune system.”

“Without oxygen, the lungs cannot breathe,

the heart cannot beat,

the brain cannot think,

the bowel cannot digest or absorb food,

and the muscles cannot move.”

“That is all very basic and essential.”

– Dr. Majid Ali

 

 

Will low blood oxygen levels kill you?

Yes, low blood oxygen levels will most definitely kill you!

The good news is that exercising AND sleeping with supplemental oxygen can go a LONG way to reverse harm and facilitate quicker healing from any disease process.

It’s tough to come to terms with oxygen use.  You may feel like it just isn’t worth the inconvenience, irritation and embarrassment!

Without a doubt, oxygen is your best bet to maintain an active life!

You can truthfully say that your home oxygen machine is your MOST valuable health tool!

If that isn’t good news to you, have heart.  With the help of The Life Breath Coach you may be able to improve your oxygen levels so much that your breathing heals without supplemental oxygen.

No need to choose!  Both are valuable healing tools!  A Magic Home Oxygen Box and Sacred Breathing with The Life Breath Coach is a healing combo that will heal you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Your Sacred Breathing Hand Book

Will teach you how to:

  • reduce water retention
  • stop an asthma attack
  • breathe easier
  • conserve energy
  • access quicker healing
  • create hormone balance (yes, with better breathing!)
  • improve your emotional health
  • function better in times of trauma and disaster
  • reduced your risk of stroke
  • reduced your risk of heart attack
  • harness the power to kill harmful bacteria
  • create a less cancer friendly body!  (oxygen destroys cancer cells)
  • decreased inflammation (chronic inflammation is the cause of ALL chronic illness!)

Get good and pink with your home oxygen or call 911!  If you are in doubt, you are better safe than sorry!

Then click on the link below and find out about the most important book you will ever read!

“Sacred Breathing Hand Book”

You Do Not Have to Deteriorate and Die From Low Oxygen Levels!

 

Many blessings,

Carrie Tucker, RCP

“The Life Breath Coach”

Heart Failure Solutions

 

PS-  Please take this seriously!

If you don’t have a home oxygen source, get one!

Be safe!

 

PPS- Remember everyday:

  • Relax and Release tension
  • Exhale Slowly
  • Be active in a way that adds Joy to your life

Plus pure water ~whole foods~sunshine~and laughter

Low Oxygen Levels: How Low is Too Low and Should You Worry?

Oxygen Regulator

Low oxygen levels will rob you of your eye sight, short term memory, and your energy. Eventually low oxygen levels will weaken your heart muscle.

Heart Failure IS -> Progressive weakening of your heart muscle! (Read that sentence again. It is that important.)

The world is facing an epidemic of heart failure!  This ONE health crisis will rob more productive work years from Americans than any other.  

Why should you be concerned about oxygen?

Oxygen isn’t typically something you worry about. If you are looking into “low oxygen levels”, you likely heard the term from your doctor. As the caregiver of a loved one, you
might become familiar with the importance of oxygen as a life saving requirement, but fail to realize how effective it can be in minimizing discomfort and maintaining quality-of-
life.

Everyone worries about high blood pressure, carrying extra weight and other issues routine blood work can reveal. It’s all part of the natural aging process and your growing
concern for your health. After all, you don’t ignore your bad health until it kills you if you know better, right?

Being over-weight increases your risk for many diseases, especially heart disease. So, you diet and attempt to get “regular exercise”. Maybe you join a gym, or consider
gastric bypass surgery. You do what it takes because health is important. 

High blood pressure is called the silent killer, because it can be deadly without symptoms. Most people know that it’s important to get their blood pressure checked
regularly, just to be safe.

You’ve been told you should worry about your cholesterol levels. Everybody seems to know that reducing your bad cholesterol is important, so your doctor will likely offer
you a prescription to lower your cholesterol if it is elevated. Even if your cholesterol isn’t elevated, your doctor may prescribe Statin medication as a “precaution” when you
have other risk factors for heart disease. (That so called preventative medication might not be such a good idea.

There are plenty of risk factors to worry about. Why add oxygen to the list?

If your doctor is expressing concern about your blood oxygen levels, you should be concerned, too.

You may be inclined to argue with your doctor if he/she would like to see you using oxygen 24 hours a day. It’s fair to say that round-the-clock oxygen therapy is inconvenient and irritating.

It’s also difficult to understand why it is necessary.

What is there to be concerned about?

Consequences of Low Blood Oxygen Level:

• damage eye sight
• deteriorate short term memory
• weaken muscle (your heart is a muscle)
• increase pain
• reduced clarity/focus
• loss of your natural charming disposition
• potentially create life threatening cranial nerve stimulation

Since low-flow home-oxygen is completely safe and doesn’t cause side-effects you are better off to use it than to resist using it and suffer the consequences of low blood oxygen. It isn’t an easy to swallow pill, but it might just be more important than every pill in your pill box.

Oxygen is one prescription you don’t want to second guess.

If your doctor wants you on oxygen, you are crazy to argue.

Does your doctor monitor your blood oxygen levels routinely?

Not all doctors have oximeters (oxygen measuring devices) in their office. If they don’t have one, they have no way to routinely monitor your oxygen level during your physicals, check-ups and illness related appointments.

This isn’t at all unusual. Even if doctors have oximeters, they may not use them unless you have some sort of breathing complaint. It isn’t widely understood, even with doctors, that low oxygen is most often NOT accompanied by shortness-of-breath.

It isn’t at all uncommon for doctors and nurses to minimize the importance of oxygen therapy and to dismiss low oxygen readings if they only last a short period of time.

This approach is much like waiting for things to get worse.

Whether your doctor monitors your blood oxygen level or not, YOU SHOULD.

There is no doubt about it. Taking an active role in your health care can cause you more stress than putting blind trust in your doctor, but if your doctor doesn’t offer you the solution you need, who will?

Doctors are making educated guesses and doing the best they can. Luckily they also have the benefit of a well educated team with many years of combined experience. Good health care requires team work. It can be tempting to allow your doctor to lead the team but NO ONE is more motivated and invested in finding solutions to your suffering than YOU are.

It’s important for you to be aware that your participation is the key to positive results.

Certainly, if your health care team doesn’t successfully uncover the cause of your suffering and eliminate it or otherwise address it, you are the only one who will suffer the consequence. Ultimately, you pay the price for oversights and mistakes.

Unfortunately, low blood oxygen causes devastating consequences.

If your doctor is advocating for oxygen therapy, you are fortunate. Most doctors overlook the harm low oxygen levels are causing and shrug off the importance of monitoring and meeting oxygen needs.

Good quality-of-life is your goal. The damage caused by low oxygen levels prevents you from functioning the way you normally would. How much joy would you lose if your eyesight slowly deteriorated?

As you age, you tend to think you are just getting old and out of shape. The progressive muscle weakening caused by low oxygen levels effects your heart muscle. When your heart muscle is weakened by low oxygen levels your whole world changes, but it doesn’t typically happen all of a sudden.

When you suffer a heart attack part of your heart muscle dies. With congestive heart failure things [more often than not] happen very slowly. The progressive weakening of your heart muscle is gradual. For years your doctor will tell you “your heart is fine”.

Once you know you are living with congestive heart failure, you should understand that oxygen is the key to protecting your weakened heart muscle and to strengthening it.

Low oxygen is a BIG deal. (Ask your questions on the weekly Zoom Call Mondays at 1:00pm Pacific Time)

If your low oxygen levels are caused by lung disease, it’s important to remember that keeping your blood oxygen level above 92% is important to protect your heart.

If your low oxygen levels are caused by heart disease, it’s important to remember that failing to address low oxygen levels will further weaken your heart muscle. 

So how low is too low? 

 

7 Facts to Remember About Blood Oxygen Saturation Levels

1.  When oxygen saturation levels fall below 92%, the pressure of the oxygen in your blood is too low to penetrate the walls of the red blood cells. It is a matter of gas laws.

2. Your insurance company may not pay for oxygen unless your levels fall to 88% oxygen saturation. This has nothing to do with what is best for you, it is just the point at which your insurance is willing to pay.

3.  Every time your oxygen level falls below 92% saturation the cells of your body are oxygen starved.

4. When you fail to meet your oxygen needs, every organ in your body suffers the consequences.

5. Low oxygen levels may be present only at certain times.

  •  when retaining excessive fluid
  •  when airways are reacting to irritants
  •  with respiratory illness
  •  sleep apnea
  •  about 3:00am when you wake gasping for air
  •  with activity when your heart muscle has become weak, though isn’t technically “congestive heart failure”….. yet

6.  Recurring low oxygen levels are harmful and should be treated with supplemental oxygen.

7. The problem is that your doctor may not witness your oxygen levels at 88%, and if he doesn’t see that reading on an oxygen meter (oximeter), then most insurance companies will not pay for it, and therefore doctors don’t order it.

Low oxygen levels are definitely something to worry about!

If you feel you may be experiencing low oxygen levels be sure to ask your doctor to check your pulse oximetry reading.

Symptoms of low oxygen are:

  •  shortness of breath/ difficulty breathing/ dyspnea
  •  extreme fatigue
  •  chest tightness
  •  mental confusion
  •  tingling fingers
  •  water retention (especially feet/ ankles)
  •  chronic cough

If you are experiencing blood oxygen saturation levels below 92% now, waiting for your doctor to witness it below 88% and order oxygen is equal to sitting around waiting to get worse.

Are you concerned?

Join Us on the “Ask Your Health Questions” Zoom Call Mondays at 1:00 pm Pacific Time