Gracefulprincess Posted October 9, 2020 Report Share Posted October 9, 2020 Does anyone on here have issues with dropping oxygen levels? My levels have been dropping for awhile now and my cardiologist wants me to see a pulmonologist because she thinks I might need supplemental oxygen. If anyone has gone through this, what did the pulmonologist say? Did you have to go through any tests? I found a doctor to go to that my local cardiologist recommended. I'm just waiting for medical records to be sent over so i can get scheduled. Thanks in advance for any advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KiminOrlando Posted October 9, 2020 Report Share Posted October 9, 2020 I'm doing this now. Almost went to the ER last week. Do you have an autoimmune disease? I do, so I have Interstitial Lung Disease, but I don't think that is what is going on. The Pulmonologist does a Pulmonary Functions Test and a 6 minute walk test to check for O2. Walk test shows no problem. PFT shows that my lungs don't convert the O2 in air into my blood effectively. It was determined that supplemental O2 would not help me. I also have lung fibrosis and nodules from the autoimmune disease. They aren't sure why the conversion process is impacted. I was just on a med (Elavil) to suppress my sympathic nervous system and my resting O2 was dropping to 84 and below. I stopped the med and my O2 went back to 94. I'm starting to think this process is somehow linked to the autonomic nervous system maybe even the sympathetic nervous system and it randomly makes me short of breath and hypoxic. I will be discussing this with my Pulmonologist, Cardiologist, and Rheumatologist in November. When you learn more, please post about it. This is something that is pretty scary for me. My doctors really don't know what to do. They have been treating as if it is Rheumatoid-arthritis related, but after that med snafu, I really think my Dysautonomia specialist needs to be more involved or I also need a neurologist. It isn't a coincidence that my O2 tanked when that med was given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KiminOrlando Posted October 9, 2020 Report Share Posted October 9, 2020 I was just doing some reading that says vasoconstriction makes O2 readings lower. Do you have an O2 meter at home? If so, try the meter on your finger, then try it on your second toe (beside the big toe). Are the numbers different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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