VERY LOW -89% TO 91% OXYGEN LEVELS help?

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phyllis
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Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:44 pm

VERY LOW -89% TO 91% OXYGEN LEVELS help?

Postby phyllis » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:50 pm

My husband was diagnosed on the 16 of Feb (almost a month ago) During his 2 days in the hospital, his oxygen was at 92% (+/- 2%). He has been sleeping about 16 hrs/day since. He had a blood test to be sent to onc today. While there he was hooked up to machine. His oxygen level before was always 99%, or 98% when he was a smoker (quit awhile back). Today it went down to 87% and the nurse gave him oxygen for a few min. It went back to 91% and stayed there. He can't do deep breathing because he gets a very sharp pain below his rt rib.
His tumor in his colon is pushing on a previous surgery site(2004) along his lower spine. The surgery failed, so the site was already very sore before the tumor invaded. He was on 40mg oxycodone 2x/day and 20mg morphine for breakthrough pain. This was BEFORE cancer. He was waiting for a call for an appointment with his surgeon in Calgary, AB for a consult about RFA to ease some of the pain. Now that has to wait. Now he is on 60mg oxycodone 2x/day and 20mg morphine for breakthrough pain.
Does anyone have any suggestions or knowledge of how I can help him raise his levels??? He is confused much of the time and it scares me. I am desperately hoping this will not be permanent.

A problem shared is a problem halved.

Thanks,
Phyllis
Wife of Mike, the love of my life

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CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: VERY LOW -89% TO 91% OXYGEN LEVELS help?

Postby CRguy » Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:14 pm

Sorry for your continued challenges Phyllis and Mike.

ThIs is something to discuss with doctors but FYI : opioids ( oxycodone and morphine ) will depress the breathing / respiratory effort, which in turn will decrease his oxygen intake. A consult with a respiratory therapist may indicate supplemental oxygen is needed ???? there are portable tanks which you may have seen folks using around the hospitals and clinics ?? These can be used at home as well with a nasal tube or face mask. Have you had access to a pain specialist ??? There may be other things which could be added to help control the pain and help Mike breathe easier.

HTH and you get things moving ahead asap here or in AB.

Best wishes
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

phyllis
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:44 pm

Re: VERY LOW -89% TO 91% OXYGEN LEVELS help?

Postby phyllis » Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:38 pm

Thanks CRguy. We did know about the breathing and the opiates. His failed operation was in 2004 an he has had many years of training and education with pain management. All the drs he talks to now tell him to wait until after his appt on the 20th, when he talks to the onc in Kelowna. I don't think they realize how much pain he is actually in, and I think they believe there is nothing more they can do until his tumor is shrunk. I'm afraid they might be right, but I was hoping for some measure, no matter how small, of pain relief help in the foods he eats or anything like that. Do hot/cold patches help?
As for the "oxygen in a tank", he was offered it, but warned about it's addictive affect. My mother, and others we know have had to resort to that. Mike is only 56 and is hoping he doesn't have to go that route, as he is a very active person, normally. If things get worse (hard to imagine), he will definitely look at that option again. A respiratory therapist will be among the specialists included in his video conference on the 20th.

Thank you for your support
Phyllis

phyllis
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:44 pm

Re: VERY LOW -89% TO 91% OXYGEN LEVELS help?

Postby phyllis » Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:52 pm

More info on the moving to AB.

I talked to a person who does the booking in the Tom Baker. She said if we had told the attending physician in Cranbrook about our plans to move to AB, they might have been able to get us in a few days earlier, but not much. Now that the consult is booked with Kelowna, it is best to start treatments there, then move between treatments when things can better be co-ordinated with the two hospitals. So that's our plan. Now we have a plan. No more panic. Thanks for all the info and help.

Patience is a virtue...
Phyllis

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CRguy
Posts: 10473
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: VERY LOW -89% TO 91% OXYGEN LEVELS help?

Postby CRguy » Tue Mar 12, 2013 4:48 pm

Glad that is moving ahead and I can vouch for the Kelowna Oncs ( at least who I dealt with ) being approachable and willing to spend time, talk, email, video conference or phone.....( even more so than in Vancouver :shock: ).... they are VERY patient oriented and supportive.

On the Journey
Best wishes
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far


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