Ontopic Health Thread: post your AIDS, diseases and infekshunz here.

Today is actually the first day I can kind of type without hitting a bunch of extra keys unintentionally.

So, while trying to keep my O2 level DOWN but high enough to keep meh body from freaking out, they’re also wrasslin with me over the amount of opiates they want me on. I finally gave in. I was taking one pill (I’m leaving dosages out of this to keep it simpler) every 4 hours, then I started needing it sooner so it became every 3 hours. The Rx calls for 1-2 pills every 4 hours, so I was within the Rx limits, easily. Nurse has been pushing for me to “Take 2, if one is roosting it’s effectiveness before the 4hours is up, take 2.” That, in my opinion, is a big jump, so I was still taking one every 3.

I’ve kind of been PTSDd from the “opiate crisis”. They clamp down and don’t let people pick up their Rx ONE FUCKING DAY EARLY and in time, they’ll be TOO cautious and take less in order to stretch out their Rx. That was me. I have a month’s supply built up from the past 17 years of being on dope.

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So, I gave up. I set reminders in my Apple devices to go off every 4 hours. I was going to follow the every four hours instructions even though my puny brains know that I was okay (but increasing use) on 5-6-7 pills a day that the 12 a day they wanted me to take was the only way to stop that argument.

Then the CO2 Toxicity thing hit. A nurse came (a different nurse than my regular) and she’s on the phone with a doctor. They decide to increase (did I mention I’m also on methadone now?) the amount of methadone I’m taking and decrease oxycodone, because it was too much. Well, no fucking shit asshole. BUT, I’m not letting them change it since they hadn’t even given the new “2 every 4 hours” Rx a 24 hour trial. Let’s give it at least a day to see what happens before adjusting it again. Jeez.

Ghen I notice my oxycodone bottle is a little low, so I order more. An hour later, phone rings. Person says, “I spoke to your nurse. You have plenty there.” and it turns out she had put some pills in my bedroom nightstand for emergency use, along with two other STRONGER drugs for emergency use, and didn’t tell me.

Now I feel like I’m being watched again over quantities.

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The nurse was here yesterday for a couple hours and man, what a contentious visit that was.

Now, I have TWO oxygen machines. One in the living room, the other in my bedroom. I’d been fighting against that for a month also. They can’t figure out how else to keep my O2 levels at about 90% while resting and then a higher machine setting once I stand up. Good luck. My oxygen sat drops whenever I stand, even with the machine set higher.

I mean, it REALLY drops now, and fast. I hit mid-70s just by walking ten feet. Nurse says most people pass out below 70%. I’ve been below 70% several times and hit mid 60s at least once, while metered.

I tried to get the nurse I’m working with mostly to understand that I know the toxicity is awful, but I had a handful of incidents in the last year (I think I’ve been on oxygen a little over a year) with the machine doing what it does and that wasn’t enough incidents to warrant a second machine, along with the costs and complications involved with it.

I just want to fucking slip away peacefully. I’m due for some good luck, and I’ll take it in that form please. A peaceful end. BUT, it’s The Death of a Thousand Cuts and that fucker is getting 1001 outta me.

More later
 
I also now have urinals planted throughout the house because I nearly piss my pants all the time now. I’ve been battling that for a couple years because it’s a symptom of running out of oxygen, and I’ve had some REALLY close calls lately. Like squeeze dick with hand close. I’ve only had to use one once so far. It sucks.
 
I also now have urinals planted throughout the house because I nearly piss my pants all the time now. I’ve been battling that for a couple years because it’s a symptom of running out of oxygen, and I’ve had some REALLY close calls lately. Like squeeze dick with hand close. I’ve only had to use one once so far. It sucks.
Capitalize on this situation and put a balloon on your dick. Fill them up with urine and throw them at the neighbors.
 
I now have to keep an eye on a new affliction. Carbon dioxide toxicity. I lost an entire week from it.

Chronic COPD/emphysema patients have trouble expelling CO2 and their blood retains it. The result is :

View attachment 14520

And I had every one of those effects. I thought it was just a migraine. The past week, doctors and nurses have been trying to get my oxygen level DOWN (wtf) but still high enough that my body doesn’t involuntarily start gasping for oxygen, which we do once you hit low 90s% on the meter.

This may take a post or two, separated because I tend to lose entire chunks of posts before I can get them posted.
Glad they caught it baba. :heart:
 
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I now have to keep an eye on a new affliction. Carbon dioxide toxicity. I lost an entire week from it.

Chronic COPD/emphysema patients have trouble expelling CO2 and their blood retains it. The result is :

View attachment 14520

And I had every one of those effects. I thought it was just a migraine. The past week, doctors and nurses have been trying to get my oxygen level DOWN (wtf) but still high enough that my body doesn’t involuntarily start gasping for oxygen, which we do once you hit low 90s% on the meter.

This may take a post or two, separated because I tend to lose entire chunks of posts before I can get them posted.
I know you don't have a lot of energy, but how were you not in full on panic attack? CO2 levels are really the only thing your body cares about as far as respiration and its controlled by your fight/flight lizard brain. That's insane.
 
I know you don't have a lot of energy, but how were you not in full on panic attack? CO2 levels are really the only thing your body cares about as far as respiration and its controlled by your fight/flight lizard brain. That's insane.

Im probably not understanding, but trust me, when your body senses it’s running on 90% or less oxygen saturation, it panics itself and you have to concentrate on not panting to catch up. And yes, high CO2 levels cause it also. For the past hour, I’ve been at 97% oxygen saturation but my lungs are like “breathe fucker”as though I’m at 90%. Communication in me is all fucked up.
 
Im probably not understanding, but trust me, when your body senses it’s running on 90% or less oxygen saturation, it panics itself and you have to concentrate on not panting to catch up. And yes, high CO2 levels cause it also. For the past hour, I’ve been at 97% oxygen saturation but my lungs are like “breathe fucker”as though I’m at 90%. Communication in me is all fucked up.
I'm clearly not a doctor, but from my understanding - it doesn't care about oxygen, only getting rid of CO2. That's why suicide by breathing nitrogen gas or carbon monoxide is peaceful. You're still getting rid of CO2, so no warning bells really go off. You just go to sleep.

I would assume the panic is from the buildup of CO2, which is the other part of the oxygen exchange in your lungs.
 
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When the nurse was leaving yesterday, she appeared “down” (hard to tell with masks and all) which is rare, and she said “You aren’t okay with this, are you?”

“Well, no. This is the first time you’ve left me feeling less positive when you leave than I did when you got here.” and she said she felt the same.

I’m back to the place I was at months ago with “qualifying” for services. I hope there really is a place I can go to and stay once I can’t get out of bed, because I’m almost there now. I’m regretting that I didn’t check into and sign up for the death with dignity service months ago, but hospice convinced me I’d be dying comfortably. This ain’t comfortable.
 
I'm clearly not a doctor, but from my understanding - it doesn't care about oxygen, only getting rid of CO2. That's why suicide by breathing nitrogen gas or carbon monoxide is peaceful. You're still getting rid of CO2, so no warning bells really go off. You just go to sleep.

I would assume the panic is from the buildup of CO2, which is the other part of the oxygen exchange in your lungs.

You’re likely correct because when I’ve seen movies or TV and the characters are low on oxygen, they seem damn happy.
 
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When the nurse was leaving yesterday, she appeared “down” (hard to tell with masks and all) which is rare, and she said “You aren’t okay with this, are you?”

“Well, no. This is the first time you’ve left me feeling less positive when you leave than I did when you got here.” and she said she felt the same.

I’m back to the place I was at months ago with “qualifying” for services. I hope there really is a place I can go to and stay once I can’t get out of bed, because I’m almost there now. I’m regretting that I didn’t check into and sign up for the death with dignity service months ago, but hospice convinced me I’d be dying comfortably. This ain’t comfortable.
Fucking fuck :(
 
The confusing part to me is tha, regardless of what my CO2 level is (I don’t have a meter for that), my body is damn happy when I’m at 97% oxygen saturation but not when it’s below 90%.
 
The confusing part to me is tha, regardless of what my CO2 level is (I don’t have a meter for that), my body is damn happy when I’m at 97% oxygen saturation but not when it’s below 90%.
But I think its chemically a 1-to-1 exchange. Air comes in. The alveoli in your lungs are more attracted to O2 than CO2, so when they see it, they take the O2 and cast off the CO2. Therefore low oxygen saturation should mean high co2 saturation.

And the alveoli are actually MORE attracted to carbon monoxide than oxygen, so they will readily take that instead of oxygen - which is how CO poisoning works.