My turn...From ER to a room for couple of nights

[vicrider 0]

Thursday evening I went for my walk up and down our block. I don't push but Doc orders to get out. That night I had to stop and rest a couple of times on my walker seat. Even with Oxy on my Blood Oxy was dropping into low 80s and slow to come back. I normally never see below 90. 88 is considered the  point of concern with BO. Friday I was slow and even a trip to the bathroom was bringing BO down too much. Saturday was getting worse and even hitting Oxy regular any efforts we leaving me light headed and thought I was going to pass out once. Had to grab sink to stay up. 

OKAY...my wife knows I refuse to go to ER. It can wait to see a doc but this time at midnight on Saturday and unable to get my Blood Oxygen into the 90s I said let's go. So after a few hours seeing nurses and getting poked for blood, getting the same inhaler I use at home, and the Doc on call shows up. We talk, she says she can't force me to do anything but wants me to stay at least overnight so they can maximize insurance claims. Reluctantly I agreed because this time I was concerned my COPD had just entered the Stage 4 area where improvement is questionable and maintenance at best for life extension. I went up to the room Sat. night, got poked and prodded and fed steroids and antibiotics through IV, nebulizer solutions, and had two Blood gas tests which is a very uncomfortable process of sticking syringe in wrist and going going deep to hit the vein. She could not find it after 10 minutes of twisting and pushing and left wrist and switched to right wrist and that hurt more but she got the sample both times on that side.

Okay, I spent my time on Oxy, got several steroid and antibiotics through IV, took a bunch of pills and though BO would get up to mid 90s at rest a trip to bathroom would be looking at 70s. All the junk they were pouring into me was slowly bringing the lungs back into safe ranges and got out Monday afternoon with orders to a Pulmonologist at soonest app't. and come back to ER if things go bad again. Right now I've got the long tube on the Concentrator to wonder around the house with Oxy, something I have never had to do. Just mainly use at night or when I get something close to active. Even walking I hadn't needed it but as an occasional boost. Doc said the heavy humid weather we're having could be triggering an exacerbation and I may have to accept this stage but hopefully the specialist can make some adjustments in meds to help. Worst part is I was just at the point of getting back on the water with the increased walking and good condition I was losing weight and feeling good and BANG, someone in charge said things are going too good for you...Take This.

[TSMcDougald 0]

1 hour ago, vicrider said:

Thursday evening I went for my walk up and down our block. I don't push but Doc orders to get out. That night I had to stop and rest a couple of times on my walker seat. Even with Oxy on my Blood Oxy was dropping into low 80s and slow to come back. I normally never see below 90. 88 is considered the  point of concern with BO. Friday I was slow and even a trip to the bathroom was bringing BO down too much. Saturday was getting worse and even hitting Oxy regular any efforts we leaving me light headed and thought I was going to pass out once. Had to grab sink to stay up. 

OKAY...my wife knows I refuse to go to ER. It can wait to see a doc but this time at midnight on Saturday and unable to get my Blood Oxygen into the 90s I said let's go. So after a few hours seeing nurses and getting poked for blood, getting the same inhaler I use at home, and the Doc on call shows up. We talk, she says she can't force me to do anything but wants me to stay at least overnight so they can maximize insurance claims. Reluctantly I agreed because this time I was concerned my COPD had just entered the Stage 4 area where improvement is questionable and maintenance at best for life extension. I went up to the room Sat. night, got poked and prodded and fed steroids and antibiotics through IV, nebulizer solutions, and had two Blood gas tests which is a very uncomfortable process of sticking syringe in wrist and going going deep to hit the vein. She could not find it after 10 minutes of twisting and pushing and left wrist and switched to right wrist and that hurt more but she got the sample both times on that side.

Okay, I spent my time on Oxy, got several steroid and antibiotics through IV, took a bunch of pills and though BO would get up to mid 90s at rest a trip to bathroom would be looking at 70s. All the junk they were pouring into me was slowly bringing the lungs back into safe ranges and got out Monday afternoon with orders to a Pulmonologist at soonest app't. and come back to ER if things go bad again. Right now I've got the long tube on the Concentrator to wonder around the house with Oxy, something I have never had to do. Just mainly use at night or when I get something close to active. Even walking I hadn't needed it but as an occasional boost. Doc said the heavy humid weather we're having could be triggering an exacerbation and I may have to accept this stage but hopefully the specialist can make some adjustments in meds to help. Worst part is I was just at the point of getting back on the water with the increased walking and good condition I was losing weight and feeling good and BANG, someone in charge said things are going too good for you...Take This.

I have had that experience. I have severe COPD too - not to the point that I need oxygen but close. I hope you get better soon. 

[Trouttramp 0]

Hang in there Vic.

Sorry to hear your having problems. 
 

Get better, hope you can get back on the water soon. 
 

TRAMP

[Steeldrifter 0]

Hate to hear that Nick. That is some real low 02 levels though so glad you gave in and went to the doc. Hope they get the meds working better and get ya back to where you were doing a bit better again. Let us know how things go.

[niveker 0]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Nick. 

I know from experience with my Dad how frustrating it can be when there's no clear cut solution when something goes awry.  Hoping you'll find a quick, easy solution and get back to the water.  And like Steve says, keep us posted.  

-- Kevin

[gadabout 0]

Hang in there buddy.  The fish are waiting for your speedy recovery.

[vicrider 0]

Sad thiing is with so little time fishing I had talked to a buddy who stopped by while I was walking Thursday night and made plans for him to throw me my walker in his truck and go to a pond he had permission on that was easy to get to flat banks and lots of fun size bass in that 12-16" area. I told him later it was sitting on my walker while his diesel truck poured fumes out that brought this on. I had to reassure him I felt it coming before he stopped. We will make it there soon I hope.

Edit to add that I just took a shower (irritating with Oxy hookup but not real bad) and after cleaning off hospital grime, shaving, dressing and coming out to computer my BO is 97% and pulse 60. Now this is with Oxy and in past years I'd never us Oxy for shower or cooking or fly tying and BO would never go below 90 and pulse generally 55. (My pulse has always been a little abnormally slow and my resting heartbeat is often in high 40s but various heart studies say that is the strongest heart in an 80 year old I could hope for. Hate dragging the hose with me but these figures are encouraging. Makes me think all the fine work in our small local hospital is better than a lot of locals give it credit for. Even there food has improved drastically since I did Swing Bed in there for my shattered femur.

 

[cphubert 0]

Nick don't chase those girls up and down the block. Hopeful the docs will find an answer and get you back to a stable saturation so you can chase fish when the heat and humidity break. Wishing you the best outcome.

Chris

[RickZieger 0]

Take care of yourself and follow directions.

Rick 

[SalarMan 0]

Whew!!  My only thought is follow doctor's orders and hang in the buddy. We're all pulling for you.

George

[Sandan 0]

Nick,

Do whatever it takes to get back up and running. I'm sending you all the best for as speedy a recovery as possible.

[Steeldrifter 0]

15 hours ago, vicrider said:

Edit to add that I just took a shower (irritating with Oxy hookup but not real bad) and after cleaning off hospital grime, shaving, dressing and coming out to computer my BO is 97% and pulse 60.

That is good to hear. Hopefully it's an indication of good things to come for you. What LPM are you having to set the concentrator on for that level?

[vicrider 0]

I'm on 2 LPM and have been since starting on Oxy. In the early episodes I was having I'd have to crank it way up to 6 and gasp and wheeze for sometimes a half hour. Of course I refused to go to ER at that time but always came out of it. Later I learned the extra O2 was not all that helpful since it was getting CO2 out and not 02 in that was the problem. I didn't have albureral at the time and that was what I really needed. Now I do a long term nebulizer treatment twice a day and a steroid nebulizer once a day and have had a real attack in years with those. This was more of a an overall condition and not a sudden onset like past attacks that just blew through. It's been a learning process and we're seeming to be back on track but I may need to go to some of the new discus inhalers like Trelegy to keep it in check. Thing is we have no drug coverage and some of those meds get downright expensive. Will have to look at getting on Plan D on Medicare at open enrollment. I'll have to to pay more for it since we never took it when getting on but it might still pay to get on now.

Thanks to all you guys for your encouragement and concerns. It does help

[mikechell 0]

Geezo Peezo !!!  I have trouble getting online for a couple of days and all hell breaks loose !!!

Nick, please take care of yourself.  I sure hope you get and stay better.  I hate to hear that you're coverage doesn't help with the cost of meds ... as you said, that can get expensive.

Good luck with a quick and long lasting recovery.

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

Nick,

Sorry to hear what you are going through. I am glad to hear you are getting good medical support. Looking forward to hearing many more of your posts and your reflections on waters you have fished up here. 
Tom