Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2020 17:03:16 GMT
mlynn
I recommend consulting his sleep doctor. Perhaps the sleep doctor will prescribe oxygen use with the c-pap. Once you have the concentrator in the house, he can use it whenever he needs it. It takes oxygen from the room air, concentrates it and pushes it through tubes or hoses to his nose and he breathes it in. It is not like they can tell you are asleep or not when you use it or be able to tell how much of the time he is on the oxygen or what time of day..
I know you said he has trouble with the c-pap. My instructions tell me to soak the tubes, masks, cushions in warm soapy water. I am supposed to let them soak about 10 minutes. My mother used vinegar on hers. Vinegar is some kind of anti-septic. I use it to kill bacteria on produce. Since you have trouble with the soapy soak, I would follow it with a vinegar water soak and then rinse in clear water. Hopefully that will increase the effectiveness of the cleaning. I must confess that my bi-pap does not get cleaned nearly as often as it should. Like many weeks between cleanings. I just use tap water and Dawn Soap (original). You might change to Dawn. I would not use a scented soap.
I am pushing the cpap as it could be very important. The c-pap takes pressure off the lungs, which should improve oxygen saturation. It also helps relieve some of the burden on the heart. That is why I have to wear it 24/7. I really encourage you to try to find a way for him to be able to use it.
Again, when the doctor is testing, breathe as shallowly as he can. And do not let them take it too soon after taking him to the exam room. If he has just been exerting himself, he will probably be breathing more deeply, raising his saturation. Make sure he is calm first, and have him breathe as shallowly as he can. Since you haVe a pulse oximeter, he could actually practice and figure out what will help him "fail" the test.
As for the kidneys...my crisis was caused by taking too much diuretic medicine plus too high a dose of blood pressure medicines. My bp was finally down where the heart doctors wanted it (less than 130). However, blood pressure can go too low and stress the kidneys. Evidently the 120's are too low for me.
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Thank you for all of this information! I appreciate your taking the time to explain so much!
DH doesn't have a sleep doctor. His primary just sends him every few years for a sleep study. AGAIN, his primary's office said that he doesn't qualify for oxygen. They think that his breathing issues are due to his low blood pressure right now, since the cardiologist increased his Coreg and added Diltiazem to try to combat the high heart rate. They might want to raise the Coreg even more because his heart rate is still too high. I made an appt with his cardiologist for the 20th (soonest date they had), so we're just waiting it out until then.
As far as the CPAP--DH did use vinegar to clean it regularly, and he'd hang the hoses over the shower to dry completely. He'd use Dawn also intermittently. He's so afraid to add a respiratory infection to what's going on, but his primary just told him that he does need to go back to the CPAP now.
About the kidney issue: the blood test on Friday showed normal results. He has a spot on his kidney (he's got bladder cancer), so they're watching it and he's actually waiting to begin chemo (if that's possible for him). Trying to make sure his kidneys don't get effected. But we HAVE added back his diuretic for swelling of his feet/ankles and water retention of more than 2 lbs in a day. This primary doctor said to stop it because there's no swelling right now and his bp is too low. I'll have to keep a close watch on it. But, thank you for the tip about diuretics affecting kidney function. I had no idea. He needs to stay on the heart meds (high doses) and they also work as bp meds, so we're watching his kidneys........ Hard to balance it all.
I appreciate your information very much! Thank you!
I recommend consulting his sleep doctor. Perhaps the sleep doctor will prescribe oxygen use with the c-pap. Once you have the concentrator in the house, he can use it whenever he needs it. It takes oxygen from the room air, concentrates it and pushes it through tubes or hoses to his nose and he breathes it in. It is not like they can tell you are asleep or not when you use it or be able to tell how much of the time he is on the oxygen or what time of day..
I know you said he has trouble with the c-pap. My instructions tell me to soak the tubes, masks, cushions in warm soapy water. I am supposed to let them soak about 10 minutes. My mother used vinegar on hers. Vinegar is some kind of anti-septic. I use it to kill bacteria on produce. Since you have trouble with the soapy soak, I would follow it with a vinegar water soak and then rinse in clear water. Hopefully that will increase the effectiveness of the cleaning. I must confess that my bi-pap does not get cleaned nearly as often as it should. Like many weeks between cleanings. I just use tap water and Dawn Soap (original). You might change to Dawn. I would not use a scented soap.
I am pushing the cpap as it could be very important. The c-pap takes pressure off the lungs, which should improve oxygen saturation. It also helps relieve some of the burden on the heart. That is why I have to wear it 24/7. I really encourage you to try to find a way for him to be able to use it.
Again, when the doctor is testing, breathe as shallowly as he can. And do not let them take it too soon after taking him to the exam room. If he has just been exerting himself, he will probably be breathing more deeply, raising his saturation. Make sure he is calm first, and have him breathe as shallowly as he can. Since you haVe a pulse oximeter, he could actually practice and figure out what will help him "fail" the test.
As for the kidneys...my crisis was caused by taking too much diuretic medicine plus too high a dose of blood pressure medicines. My bp was finally down where the heart doctors wanted it (less than 130). However, blood pressure can go too low and stress the kidneys. Evidently the 120's are too low for me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for all of this information! I appreciate your taking the time to explain so much!
DH doesn't have a sleep doctor. His primary just sends him every few years for a sleep study. AGAIN, his primary's office said that he doesn't qualify for oxygen. They think that his breathing issues are due to his low blood pressure right now, since the cardiologist increased his Coreg and added Diltiazem to try to combat the high heart rate. They might want to raise the Coreg even more because his heart rate is still too high. I made an appt with his cardiologist for the 20th (soonest date they had), so we're just waiting it out until then.
As far as the CPAP--DH did use vinegar to clean it regularly, and he'd hang the hoses over the shower to dry completely. He'd use Dawn also intermittently. He's so afraid to add a respiratory infection to what's going on, but his primary just told him that he does need to go back to the CPAP now.
About the kidney issue: the blood test on Friday showed normal results. He has a spot on his kidney (he's got bladder cancer), so they're watching it and he's actually waiting to begin chemo (if that's possible for him). Trying to make sure his kidneys don't get effected. But we HAVE added back his diuretic for swelling of his feet/ankles and water retention of more than 2 lbs in a day. This primary doctor said to stop it because there's no swelling right now and his bp is too low. I'll have to keep a close watch on it. But, thank you for the tip about diuretics affecting kidney function. I had no idea. He needs to stay on the heart meds (high doses) and they also work as bp meds, so we're watching his kidneys........ Hard to balance it all.
I appreciate your information very much! Thank you!