Supplementary Oxygen

[Jwrags]

First of all, thank you Trish for sending the link to David.

And David, thank you for your insight. I will go to see someone at UC for sure. I will PM you.

Can you explain your statement: “Your little experiment with the oxygen concentrator might have meant something, because hypoxia does both increase intrapulmonary shunt (the amount of blood that bypasses the air sacs in the lungs where blood picks up oxygen) and also increases the blood pressure in the lung's circulation, which then shunts more blood across that patent foramen ovale so it never goes through the lungs in the first place. That will increase what is called venous admixture- the amount of unoxygenated blood that flows to the systemic circulation.”

Am I making the situation worse by using the supplementary O2?

No. If you supplemental O2 you will decrease your hypoxia which will decrease the shunt. The problem is this is only effective while you are in the Os. Now, it may give you some longer term benefit but the benefit will not be lasting when you are off oxygen.

 

[palikona]

No. If you supplemental O2 you will decrease your hypoxia which will decrease the shunt. The problem is this is only effective while you are in the Os. Now, it may give you some longer term benefit but the benefit will not be lasting when you are off oxygen.

Got it, thanks. I’ll discuss all this with a doc at UC but it sounds like closing the PFO could help long term. And the supplemental O2 helps for short term.

 

[palikona]

Checking back with a new question: if I’m using supplementary O2 on the way up to or at high altitude for 30 mins, and then take it off and go about hiking or skiing, am I making the situation worse?

Example: I drive up to Loveland Ski Area from Denver and use the supplementary O2 from Idaho Springs to Loveland, approximately 30 mins, at a flow rate of 2L. That simulates the O2 saturation at sea level. Then I go ahead and ski. Am I basically hurting my body’s way of acclimatizing by tricking it into thinking it’s getting sea level O2 saturation then suddenly it’s breathing O2 saturation at 12,000’? And because of this, causing worse attitude sickness?

FYI: I tried to get in touch with Peter Hacket and the Altitude Clinic at UC Anschutz and no one would call me back.

 

[jcat]

Thank you for the links. Flatland doctors can be wholly unhelpful. It took me 3 years and lots of googling to find out (1) the proper diagnosis for what I was experiencing (periodic breathing during sleep); (2) why it was happening: and (3) to get a drug challenge for Diamox even though I am allergic to sulfa drugs. Reading the information at the link, I can now ask my doctor if I can cut back to only one dose of Diamox at night, since I don’t have headaches or other symptoms of AMS. I’m hoping not taking a dose during the daytime could eliminate the fatigue side effect.

Diamox helped your sleep at altitude?

 

[LiquidFeet]

Diamox helped your sleep at altitude?

Too much Diamox last season (more days than prescribed) put me to sleep in the afternoons. I had no trouble sleeping at night either. Drowsiness is listed as a side effect.

 

[palikona]

Too much Diamox last season (more days than prescribed) put me to sleep in the afternoons. I had no trouble sleeping at night either. Drowsiness is listed as a side effect.

What symptoms did you have that made you take diamox? And did it relieve them?

 

[ForeverSki]

Diamox helped your sleep at altitude?

Sorry for the late reply. Was at Breck but came home with a cold that kept me lazy for a week.

Yes, Diamox definitely helped. I took it day and night for the first 3 days, then only at night. It eliminated the period breathing at night. Except for the last night when I had awful sinus congestion from the cold and couldn’t breathe right. The period breathing returned even with Diamox. So when healthy, Diamox works for me.

 

[palikona]

Thank you to those who recommended getting in touch with Dr Hackett. He and I have been emailing back and forth and he’s putting me in touch with a few different people to work on my issues.
The long and the short of it is I have secondary polycemia, a genetic issue with my body that causes it to create too many red blood cells. My hematologist has me doing monthly phlebotomies to keep my hematocrit and hemoglobin numbers “normal”. However, by doing so, I have been feeling side effects for almost a year, including being winded often, even walking up stairs in Denver (home) and very winded at higher altitude doing any kind of exercise. Also have felt nauseous while at higher altitude if I’ve just had a phlebotomy. I’ve brought this up to my hematologist and he says this is normal. My iron levels are also all in the “low” range, which my hematologist isn’t concerned about and says my body will adjust to.
I discussed all this with Dr Hackett and he thinks I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing and that it’s making it harder on my body.

I’m now in that place where I’m getting conflicting advice and don’t know what the hell to do.

 

[cantunamunch]

I discussed all this with Dr Hackett and he thinks I shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing and that it’s making it harder on my body.

What is his recommendation then? No exercise? No blood letting?

 

[Jerez]

If you look at post #68 there's a fair bit more going on.

(I love how the thread turned into flagrant Diamoxing, in spite of the side effects)

Right you are. I was in the process of deleting my post for being irrelevant.

 

[palikona]

What is his recommendation then? No exercise? No blood letting?

He’s having me talk with a few other people, including an expert in SLC and to get a second opinion from a hematologist in Denver. But yeah, he’s saying the blood letting is not what is recommended, even though that’s what my hematologist recommends.

 

[James]

Doesn’t sound like the blood letting is working for the end goal- exercise at altitude.
It’s also making life worse?

 

[palikona]

Doesn’t sound like the blood letting is working for the end goal- exercise at altitude.
It’s also making life worse?

Correct. It’s making me winded and fatigued even at my home altitude of 5280. But higher altitude is worse.