Originally Posted by dllfo

In the last couple of months I have noticed I don't seem to get enough oxygen through the cannulas. When I use a mask I feel like I am getting enough oxygen. This condition is only a problem part of the time. I sleep with a Ventilator, oxygen was titrated at 2LPM, now 3.5 LPM at sea level, 5 LPM at high altitudes (we stayed at 6300 ft for 2 months...Oct-Nov 09). I have woke up gasping for air when titrated at 2LPM, but sleep fine when titrated at 3.5LPM. Something seems to have shifted around and I now sleep, at sea level, with 3.5LPM and we switched to the green oxygen line (high flow rate I think).

All of this is new to me. I have used oxygen as a supplement for years, but not nearly as much as I am using it now. Have any of you went through a situation like this? Where cannulas just don't seem to deliver enough oxygen any more?

Oh yeah, another thing, my SPO 7500 Oximeter said my pulse ox was 96/70 when I went from cannulas to the mask. So the cannulas are delivering oxygen, my brain just doesn't seem to recognize it. Very, very odd.

In the summer of 2007 I was at the National Jewish Hospital, in Denver, CO for almost a month and a half. They ran my pulse ox down to 18, that would be 15 at sea level. My brain did not know it was low on oxygen. I kept talking to them the entire time. Fast Forward and here is my brain saying it needs more oxygen when the meter says my pulse ox is 96/70. So in 2007 my brain did not have oxygen and thought it was fine. In 2009 my brain HAS oxygen and thinks it is not getting any oxygen. I hope I said that correctly.

Any ideas??