Are You Using Your Oxygen Correctly?

   Are you using your oxygen correctly? Most patients don’t!

The only way to tell if you need oxygen, and when, is to do the proper tests. A six- minute walking test, done by your R.T., will tell you if you need oxygen with exercise, or at rest. An overnight sleep study will tell you if you need oxygen, or possibly a CPAP device, during the night while you sleep.
Using more oxygen than you really need is not a good idea, especially if you have never been tested for Carbon Dioxide retention. And not using enough oxygen, if you need it, can strain the heart. Being short of breath does not mean you need oxygen. Conversely, you can feel fine and be in need of oxygen. ( Sort of…. some people get used to short breathing and don’t even realize that they are… I’ll do another post on this ) .
If you really feel like oxygen might help you, ask your doctor to order a 6 minute walk test, and an Arterial Blood gas as well if your oxygen saturation drops below 88%.