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Original poster

Help oxygen sats

84 replies

fannyFERNACKERPANN · 02/02/2021 14:57

My Dm had covid and copd she doesn't sound well at all but is refusing to call an ambulance because she says she's fine but she's struggling for breath and can't talk without coughing and spluttering. She's CEV so we're very concerned

We've got an oxygen meter but I'm unsure what the reading should be for someone with COPD. I looked online and think it's fine to be between 88-92 however Dm thinks if it's 86 it's fine.

Does anyone have any advice and at what reading on the oxymeter would you consider calling for an ambulance? Tia

OP posts:
whenwillthemadnessend · 02/02/2021 16:28

Ok fair enough. Thanks for pointing g it out.

dublingirl66 · 02/02/2021 16:32

Sending you best wishes

This was me and my family few weeks back

Please call ambulance

Those readings are a cause for concern
I would say an ambulance can come and check your mom at your house at the very least

Get her to sip lots of water
Little bits of food too

My thread on day of hell from covid has great advice from many kind people on here
Will try to link it

Will be thinking of your family ❤️❤️❤️

Original poster
fannyFERNACKERPANN · 02/02/2021 16:46

@dublingirl66

Sending you best wishes

This was me and my family few weeks back

Please call ambulance

Those readings are a cause for concern
I would say an ambulance can come and check your mom at your house at the very least

Get her to sip lots of water
Little bits of food too

My thread on day of hell from covid has great advice from many kind people on here
Will try to link it

Will be thinking of your family ❤️❤️❤️

Thank you so much, can you please link your thread I couldn't find it 🤦‍♀️
OP posts:
dublingirl66 · 02/02/2021 16:50

It's in the coronavirus section
Will bump it again
Sorry don't know how to link

How is your mother ?

Original poster
fannyFERNACKERPANN · 02/02/2021 16:57

@dublingirl66

It's in the coronavirus section Will bump it again Sorry don't know how to link

How is your mother ?

Thanks, I got it :) reading through now, we're almost at her house so will know more soon
OP posts:
Frouby · 02/02/2021 17:05

Hope she is OK op, that generation can be very stoic and not want to cause a fuss.

Bluebellpainting · 02/02/2021 17:05

OP please try to get your mother to agree to the paramedics. They can assess her and give her advice. She can still then decline going to hospital but at least she will have been seen by a medical professional and not just a telephone consultation to the GP, who she may of been playing her symptoms down to.
There has been some very poor advice on oxygen sats from both sides. It actually depends what her normal saturations are and whether she is known to retain CO2. Not all COPD patients retain CO2 and therefore not all have a target of 88-92. In the absence of this we use the lower target as over oxygenating these patients is dangerous but we always look for this info. We will aim for above 92 if they don’t retain carbon dioxide and theirs sats are normally above 92%.
Basically it is a lot more complicated than giving a general target for a person with COPD as it isn’t always the same.

Original poster
fannyFERNACKERPANN · 02/02/2021 17:18

She stood up and couldn't speak because she was breathless from standing up. She said her sats were at 94. Refusing to see a paramedic... she's a grown woman not sure what I can do tbh

OP posts:
Stupidusernamefaff · 02/02/2021 17:23

You need to ring an ambulance and let the medics decide- don’t hang around.

Stupidusernamefaff · 02/02/2021 17:24

Hope you and her are ok Flowers

Tumbleweed101 · 02/02/2021 17:24

Does she have her own oxygen? If she does what level is she on? You could contact the GP to see if it can be turned up and explain how she is responding right now.

TenaciousOnePointOne · 02/02/2021 17:26

A GP friend of mine has said if it dips below 94 you should be seeing a doctor. If they are struggling to talk in full sentences even more so.

Applesandpears23 · 02/02/2021 17:26

Confusion is a symptom of the illness.

dublingirl66 · 02/02/2021 17:29

I wound go ahead with the ambulance
Sending good wishes your way

It is such a frightening time xxxx

Original poster
fannyFERNACKERPANN · 02/02/2021 17:30

She's saying she hasn't got worse and we're worried if we call them and she's ok that if we need to call them again if things get even worse they will then not come out

OP posts:
ExpulsoCorona · 02/02/2021 17:31

Go ahead and call the ambulance OP. Let the paramedics negotiate this with her, not you. If she was willing to go in I'd tell you to put her in the car and take her but it doesn't sound like she'd let you. Not being able to speak due to breathlessness is a red flag.

ExpulsoCorona · 02/02/2021 17:32

Just saw your update, that wouldn't happen. They wouldn't refuse to come again. Please please call them now, she needs proper assessment.

MichelleofzeResistance · 02/02/2021 17:32

I am so sorry, this must be so frightening. Flowers

In your situation I would just slip out and call for paramedics as she may be confused due to lack of oxygen. No need to discuss it further until you let the paramedics into the house, and if they agree with her that she's fine they'll be glad to go on their way. Sometimes easier to just do than argue about it. Sad

Original poster
fannyFERNACKERPANN · 02/02/2021 17:33

I'm confused that she's usually measuring 86 and now in the height of covid it's 94

OP posts:
babyyodaxmas · 02/02/2021 17:33

I agree with the others let the paramedics have the arguement with her. ( they are very good at persuading people to go to hospital if needed) Good luck

Nohomeschoolingtoday · 02/02/2021 17:33

We had this with my Dad recently we phoned 111 and used that as the guidance. He did eventually get admitted - but initially they wanted us to monitor him via the oximeter thing. Day 3 when he was no longer improving and going down hill was the point ambulance came out and checked him. He didn’t get admitted that day but the next day he was worse and ambulance back out and admitted . He only spent 2 days in on a drip with some oxygen and antibiotics- then home again.
His body was just knackered from trying to get better this was day 10 after testing positive.he was also fairly out of it from not eating drinking etc

Ring 111 and get them to offer guidance.

PuzzledObserver · 02/02/2021 17:33

Tell her calling the paramedics is for your benefit. You are worried, and want her to be checked out. Tell her that she has the right to refuse to go into hospital, but that you need to know what she is dealing with, for your own peace of mind.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 02/02/2021 17:35

@whenwillthemadnessend

Any ring lower than 92 is seriously unwell. 96-99 is normal. See needs an ambulance
She has COPD. Different set of parameters.
Myshinynewname · 02/02/2021 17:38

What a worry for you.
Forget about the oximeter for a moment - if you didn't know what her sats were would you be calling an ambulance? If she can't speak a full sentence without pausing that would be the cut off to phone an ambulance for me. They absolutely won't refuse to come again, just do the right thing for the situation right now and worry about later when it happens.

Maskedminger · 02/02/2021 17:59

@TenaciousOnePointOne Mine sometimes dips to 93 but goes back up 😬🤷🏻‍♀️

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