The back of my lungs ache,is it possible to retain oxygen and still have COPD. If so why do l get really short of breathe, doing hardly anything?? l am on oxygen 24/7

COPDer is like your case run relatively high carbon dioxide levels in their blood due to the impaired gas exchange. So in other words the concentration of oxygen in the blood remains higher because the CO2 takes up a larger portion of the hemoglobin molecules. It is almost like a false reading, the more accurate measure of your blood gases would be an arterial blood gas report.

l confess l am lost to part of question about ''retaining oxygen & still have COPD! But concerning being short of breath this is the primary symptom of COPD patients, especially when disease is progressing.

Regarding back of lungs ache (or hurting), a pulmonologist told at a hospital couple years back the lungs can not hurt.; They simply do not hurt. Now by experience with someone w/ COPD, she does get pain in front chest area when she has had pneumonia, which is something to be very aware of for it also comes with the territory, sort to speak. Apparently the flu or a very bad cold turns to pneumonia for her eventually.

Since I've come to realize that COPD is not only a chronic & devastating disease, it is also one which could be completely treated (not cured). But u do have to be very attentive to all ur symptoms, especially when a new one develops. You have to listen & understand as much EVERYTHING ur doctor tells you, especially the pulmonologist.

Most important do not let anyone from MEDICAL profession or anyone else for that matter tell u that ''there is not much that can be done even at the end stage of the disease!!!! l could fill out an entire notebook with the ''assumptions'' made by many in the medical field who unfortunately steered this relative of mine & her entire family from many things that would have indeed help her.

Do not be afraid or embarrased to ask all the questions u think r pertinent. And whenever u do not understand anything been told to you, ask & probe for the right answer. Unfortunately u will receive information from many whom want to help you, but which seem contradictory in the manner that many of these facts r implemented.

LoJac. l believe that u r talking about Carbon Monoxide!! That is what carbon monoxide poisoning does & not Carbon Dioxide.


To answer ur question. How long were u without O2? If u were not off of it for a long enough time, then u did not receive a true Room air sat. Another reason that ur sat was 97 could be because O2 levels fluctuate greatly in Copders. l can place a pulse ox on some of my COPD patients & their sat can go from 88% to 97% to 93% to 90% etc... It fluctuates so much. If u r taking good care of ur COPD, then that could be another reason. There r so many reasons why it was at that level.. but for whatever reason it was. that is a good Sat for being off of O2.