The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[StarWarsGirl]

My ox was 79% at the time. They hit me with the neb and it was wonderful. Within moments I was breathing freely and back up to my normal 96/97%. I wish I had one of those machines home.

If you think it would help, they're pretty easy to get if you have COPD or asthma. I've never had to pay for a nebulizer, including the portable one that I travel with and keep in the car. Then you just keep the medication for it on hand. You can also get a pulsox to keep at home, if you don't already have one. They run about $20 off of Amazon. Anything to let you know how you're doing helps.

FYI, in the future, do not drive to the emergency room if you are having COPD symptoms. Always have someone drive you or call an ambulance. Not a good idea to be driving on low oxygen!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

BTW...
If Dr. prescribed it wouldn't insurance, medicare cover the neb machine?
Please pardon my ignorance, I haven't delved into it.

I've never had to pay for a nebulizer.

My immediate guess is that it would cost very little or nothing with medicare/insurance.

 

[Cesar R M]

oh golly...guess I went overboard. I apologize to you and the thread if I offended anyone.
As for the frog...we Floridians frequently find reptiles and such in strange places the defy explaining their method of entry. At least, I have yet to find a boa constrictor in the toilet bowl.
ETA: I figured you meant "tight" spaces and was just trying to have a little fun with the typo...sorry, again.

I just now notice the typo, I blame autocorrect.

 

[Cesar R M]

So, I haven't really mentioned it here, but, I've been battling some allergies over the last three weeks. I've never been afraid to go to the Dr., especially when it comes to monitoring my heart condition, blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, etc.. But, although I've had them plenty bad many times over the years, I've never had to go for allergies before. Finally had to relent last night and head to an after hours care place. The coughing was driving me (and, everyone around me) insane.
They gave me a breathing treatment (yep, the good ol' neb, which I've never had before). That helped a little, but, not as much as the attending had hoped. Next, chest x-ray. Bronchitis along with the potential beginnings of Pneumonia. So, I'm home for the rest of the week.
I HATE this! Before I left the office last night, I sent 3 PDF design solutions to the partner who's project I was working on. When I called out this morning and talked to him, he said they were all good and not to worry, it would give him time to analyze them further, and to get well.
Even so, I HATE this! I need to be producing. It's what I do.

maybe you could distract yourself by building stuff in simcity, cities 40000 or minecraft.

View attachment 85624

"why so serious"

 

[seahawk7]

Thank you.
The Doc I saw said it was likely not contagious, since it was caused by an extension of the allergies and not a virus or bacteria. Who knows.
Anyway, yes, I'm just so exhausted and sore from coughing. It hurts.
The neb was just something I've never had before. It was just fine, but, it was something we had to do for super premie DS, and I know you need them from time to time, but, I just never imagined myself needing one.
Life's a hoot..!!!

ETA: with the pulse/ox I was only at 95% ox when I got there...

I hope you feel better. In terms of the neb you probably didn't need it. The medicine in it works at the smooth muscle in the bronchioles and pneumonia is in alveoli. Long story short nebs works for asthmatics but doctors like to prescribe them for everyone who coughs. I don't mind it keeps me employed. The one thing that will help you in addition to the antibiotics and fluids is a pep flutter valve. The popular one used nowadays is called an acapella. You blow into it and it creates a vibration into the brunchus allowing your cough to be more productive. Use this in conjunction with muvinex and you should bring up lots of secretions. That is why you couldn't stop coughing because your body (particularly the mucocilliary escalator) wanted to get rid of the secretions but couldn't.

This is an acapella flutter valve you can get it online if your doctor office doesn't have it. They probably don't carry it. You don't need nebs.

 

[JenniferS]

I would rather be married to Steve Carell.

Yeah, me too.
He's a pretty funny guy.

Ben is too much of a pretty boy. As shared earlier, I prefer a manly man.

 

[Cesar R M]

My grandma used to fry spaghetti in the frying pan. She called it fideo.

Funny.. Fideo in Mexico is actually wetter spaghetti (usually with chicken soup or light tomato soup )
and usually diluted in spoon or two of cream.

 

[Cesar R M]

I hope you feel better. In terms of the neb you probably didn't need it. The medicine in it works at the smooth muscle in the bronchioles and pneumonia is in alveoli. Long story short nebs works for asthmatics but doctors like to prescribe them for everyone who coughs. I don't mind it keeps me employed. The one thing that will help you in addition to the antibiotics and fluids is a pep flutter valve. The popular one used nowadays is called an acapella. You blow into it and it creates a vibration into the brunchus allowing your cough to be more productive. Use this in conjunction with muvinex and you should bring up lots of secretions. That is why you couldn't stop coughing because your body (particularly the mucocilliary escalator) wanted to get rid of the secretions but couldn't.

This is an acapella flutter valve you can get it online if your doctor office doesn't have it. They probably don't carry it. You don't need nebs.

I blame my imagination (and hunger). Because that looked at first like a green turkey leg when I quick seen it.

 

[JenniferS]

I just now notice the typo, I blame autocorrect.

That is the default position.
Always blame auto correct.

Second default - someone jacked my phone/iPad; wasn't me posting.

 

[seahawk7]

Oof. That's not good. You should be around 97%-99%. Below 97% is not good. My doc doesn't like anything below 98%. Below 90...shouldn't happen.

To prevent this from happening in the future, you might want to try taking a maintenance med, like Zyrtec, Clairatin, or Alegra, and then take a decongestant when you get bad, like Mucinex or Sudafed, when you start getting congested. Once you get better, you and your doctor can discuss how to best prevent it in the future, but a maintenance med and a decongestant would be a good start.

Depends where you live. We accept anything above 90% here because of our altitude. I wouldn't be worried about 95%.

 

[donaldtoo]

Also gang, sorry if I seem to be fading in and out here from time to time. Not trying too, but, again, a little out of it. Please forgive me.

 

[JenniferS]

Also gang, sorry if I seem to be fading in and out here from time to time. Not trying too, but, again, a little out of it. Please forgive me.

Nap time. Off you go.

 

[seahawk7]

Sorry, that's right, you need them more often than that. Forgive me, I'm still a bit out of it.

Again, I don't know why she told me that now that I think about it, 'cause she also prescribed an antibiotic. Or maybe, I misunderstood her, which is more likely.
And, yes, she also prescribed a Symbicort inhaler.
I've done it once. I could replace a water pump on a Chevy small block quicker than it took me to figure that thing out...!!!

Symbicort is not a rescue inhaler meaning you have to use it routinely to get the benefit. Look online and you can get some info on their website better yet call your local pharmacy and they can tell you how to use it. In my opinion if they were going to give any inhaler in should have been albuterol unless they want you on it for months.

 

[seahawk7]

Again, thank you.
Yes, it's actually that simple. I'm not one of those that hates to admit I'm gettin' older, I just, many times, forget that I am, 'cause I don't feel like it so much. I just need to become even much more aware and preemptive.

The hospitals I work in our filled with people who have what you have right now. Unless you have underlying lung disease, the care for you is pretty routine. Take care of yourself, take your antibiotics, drink lots of water, and don't get too alarmed if you get short of breath walking. When I had pneumonia I couldn't walk across the living room without getting winded. Keep in mind that I say this without knowing your health history so error on side of caution.

 

[donaldtoo]

Nap time. Off you go.

I can't NAP, I'm 20-ish pages behind.
Although, I might take a short NAP-ish break.

On a more realistic note...
I really hate feeling this sick. I just wanna' get up and kick some a$$!!!!!

 

[seahawk7]

I had my first COPD symptom about two years ago. I started coughing and had an awful time just getting air in. I managed to get it calmed down enough to drive to the hospital emergency room. My ox was 79% at the time. They hit me with the neb and it was wonderful. Within moments I was breathing freely and back up to my normal 96/97%. I wish I had one of those machines home. Right now I control it all by using my inhaler in the morning and at night, just for maintenance. It has worked fine since then.

You reached 96% so soon because the neb was probably given with 100% oxygen. There are multiple variables that come into play when the neb is given: the laminar flow which can make a person cough thus clearing the airways, 100% oxygen so the patient instantly feels better, the aerosol that is produced hydrates the oropharyngeal airway, and then there is the medicine put into the nebulizer that works in a specific area of the lung where some of these diseases are not in. In pulmonary toilet (cue the laughter) there are many modalities that help people and nebs are not always the answer. I'm not saying this in your case @Goofyernmost or @StarWarsGirl95 but maybe in @donaldtoo 's case yes.

 

[Eric1955]

Jonathan and Drew are from Vancouver, so that is really peculiar.
I'll have to pay closer attention next time.

I can take or leave the twins; my favourite is Brian Baumler. And Mike Holmes ... no, just no!

My favorite is Love it or List It. The thing I hate about Property Brothers and a lot of house renovation shows is when they gut houses from the 70's. I'm really living in the wrong decade cause I love the 70's. The music, the fashion, and even the interior design. I feel like crying when I watch these shows where they rip out the old paneling and spindles. It's like when they gutted victorian houses in the 60's because they were considered out of style.

 

[seahawk7]

Yea, COPD (which my MIL suffers from) is definitely not the issue. Just me letting things go on too long (which I don't ever do with my other known medical conditions). I'll definitely be more preemptive from now on.
We had a neb machine at home for super premie DS and he was always so relived and relaxed after a treatment.
Those things are awesome.
Sorry about the COPD, but, glad you are taking care of it.

BTW...
If Dr. prescribed it wouldn't insurance, medicare cover the neb machine?
Please pardon my ignorance, I haven't delved into it.

That I don't know. I know here the answer is yes.

 

[seahawk7]

If you think it would help, they're pretty easy to get if you have COPD or asthma. I've never had to pay for a nebulizer, including the portable one that I travel with and keep in the car. Then you just keep the medication for it on hand. You can also get a pulsox to keep at home, if you don't already have one. They run about $20 off of Amazon. Anything to let you know how you're doing helps.

FYI, in the future, do not drive to the emergency room if you are having COPD symptoms. Always have someone drive you or call an ambulance. Not a good idea to be driving on low oxygen!

With COPD you do not, I say this again, you DO NOT want your spo2 or sat level to be to high. You will shut off your hypoxic drive. You need to be followed by a pulmonologist. Have them do a Pulmonary function test ( PFT) to see if you truly have COPD. Many times doctors label a person with it without having the test done. It is very necessary.

 

[seahawk7]

I just now notice the typo, I blame autocorrect.

Happens to me to me all the time.