So, my doctor prescribed oxygen and I am suppose to do it at bedtime. I am not sure if I am suppose to keep it in while I am sleeping or not. I should call tomorrow and ask. The order said 24 hours, so I guess I can do it anytime, but she told me in the appt to do it at bedtime.
But anyway, she told me lyme disease hates oxygen so it should help. I also have an alpha thalassemia trait, where my red blood cells are smaller than usual so they don't carry as much oxygen.
I am just wondering how many have found oxygen to be helpful?
Posted by Hmm... (Member # 39308) on :
I would def ask your doctor. I think there are downsides to doing too much oxygen, so leaving it in all night might be a bad idea unless its on the right setting.
See how much your doc wants you to do.
Posted by luvema (Member # 26650) on :
It's on number 2
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Ema, I have a friend who does oxygen therapy for severe headaches.
She said that it reduces the pain.
Posted by OtterJ (Member # 30701) on :
That is 2 liters a minute and not that much. If your sinuses get dry, you might ask about a
bubble diffuser that can provide moisture. Some people have had success with hyperbaric chambers
that increase bodily tissue oxygen without using a cannula. Others have said it doesn't work. If
you are slightly thasselemic, this should help with air hunger some experience with
co-infections. Luvema, correct me if I am wrong, thasselemia mean you have less that 4 iron
molecules in some of your red cells. My thinking is that it might be a help against babesia
and/bartonella since the mutation arose to help stop malaria, or am I getting this confused with
sickle cell...?
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
When you go on oxygen, a respiratory therapist is supposed to come out and make sure your setting keeps you at the right pulsox number.
I started oxygen almost a month ago, my situation is complicated by moving to a high elevation and having Babesia, but as soon as I got on the oxygen, I have no more symptoms except fatigue. No more muscle pain, headaches, nothing.
The humidifier or bubble infuser attached to the concentrator helps, but you may still have a dry nose. Use saline nasal spray to add some moisture to your nose.
Posted by gigimac (Member # 33353) on :
I thought I heard oxygen makes babs worse?
Posted by luvema (Member # 26650) on :
I have heard that oxygen is bad for babesia too. Is that true? I really believe I have babesia, and I don't want this oxygen to make it worse.
thalassemia doesn't always mean low iron. It's just that red blood cells are quite smaller than normal, so they don't carry as much oxygen to the tissues.
Posted by OtterJ (Member # 30701) on :
luvema, just did a quick check and yes, it means that some of your red cells are smaller-- smaller
because they don't have the usual complement of 4
heme/iron molecules to bind oxygen and is an adaptation to malaria in the environment. If you
are saturating 02 wise at 99 percent , that means all of your oxygen is attached in the cell
whether they have 3 molecules of 02 or 4 molecules. If you do not supplement 02, you may
have to circulate more blood/heart works harder, breathe more rapidly, work harder to get to 99 percent.
Regardless, those 3 or 4 heme molecules will be saturated. These heme molecules are what babesia
and bartonella need, whether or not you take supplemental oxygen, whether or not you have to
work harder to saturate fully. The red cells come out of your marrow with all of the number of heme
molecules they are ever going to have without oxygen entering into the picture.
With this long winded explanation, I would say take the supplemental oxygen.
Posted by MichaelTampa (Member # 24868) on :
I took 5 liters per minute for 2 hours a day before bed, for a few months, before I realized my problem was lyme disease. It was very helpfuil for me, and I believe the funny dizzy and tired feeling it gave me was a very mild "herx" from killing some bugs. It slowly increased my energy.
Posted by luvema (Member # 26650) on :
OtterJ, that was an awesome explanation!
Thank you so much <3
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
Oxygen is not bad for Babs or Bart. I have a great LLMD and she wouldn't prescribe this if it were going to make the coinfections worse.