I'm wondering if anyone can share some insight into how you've felt or signs you've seen when you are desatting during exercise. I am lucky in that my pulmonary function is quite good given my age (27). It's generally somewhere in the 70% range. I tend to deal with more asthma issues than anything else. However, I've had a really hard time with the exercise I normally do and also with regular walking (which is uphill most of the way) to work.
My legs still seem to be able to do the work though I am winded and tired by the point at which I reach my destination (it's approximately 1.5 to 1.75 miles from where I park to the building where I work). It takes most of the day to recover. I tend to get a headache during or after. My nails turn a dusky purple. I have not had any problems with oxygen desaturation except for during asthma episodes. So at clinic they only measure it sitting down and I am almost always 98% or higher. I am avoiding clinic because the fellow has left and it tends to take (literally) 3 hours or more to redo the evaluation with the new fellow who asks questions about my entire medical history. I also don't have a lot of time because of work and school to be evaluated.
I don't do anything intense during exercise, just brisk walking. I also think I may be desatting at night (when I'm awake or asleep) because I have the same signs. I don't think my pft's have fallen because I'm still blowing the same amount of air for peak flow though I have not had pfts since May. I am pretty positive I do not have any exacerbations/infections going on since sputum is light in amount and of normal color/consistency.
I know this has been an ongoing topic but most people are at the stage where they've had pulse ox at home to measure their sats and I don't. I also don't think my insurance will think it's medically necessary to get one and expenses are a little tight. So I'm just looking for signs of if this is desatting or what else might be explaining this change over the last couple of weeks.
My legs still seem to be able to do the work though I am winded and tired by the point at which I reach my destination (it's approximately 1.5 to 1.75 miles from where I park to the building where I work). It takes most of the day to recover. I tend to get a headache during or after. My nails turn a dusky purple. I have not had any problems with oxygen desaturation except for during asthma episodes. So at clinic they only measure it sitting down and I am almost always 98% or higher. I am avoiding clinic because the fellow has left and it tends to take (literally) 3 hours or more to redo the evaluation with the new fellow who asks questions about my entire medical history. I also don't have a lot of time because of work and school to be evaluated.
I don't do anything intense during exercise, just brisk walking. I also think I may be desatting at night (when I'm awake or asleep) because I have the same signs. I don't think my pft's have fallen because I'm still blowing the same amount of air for peak flow though I have not had pfts since May. I am pretty positive I do not have any exacerbations/infections going on since sputum is light in amount and of normal color/consistency.
I know this has been an ongoing topic but most people are at the stage where they've had pulse ox at home to measure their sats and I don't. I also don't think my insurance will think it's medically necessary to get one and expenses are a little tight. So I'm just looking for signs of if this is desatting or what else might be explaining this change over the last couple of weeks.