Chronic shortness of breath but good oxygen levels
Hello again. I have advanced emphysema ( over inflated lungs). I have chronic shortness of breath yet my oxygen levels are always normal. I am therefore not on oxygen. Can anyone explain how this is possible? How is the oxygen I breathe in able to get to the rest of my body yet not into my lungs because they are over inflated? Does the oxygen get absorbed in other ways aside from the lungs?
O2 levels
Oxygen and air are partially the same thing but since air is only about 21 percent oxygen, it's not the shortage of oxygen that is bothering you, it's that there too much air in your lungs that's not moving about. Do some controlled breathing to force that air to move. The O2 levels are a different topic and should be addressed accordingly, but not necessarily as the same problem.
It sounds to me like you need to practice pursed lip breathing. My Dr said it was like smelling the roses, then blowing out candle's. Just make sure you purse your lips to blow out and breath out at least twice as long as you breath in. A lot of times when you feel short of breath it's actually to much CO2 being held in your lungs, the pursed lip breathing helps get rid of it.
I am stage 4 COPD so believe me I've been where you are as far as shortness of breath. I am on oxygen, 7 lpm but I still have to remind myself to purse lip breath at times. I hope that this will help you. Calthank you for responding Cal. I do the pursed lip breathing all the time. It’s so nice to be able to talk to others here who know how you feel. I have advanced emphysema. It’s all brutal! I wish you well! 
Hi seabolt (Cal), and thanks for weighing in and sharing your impression of pursed-lip breathing and how it works for you. We appreciate you sharing this here.
I also wanted to join in the conversation here between you and, if you don't mind.
I thought it might be beneficial to share this video, from the American Lung Association, in regards to this breathing strategy, pursed-lip breathing.
https://youtu.be/7kpJ0QlRss4
I do hope you find it to be helpful to review.
All the best,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
I was wondering something similar , my Husband has Emphysema ,he is chronically short of breath . His Dlco has only recently dropped into the Mild range , reading 70 % predicted , even though all his other PFT readings are very abnormal .
Hi Rebecca, and welcome! I see you are a new member here, having joined today, just about 4 hours ago. We are glad to see you already engaging with the community through these, your first two posts.
For some folks with a COPD diagnosis, shortness of breath (SOB), can be a consistent symptom. The PFT result you mentioned, 'diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide' (DLCO), can be indicative or characteristic of certain pulmonary conditions. For a thorough explanation of your husband's PFT results, I would urge you to discuss them with your physician. The doctor will be able to explain the results and what they mean for your husband's specific level of disease.
What do you think?
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
Hi
Good questions and with all the information out there to research things can get so confusing as we start learning about our medical problems. I don't know if this will be helpful but here is my NON-Medical Personal thoughts. Hoping they help
Oxygen intake - Our lungs are the only organ to be able to except air, excrete the oxygen out in to the blood stream (Circulation) and then exhale the left over that is not needed. It sounds like your lungs are still doing that very well.
Over inflated lungs - this happens when there is a problem in the lungs (you mentioned Emphysema) is clogged / blocked some area of the lung(s) and is holding the air that was suppose to be exhaled, creating a trap. This "to- be- exhaled" air continues to be trapped stretching your lungs to capacity of it's elastic stretchy ways, leaving only part of your lung available to except more air to be used in the normal way it would be. Thus with your numbers being in "normal" range, you are still able to breath in enough to have your lungs grab that oxygen out and distribute it. Hard to breath, that's because the lungs are not as stretchy anymore and have no room left for what it was use to getting in every breath you use to take before the emphysema took it's toll.
May I suggest that you talk with your Pulmonologist if you haven't already to see about treatments, respiratory therapy or breathing exercises that you can do to help relieve some of this problem for you. That's if you have not done so already of course.
Again hope this helps, wishing the best of the day!
