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To measure Co2, you can purchase an oxymeter at CVS, Walgreens, most any pharmacy. I was told, seeing my husband has COPD, that his "safe Zone" is 87 - 100. Once he starts talking strange, getting loopy, somehow I managed to get him to agree to get to the hospital so I would drive him to emergency room. He'd start nodding out on the ride so they would take him immediately. As I've said earlier in a separate message, it's been like 12+ times this has happened. It was not because he took opiates or xanax because he was on such a low dose after the first episode happened. Being an addict had been tough on him but I'm glad our local hospital is a 5 min drive vs havin to drive to Boston. Age can have a lot to do with it especially the lost weight as well as to why he was hypercapniac. His blood tests would come up showing zero opiates and zero benzos in his system but he still went unresponsive. Very scary. Sorry I went down a rabbit hole "heart4wi", but do buy an oxymeter. You'll feel more comfortable in making a decision whether a trip to the ER is necessary or not. Blessings to all. Betsc
Replies to "To measure Co2, you can purchase an oxymeter at CVS, Walgreens, most any pharmacy. I was..."
I have a pulse oximeter. In hospital, docs never used that to measure co2 levels - they had to do blood tests for that. Same with my ED visits. At my worst hypercapnia episode my o2 was around low 90's (where it should be) though my co2 was quite high.
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We do have an oximeter but I wasn't sure what the numbers mean. I think the oxygen level was on the bottom and the heart rate was on top. Is that right? So if the one that tells us the oxygen is low, then we know that his co2 is building up. Right? Let me know if my thinking is correct. Thanks.