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Has anyone been diagnosed with low carbon dioxide (CO2)?
I was diagnosed with long COVID 6/24 and was slowly improving until a viral infection in 9/25 put me back to ground zero. I was referred to the aero space dept at Mayo and they found low CO2 levels causing chronic respiratory alkalosis. My Dr. feels that it is the root to the myriad of symptoms that I’ve been experiencing. He equated it to having altitude sickness for 2 years, He also stated that he has been seeing many patients 1-2 years into a long COVID diagnosis with this same condition and that it could be treated much quicker if primary doctors would order an arterial blood gas draw. I’m now on a treatment plan of medication and PT which should gradually bring me back to normal over the next year. I’m very hopeful.
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@azlynn5 how painful was the ABG?
@reneemc it was similar to any blood test. If you have a good technician it shouldn’t be painful.
I just had another respiratory virus (not COVID or flu) and it really knocked the winds out of my sails. It was similar to when I was first diagnosed 8 months ago. As the cough improved and I was getting over the virus, extreme chronic fatigue and nausea kicked in. Both times that I have contracted a virus, I was traveling by plane. I didn’t use a mask because of my difficulties with shortness of breath, but I’m definitely going to use a mask on my next trip. It seems that with long COVID and chronic respiratory alkalosis any virus. including the common cold, can send your body into viral overload attack mode.
I took a breathing science course on Insight Timer and the teacher, Dr. Inge Wolsink, talked about how easily she breathed when climbing mountains. I think she was doing a type of Buteyko breath (my understanding of Buteyko is very gentle, very slow, deep down to lower abdomen nasal breathing). She also explains some of the function and mechanics of CO2. I also read some interesting books with similar info, like Breath by James Nestor and Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown. Patrick McKeown recommends that people with PC start with humming on the exhale, since breath holds (holding the breath out so CO2 builds) can be too challenging to begin with.
Hello I was diagnosed with this last month May 2026 - I have only been in treatment (same treatments as above) 3 weeks but curious if anyone has had success with treatments?