hypercapnia

Thanks for your answer. Yes, my husband is very stubborn. Says he wants to help himself, but balks at most foods I mention. He wanted campbells chicken noodle soup today. I asked him if wanted some oyster crackers to put in the soup and he said,"No. Crackers are dry." I said not if they are in your soup. Well he said the does not like crackers. So i said, OK. We have boost but he does not want it. We have vanilla pudding in the little cups and jello in the little cups. No, he does not want any of that. I made him milkshakes but after two, he did not want anymore. The ice cream got old, so I threw it out. I suggested plain rice or mashed potatoes with butter and he just looked at me like I was nuts and rolled his eyes. What the heck does he want? Wish I Knew. He is about to run out of his oxycodone on Tuesday. He should have enough until next monday when he will get them refilled. I am the one that gives them to him, and I did give him like 8 extra when he asked for them, but there still should be more. He insists that he does not know where I put them, but I don't believe him. He has lied about this before. His xanax has been gone. His oxycodones are 20 mg a pill. He is supposed to take them 4 a day. He has no more oxycontin and said he is not going to get them refilled because they cost him 90.00. This tells me that he did not want them for pain but for the high. If they were cheaper, he would still get them. Like you, I worry he will pass from all the drugs in his system before the cancer ends it. I know he has someone getting him pills. The other day he showed me a jar of medical marijuana someone had given him. He may have traded some oxycodones for the marijuana. I will never know. And believe it or not, he used to a drug/alcohol counselor. So, he knows about drugs. Way back before i met him, he was a big pill popper. We did not get married until we were both early 40's. I am 69 now and he is 68. This pill problem has been going on for years. Plus he used to drink a lot of beer. He was a functional alcoholic. But he had to quit drinking beer early last year as it began to bother his stomach. I am tired of worrying about the pills, etc. My husband should be eating thickened foods as he does have trouble swallowing some things. When he was in the hospital last month, they were thickening his liquids and he would not drink them. He hardly ate any of the food. Said it was crap. They wanted him to eat thickened food and drink the thickened liquids but he refused. But he pretty much sticks to noodles. He would never agree to a feeding tube. I already mentioned it and he said NO. He is supposed to use a bipap at night to help push out the co2 but he refused. The doctors are getting a little tired of him. So am I. lol When does your husband get his pet scan? Joe is having a brain mri on this coming thursday. This was also to be done 2 months ago, but because we were too early for the last one, he refused to wait. Then they were going to do it while he was in the hospital in december, but they never did. Probably because he signed the AMA release form 3 days after he got there. As I have said before, he is his own worst enemy. Congratulations on your new grandson. NOthing brings a smile to the face like a baby. I have no grandchildren because neither one of my boys have children. My oldest son is married to an oncologist nurse and neither of them wanted children. My youngest is 40 and is living with a girl who is 45 and already raised 3 boys. She is a little old to be having babies. It is nice to be able to share our days and problems with someone who understands. You mentioned Boston, so do you live in MA? I live in pennsylvania and we are about an hour from Pittsburgh. Talk to you soon. Have a good day!

Oh, yes, Denise...our husbands are the same. Both are 68, Both have been using drugs from their early days, trading drugs, and finding out where us wives hiding places are of theirs or our drugs, etc. Drives me Nuts. Our drs took Jimmy off zannys and lowed his Oxy dose down to 5 mg once he started experiencing hypercapnia as that represses your system. However, he didn't have enough meds in his system to cause Hypercapnia. His blood tests would come back showing zero Benzos and zero Opioids. It was all due to his Cancer in his throat and what it was effecting his body. Plus as you age, your system can't accept a high dose of either; but we know our husbands and they will take enough to get high. I take Xanax because of living with him (LOL). That is true to a point, but I've high anxiety, high blood pressure and the xanax does wonders for my BP. And, of course he knows I have them and bugs me for them or gets mad. Anyway, He grew up in Provincetown, MA and I moved to Cape Cod, MA in 1980. I grew up in a suburb of Fall River, MA. Married in 1990. Hubs and 1st wife had a baby boy in 1975; and we had a baby girl in 1991. I'll be 65 and on Medicare in August! LOL. I still feel like in my late 30's and work out as much as I can BEFORE summer comes. I really hope your husband rethinks the feeding tube. It is so easy. It doesn't have to be a life time event. I assume he sees a Speech Pathologist and a dietician that the hospital sets you up with. They do in MA; I'd assume in PA. My husband was a cook for years and also installed floors did roofing an siding. He always made dinner..was the best cook! That he misses but he's gotton over it after 17 months with feeding tube. Now, it's his lack of a voicebox that depresses him. It's hard and real quiet in the house. He's got a great sense of humor which even though he can't speak it, his facial expressions or charades or writing it out helps his sense of being. He does not want to die. He is doing what the doctors tell him. He also has a great support system made up of family and close friends, plus his many doctors who liked him as they got to really know him and his ways (drugs included) and made them all laugh. I used to tell him that if I knew him when I was 18, I'd stay away from him cuz he was a trouble-maker. He's got a long record but none that involve the worse of the worse. The only trouble he got in when with me since 1983 was being pulled over 3 times for drunk driving. We are both alcoholics but have been "Free" for me going on 14 years, and my hubs 10 years. You should read this to your husband. I'm hoping it might give him the gumption he needs to stop saying NO to foods he's offered...cripes he's lucky he can still eat! The Feeding tube will actually give him more calories if he's weighing under 100 lbs. My husband was told he can eat by mouth since having the trach and then the laryngectomy, but during the operation, they found a section in way back of his tongue had cancer so had to cut that out and he now only drinks coffee, a Wendy's Choc Frosty, and his Nestle IsoSource which is same as Boost or Ensure but is by prescription. It's helping my husband slowly, but surely put on some weight. I'll try and be better at checking messages on this platform now that I started. I am very glad we met and have a lot of common problems; namely....Husband! LOL Peace, Betsc

@denise96. The bigger size number is the CO2 and the smaller size number is heart rate. The CO2 only goes to 100 which is perfect. You don't want your husband's CO2 to go lower than 90 I'd say. Seeing your hubs and mine both have COPD, my husband's docs told him his good CO2 range is 87 and up, I've found him acting like he was drunk when his CO2 was in the 50's and he was able to walk to the car so I could get him to hospital. I think 2x I was able to bring him to hospital where they'd admit him directly to ICU. All the other times I found him unresponsive so I had to call 911.

@denise96. The bigger size number is the CO2 and the smaller size number is heart rate. The CO2 only goes to 100 which is perfect. You don't want your husband's CO2 to go lower than 90 I'd say. Seeing your hubs and mine both have COPD, my husband's docs told him his good CO2 range is 87 and up, I've found him acting like he was drunk when his CO2 was in the 50's and he was able to walk to the car so I could get him to hospital. I think 2x I was able to bring him to hospital where they'd admit him directly to ICU. All the other times I found him unresponsive so I had to call 911.

I think there May be some confusion if you are talking about a pulse oximeter, a small apparatus that you place on the tip end of one's finger, preferably the ring or middle finger on the left hand. Those devices measure O2 levels not CO2. The reading to the small window on the left measures SpO2, on the right is PRbpm (Pulse Rate-beats per minute0). The SpO2 level should remain 88% and above. The only way to measure the CO2 level is through lab work. Maybe this is why you have made so many trips to the ER and ended up in the ICU. Please call the physicians office tomorrow first thing and see if there is a nurse, or even the PCP to instruct you on the readings of the pulse oximeters.

@denise96. The bigger size number is the CO2 and the smaller size number is heart rate. The CO2 only goes to 100 which is perfect. You don't want your husband's CO2 to go lower than 90 I'd say. Seeing your hubs and mine both have COPD, my husband's docs told him his good CO2 range is 87 and up, I've found him acting like he was drunk when his CO2 was in the 50's and he was able to walk to the car so I could get him to hospital. I think 2x I was able to bring him to hospital where they'd admit him directly to ICU. All the other times I found him unresponsive so I had to call 911.

There is not. The pulse oximeter shows only the pulse rate and oxygen level. A blood test is the only way to measure co2. Also, oxygen does not have to be low for co2 to be high.

I think there May be some confusion if you are talking about a pulse oximeter, a small apparatus that you place on the tip end of one's finger, preferably the ring or middle finger on the left hand. Those devices measure O2 levels not CO2. The reading to the small window on the left measures SpO2, on the right is PRbpm (Pulse Rate-beats per minute0). The SpO2 level should remain 88% and above. The only way to measure the CO2 level is through lab work. Maybe this is why you have made so many trips to the ER and ended up in the ICU. Please call the physicians office tomorrow first thing and see if there is a nurse, or even the PCP to instruct you on the readings of the pulse oximeters.

Hi. Yes it sounds like our husbands would have made good friends. Well, Joe has decided that he no longer wants to take chemo. He will meet with the oncologist on Jan. 23, to see what his options are. He is trying to eat more, and he is doing a little better. He did vomit once last night, but so far today it has not happened. I did not give him any nausea pills because I forgot and he didnt ask for them, so I never mentioned it. I just bought him two new pairs of joggers, size medium and they are just hanging on him. I guess I will return them and get a small. I had also ordered two chemo shirts that have top flaps that open for easy access to the port. Guess I will be sending them back also. Today he wanted shrimp scampi over rice. I only had long grain and I guess I did not cook it to his satifaction because he yelled and said why don't you must buy minute rice? Was mad because I burnt the first batch and he had to wait another 20 minutes to eat. I wanted to say-screw you. But I didn't. I had set the table but he came into the kitchen, grabbed a plate, put a litte food on it and went back to the living room. He sits in the living room in his recliner and he wants something, he yells my name. He is so picky. Usually, it is, get me some pepsi with 1 ice cube and half glass. I accidently put 2 ice cubes into it yesterday and he complained. He just told me that when he yells my name, I am just to automatically go in and see what he needs. I saluted him. Yes, I am being a smart ass, but he seems to be getting ruder and more demanding. I also have xanax, and start using them more than I have been. I don't want to be mean to him, but my nerves are growing thin. I won't sit in the living room with him because he controls the tv and always watches american pickers and pawn stars -24/7. So I sit in the dining room where I have my computer and watch youtube videos, etc. But this is nothing new. Last night, I did watch a movie with him. He has not been a pleasant man to be around. He is smart and won't let me forget it. He is the type of person who answers your questions with a question of his own. I am 69 and should do what you do. Start working out before summer gets here because I have gained some weight. I weigh 156 and would like to be 145. LOL I have weighed around 156 for a year now. You can tell that I have not used my walking tapes or my weight lifting tapes. I only ever lifted 2,5,and 8 pounds. One time I was lifting 5,8 and 10. Guess I have been depressed and don't feel like doing anything. OK, enough of my venting. We have boost but he won't drink it. So, I do. Last week I ordered ginger and peppermint tea because I read that it helps settle the stomach. I told him about that and he said I DON'T LIIKE TEA! So, luckily for me, I do drink hot tea so I guess I will be drinking the tea, too. I suggested a feeding tube and he said, NO. I am tired of fighting with him. Can your husband still drive or go to the store? My husband is too weak that he can't do much of anything. But at least your husband still has a sense of humor. Thanks for writing and it was nice meeting you, also. I check this site daily and I always try to respond to anyones comments. Have a great day!

@denise96 - We should live next door to each other and be besties. I also use 5 - 8's and 10's in weights LOL . The TV part is funny. I use the TV in the bedroom cuz my hubs watches American Pickers and Pawn Stars too. Also, he's into WWII and probably could win a whole column on Jeopardy about any war! All his medical equipment is in Livingroom so he got dibs on the bigger TV. He does drive, but I need to be with him so I can speak. He also shovels, does as much as he can without over doing it. He, at times, will have the attitude that he has no illness which is when we get along the best. It's when he has to face the fact that he has no voice that bothers him the most; and I don't blame him. Our husbands are weakened and fighting for their lives. It is very frustrating for both partners when in this situation. It's hard to deal with. Hugs to you girl🤗