What suggestion to help me? When I stand my oxygen levels will drop

Posted by cobbokman @cobbokman, Dec 28, 2025

I have COPD and pulmonary hypertension on meds for both. Just went thru second bout of pneumonia and now when I stand my oxygen drops in the 60’s and can gradually bring back up but I feel like my heart is going to explode! Help

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I also lose oxygen levels when standing up or walking etc, Stairs are the worst-never got to 60%, I wear a oximeter 20 hours a day from Amazon-works great-and records via the app. I suggest supplemental oxygen-I use an Inogen portable at 2% when active walking etc. Not good to have your organs working overtime with a 10% level. Medicare provides.

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OMG you have discussed this with your Pulmonologist right?
If not I would immediately. Bet you have but this scared the bejimminy out of me. Just care. All the best to you.

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Are you on oxygen? You surely must be because I am (setting 4 litres) and the worst mine has dropped is 81. I know what you mean about the heart pounding, but I can't imagine what it would feel like in the 60's.

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If you are not on a blood pressure pills you should the heart and lungs are like 2peas in a pod the lungs give the heart and blood oxygen and when exerting you should have oxygen cuz to low of oxygen will cause heart damage.

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I have had my O2 drop to the low 70s while on my portable O2 machine set at a 3. I HAVE to stop until it gets back to an acceptable level. I can’t even imagine what the 60s would feel like! If you are not prescribed O2 you certainly should be! Have your doctor refer you to a pulmonologist who can properly diagnose and treat you. That low level affects your organs especially your heart and brain.

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Is your POC a pulse device? I am on 4L of continuous oxygen when on my stationary concentrator. When I walk with my portable, I need to set it at a 6 pulse setting to get enough oxygen.

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IF you are using an Inogen G5 or Rove 6 and setting it on number 6 you are getting the approximate equivalent very close to 4 LPM.

They way I see it is that if you have a constant flow of 4 lpm and take 20 breaths a minute you are only getting 1/3 of the 4 liters which is 1.3 liters.
If you look at the Inogen chart on the amount of oxygen you actually get on pulse settings and multiply the total by 3 you would get the equitant amount of constant flow.

The image shows a technical table detailing the performance specifications of the Inogen One G5 portable oxygen concentrator. The table illustrates the relationship between the flow setting, breathing rate, and the volume of oxygen delivered.
Understanding the Table
The Inogen One G5 is a pulse dose oxygen concentrator, which means it delivers a burst of oxygen with each breath a user takes, rather than a continuous stream. The amount of oxygen per breath adjusts to the user's breathing rate to maintain a fixed total volume of oxygen per minute (fixed minute volume, FMV) for each flow setting.
• Flow Setting (1-6): This is the prescriptive setting determined by a physician. Higher numbers indicate more oxygen output.
• Breaths per Minute (BPM): The user's respiratory rate. The device's Intelligent Delivery Technology adjusts the bolus (burst) size based on this rate.
• mL/breath: The actual volume of oxygen delivered in a single breath, which decreases as the breathing rate increases to maintain the minute volume.
• Total Volume per Minute (ml/min): The constant, fixed amount of oxygen produced by the device at each setting, regardless of the user's breathing rate.
• Equivalent Constant Flow: A guideline to help match the pulse setting to a physician's continuous flow prescription. These are approximations, as pulse and continuous flow delivery methods differ significantly.
Key Takeaways
• The maximum oxygen output of the Inogen One G5 is 1260 ml/min on setting 6.
• The total volume per minute increases by 210 ml for each incremental increase in the flow setting.
• The amount of oxygen per breath is inversely proportional to the breathing rate for a given flow setting.
Disclaimer: Oxygen therapy is a medical treatment and must be used on a prescriptive basis as directed by a physician. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.

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