spo2 levels

[insideout20]

i think I just freaked because I was on the train, couldn't breath and was trying to stop a full blown panic attack, that reading made it worse and just didn't know much about spo2 levels and if being anxious makes them lower but it wouldnt

[NancyW]

Why on earth are you doing this to yourself?

[insideout20]

I don't mean 2 I'm just in a vicious cycle just now like any small pain or any sensation at all I think I have an illness

[Fishmanpa]

Have you deleted the APP?

Positive thoughts

[NancyW]

I don't mean 2 I'm just in a vicious cycle just now like any small pain or any sensation at all I think I have an illness

How about you do something useful today?

Call a lonely friend or relative.

Go for a walk and pick up litter in your path.

Go to an animal shelter, offer to volunteer for the day.

Clean out a closet, donate unwanted clothes.

Volunteer at a school, church, your community. (They beg for help)

Make yourself USEFUL.

[Ditapage]

Insideout, I feel for you. I bought one of those finger pulse oximeters for "reassurance" but it was the worst thing I could have done. We don't have a breathing problem, we have anxiety. Checking behaviors only help keep the wheels of panic greased because it's like the mind even considers that a threat and keeps us in a constant state of tension, like its thinking "what are you doing, why are you doing that, what's going on!" and your 'calmness' starts to depend on those checking devices.


For example: I carried my oximeter everywhere and one day at lunch with my friend I was highly anxious so I excused myself to go check my oxygen, ha. 94! Well now I was sure something was wrong so highly anxious became full blown panic and I had to tell my friend about the oximeter and she put it on her finger and it said 92! My panic immediately switched off and I was able to sit there in calmness again which proved to me how much my 'calmness' depended on that thing. And we had a laugh about it. Then I threw it in the bin.


I would trust an app even less but any checking device is a bad idea. I have a heart rate one on my phone that shows 140-160bpm during a panic (don't have those often thankfully) and the more I check it, the worse the panic gets. It's one thing to monitor existing health conditions with these things but our problem is in our head and monitoring anxiety only reinforces it.

[insideout20]

Insideout, I feel for you. I bought one of those finger pulse oximeters for "reassurance" but it was the worst thing I could have done. We don't have a breathing problem, we have anxiety. Checking behaviors only help keep the wheels of panic greased because it's like the mind even considers that a threat and keeps us in a constant state of tension, like its thinking "what are you doing, why are you doing that, what's going on!" and your 'calmness' starts to depend on those checking devices.


For example: I carried my oximeter everywhere and one day at lunch with my friend I was highly anxious so I excused myself to go check my oxygen, ha. 94! Well now I was sure something was wrong so highly anxious became full blown panic and I had to tell my friend about the oximeter and she put it on her finger and it said 92! My panic immediately switched off and I was able to sit there in calmness again which proved to me how much my 'calmness' depended on that thing. And we had a laugh about it. Then I threw it in the bin.


I would trust an app even less but any checking device is a bad idea. I have a heart rate one on my phone that shows 140-160bpm during a panic (don't have those often thankfully) and the more I check it, the worse the panic gets. It's one thing to monitor existing health conditions with these things but our problem is in our head and monitoring anxiety only reinforces it.

Hi,

I know it is silly, I just have so many physical symptoms just now its so hard to deal with this, I don't know what to do, docs want to put me on citalopram but I'm scared to go on it

my left nose is constantly blocked and this is whats causing my breathing issues I think

I had blood test, ecg, chest xray and all clear but I just feel smothered like 24/7 with only some breaks of relief

I sleep for 6-7 hours and wake up as though I haven't slept

I think I have a sleep disorder

[Bellerophon]

I can relate. For the last two weeks or so I've been checking my spo2 levels obsessively on my Galaxy. Sometimes I check it 20-40 times a day. It's usually 95% or more but sometimes it falls to 80-90. One time I even had a 79%. Every time this happens I completely freak out and hyperventilate until it's above 95% again. I know it must be flukes because every time they check it at the hospital it's 99% or something. I know what I'm doing is making things worse but I can't stop doing it because I get so lightheaded the anxiety takes over my rational mind and I then need to make sure there's enough oxygen in my blood.

You're not alone.

[insideout20]

sorry for late reply guys

so I went to the docs about my breathing issues etc, he said yes it could be anxiety but we cant say 100% sure so I am being sent for an asthma test and also a sleep apnea test because sometimes I wake out my sleep not breathing

all I have been doing is checking it and like you its normally about 95 or 96 but has been as low as 82

the problem I have is my left nose is always blocked, I cant breath right and I also find myself sometimes not taking a bvreath for about 10 seconds or so, it says the minimum breaths per minute is 12 but I doubt if I do breath 12 times per minute

this is the main problem with my anxiety, because I get really dizzy and have been for ages, I know its probably anxiety because I have panic attacks etc but this blocked nose really is one of the main problems in me panicking

also the doc said he doesn't think meds are right for me just now even though my other doc prescribed citalopram

I'm really at a crossroads here, if I don't do something soon and feel well again I could be like this the rest of my life

I have lost 1 1/2 stone from 18.4 stone to 16.10 but I haven't started exercising yet and last time I beat this that's what cured me

I just cant bring myself to exercise when I feel this dizzy and cant breath

[Ben1989]

I'm not a doctor but I am confident that your 'no breathing' is just because you're fixated on it and not just letting it be a natural thing. If I concentrate enough I can make myself believe that my breathing is not as 'deep as it should be' etc.

You may have a minor underlying issue with your nostril but honestly this screams pure anxiety. I get dizziness attacks and I know it's my anxiety (I've had every test under the sun, even a brain CT scan and MRI). Your dizziness will go, believe me. I had it for two months straight last year. Then when it comes I tell myself it's my anxiety and it subsides.

I have also lost weight - my appetite is severely affected by anxiety.

Have you tried a nose strip when you sleep? Get your anxiety looked at after you sort your nostril out, seriously