Experiencing Low Oxygen Levels Despite Normal ABG Results
Hello everyone, I'm a 29-year-old female who has recently bounced back from community-acquired pneumonia. During my hospital stay, my oxygen saturation levels and arterial blood gases were quite deficient, often registering below 91%. Lately, I've encountered severe chest issues once more, mirroring the previous experience with symptoms such as tightness in the chest, coughing up green mucus, breathlessness, and pain in my chest. After consulting with my local physician, I had my oxygen levels checked using a fingertip oximeter which indicated readings of 92 and 93. I also own an oximeter at home that provided identical readings. Last night, I felt extremely unwell and decided to visit the emergency room where they again placed me on supplemental oxygen since my fingertip device was showing levels between 91 and 92. They conducted blood tests for infection, a lung X-ray, and repeated the arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, all of which returned normal results. I'm left wondering about the cause of my persistent symptoms. My local doctor prescribed me steroids and antibiotics, but the hospital staff mentioned that these might not be necessary anymore. Despite this, I'm still struggling with the same symptoms, and my fingertip monitors consistently yield low readings. Various staff members joined me in testing over ten different machines, ensuring my hands were warm and free from nail polish. Should I stop taking the antibiotics? Additionally, is it possible for an ABG result to be inaccurate?
Answers (1)
3/21/2025, 9:40:43 AM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you’ve been through a challenging time with your respiratory health, and it's understandable to be concerned about your persistent symptoms despite having normal arterial blood gas (ABG) results. Let’s address your situation clearly.
Main Points:
- Persistent symptoms such as chest tightness, cough with green mucus, and low oxygen readings can be concerning, especially after pneumonia.
- Normal ABG and blood tests may not always correlate with how you're feeling or with fingertip oximeter readings.
- The decision to continue or discontinue antibiotics should be based on your current symptoms and physician guidance.
Explanation:
Your experience of low oxygen levels and ongoing symptoms, despite normal ABG results, can arise from several factors. It's common for respiratory infections to cause lingering symptoms, even after the acute phase has resolved.
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Inaccurate Pulse Oximetry: Fingertip pulse oximeters can sometimes give false readings, particularly if you're experiencing poor circulation or other factors. In the hospital setting, they may have used different methods to assess your oxygen levels, which likely confirmed that your blood gases were normal.
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Current Symptoms: The symptoms you're describing—coughing up green mucus, chest tightness, and breathlessness—suggest that there may still be inflammation or infection in your lungs or airways.
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Steroids and Antibiotics: Steroids can help reduce inflammation, while antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. If there’s no clear indication of a bacterial infection (as suggested by normal blood tests), your healthcare providers may question the need for antibiotics.
Next Steps:
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Monitor Your Symptoms: Keep a daily log of your symptoms, noting any changes in cough, chest tightness, or oxygen readings. This information can help healthcare providers gauge progress and treatment effectiveness.
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Follow Up: Schedule a follow-up appointment with your local physician to discuss the current necessity for antibiotics based on your symptom log and the recent hospital findings. Bring up your concerns about ongoing symptoms and pulse oximeter readings.
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Consider Additional Treatments: Ask about treatments like inhalers or bronchodilators, which can help alleviate breathlessness and improve airflow.
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Self-Care: Focus on self-care strategies like staying hydrated, using a humidifier, and practicing breathing exercises to support lung function.
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Review Medications: Discuss with your doctor whether it’s appropriate to continue or halt antibiotics based on your current health state.
If you experience worsening symptoms, especially severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, or confusion, seek immediate medical help.
Take care, and continue to advocate for your health. If you have more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask!
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