oxygen therapy for chest pain & headache?

laura alameda · 07-16-2007, 07:05 PM

Ten days ago I went to the ER with chest pain, shortness of breath and a severe headache. I told the triage nurse I felt like I just needed oxygen. She had been anemic at one time and was very sympathetic. She set me up with a low lever of oxygen for the first hour and then the ER Dr said I could have even more. Within the first 15 minutes I began to feel better and by the time I went home (2 hours later) I felt great. The problem is it only lasted a day and the symptoms are back. Now my oncologist and Gyn are talking about getting a home oxygen treatment that I would be able to use as needed. I have extreme reservations about blood transfusions. My question is, has anyone else had this experience?

It seems a lot less invasive to just inhale oxygen rather than risk a transfusion and should cost less as well.

Thank you to all who read and respond.

Laura

jcjwillis · 07-17-2007, 10:23 AM

I hope these oxygen therapies will continue to work for you. I also feel that blood transfusions should make us all very leary. I also am anemic and I am being treated with Aranesp and would much rather have a shot than a blood transfusion.
I think that oxygen therapy sounds like a very promising treatment.
Hope you are soon feeling better!

ChristineVA · 07-17-2007, 10:54 AM

I think long-term oxygen therapy can be problematic. It seems I've read something about it but I cannot remember. It is not risk free and there is a reason, I suppose, that they don't do it a lot. Maybe some research on the net on oxygen therapy could yield some information for you.

laura alameda · 07-17-2007, 12:06 PM

Thank you for your input. The oxygen therapy is for the short term. The Dr's are still trying to figure out why I am anemic. I have two small boys and its impossible to just sit still until they firgue this out. Until them I am taking iron pills and eating every thing iron rich in combination with citrus and avoiding dairy or at least not eat them together. I am working on giving up coffee but wow is that hard. Mega Headache! Anyway thanks for your input. God Bless All Of You.

laura alameda · 07-26-2007, 01:56 PM

I received my in home oxygen last night and wanted to share the good new. After 2 1/2 hours of O2 I went to bed and I slept through the night, woke up after 8 hours sleep with no headache and very little muscle pain. Now I know this doesn't solve the problem of anemia and any nutritional issues but I can tell you that my family and myself will be alot happier in the mean time.

I Praise the Lord for Every Day.