CO2 measures - help please

[Jellycat]

Hi all,
Our neurologist referred my pals to a respiratory doctor following general wheezing, some rattling in the airways and headaches. When we saw the respiratory doctor, he mentioned in passing that the last carbon dioxide tests taken in February 2009 showed a level of 43%. He suggested that the levels would most likely have deteriorated since and the headaches would indicate it was time for bipap. My pals has just gone into hospital for overnight observation and trialing with bi-pap.

My questions: Anyone know what the percentages mean? (He said 80% was normal) Is there a percentage at which bipap is introduced? For those of you using bipap, did your headaches go away once you started using it and did you get any little bit of energy back?

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this for me.
Avril

 

[Miss]

I would love an explanation. My husband just had his levels taken. He was at the top of the "normal" range - 44. Hypercapnia begins at 45. Scary or not?

 

[Al]

Not sure what your numbers mean. Some countries use different values for different things. My FVC was 86% and CO2 was hitting 55 if I recall. Lower numbers are needed for CO2. I got a Bipap and once used to it, more energy and headaches gone. Yourr PALS Avril will feel a lot better on the Bipap.

AL.

 

[sadiemae]

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003855.htm

 

[Jellycat]

Thanks for your replies. Great link Sadiemae. Missy, what's hypercapnia? Al, I'm encouraged to hear the bipap helps. Here's hoping her first night will go ok. I got some light on what the percentages here mean when I met with a respiratory nurse today. They do the various tests and record the numbers, then lay them beside the results of a 'normal' person of the same age and express the comparison as a percentage.

 

[sadiemae]

Hypercapnia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Jellycat]

Ah yes. Thanks. I knew that excess co2 levels could lead eventually to unconsiousness & coma but didn't know that had a name. As ever, grateful to my forum friends for the info.