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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
        
(Message started by: luveemom on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 7:11pm)

Title: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by luveemom on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 7:11pm

After reading a thread by Jenn on how her doc will not prescribe her o2 I am curious as to what he meant by too much o2 at high levels like we use can be dangerous and/or bad for your heart. I am not aware of this nor did my new neuro inform me of any dangers. Anyone want to educate me?

Thanks,
alicia

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by Guiseppi on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 7:20pm

Batch will be along shortly I'm sure, he spoke at the OUCH convention. He flew fighter jest and said they'd breathe pure 02 for hours on end and never had issues.

The doctors who won't prescribe it are doctors you need to run away from. It should be a first line abortive based on it's incredibly high success rate and almost total lack of side effects. Just my personal opinion but I think the docs that are afraid of the oxygen are just un educated!

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by luveemom on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 7:30pm

Guiseppi,
That's what I thought. I work on an ambulance an have been in health care for many years and we never worry about such unless someone has COPD. We are also not sitting on oxygen like you said for hours on end, I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss something here. I agree about the total lack of education or ignorance on the part of these "doc's". Thanks.

alicia

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by JenniferD on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 7:45pm

Hi Alicia, you're absolutely right. And my comment about what the dr said about having too much o2 was LOADED with sarcasm.

I was there with Guiseppi at the convention and Batch is definitely a great source of info on o2 use, as are many of the regulars on here.

I have pimples older than my new doc and although he is great in most areas, he is DEFINITELY not well educated on ch. Guess its time to get the doc some "schoolin' "

I'm really glad to see you asking questions about what you read here. :)

Hugs,
Jen

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by luveemom on Aug 3^rd, 2007, 10:24pm

Thanks Jen I appreciate the reply...I am just trying to learn all I can from everyone here.

alicia

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by thebbz on Aug 4^th, 2007, 10:53pm

Oxygen has a vasoconstrictive effect...to the best of my knowledge.. ::) hence it's success as an abortive.
This would also have a cause and effect on the heart as well...maybe this is what your doc was referring to.
thebb

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by Linda_Howell on Aug 5^th, 2007, 12:03am

Quote:

Just my personal opinion

And that of a whole lot of other people as well Joe.

Linda

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by rolo65 on Aug 5^th, 2007, 1:10am

I often go 45 min at 11 LPM. On a bad day (10 hits) I may get a little lung burn kind of like running in cold weather. I am a smoker and it has not bothered me yet (4-5 yr chronic).

I have found you need to keep a big glass of water on the night stand and take a sip often while tethered to the mother tank.

My understanding from what I’ve read is that the increased O2 in the blood has the effect of increasing the serotonin production in the brain. I think our brains metabolize the serotonin faster than the brain can produce it. This is the link with the clockwork like same time of day CH attacks (I hate when people call em HA’s). The dam serotonin regulates when we sleep, and does a number on the hypothalamus gland. I think that’s the best explanation I’ve read so far that was written in layman’s terms.

PFD&N to all,

Roland.

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by rolo65 on Aug 5^th, 2007, 1:35am

on 08/04/07 at 22:53:47, thebbz wrote:

My thinking on this is; the veins shrink a little and the concentration of O2 being carried in the blood increases.

Besides you’re probably sitting on your butt stuck to the tank, not running a marathon. :D

I haven’t had any problems anyway. Way better for your heart than the triptans. ;)

Roland.

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by barry_sword on Aug 5^th, 2007, 6:20am

Hi alicia. I use and swear by o2 as an abortive. I can stop one of these bad boys in 4 minutes flat with no "Cluster hangover" or any other side effects what so ever. I come out of my room and continue what I was doing before the hit.

Must catch it at the first twinge (or sign) of a oncoming attack. A Clustermasx is the best delivery system but the Non-rebreather mask worked well also.

Another sufferer I know had problems with his GP getting the right setup with o2. His Doc told him no way a human should take 15 LPM of o2. I photo copied my o2 script from my Neuro and he took it to his Doc and after his Doc read it he wrote a script for him right away, word for word from my script.

Find the right Doc, preferably a specialist like a neuro who knows about o2. I hope this in some way helps you.

Barry

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by lionsound on Aug 5^th, 2007, 8:55am

alicia,
as with everything else, you must use Oxygen correctly (and store it safely) in order for it to work effectively for you. For example:You should not fall asleep with the mask on your face. And you should have a non-rebreather mask.

There are plenty of knowledgeable folks here and Batch and his 02 team on the OUCH website can help you.

My Headache doc gave me a lesson in his office.

It is very easy and the best thing for a busy mom becuase if it works for you there are no side-effects to mess with your ability to care for your kids.

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by nani on Aug 5^th, 2007, 9:16am

I don't really have an answer, but I'll share my experiences of late.
In December, I was diagnosed with emphysema. I am quite fortunate that I rarely "cycle" but I do get breakthrough hits. I noticed a few months ago that staying at 15lpm for more than 5-10 minutes gives me some serious chest pain. When I asked my primary care doc, she had no idea why. I haven't asked a pulmonologist, because I haven't seen one yet.
Since O2 works so well, I've devised a way to deal with it that works pretty well. I start out at 15lpm, and stay at that flow rate for about 5 minutes. That amount of time seems to start pushing it back. Then I turn it down to 7lpm and stay on that until it's gone. Doing that has helped a lot. No more chest pain, and aborted CHs... life is good. :)

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by 1234 on Aug 5^th, 2007, 10:20am

on 08/04/07 at 22:53:47, thebbz wrote:

Oxygen has a vasoconstrictive effect...to the best of my knowledge.. ::)
thebb

Isn't oxygen a vaso dilator? [smiley=huh.gif]

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by nani on Aug 5^th, 2007, 10:33am

on 08/05/07 at 10:20:36, 1234 wrote:

Isn't oxygen a vaso dilator? [smiley=huh.gif]

The brain can't handle too much O2, so when we huff, the vessels in our brain actually constrict.

Title: Re: Oxygen...too much of a good thing?
Post by GrandPotentate on Aug 5^th, 2007, 10:58pm

O2 works great for me, and I recommend it highly. The clustermasx is great. The rate is whatever it takes to fill the bag fast enough for my next breath - usually around 8 for me. Anything higher just leaks out.

There are some papers on long term exposure to pure oxygen at normal atmospheric pressures leading to some potential lung issues. But I'm not really in that long-term range; usually 10-15 minutes. Fighter pilots and astronauts breathed O2 at lower pressures, so it is also a different thing. But do read up on it, and make your own decision.

Compared to alternatives, this one seems to be extremely effective and has the least side effects.