Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well. So...I have been wearing a surgical mask at work 9 hours a day for the last three months in an active job where I walk 3-5 miles a day. Five days or so ago, I started tying the mask tighter to my face, since it was always riding up into my eyes. Coincidentally or not, since then, my lungs have been (for lack of better word) - twitchy. Bronchospasm-y, slight cough. Today, I just felt bad at the end of the day. Cough, no fever (temp is normal 98.5), and my SP02 was at times lower than normal (my normal is 96-98, today on some readings it was 94-96). Anyway my lungs felt twitchy, and my SP02 was 95-ish, I did my steroid inhaler, and then my Albuterol. Within 10 minutes, my 02 was 98-99. And my twitchy is somewhat better - not coughing anywhere as much.
So my question: if the inhalers had that much of a positive effect, what was being acted with the inhalers to have an effect on the SP02 - the COPD or the asthma, or both?
I have COPD, FEV1 of 48% with (normally) no symptoms that correspond to my severe (on paper) COPD, no 02 diffusion issues. I also have an aspect of reversibility with a bronchodialator. My meds are QVAR 40 mg 2 puffs 2 times a day, and Albuterol as needed. I took Stiolto earlier this year but had to stop as it made me cough these bronchospasm-y coughs, especially when eating.
Thanks for your thoughts on this. It really is curiosity more than anything. I really feel like this mask is not good for me, 9 hours a day.