# Wet brain syndrome **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 25, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964 "2016-11-25T14:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964/21 "2016-11-29T16:34:36Z")
> [@Arrendajo](#): > > If there is not good blood circulation in the extremities it can lead to false low O2 saturation levels. 70% is very, very low saturation, and if I saw that on someone I would suspect a false reading, if they were still alive and not in obvious respiratory distress. Is this person short of breath with a sat of 70%? 70% briefly is survivable. I don’t know how many bouts of 70% in x time are survivable, but when my son, at age 4, had an attack of croup that had him gasping for breath, which left pinpoint hemorrhages all over his chest-- we called 911, and they were there in about 3 minutes. His initial pulse ox was 71%. They put a mask on him, and it went up to 97%. They gave him steroids, and put the mask back on, and in a couple of minutes, he was up to 100%, and his breathing was no longer in gasps. Two hours, more steroids, cough suppressant, an antibiotic, and an ear flush later, he was watching _Cars_ on TV, and drinking juice. They decided to admit him because he had rales with a stethoscope, but his color was good, and he wasn’t coughing. Daddy stayed all night with him, while I went home to let the dog out, put away the food we’d left on the stove, try to get a few hours sleep, and go back to the hospital with changes of clothes for everybody. When I got back, the boychik was sitting on his bed, happily eating a pizza for breakfast, and watching _How to Train Your Dragon_. This was six years ago, and he has shown no residua. No even a second bout of croup. The only residua is that I panic if he has a cough that even sounds slightly croupy. **TL;DR** : my son had croup once, and his pulse ox reading dropped to 70%, but he’s perfectly fine now. You can survive a few minutes of hypoxia of 70% with no affects. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964/22 "2016-11-29T17:05:06Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > You can survive a few minutes of hypoxia of 70% with no affects. Hell, the former Mr Kitty got two advanced college degrees with sats averaging in the high 60s/low 70s; by the time he was on the transplant list he was in the low 60s/high 50s on 24/7 supplemental O2 and a bipap at night. He was absolutely functional- still driving, still tinkering on his project car. Drove medical people (and beepy machines) mad. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964/23 "2016-12-01T04:15:34Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I eliminated the alcohol as the culprit and have nailed down to opioids. Doctors are not helping much, working on a rehab program today. Not how much I can do if she doesn’t want to go. I am ready to bail and leave the state just to remove myself from this mess. I am sorry it’s so bad. Just from brief mentions in the past I know you’ve got a tough situation. I can only hope that the medical people step up and help, and/or the person in question finally realizes this is her “rock bottom” and she needs to accept help to get clean. Look into support groups for caregivers - the “I’m not alone” is worth something and there may well be some concrete help with the logistics and legalities of your situation. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964/24 "2016-12-01T04:23:12Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I am sorry it’s so bad. Just from brief mentions in the past I know you’ve got a tough situation. > > I can only hope that the medical people step up and help, and/or the person in question finally realizes this is her “rock bottom” and she needs to accept help to get clean. > > Look into support groups for caregivers - the “I’m not alone” is worth something and there may well be some concrete help with the logistics and legalities of your situation. Ditto. I hope you get some help and support. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964/25 "2016-12-01T06:39:37Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > I am sorry it’s so bad. Just from brief mentions in the past I know you’ve got a tough situation. > > I can only hope that the medical people step up and help, and/or the person in question finally realizes this is her “rock bottom” and she needs to accept help to get clean. > > Look into support groups for caregivers - the “I’m not alone” is worth something and there may well be some concrete help with the logistics and legalities of your situation. I have been considering the support group thing. The past month has been a nightmare. Every 5 or 10 min she falls off the bed and I have to get her back in, or help her walk to the bathroom, or clean up a spill. It seems like it is relentless. I felt like I was going to flip out last week. I have her in the hospital right now and she has agreed to enter an in patient program. I guess I will see how that goes. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964/26 "2016-12-01T07:56:24Z")
People keep suggesting YOU get some help for YOU before things reach the point you consider walking away and abandoning this person, or you crack up. Please get some help. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-brain-syndrome/772964.md?page=1)