Recommendations on recording oximeters?

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elixeus
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Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by elixeus » Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:47 pm

Hi everyone. I did at home sleep study that indicated mild sleep apnea. However, I am still waiting on the tests to come back for the split-night PSG; I want not titrated on CPAP.

Does anyone have any recommendations on recording oximeters? I think I only came across a few online and I don't know which are accurate / user friendly. Is owning one at all helpful diagnostic tool alongside the SleepyHead software?

Thanks in advance for your replies!

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by JDS74 » Sat Aug 29, 2015 10:30 am

More data is always better than less data as long as you don't obsess about it.
I used a CMS50F recording wrist oximeter until I got the built-n one from Respironics.
Compared to the laboratory grade on I am now using, it reads between 1 and 2 % less.
I got mine from Cooper Medical. http://www.coopermedical.com/pulse-oximeters
There are others that are recommended as well as other sources. Cooper is very nice to do business with.

The upsides for this device is:
1) Reasonably accurate (within 1%).
2) Very comfortable to wear.
3) Relatively inexpensive.
4) Integrates into SleepyHead reports.
5) Generates nice and readable reports your doctor will recognize.
6) Has rechargeable battery built-in.

The downsides are:
1) Only records a single session at a time.
2) Does not integrate into either ResScan or Encore for reporting.
3) Has rechargeable battery built-in that is not replaceable.

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Pugsy
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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Pugsy » Sat Aug 29, 2015 11:23 am

I would wait until I got a copy of my sleep study reports to see if much happened in terms of oxygen level drops before I spent money on a recording pulse oximeter unless you just want the reassurance.
If your oxygen levels didn't drop much during the sleep study without cpap then they aren't likely to drop much with cpap so you may not gain much in terms of results.

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by elixeus » Wed Sep 30, 2015 1:05 pm

Thanks for the feedback and sorry for the bump on this thread. I just wanted to thank both of you for your help. I don't have the money right now, but I am going to invest at the very least in a recording oximeter, if not the kit. I just can't believe they charge you the same price for the flow unit at normal price, or even more... that is crazy.

My O2 desats were 85% at the at home sleep study (20% of the total time being spent at less than 90%) and the overview report (not full, which I requested) indicated that I had a desat as low as 87%. While certainly not the worst desats when compared to other board members, I would like to know how things are looking now. I really think a APAP machine is only "half-smart" if it goes off pressures alone. I don't know how the machine can assess exactly what the right move is on desats (when juggling other factors), but to me, the desats alone if you ignore the rest of it would probably just increase the pressure to overcome the desats. That is why I, aside from comfort, I find it so surprising how rare/expensive this attachment is, when in my mind, it should be part of the unit itself you optionally use - regardless of how bad your desats are. The machine is only working off 80% of the information it needs and seems like it would be handy in honing in on the pressures that fully maximize your treatment. Desaturations to me seem like an important aspect of sleep apnea that doctors don't pay as much attention at looking at. The chicken or the egg is what comes to mind here... by in my opinion, SpO2 is the umbrella of sleep apnea that causes damage to the body; RERAs and other sleep disturbances are important. Let me rephrase this: they are both important, but SpO2 seems more important in the short-term, because desats cause damage that should be address; in the long term, sleep quality is also equally important, but takes longer to develop problems than desats will. Sorry I know I'm talking in circles, but hopefully you understand what I'm getting at.

Anyone know where they sourced the ResMed kit? I think the cheapest I have seen is $900... which means it is several months out for me :'(

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by ChicagoGranny » Wed Sep 30, 2015 2:42 pm

elixeus wrote:Sorry I know I'm talking in circles, but hopefully you understand what I'm getting at.
If you have healthy lungs, and you get your CPAP therapy working well, the desats are gone and money spent on an oximeter is wasted.
elixeus wrote:I really think a APAP machine is only "half-smart" if it goes off pressures alone.
Nooo, it measures pressure and airflow. It does a very good job of sensing whether your airway is staying open enough for good airflow to the lungs.

Gramps wasted money on an oximeter and you seem determined to do the same. Have fun.

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Pugsy » Wed Sep 30, 2015 2:59 pm

Are you thinking that if you get the high dollar ResMed pulse oximeter that the machine will make real time adjustments to anything based on the O2 data? It doesn't work that way. The machine doesn't analyze in real time and make adjustments based on O2 data. It just records what happened just like the other pulse oximeters do. The only difference is you get the O2 reports within ResScan software.
Or you can just get the CMS 50 whatever model strikes your fancy from the 50 DPlus upwards and have the O2 data be in SleepyHead software. There's no need to spend those really big bucks for that high dollar one.

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by elixeus » Thu Oct 01, 2015 9:21 pm

I'm not stubborn about getting the ResMed one. Please just understand I am confused newbie and I certainly don't want to be ignorant to both of your excellent pieces of advice. I just assumed that it somehow was better, not just for the large pocketbook. It was made for the machine, so it would work better, possibly be capable of doing more. Why else would people purchase it?

I will consider picking up a stand-alone pulse oximeter... I just didn't know about the quality of the facelake one you guys are describing, which one to get since there are so many iterations, and was concerned when reading on facelake's site the regular prices and sale prices on these items. To me, it seemed very gimmicky. The medical establishment doesn't want recording pulse-oximeters to be sold to patients, but they will gladly let you borrow one for a night and bill insurance. As far as I'm aware the manufacturer is in China and it made me a bit leary about what I was getting was anything of quality, or even the least bit accurate, reviews are mixed and state that they are not accurate at all for desats below 90%. I am okay if they are 1-2% on the low side, I just want a certain level of accuracy and high precision. I just wanted to know what to expect. I don't want a toy that is way off he were to test it and makes me look stupid in front of my doctor. I imagine I would be using it more for my own use, but I may want to flag something to my doctor if I find anything.

If you guys don't mind making a recommendation on which exact models are compatible or work best with SleepyHead, provide accuracy/precision of some sort, it would be appreciated. I see lots of different recommendations. Not sure which is the best online retailer for purchase. Realize I'm on a Mac, but if necessary, I guess I could try to install Windows using bootcamp.

[Edit: it looks like from the above post, the CMS50F is the one to get; looks like it got good reviews on Amazon. But they are currently unavailable from them. Has anyone else had good experiences with Cooper Medical to purchase theirs? Currently out of stock there too for this specific model. Any other good sources where I can purchase this unit?]

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Sheffey » Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:07 am

elixeus wrote:The medical establishment doesn't want recording pulse-oximeters to be sold to patients, but they will gladly let you borrow one for a night and bill insurance.
That's pretty much bullshit.

You would have to check with your own DME, but the two I have dealt with will provide an oximeter and the report back to the doctor for no charge. I see other people writing on here regularly that their DMEs do the same.
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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by KeepSmiling » Fri Oct 02, 2015 8:45 am

I personally would knock the idea of using an oximeter. I have recently thinking the same thing.

For someone who's SO2 does not fall below 90 without an xPAP yet is having many arousals, I think knowing what pressure is needed to keep the SO2 level (whatever number it is) high enough to prevent arousals would be a very good thing.

Maybe CPAPs and APAP may not even be the right type of xPAP for some people, but we are lumped together to using CPAPs.

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Sheffey » Fri Oct 02, 2015 9:12 am

KeepSmiling wrote:SO2 does not fall below 90
Well, that will certainly take care of his problems. Permanently.
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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by kteague » Fri Oct 02, 2015 12:52 pm

Hi. With OSA it is the compromised air flow that causes desats. If the airflow is not compromised, there should be no desats. There's quite a bit of adjustment to be made to using CPAP, and unless this oximeter is critical to your peace of mind, you might be adding a layer of things to deal with that aren't necessary. Go easy on yourself and your wallet. If after your treatment is dialed in an overnight test through the DME reveals a need for concern, you could reconsider a purchase at that time. Some people just enjoy their gadgets and gizmos and can afford to indulge themselves. (Might have a few on here. ) Whayever works for you, just please don't feel compelled on this one.

I've got a recording oximeter in my closet somewhere (if the battery hasn't corroded on it in the last 4 years). I got my CPAP treatment dialed in so well I've just never felt the need for it. Always intended to test myself while napping and sitting upright, just never quite got around to figuring the thing out. Want to buy an unused used oximeter? Just kidding. I'm still telling myself I'll use it some day. Good luck whatever you decide.

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by OhHelpMe » Fri Oct 02, 2015 2:02 pm

kteague wrote:With OSA it is the compromised air flow that causes desats. If the airflow is not compromised, there should be no desats. There's quite a bit of adjustment to be made to using CPAP, and unless this oximeter is critical to your peace of mind, you might be adding a layer of things to deal with that aren't necessary. Go easy on yourself and your wallet. If after your treatment is dialed in an overnight test through the DME reveals a need for concern, you could reconsider a purchase at that time.
Perfect. I see no need to own a pulse-oximeter. The caveat would be if you have a lung problem.

No need to confuse newbies here with unnecessary stuff.

No one should be raising their pressure based on an oximetry study. You will see problems better on the daily reports of Sleepyhead.

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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Madalot » Fri Oct 02, 2015 2:32 pm

Sheffey wrote:
elixeus wrote:The medical establishment doesn't want recording pulse-oximeters to be sold to patients, but they will gladly let you borrow one for a night and bill insurance.
That's pretty much bullshit.

You would have to check with your own DME, but the two I have dealt with will provide an oximeter and the report back to the doctor for no charge. I see other people writing on here regularly that their DMEs do the same.
All of my DMEs DID charge the insurance a rental fee and to produce the report, thus one reason I bought my own.

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Too tall
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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Too tall » Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:10 am

I have the Noonin 2500A which makes oximeters for Respiratonics. It's the same as the Respironics 920 which is the DME standard issue for overnight studies. The 2500A has alarms which will wake you up depending on how you have it set. It records up to about 2 nights on a set of batteries. I use rechargeable. I use the Foxpro software which is also considered the standard. If I had to do it again, I'd get the Noonin wrist type but it doesn't have an alarm and I wanted an alarm. Get the slip on finger piece, don't get the clothes pin type. I paid about $600 for the Ox and about $300 for the software. Fairly expensive but you get what you pay for.
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Re: Recommendations on recording oximeters?

Post by Hang Fire » Sat Oct 03, 2015 9:21 am

Too tall wrote:I have the Noonin 2500A which makes oximeters for Respiratonics. It's the same as the Respironics 920 which is the DME standard issue for overnight studies. The 2500A has alarms which will wake you up depending on how you have it set. It records up to about 2 nights on a set of batteries. I use rechargeable. I use the Foxpro software which is also considered the standard. If I had to do it again, I'd get the Noonin wrist type but it doesn't have an alarm and I wanted an alarm. Get the slip on finger piece, don't get the clothes pin type. I paid about $600 for the Ox and about $300 for the software. Fairly expensive but you get what you pay for.
It might be interesting if you would relate just one action you took to improve your CPAP therapy as a result of having the Noonin.