Pulse Ox? Should I get one?

I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. I don't even see the doc until June, so don't really have details yet. I've been looking over the site and other info on the internet and still have a few questions. In addition to the apnea, I have bradycardia (this occurs when laying down, whether awake or asleep). I am wondering if it would be worth my while to buy a pulse ox unit?

If I did get one, it seems that CMS50E might be the best choice. It has 3 options - nothing, wireless or bluetooth. What advantages are there to the wireless or the bluetooth. I don't have wireless options on my computer and I don't see any bluetooth software (the only bluetooth stuff I have is an Itouch and a Kindle HDX.

If a CPAP, I plan to focus on getting an Auto-Pap. However, if the doctor instead recommends a biPAP, are there versions that have the auto features? I like both data features and multiple options for therapy since I antipate that needs will change.

SewTired wrote:Pulse Ox? Should I get one?

No.

First focus on getting CPAP working well. You will want to make sure they prescribe a data-capable machine. Then you will want to download (free) Sleepyhead software and learn to interpret the reports. Forum members will give you good help.

After you get a good CPAP therapy working consistently, you may want to ask your doctor to order at-home oximetry testing for a few nights with a professional model pulse-oximetry device. Most DMEs provide this service free of charge and send the reports to your doctor.

After all of this, you will be in a better position to decide if you really want to buy your own device.

If they told you that you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), did they tell you to avoid backsleeping until you get your CPAP machine?

OSA is often worse when backsleeping. Gravity is pulling directly pulling your tongue and soft palate together in the airway. The effect is moderated in many people by sleeping on the sides or stomach.

SewTired wrote:I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. I don't even see the doc until June, so don't really have details yet. I've been looking over the site and other info on the internet and still have a few questions. In addition to the apnea, I have bradycardia (this occurs when laying down, whether awake or asleep). I am wondering if it would be worth my while to buy a pulse ox unit?

If I did get one, it seems that CMS50E might be the best choice. It has 3 options - nothing, wireless or bluetooth. What advantages are there to the wireless or the bluetooth. I don't have wireless options on my computer and I don't see any bluetooth software (the only bluetooth stuff I have is an Itouch and a Kindle HDX.

If a CPAP, I plan to focus on getting an Auto-Pap. However, if the doctor instead recommends a biPAP, are there versions that have the auto features? I like both data features and multiple options for therapy since I antipate that needs will change.

How were you diagnosed? Sleep study? Were you told anything?........I can't believe that in Minneapolis you have to wait 2 months to see your doctor.

If they told you that you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), did they tell you to avoid backsleeping until you get your CPAP machine?

I had a sleep study and they called me earlier this week to confirm that I did indeed have Sleep Apnia. That's it. That's all I know. Then, made an appointment for a titration study and changed my appointment with the doc for after the titration study. I already sleep on my side, so that isn't an issue, but I do thank you for pointing that out. And no, they did not tell me to avoid backsleeping.

Yes, I was disgusted about the wait. The very first appointment they had for a titration study is nearly the end of May, although the doctor's appointment was only about a week later. Apparently, I didn't meet the criteria to immediately go to a titration study the 2nd half of the night during my sleep study because the tech was all set up to do that.

I'm not really very impressed with the office staff that I have spoken/met so far. The doctor was great and the tech was great, but the office folks seem to be clueless, both at that office and their billing department (apparently there are 5 or 6 offices). I tried to find out today about estimated rental costs and the billing office person was clueless that going through Medicare REQUIRES a 13 month rental, not a 24 month rental. Geez.

Medicare is a rental for 13 months and then you own the machine....I think the 20% cost to you is about $13 month for 13 months. Several smaller items are an upfront purchase.

I think you should get the oximeter.

You can get a base line reading prior to starting xPAP therapy and compare your values afterward.

If you are experiencing desaturations now and can see an improvement after starting xPAP therapy you will be fare more tolerant of getting use to mask and machine because you can see some results even if you don't immediately feel a difference.

HoseCrusher wrote:You can get a base line reading prior to starting xPAP therapy and compare your values afterward.

She can get before-and-after professional readings by asking the doctor to order it.

Most DMEs bring out the equipment and send the reports to the doctor without any charge. My doctor interprets the report and emails (in his practice's HIPAA compliant system) the results to me without any charge.

This is better than having a patient who is new to all of this worry over something needlessly.

I've had my own pulse-ox (It's actually Gramps'.) all through this CPAP experience. Gramps taught me how to use it and I did at first. It turned out to be worthless to me just like it did for Gramps.

I have had this disagreement with you before. It's good you have a device, but no reason to waste other people's time and money on one.

If it turns out later than SewTired has an unusual circumstance that would make owning a device helpful, she can still order one.

I-like-technology-and-fretting-over-data types should go ahead and order the devices.

and the f and i models are much better than the e... (having owned both)

ChicagoGranny I am a ChicagoGrandpa and I have a CMS 50i.
I think that a person who is aware enough to ask about a pulse ox would be fine owning one. In my experience in 2 states and several providers you need to beg to get more than one night of monitoring and then wait a week to see the results. The device is large and clumsy and connected by a long wire, easy to tangle and dislodge the spring clip finger probe which often must be taped in place. My 50i is wrist mounted with a 6 inch wire to the rubber finger probe, which is much more comfortable and less likely to be dislodged.
I think that starting out having a week or two baseline and additional data after starting XPAP will allow a person to learn more quickly how to manage their own therapy.
My last doctor appointment I received some advice on fine tuning my therapy by increasing my pressure. I quickly determined that made things worse so I did the opposite and lowered the pressure and things improved.
I find a lot of data and a little help from here is more valuable than a doctor visit most of the time.
Obviously that would not be true if I had a broken arm or a heart attack.

SewTired wrote:If a CPAP, I plan to focus on getting an Auto-Pap. However, if the doctor instead recommends a biPAP, are there versions that have the auto features? I like both data features and multiple options for therapy since I antipate that needs will change.

Yes...there are BiPaps with Auto Adjusting pressure mode available.

Actually BiPap is the marketing term from Respironics for their bilevel pressure machines...they
offer mainly the
BiPap Pro which is a fixed bilevel pressure machine similar to a cpap only mode machine plus they have regular cpap mode available...so like 2 machines in 1..
And the BiPAP Auto which has the auto mode for auto adjusting pressures...and those machines also have a fixed mode available and a cpap mode...so like 3 machines in 1.

There area couple of other BiPap models but those are the high end specialty machines designed mainly for people having problems with central apneas.

ResMed calls their bilevel devices AirCurve 10 (these are the latest models) and there is an auto adjusting pressure machine in that line as well. They have bilevel machines like the Respironics models I mentioned above and they have a few other high end specialty bilevel models.

The good news about the bilevel machines...they are all full data so you don't have to worry about getting stuck with a brick...unlike the cpap machines which have models that only gather hours of use.

bwexler wrote: I quickly determined that made things worse so I did the opposite and lowered the pressure and things improved.

I bet you made that decision based on the data from your CPAP instead of from the pulse-oximeter.

bwexler wrote:I think that a person who is aware enough to ask about a pulse ox would be fine owning one.

Of course she will be fine with one.

But it is a question of 1.) how much benefit, if any, she would get for the time, effort and money she puts in and 2.) would there be unnecessary worry over meaningless things in the data.

I wish I had gotten my pulse ox when I was first diagnosed. But I was only aware of the Nonin pulse ox which started at $1,000+ and the one I liked was over $3,000. If I had seen the CMS 50i at tbe beginning I probably would have owned it then.
I don't obsess over any of my numbers, but I spot check when I perceive an issue or before a doctor visit.
A major advantage of my pulse ox is by monitoring my O2 I am aware of desats below 90 even on successful PAP therapy. So I use my O2 concentrator and adjust the flow based on my pulse ox reading rather than a doctors guess maybe based on one night of monitoring.
I think we will just agree to disagree on this point,although I agree with you far more often than not.

bwexler wrote:I think we will just agree to disagree on this point,although I agree with you far more often than not.

Well, we agree to some extent on this point. I did not remember you are on supplemental oxygen. Owning a meter can be useful in such cases.

On the other hand, there is no indication SewingTired uses supplemental oxygen and some indication she does not use it.