Should I get an oximeter?

[markinOz]

I have seen some posts where people are measuring there oxygen levels during the night. I have been on APAP for a couple of years and feel that I am getting the right treatment. I haven't organised my software as yet, however my AHI are always below 4. Is it worth getting this device and if it is what sort should I get? What results should I be looking at?

Cheers.

[Slinky]

I'd say not. Oximeters are NOT cheap, and recording oximeters are even "less cheap", especially if you want one whose data can be incorporated in to your xPAP's software.

I have one, but I also have a lung problem, COPD, which influences and can be the cause of inconsistent results w/a straight CPAP. And even w/a bi-level. There are legitimate reasons for going to the expense but from what you've told us I certainly wouldn't go to the expense. Unless you've got money to throw away just to satisfy your idle curiosity - in which case .....

[Gerald]

I purchased a SPO 7500 and found it to be very useful. The SPO software that came with the oximeter does a fine job. The cost is low and the machine is a good value.

Keep in mind that what all of us on CPAP therapy are fighting is low blood O2 saturation levels that occur while we're sleeping. Because our CPAP machines don't measure our O2 levels, we're just guessing at how effective our therapy is by watching our AHI scores.

Using a recording oximeter with reporting software along with a CPCP machine with recording software gives us a MUCH better indication of how effective our therapy really is. I think you'll find that owning a recording oximeter is a prudent decision.

Gerald

[Gregg]

I used an oximeter before I went on cpap. And even though I was waking up sick with "hangovers", the oximeter recordings never showed significant oxygen saturation levels that were lower than normally acceptable. I think oximetry is good for those who are having dramatic departures from normal. Then it becomes obvious. Like a saturation of 85% for example. That's obvious. But I was around 95%. Maybe lower. But artifact made it difficult to be certain if it was 95% or 92%. And even then, I didn't think those numbers were low enough to cause the distress I was going through. I'm not experienced in oxygen saturation figures. I have heard that even sats around the 95% number could be low enough to cause "hangovers".

That's just my opinion. From my experience. So it could be useless. But I sold my oximeter and got the cpap, and so far I'm continuing to feel like a human again. Saturations whatever they may be.

[bigk]

I find it useful because in all honesty, after 9 months on this thing, I FEEL no different and the PulseOx is my ONLY proof that the therapy is working.

[mindy]

My pulse oximeter primarily verified what I already suspected - that my o2 sats were actually lower than measured at sleep study because I only slept very lightly at study (levels 1 and 2). It was also useful when I was tuning my therapy since I wondered if my therapy was adequate with my AHI around 4 to 4.5. It turned out that I was still getting desats about 1/2 the night at that point. Once I got my pressure to 13 (with doc's ok), my AHI dropped to around 1.5-2 and my desats below 94% dropped to less than 25% of the night and the lowest value was between 89 and 94.

I only use it once in a long while now, so for me, it would have been useful to be able to borrow or rent one for about a week and then after that maybe every 3-4 months for one night.

Just my experience.

Mindy