pulse oximeter with alarm-- where to buy used??

[lovey]

Does anyone have a good website for an oximeter with alarm? I need one that will alarm both for oxygen level and heart rate. It's been an insurance saga now for 3 months...despite it being cost-effective (I can break out of my heart arrythmia if woken, and with sleep apnea, I can up the oxygen) if I am alarmed. This would pay for itself in one or two prevented ER visits. But the medical care/insurance/Medicaid system doesn't run on logic!!! Anyone have a good brand they like? Thanks, Lovey

[twokatmew]

I'm looking at several different ones right now. They are:

http://www.clinicalguard.com/oximeters- ... -p-89.html

http://www.portablenebs.com/choice-k1.htm

http://www.turnermedical.com/SPO_PulseO ... imeter.htm

http://www.facelake.com/cms50d-plus.html

The last two don't have alarms though. I have heard that the Contec POs are very sensitive to motion, and I had to return both a CMS50F and CMS60C for that very reason. But ... I have used finger clip-type sensors (on other POs) before and never had a problem. The CMS50F comes with a silicone thimble-type sensor, and even though it wasn't all that comfortable and left marks on my fingers, I had dropouts of over 20% (while sleeping and awake sitting very still). It was replaced with a CMS60C (again no alarms and no clock), but it was sent with a pediatric silicone wrap sensor which wouldn't read at all if I snugged it enough to stay on my finger. When I loosened it enough to get a reading, I had to hold it in place, and even then, it got more dropouts than readings. I took the CMS60C to pulmonary rehab with me, and the RTs couldn't do any better with it. The company I ordered from insisted that my finger was too small (sight unseen), and so they refused to send an adult clip sensor. As a result, I am left wondering if a plain old finger-clip sensor on a Contec PO would work.

I currently have a spot-check PO that I got from Ultranebs a couple years ago, and it works fine.
http://www.portablenebs.com/choiceoximeter.htm

I prefer the ability to change batteries w/o having to solder, and I'd like to not spend a fortune, but if the Contecs are as finicky as I found in my limited experience, there's no point in buying one.

The Choice 300K1 looks good (and is the same brand as my spot-check PO), but I have no idea what the software looks like.

The SPO 7500 seems like a nice unit, is supposedly more tolerant of motion artifacts, and you can set a recording interval (1s, 2s, etc.). But, at 1s it will record between six and eight hours only. I tend to sleep longer than that, and I don't know if changing the interval to 2s would make that much difference. It's also quite expensive.

Both Ultranebs and Turner Medical offer a 10- and 15-day trial period, respectively. Places that sell the Contecs have a 15-20% restocking fee, so there's a risk of losing some $$ if one chooses to return a Contec PO.

Decisions, decisions. I too would be interested in comments, particularly from those who have Contec POs.

[Ganesha]

Thanks for the info TwoCatMew. I have also been researching oximeters and am leaning toward the SPO 7500.
I just am not comfortable with the price since my DSats only got down to 87 during my sleep study (AHI=23).
Now that my AHI is less that five I wonder if an oximeter is needed.

Mark

[lovey]

I definitely destat at night, and luckily there are reports showing that despite bipap and oxygen, I can go down to the low 60's and my heart rate has gone up to 250 on oximeter reports. They were going to try to get the oximeter with alarm because I am so well documented, despite the oximeter rarely being funded. Now, three months later of their stupidity, they decided that what they will receive from my bs/bc insurance and michigan medicaid is less than the cost of the oximeter, so they want me to pay up front for it. Gee, if I am on Medicaid, maybe I don't have money, people!

I would think that you would be okay, if you are only going down to 87% even on your sleep study. The standard for giving oxygen to people is 88%, i.e. to discharge someone from the hospital with oxygen. It also probably matters how long you were below 88%. In my overnight oximetry with just my bipap on, I was below 88% for over 2 hours, which qualified me for oxygen to blend into my bipap.

Thanks for the info on the websites, everyone!

[lovey]

I definitely destat at night, and luckily there are reports showing that despite bipap and oxygen, I can go down to the low 60's and my heart rate has gone up to 250 on oximeter reports. They were going to try to get the oximeter with alarm because I am so well documented, despite the oximeter rarely being funded. Now, three months later of their stupidity, they decided that what they will receive from my bs/bc insurance and michigan medicaid is less than the cost of the oximeter, so they want me to pay up front for it. Gee, if I am on Medicaid, maybe I don't have money, people!

I would think that you would be okay, if you are only going down to 87% even on your sleep study. The standard for giving oxygen to people is 88%, i.e. to discharge someone from the hospital with oxygen. It also probably matters how long you were below 88%. In my overnight oximetry with just my bipap on, I was below 88% for over 2 hours, which qualified me for oxygen to blend into my bipap.

Thanks for the info on the websites, everyone!

[kteague]

Hi Lovey. Good to see you around. And glad you asked about the oximeters because I'm considering getting one in the future, and reading this thread has already been informative for me. I flip flop dozens of time a night, so I certainly don't want one that is sensitive to movement. Add an alarm to a sensitive one and it would drive me nuts. Maybe I'm not a good candidate for using one, as it would be more of a safety check than a known need. I'll dig thru old threads too before making a decision. Hope you are able to find what you need at a not too exhorbitant price. Wouldn't hurt to watch and see if a used one shows up on cpapauction.com to get an idea what used ones might sell for.
Kathy