Oximeter - how good a diagnostic tool?

[gpk111]

Does anyone have experience with the correlation between "events" and oximeter readings? ie if you had a few episodes spaced far apart, would you see a corresponding drop (and subsequent recovery) of oxygen levels? If true, one could sleep one night without the XPAP machine and compare the oximeter data with the results when on XPAP to get a handle on how they're doing.

[Goofproof]

I could do that, but I wouldn't, my need for data, doesn't trump my need for a good night. Jim With my XPAP and Pulse Ox doing their jobs well I can't see too much of a destat as the events don't last that long. Jim

[bruce5500]

I experimented a little during a nap one afternoon, with the Oximeter and no Xpap. The results were what I expected. In a word, scary. What a difference Xpap makes.

[kteague]

Seems to me an oximeter is useful in identifying desats, as otherwise one might never know if their few remaining events are still serious. But, a lack of significant desats does not mean there is no need for cpap. Events can still cause repeated arousals, nonrestful sleep, cardiac stress, repeated exposure to stress hormones, and diminished quality of life. Seems it could give a false sense of security. Just thinking.

[torontoCPAPguy]

ANYONE that is sitting and watching their cpap treatment idly is nuts. The right way to handle this affliction/afflictions is to have the best equipment you can possibly afford that will give you data EVERY night in detail and that includes an oximeter. The main objective here is not only to get a good night of sleep but is to ensure that your body is functioning properly. Sic. SaO2 desaturations KILL YOU DEAD. I repeat, for effect, THEY KILL YOU DEAD. Maybe not today or tomorrow but in the long run they will either treat you to a massive heart attack, stroke, embolysm, etc. They will make mush of your liver. They will enhance your diabetes and reduce the effectiveness of its treatment. What say? You don't have diabetes? Give it some time.... then your toes start to drop off.

If you think your spouse complaining about your snoring is what this is all about, BOY, are you in for a surprise!

You really do need a good recording pulse oximeter like the Contec CMS50E (cheap) although you can spend lots more. My CMS50E pretty much matched the $2000 machine at the hospital during rehab every week. They didn't trust my wee oximeter. In fact, they didn't trust their $2,000 oximeter all the time and took blood for blood gases as well (do they get SaO2 from that?)

You want to match up all of the data and ensure that you get your numbers where you want them to be. Even with an AHI of 0.0 I have oxygen desats which bugger up my REM sleep; and am going in for another sleep study with EEG but this time with oxygen infusion to keep my SaO2 up in the 95% range, where it probably wants to be. Otherwise your body is going to try to awaken you to get you to breathe more deeply. Ever awaken sorta paralyzed? That''s a sudden awakening from REM sleep and is an early warning sign too.

Keep on top of this stuff. Your life and quality of life will improve. Congrats for asking and keep asking questions.