Oximeter: Cost vrs Benefit

[bucko]

Simply, Is there a benefit to paying the cost of owning an oximeter for us CPAP users?

[6PtStar]

Simply, Is there a benefit to paying the cost of owning an oximeter for us CPAP users?

I bought one and I still think it was worth it for the information. Helped my doc evaluate me. I could not find a DME that would loan or rent me one but I know some people have been able to do this.

Jerry

[FoxNewsFan]

Bucko,
(Great avatar)

My sleep doc told me that the whole purpose of CPAP therapy is to keep your blood oxygen level up. All the other stuff, pressure, mask leak, etc is secondary if your SpO2 is good.

I have a recording oximeter and I find it valuable to see how pressure, mask type, mask leak, etc., etc. affect my SpO2.

During my sleep lab titration, my blood oxygen level went as low as 69%. Now the median is 94%. It rarely goes below 90% and never goes below 80%.

Insurance didn't cover it and it's expensive but I'm happy I got it.

Take care,

Ed

[Debjax]

I have the Nonyx oximeter that I purchased several years ago, primarily to monitor hubby (has bad heart) and for me when having asthma episodes, but until now did not need a recording one. I am considering purchasing one, but will have to wait until after the first of the year. I'm goign to try to see if I can get the doctor to prescribe one, but don't hold much hope for that.

[mindy]

I bought one (SPO7500) and use it periodically to check to see how my therapy is going. Better O2 sats is what I'm after.

Mindy

[bigk]

I have an SPO7500 as well. My insurance (in Australia) paid for most of it. I use it once a month to check my therapy.

[Goofproof]

Don't have one don't need one, I have the Encore Pro software and reader, and James Skinners program, they tell me how long I am in apnea and the avg length of apnea events, that let's me know how bad destats go. I also go to a Pulmonary Medical doctor, 4 times yearly to check if the bricks in my lungs are getting bigger or not. At best my O2 is 93 up from 90 two years ago. Lung strength has also increased over the same period. The O2 meter is just a tool, it doesn't fix anything, my other tools tell me the same thing as the O2 meter would. Without the O2 to correct the lows levels, it would be just something else to worry over, without the adding of O2, you aren't correcting anything. Jim

[Guest]

How can I disagree with someone that has >5000 posts. Well I do, so here goes. The pulse-ox doesn't fix anything but it is the gold-standard monitoring tool. What it measures, 02, is THE reason we do CPAP. The data it records is better and more relevant than the data recording on the CPAP machine.

[Goofproof]

Disagreeing is part of why we are here. A pulse ox meter is a high wear item, I imagine you are lucky to get a +/- 2 point difference from one to another when they are working correctly. My stats very that much depending on which of the handful my doctor have laying around. Test equiptment is only as good as the people that designed, built and calibrated it. That is always questionable. What we need to see is if we are having trouble keeping O2 levels up, it doesn't have to be precise, as with most things trends give us a clue. I just hope the persons that made your leads and pick-up wasn't trained by the person that made my Defibrillator leads. Jim

[ca_hosehead]

I've found it very useful. I have been able to learn a lot from it. I can see how my sleep patterns are going and monitor arousals. I can tell which apnea events are bad and which are trivial by looking at the pulse/ox.

I think to get one you would need to be able to afford it -- the money is more to some people than to others. You would also have to be good at reading the numbers. If you already have a data capable machine and are good at reading those numbers and still need/want to find out more about your sleep this can be a good tool.

What I do when confronted by a problem is collect information. I get *all* the the data that I can and start going over it. I see patterns, sometimes at once, sometimes after a long while. I try solutions based on what I see and use the data gathered to see what works and what doesn't.

The more information I have the more deeply I can see into the night.

[Woody3]

Does anyone make a reasonable priced oximeter?

[Gerald]

Bucko......

I agree with FoxNewsFan (Ed)......

The whole purpose of CPAP therapy....is to keep our O2 levels where they're supposed to be.

If the cost of owning and operating a Recording Oximeter is about the same as the cost for (1) Coca-Cola per day, I think most of us can afford one.

Further, I look at it this way: Encore Viewer software helps me chart my therapy by "putting a gauge" on my CPAP therapy. Watching my AHI score helps me be sure my mask and blower system is al working as it should be.

Periodically, I double-check my progress....by looking at the problem from another direction....that of knowing what my O2 levels are while I'm asleep.

Anytime we can view anything from more than one direction, we get a depth of understanding not available from only one standpoint.

As soon as you can afford it, buy a SPO-7500....It's a good tool with good software. I purchased mine from TurnerMedical.com and I'm very happy with it.


Gerald

[mindy]

Disagreeing is part of why we are here. A pulse ox meter is a high wear item, I imagine you are lucky to get a +/- 2 point difference from one to another when they are working correctly.

I do get differences and because I have problems with FL runs and pressure chasing apneas, the pulse ox gives me a better "feel" for how good my therapy actually is. The xPAP stats have some degree of error, too, so I use the two together and find it helps me to "tune" my therapy better. In addition, like many people on this forum I have multiple medical conditions so fatigue is not a good indicator of how my xPAP therapy is doing.

Mindy

[Goofproof]

Disagreeing is part of why we are here. A pulse ox meter is a high wear item, I imagine you are lucky to get a +/- 2 point difference from one to another when they are working correctly.

I do get differences and because I have problems with FL runs and pressure chasing apneas, the pulse ox gives me a better "feel" for how good my therapy actually is. The xPAP stats have some degree of error, too, so I use the two together and find it helps me to "tune" my therapy better. In addition, like many people on this forum I have multiple medical conditions so fatigue is not a good indicator of how my xPAP therapy is doing.

Mindy

I solve FL runs and pressure chasing apneas, FL I use OTC meds so I can breath through my nose, for pressure chasing apneas, I don't allow it by setting my top pressure limit to the top pressure I need to keep my airway open. (CPAP pressure) Using EncoreViewer instead of Encore Pro, you can't use James Skinners program "Encore Pro Analyzer", it best use is to give you the "911" on O2 destats. That's what is need in the dailies in Encore Pro, another graph to show when and where apneas occure and how long they last, it kind of keep track of it with the AI and H, hash marks, but it could be clearer, as it's very important to watch. Jame's program makes use of that data. A Pulse Ox is a good thing, I could also make use of a EKG monitor, but all the wires would distract from my sleep. Jim

[Mtnviewer]

I'm just starting with APAP (2nd attempt after CPAP trial) so no experience really, but I'm wondering if using an oxymeter could not be compared to using a tire gauge for your vehicle? In other words, a tire gauge provides instant feedback on the current and accurate state of the tires, (assuming that the gauge is calibrated properly and IME very few are, and measuring when the tires are cold, ie: before your trip).

So with current and accurate tire psi info, one can then immediately decide on things like overall trip safety, tire condition, durability, and what to do long term if the psi keeps changing. But if one just goes by only long term data of say, fuel economy, tire wear, vehicle handling, visual checks, feel and experience, then while that too will give one a long term idea of the tires states, it will be just that, long term and problems may arrise during that long term data collecting period. However isn't the most immediate and accurate data really needed to prevent a crash?

Of course the analogy isn't perfect, but hopefully you get the idea of what I'm trying to say?

So perhaps, one can collect data quickly or slowly and come to somewhat similar conclusions, but if the whole idea is to keep O2 levels up, then wouldn't more immediate info be THE best barometer of the state of your PAP therapy?

For that reason, I'm saving for an O2 sensor, as it seems like a valuable tool.