Pulse Oximeter Prescription

[NightHawkeye]

Hopefully the price will continue to go down so pulse oximeters will be more widely available.

That has been the goal of Intel as well. I stumbled across an interesting design project using the Intel hardware, although I have absolutely no insight into whether this particular project has gone anywhere.

From Wendy Ju's design portfolio: http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/~wendyju/portfolio.pdf
"The Intel Digital Health Pulse Oximeter Earring Project is a distributed health sensing application to provide persistent health monitoring. Pulse oximetry hardware clipped to the patients ear communicates over Bluetooth using compact Intel iMote technology to send data to the patient’s cell phone, which acts as a gateway for disseminating information to their personal computer, their dedicated health weblog or possibly to their doctor’s health server."

Note that the designer here envisions the patient as the primary user of the oximeter data, with the possibility of the "doctor" also accessing the data.

Regards,
Bill

[Lots of Questions]

Wow, thanks to everyone for their very helpful replies. Based on this thread, I decided to order and SPO 7500:

<link not postable>

It was the cheapest I could find at $349. I am a bit worried, because it is a close-out model, that it may not be as fully featured as the more expensive models, but I decided to chance it, anyway. I hope I don't end up being sorry.

The fingertip application is a little different. It is strapped on, rather than having a little thimble or cap thing. If that is the only difference, then I am in fat city.

Have any of you ordered this version? If so, is there anything about it that is not as good as the other versions of this device?

[Lots of Questions]

For those who would like to see it:

http://www.dhmedical.com/spomepuoxmo7.html

[mindy]

It looks like the same one. There is a SPO-7500F and SPO-7500H - the "F" is the "full" one, the "H" is the "home" version. the "home" version doesn't include the software (and I don't know if it can record or not). The photo on your link states that software and cable are included.

I'd save a printout or PDF of that web page just to be safe! Some of us responded to a web page error in price and although most of us eventually got things worked out, it was a fairly long haul. It wasn't this company.

Mindy

[Lots of Questions]

Uh, oh. I think I see the glitch. It says it comes with "oximetry" software. I suppose that means software of some sort inside the oximeter, not the stuff you use on the computer. It has the dreaded "compatible with commercially available software".....which I took to mean that the data was compatible with other software, in addition to the download software.

I hope none of you ordered it. I guess I'll have to see what can be done. Ugh. Does anyone know where I can get this "commercially available software?"

Thanks for the help.

[Lots of Questions]

Well, I called the company. They insist that the software will allow me to generate reports. In any event, they've already shipped it, so I'll keep trying to figure this out. I can still return it if I don't open it.

Keep your fingers crossed. I'm still nervous.

[mindy]

I think you're worrying unnecessarily. The SPO-7500F has their own oximetry software and it is also compatible with one of the major generic software packages (Profox). It doesn't sound like you're getting the wrong one. Also, the SPO-7500H is priced around $249. Sorry I got you off on the wrong track!

Mindy

[Lots of Questions]

Mindy, you didn't get me off on the wrong track at all. I meant to say in my previous post that you gave me a great suggestion to print the page with the picture stating that it includes software. I immediately printed the page. Thanks for the good advice.

I guess it seems too good to be true. It's almost $100 cheaper than the cheapest ($454) I could find elsewhere. But it's $100 more than the 7500H, which does not have the software. So it's right there in the middle, could go either way.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I actually think if it includes the software, then it's really a good deal. I bet I'm going to like the attachment to my finger better than the thimble style. It would give me a lot more control.

Now to find the cheapest place to get that lizard cable....

[jskinner]

The general opinion in the healthcare industry is that an AHI of 5.0 or less is "normal"........and that a person who has an AHI of 2.5 - 4.9 doesn't need CPAP therapy.

I believe this opinion is wrong.

AHI is an over simplification of the measure of sleep apnea severity. It does not take into account the very important issue of individual apnea lengths.

[Lots of Questions]

Good point, jskinner and Gerald. AHI also is an average, which can hide lots of anomalies. In my own case, my AHI over an entire night is pretty darn small, but when I go into REM sleep, it shoots up over 50. Would it really matter if my overall AHI were only 4? Nope. That would be a lousy measure upon which to base treatment.

[Slinky]

Wow, thanks to everyone for their very helpful replies. Based on this thread, I decided to order and SPO 7500:

<link not postable>

It was the cheapest I could find at $349. I am a bit worried, because it is a close-out model, that it may not be as fully featured as the more expensive models, but I decided to chance it, anyway. I hope I don't end up being sorry.

The fingertip application is a little different. It is strapped on, rather than having a little thimble or cap thing. If that is the only difference, then I am in fat city.

Have any of you ordered this version? If so, is there anything about it that is not as good as the other versions of this device?

If it is any consolation, I bought one of the earliest versions of the SPO 7500. It had the "taped" on sensor. And frankly, that is more comfortable than the rubber finger cup version. BUT, in that older version you had to turn the 7500 On and Off yourself w/these teeny recessed soft rubber buttons and they could be exaspirating at times. I usually had to use a ball point pen tip to turn the dang buttons On and Off. And I managed to finally break it.

NO PROBLEM! The company I bought it from (TurnerMedical) immediately said they would replace it if SPO didn't. SPO didn't blink an eye, even tho I told them HOW I broke the button. They quickly replaced it and I now have the newer version that turns itself on when you put the finger cup on.

SPO was great to work with. As mentioned above the software installed w/no problem. The first software I was ever able to install on first try and have it work! Plus SPO's software support is great too. It really is a good company to do business with.

[Lots of Questions]

Thanks for the post, Slinky. I appreciate the information. Maybe I will be OK with this purchase.

[Lots of Questions]

My SPO 7500 arrived today. It appears to be the real deal, except that it has the rubber thimble-like finger connection rather than the strap-on/tape-on one. Must the the later model.

It came with software. I've already run one report to verify that it works as expected. It does. The software is a little cryptic, but you have to start a report BEFORE you record the data. So each time you download data to generate a report, that is a convenient time to start the next report, even if you don't intend to record for several weeks.

The biggest problem I've had so far is "weak connection" for getting readings from my finger. I believe it is because my hands are perpetually cold. This could be a problem, but I will try to figure out a way to keep my hands warm while sleeping.

I am greatly relieved. Thanks for all of your help.

[mindy]

Glad to hear it arrived safely and works

I experimented with different fingers and moving the location of the rubber thingie. I finally found that left middle finger with the tip of my nail showing worked best for me.

Once you get through the adjustments, I hope you'll find it as useful as I have!

Mindy

[MrGrumpy]

My SPO 7500 arrived today. It appears to be the real deal, except that it has the rubber thimble-like finger connection rather than the strap-on/tape-on one. Must the the later model.

It came with software. I've already run one report to verify that it works as expected. It does. The software is a little cryptic, but you have to start a report BEFORE you record the data. So each time you download data to generate a report, that is a convenient time to start the next report, even if you don't intend to record for several weeks.

The biggest problem I've had so far is "weak connection" for getting readings from my finger. I believe it is because my hands are perpetually cold. This could be a problem, but I will try to figure out a way to keep my hands warm while sleeping.

I am greatly relieved. Thanks for all of your help.

I thought the software was a pain. I could only get it to download once. And Im good with computers. I sent mine back today and bought a Nonin Wristox with nVision software.

I also figure my sleep doctor will take my charts and reports more seriously if its from a Nonin machine with nVision software, as pretty much all doctors have heard of Nonin. Mine hadnt heard of Spo as of last week.

Sometimes, when we try to save money, we end up spending more money in the long run. Quality isnt cheap.

I hope Spo makes their software a bit more simple and straightforward. They could also ruggedize the cord between finger clip and oximeter or make it where you could replace it if it gets pulled out.

Eric