is the CMS-50F Wrist Pulse Oximeter a good Oximeter to buy

[fordjx4000]

hi everyone is the CMS-50F Wrist Pulse Oximeter a good Oximeter to buy becouse i need to start having my o2 oxygen level monitored at night is it a good buy at 160 dollers ? here is a picture of it






has anyone here ever ordered from http://www.pulseoxstore.com

[HoseCrusher]

I have heard that is a good unit. However, the weak point is the wire that runs from the finger sensor to the unit. I don't know if replacement sensors are available, but you may want to take that into consideration.

If you sleep "quietly," it may be a non-issue, but if you are an "active" sleeper, it may be the part that breaks first.

None of them are perfect so you just have to minimize the limitations.

[avi123]

use a thin fabric glove to hold every thing together. how are you going to synchronise the time shown on the output graph from this unit with other programs?

[Madalot]

I have this unit and like it. My Pulmonologist accepts the reports from it when evaluating my vent therapy.

[Kody]

I have this model and it works fine for me. Got mine off Amazon for $127.00.

[Uncle_Bob]

these range of oximeters with internal batteries need to be given the occasional charging when not in use.
I left mine for a few months and after 18 months it was dead.

[bemused]

My CMS-50F was delivered last week, seems to work just fine. I only intend using it very occasionally so I bought it cheap direct from China, delivered for $95.
from DoorToDoorShop.com
Buying direct is a risk, of course, if it goes wrong. I would have paid a little more to buy from Amazon but they did not have it. Paid via paypal to avoid entering credit card info. Only took a week to arrive via US mail, so worked out fine for me. so far

[NewBMW]

I have one, too. And a question:
I can see no reason why it would make a difference what finger it is worn on. My instructions do not specify (or I could not find the specification). I have seen photos of it on the index and the next finger over. So, is there a preferred finger for optimum results?

Thanks,

[Papit]

I got mine for $95, shipping included, by ordering from DoorToDoorShop.com. It took one week from the time I ordered. The supplier is a Chinese company, Contec Medical. It may be a refurbished unit at that price. It seems to work just fine. The software did the job nicely of receiving via USB cable and charting the pulse rate and oxygen saturation data that the CMS 50F stored while I slept. It did just as well by giving me a real time view of my data and then saving it to a file.

One of the six pins in the sensor cable connector in the unit broke off and remains lodged in the mating connector hole at the end of the sensor cable. It doesn't seem to adversely affect performance but raises the issue of quality and durability. It is very unlikely imo to be compatible with other American and western made medical equipment. The mating connector pieces are not well "keyed" to one another and, therefore, may be misaligned by the user resulting in pin damage problems. This can be worked around by leaving the finger sensor connected to the CMS 50F after carefully aligning and making the cable connection the first time.

Pulse rate measurements matched readings I made using a separate blood pressure/pulse rate unit. Blood saturation data were within expected high/low range, in my case from about 85 to 98 over the few hours of night time data I collected one night.

I don't yet know how to import the data into SleepyHead (would appreciate help with that) so I can see the pulse and saturation charts with the standard SH graphs, but those graphs can certainly be seen via the above CMS 50F software. Re. ResScan software, if anybody knows where to purchase a compatible ResMed S9 adapter connector to plug into the back of the S9 AutoSet, that might be a starting point in making an adapter cable for inputting the CMS 50F pulse oximeter data.

I wasn't too happy with the user manual. It's tiresome to read and poorly written probably by someone who knows very little English, but it is usable.

[Lizistired]

I got mine from door to door too. Quick shipping, works great. The 6th pin isn't broken, it comes that way. The connection does seem sensitive to me so I just don't mess with it. I leave it connected. I toss and turn alot and haven't had a problem in about a year. I like it better than the 50H I have. The 50H is good for naps with the alarm.

There is a 50i now. I think it has some improvements but I'm not sure what the price is. I know it has a "long press" power off which would be convenient, and I think it records multiple (maybe up to three) sessions. That would be nice too if you aren't as anal about downloading as most of us.... OR if you want to use it on a family member and don't want to have to take a laptop and drive 30 miles to download it everyday... even if they FORGOT to put it on.... just my .02 been there, done that.

[Papit]

Thanks for clearing me up on the connector pin being ok and that it ships that way. Have you or anyone else made any progress in integrating the pulse and oximetry graphs (produced by the CMS-50F software) into SleepyHead so they can be synchronized with its graphs and viewed on screen with SH's graphs?

[BasementDwellingGeek]

I don't know about the CMS50F, but I have imported data on the CMS50E. When recording there is an option to set the start time on the Oximeter. It should set to be close to the time on your CPAP clock, other wise a nice message comes up indicating that are too far apart and the data can't be linked. On the CMS50E this needs to be done in every session.

The next morning I download and view the data is SPO2 Review. Then exit SPO2 Review.

On my machine there are a couple of data files stored in C:\Program Files (x86)\SpO2\Data. If you are running a 32 OS drop the (X86) part. One file is a CSV file that you can load into nearly any data tool. The other is a spoR file. Be sure you can find this file.

There are some preference settings in SH to enable the use and display of Oxi data. Tell it you have the CMS50. Hopefully the file format is the same?

Go to the Oximetry tab in SH. On the lower right is a button to open the .spo/R file. Click it. Navigate to the place the file was stored. Select it and Click Open. You should see your data displayed.

Beside the open button is a save button. Click it and confirm that you want to save the data.

Under data on the main menu is an option to “Rebuild Oximetry Indices”. Click it.

Now on the daily tab you should see the day in red on the calendar that has oximtry data. Click on the day. If the time stamps are too dissimilar you will see a notice that they can't be linked.

[SethW]

I wanted to thank bemused for mentioning doortodoorshop.com. I bought mine (CMS50F) from that site on line for $95 (total includes shipping), paid with PayPal, and it arrived in about a week via USPS international mail. It was as easy as ordering something off of any American web site. If you would like to scare yourself about importing things you buy on the web, you can read this:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/basic_ ... chases.xml

The declared value on mine was $20. As far as I can tell, there are no import restrictions, quotas, or duties on these kinds of devices. There was no paperwork prepared by CBP. The company put the required customs form on the package. I was able to see the progress of the package as it made it through the mail system. It didn't get lost. The device itself was well packaged in a lightweight metal box.

I can sum all of this up by saying that I have no reservations about buying something that costs less than $200 from this company and would do so again. The $200 limit comes from what CBP might do if it cost that much or more, not from any problem with the company.

I am happy with the purchase. I installed the software that came with the device. I have to download the data from the device using the software provided with the device (SpO2 Review) because the copy of SleepyHead that I downloaded crashes if I try to download the data directly from the device. However, SpO2 Review creates a .spoR file when you download the information from the device, and SleepyHead brings that in just fine. On my computer (Windows XP), it is in c:\Program Files\SpO2\Data. I prefer the SleepyHead interface to look at the data, although it does have a few kinks. Maybe at some point I can contribute to make it a little better. Still, it's a fine application to view the oximetry data.

The wrist strap that came with the device seems like it was put together incorrectly to me. The velcro fastener is on the inside of the strap, which means you can't really pull it tight while wearing it. On the other hand, I suppose that means it doesn't snag much. Still, I think I would have preferred it on the outside. Maybe I put it together wrong. I don't think so. But maybe.

The other thing I did was cut off part of the finger sensor. There are basically two "ribs" on the rubber body of the sensor; I cut the one on the outside off so the sensor did not squeeze my finger so tightly. I found it uncomfortable to wear the sensor for very long before I did that; afterwards it was better. The fact that the sensor body is rubber also makes my finger sweaty and a little crampy. I wrap my finger in a little bit of gauze, leaving just the tip of the finger exposed, which makes it more comfortable. I also put the monitor on my little finger because it's still a little tight if I put it on my index finger. I am currently trying gauze wrapped around my finger and then some no-stick bandage tape around the base of my finger and the wire to keep the sensor in place. It feels pretty solid. At some point I may completely extract the sensor and package it in something else--but replacement sensors aren't cheap (if you can find them). I figure I ought to use it awhile before I break it.

Note that the user manual says the sensor should not be used for longer than 2 hours. But with my modification, using gauze, and putting it on my pinky, it's fine. I guess I'll also say it's a little awkward to hold my fingers in a resting position because the sensor is bulky on my little finger. I kind of doubt that there is a more comfortable sensor out there, except maybe the disposable sensors like the ones they used for my sleep study. Besides, it's not like it keeps me up.

The oximeter is sensitive to movement, so there is a lot of noise in the signal (it goes up and down a lot). It probably didn't help it's stability any when I cut part of it off, either. And the rubber body of the sensor drags on sheets, under pillows, etc., like one would expect it to. Having said all of that, there is a noticeable difference when I look at the results I had before I started with CPAP and the results I have using it. My O2 levels spend more time bouncing around in the 90s and my pulse rate bounces around the mid-70s instead of the low 80s. I am seeing what I expected to see, which means I should be a little skeptical I guess.

Anyway, I wasn't able to find a cheaper, better way to get overnight O2 levels. If there is, I hope somebody posts it here. Then I will get to work cutting up the rest of my sensor and experimenting with that! I think I might have seen a clamp-style fingertip sensor made by CMS that is a little cheaper than the CMS50F, but it seems like that would be uncomfortable, too. But maybe it isn't. I think there's also a wireless option. Don't know much about that, either. I think I saw that it was basically a bluetooth-style adapter that plugged into the regular CMS50F, not something built into a different model.

As yet I have no experience trying to do anything with ResMed data in SleepyHead because I haven't tried to load in data from that device yet.

[Papit]

"I don't know about the CMS50F, but I have imported data on the CMS50E."
I have the CMS-50F. I think the main module is identical to the CMS-50E. Your instructions below are right on target. They worked like a charm for displaying all my SpO2 Review data and all the sleep sessions data files were right where you said they would be. Thank you for making it easy.

"When recording . . . set the start time on the Oximeter. It should (MUST BE set to be close to the time on your CPAP clock, . . . too far apart and the data can't be linked. On the CMS50E this needs to be done in every session.

FYI, I only had to set the clock time on the CMS-50F pulse ox once to synchronize it to the clock time of my S9 AutoSet xpap machine/SD data card. All the pulse ox nightly sessions recorded after that then stayed in sync with the data recorded on the SD card and all the pulse ox charts opened and displayed nicely.

Your instructions (repeated below succinctly) were outstanding. I followed the same instruction sequence for each pulse ox data file (.spoR):

"The next morning I download and view the data is SPO2 Review. Then exit SPO2 Review.

"There are some preference settings in SH to enable the use and display of Oxi data. Tell it you have the CMS50. . .

"Go to the Oximetry tab in SH. On the lower right is a button to open the .spo/R file. Click it. Navigate to the place the file was stored. Select it and Click Open. You should see your data displayed.

"Beside the open button is a save button. Click it and confirm that you want to save the data.

"Under data on the main menu is an option to “Rebuild Oximetry Indices”. Click it.

"Now on the daily tab you should see the day in red on the calendar that has oximtry data. Click on the day. If the time stamps are too dissimilar you will see a notice that they can't be linked."

Nice going, Geek.

[scooter133]

I wanted to thank bemused for mentioning doortodoorshop.com. I bought mine (CMS50F) from that site on line for $95 (total includes shipping), paid with PayPal, and it arrived in about a week via USPS international mail. It was as easy as ordering something off of any American web site.

I bought from the same place. No complaints here...