Results of my Nonin WristOx 3100 pulse oximeter

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:28 pm

Ive used my Nonin Wristox two nights in a row now and have been surprised at what Ive found. Firstly, I want to say I figured out how to get it to work on my Vista PC, it works fine in Vista, EXCEPT for the help function. So, if you buy the nVision software, be sure you have access to XP or below to load it and read the help, because almost all the instructions are in the HELP function. But once you get past that and learn how to set it up, the main functions seem to work fine in Vista.

As for what Ive found, Ive found that I am still having oxygen desaturations. Last night for example, I had 33 events in the 89% to 85% range and 6 events int he 84% to 80% range. Each event is for at least 10 seconds. I spent a total of 3.6 minutes last night at below 88% oxygen desaturation, with a total of 22 events where I was at below 88%.

My DME told me you have to have 02 below 88% for a minimum of 5 minutes to qualify for O2.

My lowest O2 in my sleep last night, was 80%. I was VERY surprised by this, as I use my Resmed APAP set with my titrated pressure as my minimum pressure of 10 EVERY night. It goes up to a max of 12 about every night, so I guess I need to increase to 11 and see how my numbers improve.

Im also calling my sleep doctor.

The night before was similar as last night.

This WristOx is MUCH easier to use than that Spo 7500 toy and the software is not "cryptic" as one poster described the Spo software. It seems pretty darn good.

Eric

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:35 pm

Very interesting. That is the only reason I decided to go with Xpap, desats. I had the local DME come out once a few months ago and left me with a oximeter for the night. I asked about results, she said only a couple of events. When I checked with the SPO, I noticed I was low (80's) often. I thought maybe I was moving around too much. Perhaps I wasn't and that was the true reading.

I didn't understand (and maybe still don't) about sampling rate for oximeters. My last oximeter, some lovely Chinese model, always showed my levels around the high 90's. Never a dip below 93. Then I found out that it only records data once per minute. Hello. That doesn't do me much good.

I'm going to check again with my SPO unit when i get it back. If I dip into the 80's again, I'm not sure why I am wasting my time with Xpap.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:55 pm

[quote="Anonymous"]Very interesting. That is the only reason I decided to go with Xpap, desats. I had the local DME come out once a few months ago and left me with a oximeter for the night. I asked about results, she said only a couple of events. When I checked with the SPO, I noticed I was low (80's) often. I thought maybe I was moving around too much. Perhaps I wasn't and that was the true reading.

I didn't understand (and maybe still don't) about sampling rate for oximeters. My last oximeter, some lovely Chinese model, always showed my levels around the high 90's. Never a dip below 93. Then I found out that it only records data once per minute. Hello. That doesn't do me much good.

I'm going to check again with my SPO unit when i get it back. If I dip into the 80's again, I'm not sure why I am wasting my time with Xpap.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:16 pm

SPO 7500 will go down to 1 sec if you select it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:21 pm

Hey Grumpy, what was your AHI from that night? I usually am around 1.5. I'll be curious to see how my blood ox compares to AHI for the night.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:03 pm

[quote="Anonymous"]Hey Grumpy, what was your AHI from that night? I usually am around 1.5. I'll be curious to see how my blood ox compares to AHI for the night.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:03 pm

Try your machine in fixed mode, or with a higher bottom of the range. That should take care of your hypopneas.

People can desatruate from hypopneas too.

O.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:35 pm

ozij wrote:Try your machine in fixed mode, or with a higher bottom of the range. That should take care of your hypopneas.

People can desatruate from hypopneas too.

O.

Yeah, thats what Im going to do. Im going to increase my minimum pressure tonight, from 10, to 11. Im also going to call my sleep doc.

I think I might switch back to straight CPAP mode once I get my pressure setting correct again, CPAP works better for me than this APAP stuff.

Eric

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:33 pm

Anonymous wrote: If I dip into the 80's again, I'm not sure why I am wasting my time with Xpap.

That would be pretty easy to figure out, it's now working because you don't have it correct yet.

That's why we use the software so we can get treatment correctly. jim

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:53 pm

And then, some people need both cpap therapy and oxygen.

If your lungs can't get you enough oxygen despite an unobstructed airway - you don't have much choice and you need supplemental oxygen.

If your upper airway is obstructed, even the healthiest lungs in the world won't get your body the oxygen it needs.
O.

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:24 pm

[quote="ozij"]And then, some people need both cpap therapy and oxygen.

If your lungs can't get you enough oxygen despite an unobstructed airway - you don't have much choice and you need supplemental oxygen.

If your upper airway is obstructed, even the healthiest lungs in the world won't get your body the oxygen it needs.
O.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:10 am

all you have to figure out now is:

-is the oxygen levels dropping as a result of "obstructive" apnea or central apnea?

Because the machine cannot tell the difference. you would have to check your original PSG to see if you are at risk of CA or MA's, should have been denoted there if you were.

-for kickers, you should also try dropping your pressure to 9.0 for a night and compare oxygen levels and AHI data to current settings (in addition to trying higher pressure),
-I would also check your PSG for snoring because what will happen when you are at 10 cm, the machine will see a snore and increase pressure, that increased pressure may start firing off irregular breathing and CA's because it doesn't even look for them once pressure is at 10cm or above, however in the presence of snores it tosses out those rules and responds with pressure in an attempt to kill the snores.

On that machine, HI will always be higher, if AI is higher than 2, you need more pressure, if the AHI is erratic from night to night, look for CA events as the cause.

(all trial and error stuff).

MrGrumpy · Post by **MrGrumpy** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:27 am

[quote="Snoredog"]all you have to figure out now is:

-is the oxygen levels dropping as a result of "obstructive" apnea or central apnea?

Because the machine cannot tell the difference. you would have to check your original PSG to see if you are at risk of CA or MA's, should have been denoted there if you were.

-for kickers, you should also try dropping your pressure to 9.0 for a night and compare oxygen levels and AHI data to current settings (in addition to trying higher pressure),
-I would also check your PSG for snoring because what will happen when you are at 10 cm, the machine will see a snore and increase pressure, that increased pressure may start firing off irregular breathing and CA's because it doesn't even look for them once pressure is at 10cm or above, however in the presence of snores it tosses out those rules and responds with pressure in an attempt to kill the snores.

On that machine, HI will always be higher, if AI is higher than 2, you need more pressure, if the AHI is erratic from night to night, look for CA events as the cause.

(all trial and error stuff).

Arizona-Willie · Post by **Arizona-Willie** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:58 pm

You may find that you get better results when you LOWER your pressure.

Often the titrated pressure from the sleep test is actually too high when in your normal home environment with your own equipment.

I am trying to keep some pretty accurate records lately, exporting data from the machine and my pulse oximeter every day and putting it in a spreadsheet every week.

I have been gradually lowering my pressure and don't see much difference in the numbers between 8 cm and 11 cm.

I leave the pressure at one level for at least a week, sometime 2. The spreadsheet gives me nice averages of all the numbers.

Now I need to figure out how to make graphs showing the AHI and SO2 for each pressure setting.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:54 pm

My optimal pressure is a bit higher than my titrated pressure ... but I'm weird that-a-way. I guess everyone is different.