Pulse/Ox to the rescue.

My sister actually had an appointment for a sleep study years ago. Between making the appointment and the appointed date her insurance was terminated due to her husband's employer cutting back on benefits while the company slowly died. Out of pocket expense prevented it. He has a new job and better insurance. I think/hope seeing here data will motivate her.

My sister finally had her sleep study. It was scheduled to be a split study and they did hook her up. This lab has some policies I've not read about before. Shower and shampoo before arriving. Don't wake while in deep sleep even if shift is up. A shower is available after the study. A coupon for a discount breakfast.

When they did wake her she was "raring to go". The 5.5 hours on the hose was the best sleep she has ever had. She is anxious to get a machine and sleep that way every night. The tech did elude to incomplete titration. The long wait begins to have the results read then an appointment with the doc and Rx written.

---and, of course, sis will NOT get a "brick"!

BDG,

What device are you using to record your Pulse/Ox? Maybe I'm missing the ones for my machine (s9).

FM

BasementDwellingGeek wrote:I have long suspected, "knew", that my mother and sister have SA. I do, and their snoring patterns are a "dead" give away. I was camped at the parental abode this past weekend due to a death in the family. I of course brought my CPAP machine and pulse/oximeter, the first time traveling with it. One night I loaned the pules/ox to my sister to convince her she should get her sleeping evaluated. The next morning, when analyzing her data, it was blatantly clear that her O2 levels were in the 60's for parts of the night. They resembled seismic shock wave.

She agreed to get it checked out but expressed concerns about needing to get up multiple times at night to whiz. I explained the stress hormones and the need to pee. She thought not getting up multiple times a night might be the justification for using the equipment. A comment made while viewing her data "maybe that is why I am tired all of time". DOH!

You rock. I'm glad your sister got the split study. She obviously needed it.

FattyMagoo wrote:BDG,

What device are you using to record your Pulse/Ox? Maybe I'm missing the ones for my machine (s9).

FM

You need a record pulse Oximetre. It doesn't come with the machine.

Thanks BlackSpinner, another thing learned.

BlackSpinner wrote:

FattyMagoo wrote:BDG,

What device are you using to record your Pulse/Ox? Maybe I'm missing the ones for my machine (s9).

FM

You need a record pulse Oximetre. It doesn't come with the machine.

If you need one they run about $40 on fleabay (drop shipped from China). Make sure it has a usb port and can log data. When I was trying to get a referral for a sleep study I bought one; and while you can argue all night whether or not the results are completely accurate, if the numbers are consistently alarming it should raise concerns that need to be addressed. In my case the sleep study bore similar results to the pulse/ox.

Earlier this year my In-Laws were visiting and I convinced my Mother In Law to wear my Oximeter for the night as I have heard her take naps on the couch as well as numerous health problems. The next morning I showed them the results (very low oxygen levels), she did her sleep study, is now using her CPAP and is starting to feel better after many years.

I've found one that's bluetooth enabled.

Think I'm going to order one and try to get it to work in an iPhone app, at the same time as the wireless cpap data is collected.

Diggah wrote:If you need one they run about $40 on fleabay (drop shipped from China). Make sure it has a usb port and can log data. When I was trying to get a referral for a sleep study I bought one; and while you can argue all night whether or not the results are completely accurate, if the numbers are consistently alarming it should raise concerns that need to be addressed. In my case the sleep study bore similar results to the pulse/ox.

chunkyfrog wrote:---and, of course, sis will NOT get a "brick"!

I told her to be put me on speaker phone when she deals with the dme.

FattyMagoo wrote:I've found one that's bluetooth enabled.

Think I'm going to order one and try to get it to work in an iPhone app, at the same time as the wireless cpap data is collected.

Diggah wrote:If you need one they run about $40 on fleabay (drop shipped from China). Make sure it has a usb port and can log data. When I was trying to get a referral for a sleep study I bought one; and while you can argue all night whether or not the results are completely accurate, if the numbers are consistently alarming it should raise concerns that need to be addressed. In my case the sleep study bore similar results to the pulse/ox.

I use the Contec CMS-50E. Others are concerned that the battery will be hard to find/replace when it's time to. I figure by then it will be so beat up I'll need a new one anyway. It has already hit the floor more times than I want to count and is being held together with surgical tape.

I'm interested in hearing more about wireless cpap data.

Thanks for the info BDG.

I'll post more on the wireless options soon. Basically I'm working on software to collect data wirelessly, using standard technologies that aren't that expensive. Kind of like a FitBit system for cpap.

It looks like an oximeter with wireless capability, that is also has good accuracy, is around $100. I know that's not really cheap but I expect they will get cheaper one more people have Bluetooth 4.0 phones (right now it's only iPhones, Android is supporting it soon).


[quote="BasementDwellingGeek"][quote="FattyMagoo"]I've found one that's bluetooth enabled.

I use the Contec CMS-50E. Others are concerned that the battery will be hard to find/replace when it's time to. I figure by then it will be so beat up I'll need a new one anyway. It has already hit the floor more times than I want to count and is being held together with surgical tape.

I'm interested in hearing more about wireless cpap data.[/quote]

Dear all,
Most of the time I find no correspondence between the data of APAP and Pulse Ox. Of course, the value and pattern of both are important, but, which is more important? Sorry, if you find it a dumb question.

Growing, many people find that as their airway collapses the amount of oxygen in their blood drops. This results in a spike in heart rate. The oximeter picks up all of this.

The xPAP machine looks at air flow.

If we look at importance... they are all important.

With "normal" air flow you should have "normal" oxygen saturation and "normal" heart rate. And also can have sleep problems that require xPAP.

Many people find that as they stop breathing during sleep their oxygen saturation drops and their heart rate spikes so the oximeter is very useful in detecting this. While this happens often it is not universal.