Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
#1
R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
Hello FORUM guys and gals,

I am diving into my self education on my health. I now want to know more about my Oxygen levels, whats normal and what levels are often associated with sleep issues.


Does anyone know of any articles, website links or have personal knowledge or experience with this? Any one using an oximeter?

Cheers,

DeepDreamer
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
A lot of us do. Some use occasionally just as reference, some use every night.

Normal (as in an otherwise healthy person) is anything over 95% during the day. Same for at night although I've read acceptable can be anything over 92%.

"Abnormal" is anything below 90% or a significant drop (over 4%) in a short period of time.

First you'd need to establish what is your normal day by wearing it while, say, watching TV. Then you wear it at night and compare the two.

PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
I use and like my CMS50F, it's a wrist unit with a finger probe. Rechargable, data recording, with an alarm feature too. My numbers tend to run lower at night, I average 89-90, with a few dips below 88.

Personally, I believe your O2 stats combined with how you feel in the mornings are the best indicator of how you are doing overall. I've been able to make small adjustments so that recently my average O2 is hovering around 91.6 or so.
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional.  My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
It is not unusual for your sO2sats to drop during sleep, and below 88% is where we usually set the alarm, but desats to the 90-91% level is considered within acceptable tolerances for sleeping humans and should not be harmful. Hoping to stay at 95 -97% during sleep all the time is unrealistic, even with a CPAP. Some people DO manage it, but it actually is a bit contrary to what we know (or better said, have observed) to be the norm in healthy people, where the levels will vary with the levels of sleep.

Keeping an eye on it from time to time is not a bad thing, especially if you are waking up feeling rocky but your AHI looks all right, just to check, or if your AHI has elevated and you don't see where it is happening. Because the PulseOx tracks your pulse as well as saturation you can then see if you are moving into a state of arousal or not. But I would not make a habit of wearing one every night - I am not even sure that would be good for your finger, given the heat put out by the sensor, and the pressure on the finger. Plus, it can become an obsession. Just use it for a few days to get the hang of it, and to establish your norm, and then use it as a spot check every now and again, or when things aren't feeling so great.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
I like the above post. Makes real sense to me, and I must overcome the urge to wear mine nightly.

The other night, I had an issue where both my O2 and heart-rate dropped like a stone for bout 7 minutes, before climbing back up. Am wondering if it twas a simple glitch, even though the numbers did continue to vary - or if it was a real and true issue?

[Image: possible_fault_zpsd9643edf.jpg]

Heart-rate dropped to a low of 36?! Normal lows are dropping into the mid 40s. My PCP wants me to lower my Bystolic dose if I drop below 40 often.
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional.  My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
(11-10-2013, 12:39 PM)DeepDreamer Wrote: Does anyone know of any articles, website links or have personal knowledge or experience with this? Any one using an oximeter?


I think it advisable to wear pulse-oximeter (not necessarily every night) for a few nights or weeks when we are changing medications, or feeling worse than normal, or suspect our CPAP therapy is not working as well as needed.

Regarding what would be a good target range for SpO2: perhaps 94% to 96%, according to the article linked below, but when we are asleep, I would think it would be okay to go down to 90% or so.

The following is a quote from the article linked below, which points out the newly-recognised problems caused by too much oxigen.

"Protocols need to be aligned to reflect the 2010 ECC guidelines: administer oxygen to keep saturations between 94 and 96 percent. No patient needs oxygen saturations above 97 percent and in truth, there is little to no evidence suggesting any clinical benefit of oxygen saturations above 90 percent in any patient."

http://www.ems1.com/columnists/mike-mcev...ygen-hurt/

About the author: Mike McEvoy, PhD, REMT-P, RN, CCRN is the EMS Coordinator for Saratoga County, New York, a paramedic for Clifton Park-Halfmoon Ambulance, and Chief Medical Officer for West Crescent Fire Department. He is a clinical specialist in cardiac surgery and teaches critical care medicine at Albany Medical College. Mike is the EMS editor for Fire Engineering magazine, a popular speaker at EMS, fire, and medical conferences, and lead editor of the Jones & Bartlett textbook, "Critical Care Transport".
The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
(11-17-2013, 03:48 PM)Peter_C Wrote: The other night, I had an issue where both my O2 and heart-rate dropped like a stone for bout 7 minutes, before climbing back up. Am wondering if it twas a simple glitch, even though the numbers did continue to vary - or if it was a real and true issue?

Hi Peter,

The abrupt changes make me suspect the pulse-oximeter readings were inaccurate for that time period. Sometimes finger probe slips out a little, or we may temporarily move into a position which restricts blood flow to the arm/finger.
The Advisory Member group provides advice and suggestions to Apnea Board administrators and staff on matters concerning Apnea Board operation and administrative policies.  Membership in the Advisory Member group should not be understood as in any way implying medical expertise or qualification for advising Sleep Apnea patients concerning their treatment.
Post Reply Post Reply
#8
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
(11-17-2013, 04:32 PM)vsheline Wrote:
(11-17-2013, 03:48 PM)Peter_C Wrote: The other night, I had an issue where both my O2 and heart-rate dropped like a stone for bout 7 minutes, before climbing back up. Am wondering if it twas a simple glitch, even though the numbers did continue to vary - or if it was a real and true issue?

Hi Peter,

The abrupt changes make me suspect the pulse-oximeter readings were inaccurate for that time period. Sometimes finger probe slips out a little, or we may temporarily move into a position which restricts blood flow to the arm/finger.

That was my thinking as well, as even though it was still giving readings, they all stayed very level (low, but level), and then spiked a bit, then went back towards more average readings.

But, as you can see, I still bang the magic 88 a lot, granted, the meter can be off +/- 2 points - so it could be either way, right? Too high, or too low, or anywhere in the mix. I guess I would be happier if I bounced closer to the 90-91 number - am wondering if that would help my sleep quality or not?
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional.  My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
Post Reply Post Reply
#9
RE: R U versed in Oximeter use and O2 Saturation
I second vsheline's suspicion. This happens to me at night when I am laying on my side (and thus on my arm) while fiddling with things on my night stand. If I move it from one finger or hand to another, my pulse and O2 immediately jump back into the normal range.




(11-17-2013, 04:32 PM)vsheline pid or ='49566 Wrote:
(11-17-2013, 03:48 PM)Peter_C Wrote: The other night, I had an issue where both my O2 and heart-rate dropped like a stone for bout 7 minutes, before climbing back up. Am wondering if it twas a simple glitch, even though the numbers did continue to vary - or if it was a real and true issue?

Hi Peter,

The abrupt changes make me suspect the pulse-oximeter readings were inaccurate for that time period. Sometimes finger probe slips out a little, or we may temporarily move into a position which restricts blood flow to the arm/finger.

Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Pulse oximeter recommendations? p123 15 1,219 03-26-2024, 04:57 PM
Last Post: UnicornRider
  Looking for wrist oximeter to check O2 storywizard 0 90 03-13-2024, 05:29 PM
Last Post: storywizard
  Ox saturation and CPAP therapy dandan1978 3 176 03-12-2024, 11:58 AM
Last Post: Sleeprider
Question Oximeter Sensitivity mhjunk525 1 151 03-02-2024, 11:39 AM
Last Post: Crimson Nape
  are there pulse oximeter synced CPAP/Bipap/sleep study devices? bhavintu79 1 202 03-02-2024, 04:53 AM
Last Post: Gep232
  [Health] Pulse oximeter readings while asleep and awake - what do these readings mean? SleepyButHopeful 11 672 02-26-2024, 03:17 AM
Last Post: srlevine1
  Is there a pulse oximeter that bluetooths to the Air11? cathyf 2 808 12-19-2023, 01:19 AM
Last Post: SarcasticDave94


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.