Pulseoximeter

[Carodox]

What has been most helpful to me on my apnea journey is a pulseoximeter I can wear all night which provides a chart showing my O2 levels, my pulse, and movement. 

When all is said and done, it appears that lack of O2 is the source of all sleep apnea issues. (Please correct meif I’m wrong). By evaluating my O2 levels for several weeks, I could see a pattern of 3 dips per night into the 70’s, however, my average O2 was 95%. This convinced me I needed to do something about it. Sleeping on my side Improved it slightly. Sleeping on my back in a recliner did not. 

After several months of APAP, my O2 levels rarely go below 90. I do not wake up in the middle of the night. I am able to sleep all night. 

I don’t wear the pulseoximeter every night now, just when something changes. I find it helps me get back on track. It is useful to know how long my O2 was low, whether my pulse increased, whether I began to move. 

I am wondering what further help OSCAR software could provide and why APAP machines do not monitor O2 levels. 

I have discussed this with my pulmonologist and he agrees that this is the way to go, however, he didn’t recommend it.

[sawinglogz]

There exist oximeters for APAP machines, but they're very expensive, since they're medical grade.

So most people use the over-the-counter ones that cost ~$100 or less.

OSCAR will let you chart your oximetry side-by-side with all the data your APAP does record, which is quite a bit, including every breath. The folks here are very good at looking at your data and helping you understand what it represents. So you might be able to post a screenshot of your data around one of your O2 drops and someone will be able to suggest whether it's position related, an issue with your pressure settings, etc.