Pulse Oximeter Recommendation

[Sparrowhawk]

What great timing on this thread. Just last night I was on Amazon reading reviews. This was the one I had decided on and it's by the same company as the one SOC recommended. What I like for the added $$ is the pulse wave form info.

http://www.amazon.com/Santamedical-SM-240-Finger-Pulse-Oximeter/dp/B004NAQ89K/ref=pd_sbs_hpc_3

I feel like I am waking up at night in part due to low ox, even though my sleep study went ok for this. I want to be able to spot check that and pulse without digging out the BP cuff.

 

[Valentijn]

I forgot that this device also measures HR, so I was really more curious about how the oxygen sats correlated with your HR and BP? I am using the chest strap HR monitor but don't have a way to measure oxygen sats.

Oxygen saturation isn't always trying to drop when heart rate is rising, but if heart rate is rising for no good reason, it's usually because oxygen saturation is trying to drop.

The pulse oximeter I have shows a little graph of BP readings at the bottom, plus a bar on the left showing each heart beat. It's not nearly as precise as using a BP monitor, but there are definite differences showing up on the graph and the bar when pulse pressure is relatively narrow. It might not be quite as useful in showing low overall BP, since the graph is tiny and has to keep the waves pretty centered. Usually when my oxygen saturation is trying to drop, my pulse pressure looks pretty low - though it can vary a lot from one minute to the next.

 

[Valentijn]

That sure sounds like something abnormal in the cardiac department. Have you discussed it with a cardiologist?

Yup, got an EKG and heart echo done after my little "coughing up globs of blood" episode Everything looks great (lungs too - x-ray and function test), so it's probably neurological.

 

[JAH]

Yup, got an EKG and heart echo done after my little "coughing up globs of blood" episode Everything looks great (lungs too - x-ray and function test), so it's probably neurological.

I had a coughing problem tonight, too, but thank god no blood. (Sounds truly awful) I also think something neurological is going on with me. Coughing more like a spasm. Hope you are feeling better,

JAH

 

[Valentijn]

I had a coughing problem tonight, too, but thank god no blood. (Sounds truly awful)

It wasn't too bad ... felt the same as coughing up the semi-solid globs of mucous really Though the blood does have that extra freak-out factor

 

[Sparrowhawk]

Is there a target range for oxygen saturation based on standing, sitting or lying down? I just received my oximeter and it reads 97-98 standing. But lying down it dropped as low as 94 -96 as the heart rate decreases. Thanks.

 

[Valentijn]

Is there a target range for oxygen saturation based on standing, sitting or lying down? I just received my oximeter and it reads 97-98 standing. But lying down it dropped as low as 94 -96 as the heart rate decreases. Thanks.

96-99 is normal. Though my fiance is always at exactly 95, and feels great. But I'm typically at 99%, and generally feel a bit crappy when there's even a slight drop, probably because any drop at all seems to trigger an increase in heart rate.

It shouldn't get lower when laying down, though it can get lower when sleeping. I think then the range is 94-98. You might want to test it for extended periods (30 minutes) lying in different positions. I have a pretty big improvement on my left side compared to sleeping on my back or my right side - I get under 90% saturation on my back, and any position other than my left side results in my heart rate increasing to compensate for dropping oxygen.

Hence I sleep far better on my left side, where my heart rate can drop the lowest while still maintaining oxygen saturation.

 

[beaker]

I'm a little late to this discussion. FWIW I have this Contec model. This is on the UK Amazon site. I can't find it on the US site. I bought it a couple years ago. I liked that it saves data you can download and analyze. Plus it had very solid reviews. I did a lot of digging as to what to look for, brands, etc... A lot of good info I got was on mountaineering sites. They need to keep track for those Everest treks we take every day ;-)

I like that it comes w/ a charger. No batteries needed.
It is also suppose to be able to be used while sleeping to record data.( only one that has that feature I could find) But I think you'd have to find a way to keep your had from moving around a lot. I wanted to do my own sleep study, cause I can't sleep in the sleep labs.
Problem: No brain energy to ever install and use the software.
It's a great solid reliable machine. If I were to do it again, I would probably get something less expensive though, cause I didn't/don't use all the features. I used a gift card for the purchase. Not sure that's what my friends had in mind. lol
If you think you would use the features , you might want to look at it. Or see if the company has a newer version.

 

[Sparrowhawk]

96-99 is normal. Though my fiance is always at exactly 95, and feels great. But I'm typically at 99%, and generally feel a bit crappy when there's even a slight drop, probably because any drop at all seems to trigger an increase in heart rate.

It shouldn't get lower when laying down, though it can get lower when sleeping. I think then the range is 94-98. You might want to test it for extended periods (30 minutes) lying in different positions. I have a pretty big improvement on my left side compared to sleeping on my back or my right side - I get under 90% saturation on my back, and any position other than my left side results in my heart rate increasing to compensate for dropping oxygen.

Hence I sleep far better on my left side, where my heart rate can drop the lowest while still maintaining oxygen saturation.

Thanks for all your responses V.

This is interesting because I find my heart labors more when I lie on my left side. I almost use that as an indicator of how well I am, whether I can stand to lie on my left side.

Last night I kept the unit on my left hand and checked several times before falling asleep and saw the oxygen get as low as 93 when the pulse rate was at 69.

What was useful -- worth the price of purchase, is this heartbeat monitoring aspect confirmed what I was feeling which is if I stand still, my heartrate climbs up into the high nineties and I begin to feel badly. If I walk slowly around, it drops back down to about 83. I assume this is a POTS symptom.

 

[JAH]

I've been using this one for several years. It's been easy to use and reliable.
http://www.amazon.com/Finger-Pulse-Oximeter-SM-110-Carry-Wrist/dp/B003TJH3LI/ref=sr_1_2?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1376944779&sr=1-2&keywords=pulse oximeter finger

PS: Pulse oximeters don't work well if you're wearing nail polish.

SOC,

I bought this and it is excellent. Actually cheaper than the Walgreens version, but much better- quicker to get a read, and doesn't lose the reading like my old one. So thank you very much. Now I just have to figure out why my pulse goes from 85 to 165 in 30 seconds...JAH

 

[Little Bluestem]

Right now it is on sale for $36.95, with a list price of $199.00. If I had an Amazon account, I would probably buy one. Does Amazon jack up their list prices to make their sale prices look better?

 

[Valentijn]

Right now it is on sale for $36.95, with a list price of $199.00. If I had an Amazon account, I would probably buy one. Does Amazon jack up their list prices to make their sale prices look better?

Some of the other models from the same brand look like they're actually $199 at various sites, though usually discounted to $140-160. But the one listed at the link above is definitely much cheaper. It's also a basic model, and the paid price on Amazon is about the same as what it's and similar pulse oximeters are offered for elsewhere.

 

[Sushi]

How practical/comfortable would this be for say a pilates class? Currently I am using a chest strap/watch type monitor. From the pics on Amazon it looks like this finger one might interfere with activities where you need you hands, as you do in a lot of pilates equipment classes.

Sushi

 

[SOC]

How practical/comfortable would this be for say a pilates class? Currently I am using a chest strap/watch type monitor. From the pics on Amazon it looks like this finger one might interfere with activities where you need you hands, as you do in a lot of pilates equipment classes.

Sushi

It you have to use your hands, it's no good. Occasionally I'll wear it for a few minutes doing something like mopping or vacuuming because I can grip with my other fingers and keep the one straight. If you need a good firm grip for the exercise, it won't work. The P-O either inhibits your grip or moves around and doesn't read reliably.

 

[SOC]

Now I just have to figure out why my pulse goes from 85 to 165 in 30 seconds...JAH

What are you doing when that happens?

 

[Sushi]

It you have to use your hands, it's no good. Occasionally I'll wear it for a few minutes doing something like mopping or vacuuming because I can grip with my other fingers and keep the one straight. If you need a good firm grip for the exercise, it won't work. The P-O either inhibits your grip or moves around and doesn't read reliably.

Thanks, means it wouldn't work when hanging from a trapeze!

Sushi

 

[SOC]

Thanks, means it wouldn't work when hanging from a trapeze!

Sushi

 

[Sushi]

Thanks, means it wouldn't work when hanging from a trapeze!

Sushi

Strange. We do some wild and strenuous things in a pilates equipment class but as long as it doesn't raise my HR (and few of the exercises do and for those I rest for every other rep) I am muscle-tired afterwards but don't get PEM.

Sushi

 

[Sparrowhawk]

Strange. We do some wild and strenuous things in a pilates equipment class but as long as it doesn't raise my HR (and few of the exercises do and for those I rest for every other rep) I am muscle-tired afterwards but don't get PEM.

Sushi

That's great! I wish I could find anything that works for me like that, but right now it's all I can do to shower, walk to and from kitchen, cook, eat, repeat. I have a Qi Gong DVD, and Rodney Yee yoga DVD, but neither one are doable right now.

 

[Sushi]

That's great! I wish I could find anything that works for me like that, but right now it's all I can do to shower, walk to and from kitchen, cook, eat, repeat. I have a Qi Gong DVD, and Rodney Yee yoga DVD, but neither one are doable right now.

Guess we are sliding off-topic, but equipment pilates is the one exercise that has "saved me" from deconditioning. Had great teachers though who let me pace with an HR monitor and only do what I could until I got stronger.

Rodney Yee yoga would definitely be too aerobic for me.

Sushi