when I was recently in hospital, a machine was used on me to check my oxygen saturation level, it simply clamped on to a finger and gave a reading of 93%
I pointed to my CPAP and said this made it obvious that it was working for me

I hadnt heard of this machine before but I think that every sleep disorders dept should have one, also everyone complaining of cronic fatigue or exhaustion should be checked, its a very simple with an immediate result

lynn321 wrote:when I was recently in hospital, a machine was used on me to check my oxygen saturation level, it simply clamped on to a finger and gave a reading of 93%
I pointed to my CPAP and said this made it obvious that it was working for me

I hadnt heard of this machine before but I think that every sleep disorders dept should have one, also everyone complaining of cronic fatigue or exhaustion should be checked, its a very simple with an immediate result

The finger oximeter you refer to is used during the normal sleep test (polysomnogram), and forms an integral part of even the most basic or limited sleep test.

Daniel.

The machine is a pulse oximeter. It has become a normal part of medical vital sign testing, so it will be attached to your finger whenever you are a patient in a hospital, visit the ER, or have surgery.

And, yes, sleep labs should have this piece of equipment. I know the sleep lab where I was tested was recording my oxygen saturation level.

Something else to remember is that not all apnea patients show O2 desaturations. I know of people whose apnea has been missed because they were only tested with a pulse-ox.

Vicki

Daniel wrote:

lynn321 wrote:when I was recently in hospital, a machine was used on me to check my oxygen saturation level, it simply clamped on to a finger and gave a reading of 93%
I pointed to my CPAP and said this made it obvious that it was working for me

I hadnt heard of this machine before but I think that every sleep disorders dept should have one, also everyone complaining of cronic fatigue or exhaustion should be checked, its a very simple with an immediate result

The finger oximeter you refer to is used during the normal sleep test (polysomnogram), and forms an integral part of even the most basic or limited sleep test.

Daniel.

Is there a unit you can get for your home that will measure your O2Sat all night and record it? I am guessing a call to the DME. I found some online but they were all for spot checks except the one with a printer.

Believe it or not, many an academic paper has been written on the value of home pulse oximetry.
For instance:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... /171/2/188

(just something I found rapidly in google scholar). To quote "We conclude that the ability of physicians to predict the outcome of continuous positive airway treatment in individual patients is not significantly better with polysomnography than with home oximeter-based monitoring. "

However, to look at only the paper, one is ignoring a large number of others that, well, beg to differ. It's an active area of research, to be sure!

SleeplessJ wrote:Believe it or not, many an academic paper has been written on the value of home pulse oximetry.
For instance:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... /171/2/188

(just something I found rapidly in google scholar). To quote "We conclude that the ability of physicians to predict the outcome of continuous positive airway treatment in individual patients is not significantly better with polysomnography than with home oximeter-based monitoring. "

However, to look at only the paper, one is ignoring a large number of others that, well, beg to differ. It's an active area of research, to be sure!

Thanks for that!

I think this would be great as a side test at home. I figure since the Oxygen concentration is the most important aspect of sleep apnea there would be an APAP with a finger probe attached. Then it could adjust on your breathing and O2 levels.

Really I want to test my O2 concentration over a few day period. My Orthopedic surgeon is very interested in knowing how my O2 sat fluctuates since I am showing no signs of healing in my ankle and my circulation checks out. That only leaves no O2.

Vicki wrote:Something else to remember is that not all apnea patients show O2 desaturations. I know of people whose apnea has been missed because they were only tested with a pulse-ox.

Vicki

If there are no 02 desaturations what is their problem? Please explain.

SleeprLegend wrote:Is there a unit you can get for your home that will measure your O2Sat all night and record it? I am guessing a call to the DME. I found some online but they were all for spot checks except the one with a printer.

Here is one for about $425.00 you might be interested in. It records 8 hours of data and comes with software for Windows.

http://www.turnermedical.com/SPO_7500_Oximetry_Reports.htm


Bob

SleeprLegend wrote:

Daniel wrote:

lynn321 wrote:when I was recently in hospital, a machine was used on me to check my oxygen saturation level, it simply clamped on to a finger and gave a reading of 93%
I pointed to my CPAP and said this made it obvious that it was working for me

I hadnt heard of this machine before but I think that every sleep disorders dept should have one, also everyone complaining of cronic fatigue or exhaustion should be checked, its a very simple with an immediate result

The finger oximeter you refer to is used during the normal sleep test (polysomnogram), and forms an integral part of even the most basic or limited sleep test.

Daniel.

Is there a unit you can get for your home that will measure your O2Sat all night and record it? I am guessing a call to the DME. I found some online but they were all for spot checks except the one with a printer.

There should be a home use one available, not sure from where but would try your pharmacy first, then your DME. I remember reading somewhere that they can be expensive..........maybe $500 or so.

Daniel.

have seen some pulse oximeters at online auctions.

Anonymous wrote:If there are no 02 desaturations what is their problem? Please explain.

The problem would still remain of waking up every __ minutes because of the cessation of breathing, resulting in sleep cycles being messed up and causing all the problems relating to sleep apnea. I am one of the people who didn't have extremely low oxygen saturation, but I did have a breathing stoppage once a minute, and I had ZERO REM sleep. I was so messed up by the time I finally got diagnosed. The night before the sleep study, I fell asleep driving and ran my car off the road.

I had a test several years ago to see if I had sleep apnea. It was an arterial blood draw, and they were looking at my blood oxygen level (obviously in the days before pulse oximetry!). Since the level was fine, I was told I didn't have sleep apnea and went another ten years before I finally got diagnosed. I didn't miss much -- just my forties.

Lori, Can I assume the blood draw was while you were sleeping?

Anonymous wrote:Lori, Can I assume the blood draw was while you were sleeping?

Guest,

No, it was not at night ... I guess the assumption was that my blood oxygen level would be lower than normal during the day as a result of the deprivation at night. And since I now know that the lowest I dropped was 89, I can see why this test didn't work for me.

Unless you have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma or someother pulmonary disease, the idea of doing an ABG to test for apnea is insane. First, unless you are comatose, an ABG draw will wake you up immediately. Secondly, with normal pulmonary function, O2 saturation is immediately corrected as soon as you are able to breath. I guess they thought they were doing their best at the time. Ouch! Thank goodness for the pulse-ox (I call it the ET thingie).

Vicki