Re: Do you have an oxygen finger meter?

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

Yep, have had one for over 25 years, several different ones. Was on an Oxygen Concentrator when I slept for over 2 years. My first 2 Sleep Studies showed my Oxygen Saturation dropped down into the mid 70's, not good!

Had to do with scarred lungs from 2 bouts of regular pneumonia, and my long, long bout with Aspiration Pneumonia with my 1st Heart Attack.

Now, depending on whether I take reading when exercising, or when at my normal Resting Heart Rate, it never drops below 92%. At rest it runs between 95-99%.

Very useful to have, and for me it is 2nd only to my Chest Strap Heart Rate Monitor. HRM was how I knew I was having my 2nd Heart Attack. Helped save my life!

hckynut 🏒

hckynut(john)

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@Still Raining wrote:
Yep I have had one for a while. Not sure what the deal is but I run in the low 80s for a while and it is more worrying not checking. (yes I have health issues)

@Still Raining

When my Oxygen Saturation levels were in the mid 80's, my Pulmonologist told me if they got close to 80%, I had to be on oxygen 24/7. Thus my 1st of 6 Sleep Studies.

Just some of my personal experience with low Oxygen Saturation Levels. Slept with a cannula from my Oxygen Concentrator for 2 years. When my lungs healed my numbers went back up to mid to high 90% readings.

Might want to check it out with your doctor.

This is not medical advice! Only what I know from studies and my own personal experiences.

hckynut 🏒

hckynut(john)

HLP · ‎04-02-2015

@geezerette wrote:
@Still Raining wrote:
Yep I have had one for a while. Not sure what the deal is but I run in the low 80s for a while and it is more worrying not checking. (yes I have health issues)
@Still Raining

I don't have health issues--well, not serious ones anyway. But my level never reaches 100%. It's always closer to 97-98%.

Your 97-98 are normal for the majority of people. I worked in Inhalation Therapy, retired now, but used oxymeters on thousands. I have COPD now, run 97-98 on 2 liters of O2.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@Kachina624 wrote:
Believe me, if your oxygenation rate is as low as it would be with CoVi19, you'd know it and would never need one of those silly things. Ever try to excercize when at a higher altitude than you are accustomed to? That's what it would feel like. I remember being on Mt. Evans as a child, running and gasping for air. It is over 14,000 ft.

@Kachina624

I normally would launch into some info here about exercise physiology, which includes doing so at high altitude levels. How the human Respiratory System works, both at sea level and very high altitudes.

Since I read here that you consider an Oximeter "a silly thing", why waste my time. It's funny that when visiting ones doctor, or in the hospital, one of the first things they do is put that "silly little thing" on a person's fingertip.

Funny thing indeed, maybe to someone that has never had Respiratory or Pulmonary issues, but not a "funny thing" to those of us that have or have had those serious medical issues.

hckynut(john)

hckynut(john)

sophiamarie · ‎08-08-2013

We ordered an oximeter a few weeks ago and are still waiting for it. They said it would take a few weeks.

When I go to my doctor, the first thing they do is put that on my finger.

nightnurse · ‎03-20-2013

I have had one for many years due to severe asthma. It is very useful as my oxygen level has gotten down to 82%. They are now 3 times as expensive.

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

@SeaMaiden wrote:
Fortunately I bought one a year ago just for curiosity to check my oxygen levels for health... now I guess they are hard to come by. I check my oxygen levels whenever I start THINKING something is going on.... like after a trip to the store and my worries about the virus start up for a week or so....

I am glad I have it to monitor my levels and keep me less paranoid. Today my level was at 100%. I went to the store yesterday... and was feeling worried... for probably no reason just worry....

Yes, got my pulse oximeter a while ago because of the silent hypoxia mentioned by Tucsongal2. As CNN said:

"In hospitals around the world, doctors are shaking their heads in disbelief as they watch Covid-19 patients who should be comatose or "seizing" from hypoxia -- a lack of oxygen in the body's tissues -- check social media, chat with nurses and barely complain of discomfort while breathing.

"Some have dubbed them "happy hypoxics," a terrible misnomer for what could be a long, slow recovery -- or worse.

"The proper medical term is 'silent hypoxia.' It happens when people are unaware they are being deprived of oxygen and are therefore showing up to the hospital in much worse health than they realize."

One doctor mentioned having patients appear with levels as low as 50%. Statements that if your blood oxygen level were low you'd know it don't necessarily hold if you have COVID-19. Hence, the need to check your oxgen levels.

I use mine when I get up and before I go to bed. It's usually 97 or 98, never been lower than 96. I understand if you don't have medical issues that could compromise the measurement, it should be between 95 and 100.