O2 Saturation

[zena123]

Hello, My oximeter readings show oxygen saturation levels drop to 88, sometimes to 82, for about a couple of minutes fairly frequently. Since it always reverts to between 92-95, should I be concerned ? Thanks for reading.

[CDreamer]

I would mention it to your GP at you next visit. When it falls, do you experience any symptoms?

[Mercurius in reply to CDreamer]

Yes, that is the next step. The value is low it must have some reason.

[Rellim296]

Please could I ask when and why you are taking readings. We have an oximeter but it has hardly been used. I rather assumed it was for occasions when there was cause for concern.

[CDreamer in reply to Rellim296]

I would suggest that there may be cause for concern? I was told that any reading less than 92 indicated monitoring would be required and warrants investigation.

[Rellim296 in reply to CDreamer]

Yes, good point. It's a long time (perhaps three or four years) since I looked at the leaflet. I don't even know where the oximeter is. My other half is the enthusiast.

[zena123 in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks for replying, that's useful to know. The subject has raised a couple of useful comments (including yours) & I've replied to another post, with more information & hope that from all the expertise out there, I might be able to refine my thinking & then decide whether I need to do anything.

[zena123 in reply to Rellim296]

Hello, yes, I was monitoring my heart rate (varies from tachycardia @ 113-116 bpm to bradycardia (lowest 44bpm) to AF. I happened to notice on a couple of occasions that the oxygen saturation had dropped. In the daytime it doesn't last long, but I've been waking inexplicably in the night several times & just turned over, but began to wonder if there might be a connection ? Have also been thinking about AliveCor or Kardia but am dithering about whether it would be useful or not - I don't think it measures oxygen as well as heart rate & I think one line of tracing is not really sufficient to tell you very much.

[Rellim296 in reply to zena123]

I'm pretty sure Kardia just does the heartbeat. I have an Omron pocket ECG monitor which is similar to a Kardia and as I said we have an oximeter as well. The Omron does just give one 30 second trace but I find it a very useful indication of what my heart is up to and the beats per minute.. My EP has been impressed with the printouts I can give him. I find it very helpful to see the graph as it's usually better than it feels.

As I said I never bother with the oximeter as I assume things are OK if I'm feeling OK or good enough which has only once (7 years ago) not been the case.

As CDreamer says, it might be prudent to mention the readings you are getting.