oxymeter

[whit]

is there any reason i should have an oxymeter , i have severe c.o.p.d , i am ok when i am just sat around , but any physical activity and i am really struggling to breathe.would there be any advantage having one

[Jessy11]

I have an oximeter, but it's really only for my own peace of mind. If I feel a bit out of sorts, I use it to check my pulse & oxygen levels. You can buy one at a reasonable price on Amazon. Hope this helps, take care 😀

[Toci]

They are useful if you think your oxygen saturation is not what it should be. Check with your medics - if your sats drop too low sometimes then you can decide whether or not you want to monitor them yourself.

[Hidden]

The waste of time your better of with FEV meter to gauge your airways

Spo2 meters will not show co2 re tension thus get false reading ... A FEV meter will show ashtma like contraction and obstruction

[mmzetor in reply to Hidden]

if sp02 meters aren't any good why do doctors and nurses and people at rehab sessions use then to see if you need oxygen

[peege in reply to Hidden]

I have to disagree there Daz. I think they're a valuable tool when you go to GP feel like 7 tonnes of sh*t* if sats are dropped it's a tell tale sign of infection to they have to take you seriously & not send you out the door with a "take paracetamol".

Im glad you're feeling better since your latest escapades.

I take a tablespoon of ground flaxseed everyday, good oily fibre to make sure pockets of er, crap don't hang about xx

[mmzetor]

my wife bought one for me from lidil they are good just to keep an eye on your oxygen levels you can see if your oxygen drops a lot when moving round ect if it drops regular have word with gp about it , not going to do no harm to have one just don't get over obsessed with it ,

[Jessy11 in reply to mmzetor]

That's exactly what my consultant said.... Don't get obsessed with it. Just use it when you think you might have a problem & don't get reliant on it.

Very good advice to take 😀

[Hidden in reply to mmzetor]

Ask blf why emphysema is now called copd

[Jessy11 in reply to Hidden]

What do you mean please?

[peege]

I have one and I'm not as ill as many here. Mostly it's sits in the drawer.

It's useful to have handy when I am ill, it shows sats and pulse rate and for me, I can usually get sats to rise and lower pulse with controlled breathing techniques.

Also handy for times when I feel absolutely dreadful plus really tired, check sats & they can drop to 90, times like that it's a warning something's not right so watch myself and don't push myself too hard.

Hope this helps. I chose Biosync from Amazon because it also measures babies & small children's sats & pulse. Useful when you need to call 999 for them.

Personally I'd rather have one than not even if it lives in the drawer 99% of the time.

I do always take it away with me, just in case.

Hope you're okay P

[whit]

thanks for all replies , some differences of opinon here

[rubyred777]

Hi Whit

If you have severe copd, I would say you should definitely have one. You should see what it is when your moving around.

This way you could inform your Dr.

Also good to know what your normal reading is. If your not feeling well , it might be lower. I agree with Peege on this topic. I know all my norms. Including peak flow.

Rubyxx 😊

[Sokrackers]

Hi Whit

I have two O2/pulse meters and 2 fev1 peak flow meters - why 2 cos one to travel with and the other at home as you never know when you are 'going down'.

My O2 meters are somewhere in a packed box but would have been useful when I ended up in an emergency clinic recently feeling dreadful due to low sats. Usually I am on the ball and can check my sats when I feel unwell. Consultant checked my low O2 offered to admit me (but I didn't want to go in) gave me a shot of O2 and I happily went on my way with steroids and abs.

These gadgets let me know when I am failing and when I am doing well. With the use of the O2 meter I can adjust my breathing to increase my O2 levels - so a good investment in my mind (£10ish). My fev1/peak flow tells me my improvements from exercise etc or when things aren't going so well - so I don't have to wait for my next check up to see my current situation (I have the piko1 about £50 ish (I ended up with 2 because the first one kept beeping so they sent me another free of charge - now I find out that the first one was mis-set by me so both work now)).

So for me I have taken on some extra responsibility & control for my condition - I am happy to invest in my health.

Hope this helps

SK

[O2Trees in reply to Sokrackers]

Great post SK

[O2Trees]

The ones you buy, rather than the more accurate ones the medics have, can be up to 3% out so its important to check them against your GP's or respiratory nurse's one. Then if yours is out, you can adjust by adding or subtracting.

This is crucial if your sats are borderline, around 88%, since that is the safe cut-off point.

Only one person with different view Whit (you don't live in Whitstable do you?!) otherwise pretty unanimous about the value of having your own.

[whit]

yes you are right,only one against , don`t live in whitstable Whit is a nick name from years ago along with trex, and von zippa

[onamission]

I firmly believe that any one with a long term condition like us is a good idea to buy any aid to help us manage our own condition having said that some people become obsessed like a BP machine and they will take a reading 15 times a day and scare themselves to death any aid used in the right way is a good thing

[breath97]

Definitely yes, supplemental o2, cpap, vent, ect !

[Caspiana in reply to breath97]

Hello. This post is 4 years old. 😃