Oxygen sats

[Hometeam2016]

hi anyone measure there oxygen level with an Apple Watch , I wanted to know how accurate so when I do it with a meter on finger straight away as soon as I put on it 88 then goes in the 90s within seconds dont go dwn but stables in the 90s like 95 or 96 with an Apple Watch I get 15 seconds and sometimes it’s 86 or 88 press start again so a second later and it could be 95 , does that mean I was low or do u think it’s just a glitch in the number starting up etc x

[Germantara]

Sorry I don't know maybe some one will be able to help

[CyprusPat]

Although I don’t have an Apple Watch the xaomi I do have is not very accurate. It even wakes me in the night to tell me I’ve dropped to 77 although i have oxygen on 😉. I’d expect the apple to be more accurate but I wouldn’t rely on it.

[Badbessie]

I am a bit of a belt and braces individual. When I buy a new pulse oximeter. When I see the respiratory nurse I calibrate it against hers. Normally it's within 2%. I Have used various devices including smart watches and even my phone and to be honest they are not very good at one off readings. However in your case it could be a cliche in the watch. My normal readings are 95/96 I know when they fall if I have say a chest infection. I can physically tell the difference without a pulse oximeter reading. I find there is a big difference how I feel at 91 than 96. You are getting readings of 86/88 if you are not short of breath etc and feel the same as you do at 95 then it must be the watch. Basically pulse oximetry is only one means of assessment and how you actually feel is a far better indicator.

[Hometeam2016 in reply to Badbessie]

Hiya. I never feel any different , never shortness of breath but I do know my levels drop when I’m asleep as hosp mentioned it , but when u put yours on do u record the first number I put on or wait for it to settle

[soppysokes in reply to Hometeam2016]

i was told to give it time to calibrate and if readings jump around wait until a good 5/10 secs of a steady reading of sp02 and take that as the reading.

[B0xermad]

Hi I use a fitbit and it monitors saturation overnight and the reading is spot on as I use the oximeter in the morning and it has the same readings 94/95 which is generally my measurement at most rest times and 96 during the day

[Biker88]

A pulse oximeter will give different readings depending on what finger you use and the temperature of the skin. So I would expect readings to be different between a watch and finger meter, does the watch give the same reading on both wrists? And is the watch cold to touch it may take time to warm up when you first put it on

[Hometeam2016 in reply to Biker88]

Nah it’s not cold , but I just don’t understand at rest fine but when I walk that’s when it drops it doesn’t go below 85 as I said I press start again an in bk to 95 etc

[Biker88 in reply to Hometeam2016]

Oxygen levels will drop on any exertion, it’s how quick they come back up again that’s important.

[Hometeam2016 in reply to Biker88]

It comes up in seconds

[Alberta56]

My older oxymeter starts in the 80ies and rapidly works its way up to a sensible reading in the 90ies.

[TheOldBoy]

I use a fit bit which only gives my night time SPO2… I wanted something so I could monitor 24hrs… From my reading these wrist / watch based sensors are to be considered as an indication rather than accurate… They lack the reliability of a medical grade finger / extremity pulse oximeter… I can’t be sure but I would also guess that the watch based sensors are updating much less often to conserve battery life… all said and done I’m not an expert…

Cheers, Adam

[Lee_Scoresby]

I wear an Apple Watch 6 and also use a pulse oximeter. In my experience, the oximeter gives the most stable and believable readings, while the Watch can often read 'low'.

The Apple Watch does work fine, but it's really important not to have it too loose. If it sits close to my hand, for example, that's the thinnest part of my wrist and so it's also the loosest position - and the Watch needs consistent contact to do its job.

When I move the Watch back up my wrist a bit so that it's snugly against my skin - but not especially tight - then it gives me a reading the same as the oximeter.

[2Sn00py in reply to Lee_Scoresby]

I too have an Apple Watch 6. The heart monitoring is really excellent and I have printed off reports which have been the same (although not quite as detailed) as hospital ones. The blood oxygen is not one to recommend - either reading is so good you wonder why you need a pulmonary specialist or so low you’d be lucky if you could breathe at all!

[Hometeam2016 in reply to 2Sn00py]

I have put on a oxy monitor and the number been the same , however I don’t understand how sometime on watch I’m 88 then press start then I’ll be 95

[Brikel]

Hi yes I have an Apple Watch and the O2 levels readings are much different from my pulse oxymeter ie: on the watch, my stats show 92%, on the oxymeter it shows 88%, I go by the oxymeter

Hope this helps

Brian

[Hometeam2016 in reply to Brikel]

See when I put two on together they r both the same

[LungNRestless]

I do not find apple watch accurate at all. It was constantly alarming or reporting worryingly low sats/high HR. When i'd check properly it showed it was inaccurate. Now i've changed to a Whoop and gain much better and more accurate data.

But these devices are not medical devices, most will not have the tech to be calibrated to be in sync with those with medical issues such as ours. The whoop is pretty good though as it spends up to a month 'learning' whats normal for you and calibrating. So i'm not constantly getting notifications such as when, yes my sats are lower than the normal human being, but are within my normal range. Its also been fascinating to see my strain and recovery scores when im sick compared to well. Its been really useful in managing my fitness/health increase. i behave more with resting and pushing myself now.

My whoop does show my health has improved though, i've gone from a typical resp rate of up to 35, down to 17/18 which is correct.

[Hometeam2016 in reply to LungNRestless]

but mine is the same reading as oxymeter

[LungNRestless in reply to Hometeam2016]

ok, then ask your medical team to review you? Oxygen rate does fluctuate especially when you have bad lungs.

[Hometeam2016 in reply to LungNRestless]

Yeah but my day to day is normally okayish if I do get breathless from walking around esp at work fast pace I deep breath and I’m ok

[LungNRestless in reply to Hometeam2016]

My day to day is fine but obviously when you exert or exercise then your sats will fluctuate