Respiratory Clinic for Oxygen Checkup

[Davegt]

Went to the clinic a couple of days ago and they checked SPO2 with pulse oximeter. It was 98%. I advised i had checked before leaving home and it was 92%. Had my oximeter with me so checked and I got 98%! They got another oximeter and same result. Had me doing walk test twice and same result. As a result it was suggested I reduce ambulatory oxygen to 2 litres per minute instead of 3 to 4. With those results I shouldn't need supplementary oxygen.

After coming home, this was really bugging me as to why this happened. Then it came to me what it might be, hand sanitiser. I thoroughly washed my hands and I was back to 92%. So hand sanitiser was the culprit. I have searched the Internet and could find nothing to advise a thorough hand wash in soap and water before using oximeter. The only advice referred to not wearing nail varnish and the gel to remove nail varnish.

I thought it was worth pointing this out.

[Kristicats]

Wow what a difference!

[Davegt in reply to Kristicats]

Exactly and no advice anywhere about this. I rang BLF and the lady I spoke to said my resp team would need to refer it to their hospital who could refer it to MHRA for research. In my view it is not necessary to go down that route. That would mean a long wait before any changes. My records now show incorrect information and advise me, based on that incorrect evidence, to reduce oxygen from 3-4 to 2 lpm. I have tried ringing the clinic but nobody answering yesterday or today.

[Bkin]

Is this to see how many will check that on themselves .......

Yep I checked.

Washed hands soap and water blood sats 94%

applied sanitizer liberally sats 91% (beeping oximeter)

washed hands again with soap and water back up to 94%

my theory in my case was that the sanitizer cooled the hand temperature down, (cold hands known to give inaccurate readings).

Other things that can affect the oximeter see pdf document WHO

who.int/patientsafety/safes...

PS I'm not on oxygen - I will try again later and after applying the santizer will wait for my hands to warm back up before taking another reading. - will let you know.

More info here: nursingtimes.net/clinical-a....

[Bkin in reply to Bkin]

Hand wash, apply hand sanitizer, wait for hands to warm up again sats at 94% so for me no actual change when hands are at even / room temperature.

[Davegt in reply to Bkin]

Thanks for your information and doing the experiment. So for you it made no difference. I am puzzled because my Spo2 at rest with oxygen has been consistently around 92% for 6 years. But it shot up to 98%. I don't think I have made a miraculous recovery. About 3 years ago I had the lung diffusion test dlco and the result was 38%.

I had a call back earlier from the resp team and they won't budge. They are saying if I was a new patient I wouldn't get a prescription for oxygen but as I am already on it to reduce to 2-3 lpm. I have difficulty making sense of that.

Anyway thanks for your help. 😊😊😊

[Bkin in reply to Davegt]

I can understand your concern. I do find that I can get my level up to 98% when I exercise and move about. So I am wondering if this is what happened with you, the walk in to the hospital etc. Definitely if you find that the reduction in lpm is not working for you keep the resp team posted, I am sure you will do that any way.

Best wishes BK

[Davegt in reply to Bkin]

Thanks BK. When i exercise mine drops to about 87%. That is why I need the ambulatory oxygen to bring it back up.

This whole thing has upset me now. I usually see the same nurse in a clinic but this time it was someone different in a chilly church hall. They held it here because the usual venue is rooms above a doctor's surgery and Covid has caused the move.

Anyway at least you listened and did the experiment.

Thank you.

👍👍😀

[Bkin in reply to Davegt]

I hope things work out well for you Dave, get back on to them if you find things are not right. Take good care.

[Davegt in reply to Bkin]

Thank you. Bkin 😘😆😆

[Biker88]

Oximeter readings vary depending on what hand/finger you put it on and how cold your hands are. The readings can vary quite dramatically, when I was doing a pulmonary rehab course in an unheated hall my hands where too cold for a oximeter reading, the physio tried 3 different meters and none of them would give a reading.

[Davegt in reply to Biker88]

You are absolutely right. General advice is to use middle finger on dominant hand.

As you say, if your hands are very cold then you may not get a reading or it could vary dramatically.

Take care.

👍👍

[Culy]

Nice bit of Holmes style sleuthing kiddo...

[Davegt in reply to Culy]

Thank you. 🥸