Pulse oximeter results 92-95%

[worriedaboitdh]

Dh has a slight cough and snotty cold - he's tested negative on LFTs throughout the week. He's generally fine, worked throughout, a bit tired. I tend to worry about these things.

I bought a pulse oximeter from amazon today and just tested him a few times over the evening - his levels are between 92 and 95 at best, even with deep breaths. Mine are 98 and 99 so I don't think it's faulty.

Should I be concerned and trying to get him some help?

According to the guidance, yes. Perhaps ring 111?

He needs a PCR if he has a cough...

If the reading is true it’s not great. We have an oximeter and DH struggles to get an accurate reading (his fingers are much bigger than mine so probably a positioning thing). Sometimes if we fiddle with the position of it we get good readings.

Yes if it’s 92 he needs help.

If it’s at 92 more than once in an hour you should phone 999.

This is a link to advice form an NHS trust.

covid19.glos.nhs.uk/local-services/covid-19-virtual-ward/

Call 999 for Urgent Assessment: If you have any of the following signs/ symptoms or readings:

Your health is rapidly worsening over a period of hours
Short of breath sitting quietly
Your oxygen level is consistently at or less than 92%; meaning more than once within an hour
Blue lips or face
Pulse persistently over 100 beats per minute at rest after repeat testing
Severe or sudden onset of chest pain
Cold, clammy or mottled skin.

If it’s constantly at 92-93 you need keep a close eye if it lower then that they may want to see you. If it’s 94 plus they are not concerned. You can’t tell by how breathless you are on oxygen levels as it can be very low and you have no idea. Probable best call 111 ask for advice as to when he may need more treatment.

They will be lower if he is a viral or bacterial chest infection or any chronic lung conditions(?)
Snotty nose might indicate non-covid virus but an NHS PCR won't hurt...
Key is what are his readings normally ? Some people range at around 94-96% as their healthy norm. Folks with lung conditions 88-92% is norm. Also people with poor circulation/cold hands and feet/reynauds get lower readings.
I wouldn't overly fixate on O2 readings purely--I'd go by DH resp rate (12-20 breaths per minute) or his overall colour/alertness/health.
If you do count DHs resp rate, count his chest breaths for one minute whilst he is unaware.

Thanks all, will try to call 101, and book a test too.

It's hard as DH tends to refuse any and all medical stuff, he's convinced it's just a cold, and could be right, I do tend to worry.

He's agreed to try the oximeter again in a bit to check again at least.

If fingers/hands are cold, an artificially low reading can result. So try to ensure his fingers are nice and warm before the next reading.

How cold are his hands? Have you tried a different finger?

92-93% consistently 999 or A/E
94-95% - 111 or gp if office hours.
Make sure hands are warm, obviously no nail varnish/false nails. Make sure hand is still and at chest level.
If he has existing lung disease 88-94% can be acceptable but only as per his consultant
Yes to what @LizzieSiddal has said. If he can't complete a sentence at rest due to breathlessness 999
If he has deteriorated rapidly over an hour 999
Skin blotchy, cool and sweaty. Coughing up blood. Rash that won't go away rolling a glass over. Agitated confused, fainting. Urine output minimal pr stopped.
You say 92-95 % at best if less than that deffo 999.

When I had a similar reading during covid, I called an ambulance. They asked me to stand up and sit down as much as I could for 1 minute whilst still reading the monitor, it stayed steady at 93%.

It gave me a real coughing fit and from that, they diagnosed pneumonia as well as covid, arranged for some extremely strong antibiotics within 2 hours. Wouldn't admit me to hosp because they said I was safer at home than in hospital because of the current situation.

They were right, ring 111 for advice.

He needs a PCR

1. So you know what you are dealing with
2. If he needs to see a HCP he can have the result available- if he is PCR negative it is a hell of a lot easier to see him as a GP instead of as a “hot patient”, if positive then he may be eligible for a Covid at home monitoring service where they phone you frequently, review your symptoms and give you advice about what sats to look out for.
3. He needs to isolate until the test result is back.

Agree he needs a PCR ! So many people with Covid are presenting with cold symptoms.
Also get medical advice.

Have you tried it in a different finger? My daughter for some reason gets low readings on one finger but fine on the others no idea why!

If it is def low then he needs to see a doc the lfts are not terribly reliable sometimes.

I had this with covid, readings of between 92 and 95 and I rang 111 and was just told to sit up and see if could get higher readings. I could and they also prescribed antibiotics to collect from a pharmacy. My breathing did improve by itself in the end but I had worsening gastric symptoms and had to go to covid A&E and it was absolutely rammed in there and people were being asked to leave with readings of 90 and you were very close to other sick people.

I would call 111 (or 999 if 92 or below more than once) and get their advice but would say there is a risk of getting something else on top if you go into hospital so if its borderline I would stay out. But let the professionals decide. The good thing about being in is you have access to lots of tests and treatments. Mine lasted about 2 weeks of low readings and when I had a CT done recently for cancer showed scarring on the lungs which they think was from covid.

At 92% you should be starting to see visual cues that he is not getting adequate oxygen - cold extremities, blueness around his lips, lack of colour inches face, shallow rapid breathing. I wouldn't panic, but I would keep a close eye.

If he looks fine with a normal facial colour I'd be thinking about whether the oximeter is working. Of he doesn't I would ring 111.

If he has covid symptoms he should have booked a PCR immediately, as it says on the govt website and as it says when you order lateral flow tests online. Being a man isn't an excuse to shirk any and all responsibility about your own health or consider that of others irrelevant and have the nearest female do it all for you or not at all.

He needs to book a PCR. Make sure the oximeter is being used properly, cold hands can affect it, the finger it is on can affect it, standing or sitting can affect it. If it is a true result or gets worse he should call 111 for advice but they will also tell him to do a PCR. Not having done one will be prohibitive and make treatment harder to access if he comes to need it.

Sorry but at 92% you would not be getting central cyanosis. That is a late sign tbh and sats would be very much lower.

Thank you all so much. He seems a bit better and more "with it" today, he's looking less pale too. Took him for a PCR this morning, and the oximeter has bounced up between 95-96% (again, 99% for me so I can only assume it's working).

I don't know if it's him "being a man" or just his personality - in fairness, his calm and zen approach to life is a a good counterbalance to me worrying away. I wish I was more like him!