Should I get an oximeter?

[StormsDontLastForever]

Looking for peoples opinions please on if I should order an oximeter? Have seen a lot of chat on some threads on here about some. Can anyone recommend the best one? Ideally around £20 mark. Thanks

Amazin sell ok ones for around £10. I had to stop myself from buying one because I'd really get carried away with it.

However, most smart phones can see what your oxygen saturation is like. Through the Samsung health app.

Oh FFS - hysteria overdrive. I've heard it all now.

Why do you need one?

@user1471562688 if you don't have anything nice to say just scroll past instead of you're no use comment! I simply said I have read on a few threads about getting them and asked for recommendations and yes I asked for opinions but no need to be so bloody rude!!

I got this one when my family tested positive as I needed one suitable for young children www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08L841FCW?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Sorry, that should say why do you think you need one

It really wouldn’t hurt to get one, if you never need it great. Consider it £20 to avoid admission. Having one of you get ill will help

@Inpersuitofhappiness thank you! I am the same have avoided buying one but just read on a thread about people recommending to buy them so thought I would ask about see what people say, thank you.

@SmidgenofaPigeon I don't, I was reading a thread and some people were posting about buying them and just wondered if it was something useful to have in the house if god forbid any of us get covid or is it something that would just send my anxiety over the edge lol

Thank you @ConfusedcomMum and @RainMoon

Personally I think they’d be unnecessary to have in your home and would just anxiety!

*cause anxiety

I have avoided getting one as it would make me anxious. I’ve an odd lung condition (and asthma) so don’t want to become obsessed! You may be more level-headed than me though...

I bought one at the start of the pandemic when they started talking about the silent hypoxia that Covid causes. I’m really glad I did because it really helped me stay sane and calm when I had Covid and was struggling to breathe.

I bought one, can't remember which but can look, and it was extremely reassuring when dd developed breathlessness.

I've got one that someone bought for me for my asthma attacks. It can provide reassurance. But if it was low enough to be dangerous, you would know something was very wrong anyway.

I bought one in February. I have found it reassuring when I've had shortness of breath or just felt dreadful

I have the FANRY (though it is currently out of stock on Amazon) it was around £20 I think. I did have another one but it was crap.

It is good to be able to monitor your oxygen level as Silent Hypoxia is a problem with Covid. People are turning up in a much worse state than they realise because their oxygen has dropped but they're not short of breath.

As for all the ridiculous comments -grow up, it's a potentially life saving bit of medical kit for £20.

Unless you understand what Oxometry is and all the caveats and science behind the readings - good and bad- then please don't.

I've bought one because I live alone and I know from when I had pneumonia a few years ago it's really hard with no external input to know how ill you really are.

Having it has not caused anxiety, it's just in a drawer in the bedroom. If anything it's helpful to know I have a way to measure, if needed, how bad things are if I get ill, since I have a tendency to minimise illness.

Anapulse ANP100 Finger Pulse Oximeter With LED Display (Includes Carrycase, Batteries and Lanyard)
Sorry can't link but it was this, £20.70 on Amazon.

I bought one, and a blood pressure monitor, after my husband had open heart surgery, I also bought them for my dad as he has serious lung and heart disease and the GP asks me for regular readings. I think they're good standard kit to have in the house.

No!

Yes it would be very useful to have a pulse oximeter at home.

There is a feature in some patients with COVID -19 of 'happy hypoxia' where people do not realise how severely ill they are. Below is Guardian article from some months ago.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/03/happy-hypoxia-unusual-coronavirus-effect-baffles-doctors

So, it is best to check your oxygen levels if you have COVID symptoms or respiratory issues like asthma.

When I had possible-covid in March abd felt quite breathless, I regularly took my readings using a cheap smart watch. It didn't create anxiety, if anything it made me less anxious.

It was useful for my 40 something friend who knew when she needed to be admitted to hospital as she was monitoring them.
I have been considering it too and will definitely buy one if any of us develop symptoms.

I have one (not because of covid but because of a health condition). They check your pulse and heart rhythm as well as blood oxygen and they’re tiny and cheap so why not get one? They’re not as accurate as the hospital ones but they still work. No more silly than having a thermometer in your first aid kit in my opinion.