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

Ds has been in multiple times for asthma, they usually let him home when he's at 95% so I'd use that as a benchmark

What special training is necessary to clip on an oximeter?

I haven't got one but if I get covid I'll get one from amazon prime. It will reassure me rather than alarm me if my sats are OK.

I assume the Amazon ones do something more sophisticated than the Apple Watch? I got one for Xmas (fitness related rather than for this purpose) So far it’s given me readings between 88% (!) and 100%.

To be fair, the watch does state it shouldn’t be used for medical purposes, but I can imagine it might be anxiety inducing for some. The NHS advice is to take a second reading after an hour.. I think heart rate and time of day may also impact your reading..

Better to have it and not need it. If you can afford one, go for it.

I have one. It's reassuring to know my normal level.
The pulse reading matches my smart watch so I think it's pretty accurate.

@Molly357 Guidance is go in if sats are consistently under 92%.

Sats probes are one of those things that used to be 'only for serious professionals' when they cost £250 each but are becoming mainstream now they cost £20 from amazon.

Absolutely fine if used in line with NHS guidance as per the link and if the user understands how and when the reading might be wrong. And no more specialised than thermometer or BP cuff, both of which are standard household items nowadays.

@PastaPins

No. If your SATS were too low you'd know about it and would seek medical treatment.

Not true at all with Covid

@user1471562688

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

Not really. My Mum was admitted to hospital in October with shortness of breath, her oxygen reading in the ambulance was 88% and she was admitted to a High Dependency ward. She narrowly missed being put on a ventilator. If she'd have had an oximeter at home, she would have known that her oxygen levels were below normal and sought help sooner. She's also at risk of her pneumonia returning as she has been left with empyema so now takes her own daily readings reassuring her that everything is ok. The OP is far from being hysterical - an oximeter is a brilliant thing to have at home to enable you to self manage your own health and seek help where needed. Not just for Covid-19 but severe colds that can turn into pneumonia.

I’ve ordered one from Medisave.co.uk to avoid any risk of getting a dud from Amazon. Appears to be a legit company who sell to HCPs a lot as well as the public.

Some ridiculously sniffy comments on here, OP. Thank goodness for a pp linking to the NHS advice.

I’ve been told by consultant to go to hospital if lower than 94%.

Our GP surgery sent a text message last autumn advising to have one along with a thermometer in the home.

^In view of the increasing cases of Covid in the UK and for us to be able to safely monitor you if you become unwell we would advise that you purchase a pulse oximeter to measure your oxygen levels and a thermometer per household if possible. This will allow us to accurately determine the extent of a Covid illness and to be able to determine whether we can avoid hospital admission. These can be bought online and at your local pharmacy.^

Yes do get one.

I was listening to the writer Michael Rosen’s wife the other day. (He was in a coma for 3 months in ICU, with Covid) when he was admitted his oxygen level was 54 and he was nearly dead. If he’d had an Oximeter he would not have got so ill.

I also heard a Dr say that in her opinion every household should have a thermometer and oximeter in their first aid kit. And in my areas Drs surgeries have been giving them away free, as a trial, to people with Covid. They can be very useful.

Disclaimer - I work for a very well known UK Healthcare retailer, in healthcare product development. As part of that, I look after oximeters :)

In short the answer is yes. Tbh in my opinion, it’s not so much that you need an understanding of the science behind it, more an oximeter allows you to understand how ill you actually are rather than how ill you feel. The two things can be very different.

From my conversations once an oximeter hits 94/93% this would be a trigger point for someone to go to hospital.

In covid, it’s great for those with symptoms but also for those suffering from ‘long Covid’ where they may suffer for an extended period of time. I do understand it may not calm everyone’s anxiety by having one, but it provides an easy form of monitoring that no other piece of kit does in your own home (without other clinical intervention).

Happy to answer any questions as needed but I’ve tried to keep it quite simple!

Yes, I think it would be a good idea to have one. They're pretty cheap nowadays. It's a basic piece of equipment that gives you an indication of how ill a person might be. Owning an oximeter is akin to owning a clinical thermometer, imo - and most people would not suggest that you shouldn't have one of those.

I predict that within a few years, everyone will have one in their medicine cabinet as a standard bit of kit.

We got one and dh got very ill with covid so we checked every day.
His oxygen levels remained fine but one day his heart rate went sky high (oximeter measured that too)
We called the gp who asked a few questions and got him on antibiotics.
It’s only then that dh started to improve.
I’ve had 2 friends who bought oximeters and they were both able to see when their oxygen levels dropped below 94 and got medical help very quickly.

I would definitely recommend them.
As well as vitamin d and keeping your vitamin c topped up.

I bought one last week, not sure it's very reliable though as it's had me anywhere between 76% and 96%!

I did when I had covid. Google silent hypoxia - covid can cause low blood oxygen without normal symptoms and air hunger. I found it really reassuring when my chest was burning and tight. I do not feel this is hysterical.

Smartphones apps are not accurate. Cheap oximeter aren't especially either but they're accurate enough to know if there's a problem. I got a £20 one from Argos

Just ensure light is on nail bed and sit still with it for a few moments.

Ordered one the other day on the insistence of a GP friend.

We opted for the 30 quid one from Argos. It gives the oxygen level reading as well as heartrate bpm. Very clear and doesn't take a genius in science to figure out how to use.

I have one, but I have very bad asthma and OH has pulmonary fibrosis. A minor respiratory infection for either of us means low O2 sats and steroid courses. We have a rescue pack at home and use the O2 meter and a peak flow to test if things are bad enough to start medications.

I can't see it being much use for healthy adults though.

I bought one in March, it’s still in the postage envelope in the shed. I darent get it out because I know I’ll be checking and then panic if I see something I don’t like, even if it may be physiological.

We have one anyway, as recommended by ds's paediatrician and GP.

Today 03:06lovelilies

"So all of you that DO have one- at what point would you worry? 99%, 98%, 95%? 90%? Curious (I'm qualified to use one so I know what I'm doing but I don't think most of the general public would know about oxygen saturations) not trying to be hoary by the way, genuinely curious."

Maybe most people are rather more intelligent than you give them credit for?

We got one and it came in handy when DD had covid and we had to call 111 for advice, we gave them the readings, for us it's like having a thermometer, bp machine. The way the nhs is stretched a few simple readings can reassure and be a good help diagnostically. I didn't hesitate to buy one in the first wave.

@TheUnexpectedPickle

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

Sorry, but that's rubbish.

They're an easy bit of kit to use, very few things you can do wrong (wear nail polish etc), and gives even the stupidest lay person a good idea of how they're doing.