Buy a pulse oximeter!

[PurpleFlower1983]

Covid: How a £20 gadget could save lives

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55733527

I have had first hand experience of this, my otherwise healthy 41 year old husband is currently in critical care on oxygen support. He’s getting there now but there have been scary moments. We only knew his oxygen levels were dangerously low because of this machine. Buy one if you can.

This should have been publicised months ago. So important.

@Northernsoullover

If any of you have a Samsung phone you might find you have one already. I found out on here.

Please explain!

Hope your husband makes a good recovery Purple

We bought one when we went to Everest base camp in 2019 - I would imagine having covid feels similar to altitude sickness and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

In Samsung health. It can be a pre-installed app on yr phone, if not then you should be able to download it from the play store

endoftheline it was publicised months ago, I remember advice on TV and online last spring at the beginning of all this. We bought one at the time but it was a cheap one and not accurate. We've just bought another and hope it will be better.

I have just ordered one, and went back to the Amazon page to have a look after clicking on this thread, and now they have sold out.

The one on phones are generally much less accurate. If you're getting I accurate readings with a normal one, worth making sure you are sitting still, oximeter on a flat surface, light right on the nail. Seems to help them settle.

I got one when I had covid and was called hysterical on here. Silent hypoxia is a thing with covid, why would you not buy one if you can afford it?

Inaccurate not I accurate

I bought one today. It was £26 and before Covid it was £10 which I think is a disgusting mark up

Anself Oxygen Saturation Monitor, SPO2 Digital Fingertip Sensor Auto Power Off within 5S for Home (Pack of 2)

£39.97 on amazon pack of two but apply the 70% discount on the page and they go through the basket at £11.99 for two

This is a really good buy, we have two oxymeters in the house already due to my little one having severe asthma but I was wanting to pick one up for at my mums, found these so have ordered and it gives a back up one too!

No need to buy, there are plenty of free apps for your mobile if you search Playstore

Well, I never knew I could use my phone. I have just measured my resting heartbeat and blood oxygen levels.
Apparently my stress levels are low.

Thank you for starting this thread @PurpleFlower1983.

I hope your husband makes a full recovery

Dad had silent hypoxia. Was sat up watching TV but his sats were 85%

We were recommended one when my Dh was really suffering with covid, he ended up in hospital snd we found this bit of kit useful but not as useful as an accurate digital thermometer his main problem was temp. We initially bought a point at the forehead one but it turned out to be inaccurate even with good Amazon views and nhs friend said digital under the tongue or ear more accurate

If you have choice try to get one that is FDA approved (mentioned in listing on some Amazon devices) as it should be a more reliable device.

I agree, I lost mine so have replaced with a nee one. Purchased one for a family member when they had Covid, luckily oxygen levels weren't dangerously low and they could monitor and manage at home. They recommended one to another family member with Covid who checked theirs and needed some medication to bring it back up.

The one I have is still in stock and seems to work well.

www.amazon.co.uk/Saturation-Fingertip-Technology-Consumption-Precision/dp/B08NYHKH9F?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

At what point do you need to worry about oxygen levels?

Thank you for the reminder. I have been meaning to order one for ages. Used your link and it was £14.

If you are going to get one make sure the batteries are good, when you use it give it a few minutes to settle down, and don't be surprised by minor fluctuations. Warm hands and no nail gel is ideal. Taking a daily reading at a consistent time of day to establish your norm and get used to the natural fluctuations might be a good idea.

And while you are at it get a BP cuff, and learn how to take your own pulse manually (pulseox wont tell you if it’s irregular).

I have this one, not the cheapest though at £30, as I wanted one that was medically certified. It also says it's also used by NHS Scotland so I presume it's fairly accurate. www.kinetikwellbeing.com/product/pulseoximeter/

You get 15% off of you use code NEWYOU2021

Totally agree. I ordered one when our we all tested positive after seeing a post on
here. We never developed more than very mild symptoms but it really helped with my anxiety knowing I would see if there was any changes.

If you can buy one thats great but if you're covid positive and don't have one - don't worry too much - local health teams are rolling out pulse oximetry at home support services - whereby you get loaned a PO for a two week period (sometimes with thermometer too) - so ask GP for an update on local pulse oximetry at home service...

I also found this NHS Covid useful for interpreting the results:

@ginfordinner info here for those with covid

www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/12/C0719_COVID-Isolating-at-Home-Safety-Netting-Leaflet-Revised-FINAL-171220.pdf

“Normal” for healthy people is generally 94-98%. It will fluctuate by a few % over a minute, that’s perfectly normal. .If you have copd your normal may be lower, respiratory team should advise you.