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.

Mine cost 10 pounds off Amazon and it works perfectly well.

It has been very accurate with readings in the past (sons asthma).

Does anyone happen to know if Which? or similar has reviewed oximeters, and if so which brands typically do best?

Any models best/good buys, any to avoid?

Yes this is so important. I got one a few months ago and the whole household got COVID about a week later so it was reassuring.

DH’s work colleague lost his wife to COVID a few days ago. They had both tested positive. She had the cough although had not felt unwell enough to get medical attention but he woke up to her gone. Makes you wonder if she’d known to check her oxygen levels, would it have been different. She was only 56.

@Lemons1571

I don’t have much luck with medical devices. I bought one on the first lockdown and my O2 was 92%. And my thermometer showed body temperature at 35.8. So I was basically dead. Haven’t had covid yet

That can happen if your hands are too cold - the device can't get a good reading! So warm up your hands then try again.

@BettySundaes

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

The phone ones aren't as good according to various Drs.

We've had one, and a blood pressure monitor, for a couple of years as we bought them for my Dad and decided to get them for us too. It's been brilliant especially monitoring his oxygen levels due to COPD. We check ours regularly, too. Very useful bit of kit!

[quote lovelemoncurd]@Ginfordinner 96-100% normal.
94-96 gp call
Below 94% you are in need of treatment.- oxygen ( well unless you're chronic copd)

[/quote]
My second reading was 97%

@CoronaIsShit

Oh that's so sad. Poor bloke x

I bought one Jan last year, it was about £13 & crap the two haves actually came apart. I ordered another one that was £30 and it has been great. It's currently not on Amazon.

I have found having it very reassuring. I test most days & keep a re it's sling with my temperature, I'm an accountant, I like numbers 🤣.

It's been good on days I've felt rough, to know that my days have been fine. Last few days they've been dipping much lower than usual, but odd as I feel fine, but they do come back up again.

@RoseAndRose

Does anyone happen to know if Which? or similar has reviewed oximeters, and if so which brands typically do best?

Any models best/good buys, any to avoid?

I subscribe to Which, but they have no reviews of the type that are readily available. They need to get a move on with this IMO.

@Lemons1571

I don’t have much luck with medical devices. I bought one on the first lockdown and my O2 was 92%. And my thermometer showed body temperature at 35.8. So I was basically dead. Haven’t had covid yet

Please don't dismiss their importance and usefulness though! A temperature of 35.8 is not ridiculously low (mine is often 35.5 to 36) and I know plenty of people with sats below 90% who are up and walking around. You wouldn't be practically dead, they are low numbers but individually not life threatening (you would probably need some oxygen therapy though)

Just to say if you get covid - which I did - you can experience terrible anxiety - which I did - and the oximeter should be used with this in mind. Hyperventilating and shallow breathing will also affect the reading. You should not worry if you get a reading below 95% provided you can bring it back up swiftly with calm deep breathing. Mine was down at 88% at one point but I think this was because I was in such a panic state and once I was able to calm down it stabilised.

My sister who's a nurse ordered me one. I am asthmatic and tested positive, I had to self isolate alone so it gave me peace of mind.

Please don't dismiss their importance and usefulness though! A temperature of 35.8 is not ridiculously low (mine is often 35.5 to 36) and I know plenty of people with sats below 90% who are up and walking around. You wouldn't be practically dead, they are low numbers but individually not life threatening (you would probably need some oxygen therapy though)

This.
I had my temp taken at work and it was 35 something, I tested positive for Covid the next day.

I bought an oximeter a decade ago when my dc was first having problems with what would turn out to be problematic asthma.

It had to come from a specialist shop, and cost just shy of £100.

I think it's brilliant that these are both affordable and widely available these days, and think they are an invaluable part of a home first aid kit.

I bought this oximeter from Boots today for £30. It’s simple to use and works a treat. It is a bit more expensive than what I wanted to pay but lots of the monitors on Amazon had got very mixed reviews - at least this one is recommended by St Johns Ambulance, has a CE mark and can be returned easily if faulty.

@LookofEvaBraun

Please don't dismiss their importance and usefulness though! A temperature of 35.8 is not ridiculously low (mine is often 35.5 to 36) and I know plenty of people with sats below 90% who are up and walking around. You wouldn't be practically dead, they are low numbers but individually not life threatening (you would probably need some oxygen therapy though)

This.
I had my temp taken at work and it was 35 something, I tested positive for Covid the next day.

Oh gosh I hope you made a speedy recovery!

Thanks for this. I have just ordered one for £25.99 from Amazon, and it seems to have great reviews.
For those who don't have Prime, or who don't use Amazon, your local pharmacy should sell them.

We got one back in March last year, we found it super hard to get hold of nhs direct and the doctors who we had to beg for them to see my daughter who was really poorly with suspected covid.
So really helped for peace of mind, also some phones have them esp the older Samsung.

I got one the second time my son had pneumonia and I hadn't realised!

Can i reiterate that smart phone apps and watches are not to be relied upon no matter what the company pushing it might say!

I ordered one yesterday after seeing that article on BBC! I wasn't sure about amazon, so ordered through Robert Dyas, but they haven't dispatched yet, so we will see.

We ordered a thermometer in the Spring 2020 lockdown and it took so long to arrive! So much demand for them. Think this might end up similar.

Have one in the cupboard since last lockdown. Bought one when friend's husband nearly died because they wouldn't send an ambulance for him. He was grey in the face and blue lips but because he was young and could still speak they refused to bring him in. I'm certain an oximeter would have given a reading that would have changed their minds. But it was such a new disease then and everyone was scared and hospitals were trying to keep people away. I don't think this would happen again now. But it's sooooo handy to be able to give an oxygen level reading to whoever is triaging you on the phone. Very important info for them.

@RoseAndRose

Does anyone happen to know if Which? or similar has reviewed oximeters, and if so which brands typically do best?

Any models best/good buys, any to avoid?

See www.which.co.uk/news/2020/05/pulse-oximeters-and-covid-19-what-you-need-to-know/

Sorry I realise they didn't actually recommend any and their article is a bit out of date though it might still be helpful, but there is a guide to them here too: www.fitnessmadesimple.co.uk/best-pulse-oximeters-in-uk/