Oximeter info

[muffin]

For those of you who use oximetry you may find this article helpful. I found it to be interesting.

tinyurl.com/48q27

[morningstar]

Arlene,

Thank you this should be a lot of help for many people who tend to count on the oximeter on weather they are ok or not. Just another fact that this disease is something we have to be on our toes all the time with itl.

Thanks for sharing,

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Arlene; I tend to agree with a fair bit of it.

Pulse Ox's I think come in handy if/when the individual is familiar with "what's normal" for them. For instance.....if you're getting ill. The numbers can drop off thus indicating there's a problem even if it's not a "respiratory" infection; but let's say a sinus infection. It helps to head things off at the pass. Also; with exercising...if it drops too much you can slow things down and/or practise PLB'ing till it's back up.

There can be a comfort to having one for those on oxygen; again though one has to become familiar with what's "normal" for the individual. You can't "rely" on them though they are useful under certain circumstances.

[maryaz]

I think that most of us in the very severe or severe stage of COPD would agree that this is a great tool to have, IF you know the disease fairly well and you understand the oximeter.

You need to learn the disease first and not be one to panic at numbers. If we had one in my house before I learned, I probably would have been 'scared to death' by the look on my husband's face when he looked at my numbers.

Understanding it all, makes it a very useful tool for people like myself. It has served me well. The longer I have had it the less I have to use it.

There are many things to be learned. I have a hard time when family smokers tell me they got checked out because you can read good as a smoker.

[muffin]

I wouldn't be without mine when out shopping or walking excercising etc.. I did find the article interesting with some good points. Arlene