Oxi-Meter & Covid-19!

[John Owen]

The typical finding is a much lower oxygen saturation than the person affected by COVID feels like it should be. Most feel pretty good with saturations well below the normal tolerances. No one seems to know why-there are theories about microvascular changes and other factors. I last treated a COVID patient about an hour ago and am who suggested to Yobo that he follow his O2 sat that led to him going to the hospital earlier than he thought that he needed to go. I am a believer in the use of an oximeter in someone who is knowledgeable about their use. YMMV.

John

[catmandu]

Thanks, John. My morning routine now is a cuppa and a SpO2% check, seems like knowing one's baseline is a good thing these days (sorta like blood pressure for many). 98 today!

[bkilby]

FYI - I've had Galaxy phones all along. My S8 had an accurate pulse ox. Mine was always 98-100%.. I went to the dr. a few weeks ago and my reading was 100%. I now have a S10+ and the pulse ox is under the "Stress" measurement and it doesn't work worth a $*$&. Mine says my oxygen level is 85%, if it can even take a reading. I think the functionality worked on the older phones, and it doesn't work on the S10. Don't know about the newest S20 yet.

Originally Posted by FasGlas

You can download the app from the playstore. It resides in the Samsung App folder. I don't know how accurate it is but it does seem to work. It's the "stress test".

[Greg Baron]

A general rule of thumb is a decrease in pO2 saturation of 1% point per 1k of altitude with sea level at 99%. Living at increased altitudes results in multiple compensatory physiological changes such as higher levels of Hgb and increased cardiac stroke volumes.
The most useful advice would be to become familiar with your daily steady state readings. A decreasing trend of pO2 along with an increase in respiratory and/or heart rate would suggest intervention.

[maniago]

Originally Posted by PerfTech

?.. You all take care. Thanks, Allan

Any update on your stock on these?

Thanks

[gmcjetpilot]

CBS This Morning today (Thurs 4/23/2020) interviewed a Doctor on what we now know about how to treat patients.

He brought up Oxi-Meter's are key to monitoring health. Apparently when people have problems breathing they had been showing loss of blood O2 a week prior. People are walking in with 50% O2 (equiv of top of Mount Everest). Demand will go way up now.

Another interesting fact, 3 out of 4 patents intubation is not needed or as effective as other therapy. Instead using positions and movement to clear the lungs is more effective than intubation.

[maniago]

Originally Posted by gmcjetpilot

......intubation is not needed or as effective as other therapy. Instead using positions and movement to clear the lungs is more effective than intubation.

NO thats not what he said. The purpose is to catch your falling O2 level and get on oxygen, lung clearing etc before your are beyond that kind of help and the only solution for you is intubation or death. The key to the story is early intervention and a home pulse Ox, like a thermometer, is useful for that.

However, it appears that a run on Pulse Ox devices has already happened.

[Yobo]

I WOULD get an O2 meter ? the meter and Doc Owen might have saved my life.

My nurse (daughter of couple in my Sunday School class and praying with her is my last memory) told me after I woke up and after 9 days on a ventilator that if I had had waited 3-6 more hours, I might not have made it through the first night.

I had a little cough and a fever which was kept under control with Tylenol. My O2 level is normally 98-99%. Four days into my fever my levels had dropped into the low 90% range. No breathing issues and no shortness of breath and 101 fever. Doc Owen told me to go to the hospital and so I went. A few hours later in the ER without supplemental O2 I was 88%. My lungs were not working correctly but I wouldn?t have noticed (kind of like Gash at altitude). Less than 24 hours later, I was on a ventilator and fighting for my life with thousands of prayer warriors. I am a healthy 57 year old and no idea why I got hit like brick ? but I did. Out of the hospital now and recovering. With lots of prayer, hopefully, it will be a complete recovery. Now, I track my pulse, O2 level, and body temp at least 3-4 times daily to catch a relapse early. My daily O2 has bumped from average 93-94% to 96%.

Is the O2 meter required, No. Is it a fabulous tool to measure lung efficiency or capacity ? YES! Like most medical things, there is not one measurement to identify or fix a problem. Same as fixing a plane ? There is not 1 tool to diagnose or fix a problem. The O2 meter is just one tool for helping you decide if medical attention is needed. For me, I am posting this because Doc Owen is a trusted friend and gave me great advice AND measuring my O2 level. My next purchase ? a blood pressure cup for $40-$70!

Your call on whether an O2 meter is needed. It?s just another tool. But when I was sick, it was the indicator for me that pushed me to the ER. Yes, I am like most Pilots, I avoid doctors and hospitals like the plague but this time it saved my life!

For me, everyday is a great day to be alive and I praise the Lord daily for that opportunity!

Yobo

[Gash]

Great post Yobo! I'm glad you're on the mend, and I'll look forward to seeing you out on the line hopefully soon.

[gmcjetpilot]

Originally Posted by maniago

NO thats not what he said. The purpose is to catch your falling O2 level and get on oxygen, lung clearing etc before your are beyond that kind of help and the only solution for you is intubation or death. The key to the story is early intervention and a home pulse Ox, like a thermometer, is useful for that.

However, it appears that a run on Pulse Ox devices has already happened.

No I said one thing I found interesting correctly, intubation (forced mechanical ventilation) in his opinion was not as effective in 75% of the patient as alternate treatment. I did NOT recount the whole interview and never said he didn't mention O2.

What he said about positional therapy is to get the parts of lung not damaged cleared up and become more effective, in his opinion and observation, was better than intubation in many patients (yes with low flow O2 not forced). This is clearly not a controlled study; it's his opinion. That was the point I was highlighting. In his opinion 25% need to go on mechanical ventilation imminently who need it. 75% who can breath normally but have low O2 should be put on O2. That does not take a MD to figure out. However he goes on, moving patient who can still breath, to allow undamaged parts to work better was the takeaway I got. If you force O2 into a compromised lung that still has function it could damage it more, because the lung is doing all it can already. Doctors are truly baffled and don't know.

https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/2020...-lung-problems