Menu
What's new

Oxygen Sensor - good to have on hand.

Darren Wright

Darren Wright

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
20,168
Location
Springfield, Missouri
My cousin's husband went into the hospital this week with covid. Pretty much all of them had gotten covid, my cousin and their kids had mostly flu like syptoms. Her husband, which is about 45 had completely different symptoms. He actually was starting to feel a bit better then over a few day started passing out from time to time, hitting he head at least once. The last time it occurred they rushed him to the ER and found his oxygen levels were at about 50% and at some point went into cardiac arrest. They put him on 100% oxygen and during monitoring showed his heart was stopping for up to 5 seconds at a time

They life flighted him to KC and prepared to do by pass surgery and put a pace maker in. They went in and found he had no blockages at all, they did go ahead and install the pace maker. They continued him on several anti-covid drugs and he's made pretty good progress day by day since. They had determined the lack of oxygen due to the pneumonia had caused some heart, lung, and accelerated him to what be like having diabetes for the past 30 years. Prior he was healthy young man.

I'm pretty sure this is the same thing that happened with my dad,. Unfortunately, dad already had health issues, combined with the low oxygen levels to start with and being in cardiac arrest for 10 minutes or so was just too long for him to recover.

If you happen to get covid or even a chest cold, it would be good to have a fingertip O2 sensor on hand, and get to the ER/doctor if your O2 levels are below 90%.

YMMV, but felt it was worth mentioning given recent experiences.
 
Thanks Darren for the info, wishing your cousins husband well.
My wife and son are getting over covid now and she rushed me to the ER on Tuesday, did all the tests covid 3 times, x-ray blood work. Tests were negative but had gray spots on the lungs turned out to pneumonia. Retested for covid on Wednesday came back negative again [emoji106]. Go figure. Feeling much better today. So everybody please take care. Don't wait to go the doctor I've had 2 friends die recently because they were too stubborn to go to the doctor.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
A pulse oximeter can be useful. I used to work on them along with other medical equipment like anesthesia machines and patient ventilators. I actually found I was having PVTs while testing an oximeter I had just repaired.
 
Son and family got wife and I one for Christmas. Thought it was a cute gift. Now we use it all the time to keep track just in case. I've had pneumonia in the past and asked doctor about booster shot for same. Said I've had both shots so not necessary. I do get breathless occasionally so this is when I check oxygen level, No difference. Anyway please everyone keep safe and healthy. It is getting so we all are aware or related to people who have died from this virus. Not a nice feeling.
David
 
Marie has several other health problems, adn at one point she was hospitalized for low blood/O2. We bought one then and have it on hand. She now sleeps with an oxygen concentrator.
 
We've had one for several years... recommended to get one after Dianne's open heart surgery... it even has new batteries in it.

I even keep a blood pressure cuff near my desk... Dr. recommended I check it periodically since it seems to run high... but a couple nights back it was running low... other than a slight murmur in one of the valves, Dr. says I sound healthy. Murmur is according to him, likely a valve hardening from age... don't understand that, even though I've been around since before Pearl Harbor, I'm still only 39. :D
 
I put new batteries in mine this morning. It was in mid/upper 90's, but I remember my wife and grandson checking theirs and they always are at 99 or 100. I had researched some reasons why and one article talked about that many of us (men mostly) have forgotten how to breathe properly. Mostly from sucking in our guts as we're told to do as young men. So in essence, we've started breathing using our chest vs stomach muscles. :huh:

I gave it a conscious try and sure enough, my o2 levels went up to the higher 90's. :dunno: Learn (or relearn) something new every day. :)

v4-460px-Breathe-Step-1-Version-5.jpg
 
Just now ordered one, too. :thumb:

I also ordered a first aid kit for my vehicle...something I've been needing for a long time. I saw firsthand how useful one of those could be last week when my sister, brother-in-law, and I were doing some cleanup at a townhouse we were getting ready to sell. Sis tripped and fell going up some steps into the back door and got a nasty cut above one of her eyes. Fortunately, my BIL had a first aid kit in his truck and we were able to get her patched up well enough to take to the ER. Seven stitches, a story-worthy black eye, and a lump on her head later, she'll be OK, but it drove home the point that a first aid kit is a good thing to have around wherever you are. (I have a much bigger one that goes to the shooting range, but it's geared more for gunshot wounds and other major trauma.)
 
Since we are on medical equipment. I have had a lot of heart trouble and have had a lot of work on the heart.
Yes I have a BP Cuff and Oximeter.

I also have a Kardia home EKG machine. I think it was ~ $150. It does a 2 or 6 lead ekg. With my heart Doctor we have compared my home ekg with the hospital 12 lead machine and the Kardia has compared very good. The Kardia connects to a Smartphone for the display.

So now when on a virtual Dr visit with a Dr that I have sent my BP, Heart rate, O2 and EKG I think it makes the appointment very worthwhile. Oh Yea - forgot I also have a implanted D-Fib that can be remotely interrogated by the Dr. As long as I have batteries I should be GTG.

Heart Trouble - I highly recommend the Kardia.

I think the 2 lead machine which works very well, is only around $80. The 2 lead ekg gives the Doctor a high percentage of what he wants. The 6 lead just adds more info.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top