Coorelation between medical oximeters and Apple Watch

[Thomas Davie]

Am in dialysis now and my Apple Watch is doing it’s normal thing by taking background measurements. Got an oximeter from a nurse and my blood O2 was measured at 98%. The Apple Watch said 98%.

That satisfies my curiosity.

Tom

 

[adrianlondon]

It'll be useful to see how they compare when one is ill, too.

I could design an oximeter that just said "98%" all the time. I'd be right most of the time 😁

 

[jz0309]

Am in dialysis now and my Apple Watch is doing it’s normal thing by taking background measurements. Got an oximeter from a nurse and my blood O2 was measured at 98%. The Apple Watch said 98%.

That satisfies my curiosity.

Tom

did you do a manual check?

 

[jz0309]

It'll be useful to see how they compare when one is ill, too.

I could design an oximeter that just said "98%" all the time. I'd be right most of the time 😁

and if you have a mechanical, non-functioning watch, it will show the correct time, twice a day, every day, for years to come

 

[Thomas Davie]

It'll be useful to see how they compare when one is ill, too.

I could design an oximeter that just said "98%" all the time. I'd be right most of the time 😁

I am ill. *all the time*. Kidney failure/esrd. I require the hormone that stimulates production of Hemeglobin in my body. I can tell when I feel s****y and my feeling does coorelate to the readings. My AW does record low readings (or lower readings) the farther off I get from any individual Eryhtropoetin dose given to me.

Tell you what; I’m due for a dose on January 9th. I’ll do a comparison in dialysis on Jan 2nd, 4th and 6th and write the numbers in this post. You probably are not a medical engineer?

Tom

edit: The Apple Watch recorded an 87% on December 26th, the day I received an injection.

 

[Thomas Davie]

did you do a manual check?

The nurse did.

 

[wilberforce]

When my wife was having lung failure, when the oximeters would read less than 90% (sometimes as low as 70%), but the watch would simply not give a reading. I would not rely on the watch if SpO2 is critical

 

[Thomas Davie]

When my wife was having lung failure, when the oximeters would read less than 90% (sometimes as low as 70%), but the watch would simply not give a reading. I would not rely on the watch if SpO2 is critical

I am relying on the Apple Watch to help me through dialysis; never ever to solely rely on that. It gives me and the medical team another tool to use in my health care.

Tom

 

[the future]

I would not rely on the watch if SpO2 is critical

Of course not, not even Apple would recommend that. The Watch sensors (HR too) are great to get an early warning before things may get critical.

 

[BillGates1969]

Of course not, not even Apple would recommend that. The Watch sensors (HR too) are great to get an early warning before things may get critical.

^^This. And trends.

 

[Jackbequickly]

When I had long covid there were times when my O2 was down to 89% by both watch and my oximeter. They usually agreed within a 1-2% range.

 

[Reggaenald]

When my wife was having lung failure, when the oximeters would read less than 90% (sometimes as low as 70%), but the watch would simply not give a reading. I would not rely on the watch if SpO2 is critical

Begs the questions, what’s worse, a wrong reading or no reading?

 

[Bichon]

Begs the questions, what’s worse, a wrong reading or no reading?

IMHO a wrong reading, especially one sufficiently inaccurate that it leads to an incorrect treatment decision, is MUCH worse than no reading.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Fwiw, a good lab-tested finger pulse oximeter is ~$30. If knowing your SpO2 is even minimally useful, it seems like a no-brainer to have a standalone device. I don't need one, but I keep one around just in case next to the thermometer. For $30, why not?

This is the one I see recommended often: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0845SS9VR
A bunch of doctors offices use the same brand. It's lab tested to be within 1% accuracy. It's one of the few that will actually show a 100% reading. It's tiny, and comes with a little carry pouch.

 

[lali]

Fwiw, a good lab-tested finger pulse oximeter is ~$30. If knowing your SpO2 is even minimally useful, it seems like a no-brainer to have a standalone device. I don't need one, but I keep one around just in case next to the thermometer. For $30, why not?

This is the one I see recommended often: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0845SS9VR
A bunch of doctors offices use the same brand. It's lab tested to be within 1% accuracy. It's one of the few that will actually show a 100% reading. It's tiny, and comes with a little carry pouch.

Thank you. I experienced severe pneumonia a few months ago and a tool like that was an eye opener.

This led me to find the automated oxygen readings in my aw6, I think they are taken once every 25-30 mins. I found lots of interesting stuff having those readings over long periods as opposed to just once with the clip-on device

I am not looking for absolute precision, just relative comparison.

Both tools have their uses