Question:
How accurate is the Pulse-Ox test?

I recently took the overnight home pulse-oximeter test. I had to re-do the test twice because I cannot sleep with it on. The first night I woke up after three hours. The machine was across the room!!! (I'm a wild sleeper, can never get comfy) So I took the test again and never actually got to sleep, for sure never hit REM. The third time, I tossed and turned most of the night due to the fact that I used an entire roll of tape to secure it to my body. I don't really feel like I could have possibly gotten and accurate reading. This is a pre-test for the sleep study. I'm afraid nothing will show so I won't know if I have apnea. Thanks in advance!    — SweetDragonfly (posted on June 14, 2003)

June 13, 2003
I had one of those studies done. I couldn't sleep lying down, so asked if I could use it in my recliner. It said that I did not have sleep apnea. A year later, I took a sleep study in a hospital and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I now have a CPAP machine. The doctor said that if I lose 20% of my weight, I can probably get rid of it. Yea! I am having my surgury in 10 days.
   — judyc7

June 14, 2003
HI, The pulse ox is a pretty reliable test however I dont see how they use this on test to determine sleep apnea since all the pulse ox does is measure the concentration of oxygen in the blood.I can see the point of using it as PART of a sleep study but not as the sole determining factor. Good Luck Lisa F
   — Lisa F.

June 14, 2003
Hi I am a nurse in Pulmonary medicine....We use the pulse OX on all of our patients on each office visist and most of them do end up doing the over night test. The pulse ox will not diagnos sleep apnea....it will determine if you desaturate at night (low oxygen levels) which could be caused by sleep apnea. We tell our pateints to tape the probe to your finger so that it is snug (not too tight) and then tape the cord to the back of your hand so that if it starts to tear away you might feel it. We then tell our patients to place the actual monitor next to you on the bed or next to your pillow. Some offices have you tape the monitor to your body....but our patients had similar problems with getting to sleep. Pulse ox is pretty accurate we also do blood gases (OUCH) and the results of the blood gases and that of a pulse ox are usually with in a couple of points. You could also mention to your doctor that you are having problems sleeping with the monitor, We sometimes will give an RX sleeping aid just to help for the one night. Good luck to you!!!!!!
   — jennap