Oxymeters

[Gerhard Wesp]

All,

anybody using oxymeters to control their saturation ratio during flight?

In the alps we frequently fly in altitudes around 10k feet where legally
no oxygen is required. However a recent article made me wonder if
additional oxygen would make sense even at these altitudes.

If I could confirm or deny that the fatigue which I experience every so
often is caused by hypoxia, the decision to only fly with oxygen would
be really easy.

Or it might help to learn and monitor special breathing techniques which
might suffice to keep the level high enough for the altitudes I'm
speaking of.

Any input greatly appreciated!

-Gerhard
--
o o
Gerhard Wesp | http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~gwesp/
\_/ See homepage for email address!

[wolfgang k.]

vielleicht ist da was dabei
http://www.dr-amy.com/rich/oxygen/

mfg
wolfgang, loww, vie

[Bill Daniels]

"Gerhard Wesp" > wrote in message
...
> All,
>
> anybody using oxymeters to control their saturation ratio during flight?
>
> In the alps we frequently fly in altitudes around 10k feet where legally
> no oxygen is required. However a recent article made me wonder if
> additional oxygen would make sense even at these altitudes.
>
> If I could confirm or deny that the fatigue which I experience every so
> often is caused by hypoxia, the decision to only fly with oxygen would
> be really easy.
>
> Or it might help to learn and monitor special breathing techniques which
> might suffice to keep the level high enough for the altitudes I'm
> speaking of.
>
> Any input greatly appreciated!
>
> -Gerhard
> --
> o o
> Gerhard Wesp | http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~gwesp/
> \_/ See homepage for email address!

I do fly with an Oxyimeter and yes, 10,000 feet will make many people
hypoxic, myself included. I feel far less fatigued when flying with oxygen.
I invested in a Mountain High EDS system so that I could use oxygen from
takeoff without depleting the O2 supply on long flights.

See: http://www.mhoxygen.com/index.phtml?nav_id=19&prd_group_id=3

Bill Daniels

[[email protected]]

Gerhard,

I bought a Nonin oxymeter about four years ago and really like having
one for several reasons:

* Even when using O2 it's nice to be able to check occasionally and
make sure the system is working as it should. Without an oxymeter,
there's no feedback if the system started to malfunction. Admittedly
the oxymeter is enough of a hindrance that I cannot leave it on all the
time, so a sudden failure would likely go un-noticed by the oxymeter
(but hopefully caught by me!), but a slow degradation or an error will
be caught.

* When not legally required to use O2, my need for it depends on many
factors and it'snice to be able to measure and see.

* An anesthesiologist friend who flew with me taught me a technique for
getting O2 saturation up significantly and the oxymeter lets me see
whether I've done it enough and if it's working. The technique (helps
with and without supplemental O2): take a deep breath and, when
exhaling, purse your lips or otherwise create a back pressure. This
inflates some of the air sacs in your lungs that are collapsed (some
always are), increasing your lung capacity. The increase in O2 shows up
within 20-30 seconds, but unfortunately goes away just as quickly and
the breathing method takes a lot of energy and concentration. So it's
not the thing to do for a long period of time, but is useful if you're
getting a bit higher than normal for a short period of time or should
your O2 system fail, it could help you while you descend to a safe
altitude.

Martin

[Vaughn]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Gerhard,
>
> I bought a Nonin oxymeter about four years ago and really like having
> one for several reasons:

I have a Nonin oxymeter and find that it has a real visibility problem in
the cockpit when under full sun. The problem is that it uses a red LED display
(remember those early digital watches?) rather than an LCD display. Otherwise,
it is an amazing device.

While these portable units are good for occasional checks, a panel mounted
unit with an ear clip might allow continuous monitoring. Another idea (Bose are
you listening?) include an oxymeter with an audible alarm in an aviation
headset.

This is a link for oxymeters that showed up here a few months ago.
http://www.scantechmedical.com/pulse_oximeters.htm I have never done business
with them and have no connection.

Vaughn

[Geoff Vincent]

Hi all high altitude pilots,

I've been using a Pulse-Ox 5500 oximeter for all wave flights over the
last few months and, as the Diner's Club advert says, "wouldn't leave
home without it". It has enabled me to calibrate my personal oxygen
take-up physiology so as to maintain satisfactory SPO2 levels at all
times. In particular it has emphasised the importance of a good
steady breathing routine to maintain steady SPO2 levels. It is very
easy to lapse into a lazy breathing routine and see your SPO2 levels
fall by 7-10 percentage points, usually when you can least afford it.
The only "problem" encountered so far was my announcement at FL 245
that I was commencing descent and blood oxygen saturation was 96% -
only I said "blood alcohol level" in error!! No wonder I wasn't
feeling the cold.

Geoff Vincent
Grampians Soaring Club
Australia

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 10:23:36 GMT, "Vaughn"
> wrote:

>
> wrote in message
ups.com...
>> Gerhard,
>>
>> I bought a Nonin oxymeter about four years ago and really like having
>> one for several reasons:
>
> I have a Nonin oxymeter and find that it has a real visibility problem in
>the cockpit when under full sun. The problem is that it uses a red LED display
>(remember those early digital watches?) rather than an LCD display. Otherwise,
>it is an amazing device.
>
> While these portable units are good for occasional checks, a panel mounted
>unit with an ear clip might allow continuous monitoring. Another idea (Bose are
>you listening?) include an oxymeter with an audible alarm in an aviation
>headset.
>
> This is a link for oxymeters that showed up here a few months ago.
>http://www.scantechmedical.com/pulse_oximeters.htm I have never done business
>with them and have no connection.
>
>Vaughn
>

[Pete Ackers]

while i was using mine on the ground, in differing
situations to calibrate my own personal O2 takeup,
i drove with it for a while... scarey low levels of
SPO2, especially in heavy motorway traffic. makes me
wonder just how bad the air is in my car cab...

At 12:12 30 August 2005, Geoff Vincent wrote:
>Hi all high altitude pilots,
>
>I've been using a Pulse-Ox 5500 oximeter for all wave
>flights over the
>last few months and, as the Diner's Club advert says,
>'wouldn't leave
>home without it'. It has enabled me to calibrate my
>personal oxygen
>take-up physiology so as to maintain satisfactory SPO2
>levels at all
>times. In particular it has emphasised the importance
>of a good
>steady breathing routine to maintain steady SPO2 levels.
> It is very
>easy to lapse into a lazy breathing routine and see
>your SPO2 levels
>fall by 7-10 percentage points, usually when you can
>least afford it.
>The only 'problem' encountered so far was my announcement
>at FL 245
>that I was commencing descent and blood oxygen saturation
>was 96% -
>only I said 'blood alcohol level' in error!! No wonder
>I wasn't
>feeling the cold.
>
>Geoff Vincent
>Grampians Soaring Club
>Australia
>
>On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 10:23:36 GMT, 'Vaughn'
> wrote:
>
>>
>> wrote in message
ups.com...
>>> Gerhard,
>>>
>>> I bought a Nonin oxymeter about four years ago and
>>>really like having
>>> one for several reasons:
>>
>> I have a Nonin oxymeter and find that it has a
>>real visibility problem in
>>the cockpit when under full sun. The problem is that
>>it uses a red LED display
>>(remember those early digital watches?) rather than
>>an LCD display. Otherwise,
>>it is an amazing device.
>>
>> While these portable units are good for occasional
>>checks, a panel mounted
>>unit with an ear clip might allow continuous monitoring.
>> Another idea (Bose are
>>you listening?) include an oxymeter with an audible
>>alarm in an aviation
>>headset.
>>
>> This is a link for oxymeters that showed up here
>>a few months ago.
>>http://www.scantechmedical.com/pulse_oximeters.htm
>> I have never done business
>>with them and have no connection.
>>
>>Vaughn
>>
>
>

[Stanford Korwin]

At 12:12 30 August 2005, Geoff Vincent wrote:
>Hi all high altitude pilots,
>
>I've been using a Pulse-Ox 5500 oximeter for all wave
>flights over the
>last few months and, as the Diner's Club advert says,
>'wouldn't leave
>home without it'. It has enabled me to calibrate my
>personal oxygen
>take-up physiology so as to maintain satisfactory SPO2
>levels at all
>times. In particular it has emphasised the importance
>of a good
>steady breathing routine to maintain steady SPO2 levels.
> It is very
>easy to lapse into a lazy breathing routine and see
>your SPO2 levels
>fall by 7-10 percentage points, usually when you can
>least afford it.
>The only 'problem' encountered so far was my announcement
>at FL 245
>that I was commencing descent and blood oxygen saturation
>was 96% -
>only I said 'blood alcohol level' in error!! No wonder
>I wasn't
>feeling the cold.
>
>Geoff Vincent
>Grampians Soaring Club
>Australia
>
>On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 10:23:36 GMT, 'Vaughn'
> wrote:
>
>>
>> wrote in message
ups.com...
>>> Gerhard,
>>>
>>> I bought a Nonin oxymeter about four years ago and
>>>really like having
>>> one for several reasons:
>>
>> I have a Nonin oxymeter and find that it has a
>>real visibility problem in
>>the cockpit when under full sun. The problem is that
>>it uses a red LED display
>>(remember those early digital watches?) rather than
>>an LCD display. Otherwise,
>>it is an amazing device.
>>
>> While these portable units are good for occasional
>>checks, a panel mounted
>>unit with an ear clip might allow continuous monitoring.
>> Another idea (Bose are
>>you listening?) include an oxymeter with an audible
>>alarm in an aviation
>>headset.
>>
>> This is a link for oxymeters that showed up here
>>a few months ago.
>>http://www.scantechmedical.com/pulse_oximeters.htm
>> I have never done business
>>with them and have no connection.
>>
>>Vaughn


Greetings All,

Have a look at the Aeromedix pharmacy site.

There are a number of nice oxymeters which will accept
remote sensors, store data, download to computer or
printer and notify the user if the pulse, oxygen saturation
or perfusion go astray.

As far as medical equipment prices go, these are quite
affordable - especially if your life depends on it.

sta13.

[Eric Greenwell]

Geoff Vincent wrote:

> In particular it has emphasised the importance of a good
> steady breathing routine to maintain steady SPO2 levels. It is very
> easy to lapse into a lazy breathing routine and see your SPO2 levels
> fall by 7-10 percentage points, usually when you can least afford it.

Like Geoff, I find I am sometimes a "lazy breather", and my saturation
percentage can drop below 90%, even at 10,000 feet. Steady, deeper
breathing raises it to about 94%. Using my EDS oxygen system while
breathing lazily at 10,000 feet doesn't raise it as much as the steady,
deeper breathing. Above 12,000 feet, the EDS system will raise it above
90% even with "shallow" breathing, and deeper breathing brings it up to
almost sea level percentage.

I don't feel any differently at 87% saturation than I do at 97%
saturation, so I routinely take the oximeter along if I will be flying
above 10,000 feet, and use it.

I use the Minolta Pulsox-3 because it has an LCD display, 40+ hour
battery life, and can be worn on my wrist, so it's easier to use for
longer periods. It works even when the sensor is worn on my thumb, which
makes it easier to move the flap handle, tune the radio, and tap on the
Ipaq screen.

--
Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA