I hope all works out for you, Carrie. I have no experience in the things you are asking, so I'm no help. Just wanted to wish you the best!

Thanks Heart2222 :) I hope you continue to feel better and better. I hope your fatigue subsides for you soon.

Basically, there are three types of pulse oximeters handheld, stationary, and fingertip models. Hospitals are the primary users of the stationary models which form part of their vast arsenal of patient monitoring equipment and devices. It is therefore not necessary to discuss this type in detail in this article. Focus will instead be on handheld and fingertip pulse oximeter models.

Handheld and Fingertip Types of Pulse Oximeters

Handheld Pulse Oximeters This type normally consists of a finger probe and a base unit. Having a base unit allows for more versatility as various types of finger probes can be used with the device. It allows for easy swapping based on the required attachment which may be for infants, adults, for one time use, and others. When being used in places where the patient has limited mobility, the base unit can securely be placed somewhere away from the user.

Based on pulse oximeter reviews, the handheld models preferred by users feature a memory to record the measurements, ability to print to paper, large backlit screen display, AC and DC dual power support, and connectivity to PC for data downloading. Not all handheld models have all these features, though. It is important to determine which specific features you need so you can look for them in the units you will be evaluating.

Fingertip Pulse Oximeters Because of the comparatively bigger size of handheld models, they may have limited effectiveness for some particular applications. For such cases, the use of a smaller-sized model such as a fingertip pulse oximeter may be more appropriate. The compact model incorporates the power supply, display, and board circuitry into the finger probe. Despite its small stature, it has all the necessary components to get a patients pulse rate reading and oxygen saturation level. It is the ideal equipment for specific situations where portability is of critical importance.

Most fingertip pulse oximeter models feature a simple one-button operation designs. All you have to do is to insert a finger, press the button, and then proceed. In just a matter of seconds, you will have the reading displayed onscreen. This conveniently portable nature of this model makes it a very popular unit of choice among paramedics, doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who are often moving about.

The fingertip models also come in the non-prescription variety. According to pulse oximeter reviews, they can be extensively used even by athletes, mountain climbers, pilots and other individuals who are engaged in activities that require regular monitoring of blood oxygen levels. Although the display on this particular oximeter type is limited because of its relatively smaller size, there are models that come with organic LED displays and backlighting that considerably enhances readability even under adverse lighting conditions.

Reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=pulse-oximeter&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=6836006661&hvpos=1s4&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2036600361335781290&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_8gbefc5tpn_b

It sounds like you had a very thorough and productive appointment with your Cardiologist Carrie. That's great that there will be an adjustment to your current med.s and perhaps even more as things progress with maybe just the HR med.s plus aspirin in the near future!!

Best of luck with your Stress/Echo next week. With such a quick second appointment it's a good opportunity to ask any additional questions that may not have been covered today. Good luck as well in selecting a desirable Pulse Oximeter that is moderately/reasonably priced.

Take care and all the best!

;-)

Thomas (Surfrat)

feel better Carrie

I wish you well

Thank you all for your replies. I appreciate the concern and the input very much!

Carrie,
I wonder if when you were taken off of the meds after your ablation, if you didn't have a "rebound effect." I don't think that most antiarrythmics are supposed to have rebound effects when disconinued, but I think our bodies react when something that it has been used to is suddenly stopped. I know when I was first taken off of my meds, I seemed to have more issues with PAC's, tachycardia, and some short episodes of AF. I could feel the irregularities, although I didn't experience any SOB or dizziness. I have since had a few PAC's here and there, but nothing significant. I have been off meds since the beginning of February and I'm feeling good. I am still waiting to see the EP. My appt. got cancelled due to an emergency that he had. I can't get in until May. I am quite sure that I'm just going to stay off of meds and continue on a 325mg aspirin a day. He'll have to do a lot of convincing to get me to do anything different.. I am sorry, I do not know about the different pulse ox. machines. I only know the hospital grade equipment. I don't own any equipment at all, other than a manual BP cuff. Thanks for your update. I hope things get under control for you soon.

Best of luck with your tests.

Hope everything goes well for you.
And no, I don't know anything about any machines.
I don't even own a bp cuff

Hi Janet: Nice to hear from you and sorry your EP appt has got delayed. I wonder about the rebound effect too. I went 6 days without the Flec and then the doc put me back on because of AF and Atrial Tachycardia. I was having long episodes (over of rates over 140 BPM and over). We then tried to wean me off over a couple of weeks and the less Flec I took, the more AF I was experiencing. It was fortunate for me that I had an 30 day event monitor on while trying to do this! I went another 5 days without it before going back on it for good in August because I was definitely having too much AF without it. My hope is that since my heart has now had a year to heal from the second ablation that I will do better the next time I attempt to go off of Flec. I dont want to take it anymore, especially since it is adding issues to my heart rhythm. If I still have too much AF to tolerate, I am really going to pursue the rate control direction.

RN52,
Is it ok to go into a fib once you are off your meds after an ablation? They kinda expect that? Just so it is not continuous?

No, you should not go into AF once the meds have been stopped. It is not expected. I unfortunately have had some AF and PAC's, but nothing that has lasted for long. I am talking minutes. Although I wish I was cured, I am much better off than I was before the cryoablation.

Wow this is all so interesting and it really points out what partners we are in our health situation. I mean we are partners with our doctors and staff. For my own situation I wonder how long it would have taken to get me straightened out IF my husband and I were not aware enough to play around with my atenolol dosage and timing to get rid of my light headed ness and at the same time still protect me from a fib.
Good for you having all of this knowledge and caring enough about your situation to keep tabs on it all.

You are incredibley knowledgeable about your conditions..Kudos to YOU! I will be cheering for you to have good results for your echo test. I hope to hear you are soon in line skating with no worries about afib, I can see you skating now..you look Very Happy!!! The pulse oximeter seems to focus on oxygen count, I had to look it up...I saw one at Walgreens and wondered what it was. We are always learning something new 'here'.
Hugs and Best Wishes throughout your newest learning process!