Blood oxygen saturation and supplemental oxygen

[AlanA]

For those of you who monitor your blood oxygen saturation, at what oxygen percentage do you go on bottled oxygen?

[M20F-1968]

You should keep you O2 sat at least above 94% - probably higher in the 96% - 98% range.

I can not comment if there is any existing data that might suggest what the loss in function is from 98% --> 94%.

John Breda

[aaronk25]

At 90 I can start to feel a little less sharp and over a long flight slightly fatigued. At 85% for a hour or so I will get a headache. Keep it above 95%. Switch from the cannula to mask if it won't get you there.

[Ellioth]

Have a look at AVWEB's articles by Mike Busch and Brent Blue entitled "Nonin Onyx Pulse Oximeter" and the more important companion article entitled "Respiration: What Pilots Need To Know (But Aren't Taught)"

http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181936-1.html (Oximeter)

http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181934-1.html (Respiration)

Buried in the latter article is something which I've observed...while flying I start breathing less deeply as the miles tick by. By forcing myself to breath "properly" I see my O2 saturation go from the mid 80s ( ! ) to the mid 90s in less than a minute.

 

[mikerocosm]

If you want more detail than you'll likely need, but crave serious insight into what's happening to your body vis a vis oxygen demand, read this:

 

http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181893-1.html

 

Breathe deeply!

 

mws out

[DrBill]

Using the pulse oximeter I got from ALDI, at surface I run 93-94.  At 11K it dropped to 83 in about 20 mins.  Using O2, and standard cannula (I did not have oxisaver at the time), it was back to 93 in 15 mins.

I can't say I felt any different at 83 but I did it just for the data point.

BILL

[kmyfm20s]

Pulse Oximeters are great to have in the plane. Are bodies performance should be looked at in a similar fasion to the planes performance in regards to density altitude not the altimeter reading. I have flown many hot summer days and seen my my O2 levels drop far enough to start using O2 below 12500 ft.

[Z W]

I try to keep my O2 above 90 on the pulse ox.  At 10-12k I can do that just by focusing on deep breathing techniques, as long as I'm not talking too much to passengers.  Over that I need the cannula, which works up to FL180 for me.

 

My O2 levels sit around 92-93 even at sea level, so I shoot for that.  Not sure why.  I don't smoke.

 

I was amazed the first time I tried deep breathing after reading it on a forum.  Took me from the 80's to the 90's in no time, like Ellioth says.  And, if you continue breathing deep with the oxysaver cannula, you can leave it on a lower flow level.  At least, I can, according to my PulseOx.  I don't worry about that usually unless the tank is running low and I'm trying to finish the flight with "reserves."

 

I don't notice fatigue and headaches as long as I keep my O2 level above 90.

[carusoam]

Definitely good to have a pulse ox. We can measure O2 system performance before we "may" ever feel it.

Anoxia isn't good for anyone...

Best regards,

-a-