[Equipment] Tell me about VirtuOx VPOD Ultra

[ShaunBlake]

My doctor ordered an overnight oxi monitoring and {filthyword} Apria is fulfilling with a "VirtuOx VPOD Ultra GSI". I'm disappointed because I expected an attachment to the AirSense 10. Nevertheless, here it is.

It looks like a slightly slicker version of the CMS50F, and from the little I have picked up, it may provide a little more information. But it's hard to find anything except the company's sketchy brochure-type information.

What can you tell me, either first-hand, observation, literature, or even word-of-mouth?

Oh, and if anyone has information about downloading data from the thing, please speak up -- I only have one night to use it. I'm expected to return it after which it seems that VirtuOx will get the data, interpolate/interpret and report to my doctor. Sketchy, and I *hate* being cut out of the loop.

[PaulaO2]

There's a video or two on YouTube.

It has a USB port but it seems locked to the proprietary software, VirtuOx Pro. But it sounds like it gets there automagically vs you taking it in?

I checked the PulseOxStore (#19 in the Supplier's List) and they don't carry it nor have software.

You're SOL in terms of getting the info yourself. But you can easily ask for it to be given to you.

[ardenum]

It looks actually quite nice. you shouldnt think much of it since its just an infrared device. I hope you have a recent red blood cell count on a paper and a blood gas analysis, both venous and arterial.

if not they are very important. youre o2 saturation can be 100% but if you have anemia your gonna have hypoxia regardless.

Id recommend doing a HIF1A lab test, its a 24h hypoxia marker. It's how i convinced my doc as a 25yo skinny guy that my feeling of being starved for air isnt in my head. => sleep apnea diagnosis

look into testing yourself with a capnograph too, thats hard to come by but worth a try.

[ShaunBlake]

There's a video or two on YouTube.

It has a USB port but it seems locked to the proprietary software, VirtuOx Pro. But it sounds like it gets there automagically vs you taking it in?

I checked the PulseOxStore (#19 in the Supplier's List) and they don't carry it nor have software.

You're SOL in terms of getting the info yourself. But you can easily ask for it to be given to you.

Thanks, PaulaO2, I've seen the vids; just promotional material for VirtuOx.

Actually, this model is very similar to the CMS50F in data transmission (and in most other ways as well): the USB port receives the sensor's output and also sends data to a computer. Last night I connected it to my computer and used SpO2 Assistant to interrogate it. Surprisingly, SpO2 Ass seemed to be able to communicate with it; it reported, "No data".

I went to bed with both the VirtuOx and the CMS50F, recorded only my sleep time, and just uploaded the data from each. The VirtuOx was nearly half as fast, but the upload was successful. The VirtuOx file size was a bit over twice as big, corresponding to the slower upload. Looking at it's data, I can see no difference between the two devices. Nevertheless, I suspect that there is much that SpO2 Ass isn't presenting.

I'm going to try to find out more about the VirtuOx Pro you found.

Oh, thanks for the comment: be assured that I will "request" that the results be disclosed. (I know that my doctor will log them in my file, which I can view online; I will be expecting to receive an exhaustive report from the providers -- either DME or VirtuOx.)

It looks actually quite nice. you shouldnt think much of it since its just an infrared device. I hope you have a recent red blood cell count on a paper and a blood gas analysis, both venous and arterial.

if not they are very important. youre o2 saturation can be 100% but if you have anemia your gonna have hypoxia regardless.

Id recommend doing a HIF1A lab test, its a 24h hypoxia marker. It's how i convinced my doc as a 25yo skinny guy that my feeling of being starved for air isnt in my head. => sleep apnea diagnosis

look into testing yourself with a capnograph too, thats hard to come by but worth a try.

Yes, crowtor, it's very similar to the CMS50s but much nicer in appearance -- though very similar in material quality. The display is a bit nicer as well, and is not as cluttered.

I have had some bloodwork both trips to the E.R., but none subsequent to those episodes. The only monitoring done has been with the oxi monitors.

I'm comfortable that my CO2 is within acceptable levels, yet I would really like to be able to check it on occasion. The cost, though, is prohibitive; as you say, hard to come by and very expensive for a complete unit. (hmm... I may request that it be checked whenever I have a periodic checkup.)

[ardenum]

HIF1A cost me 60 EUR privately btw.
capnographs on the other hand are just expensive as buying a cpap yourself.
venous and arterial blood gases were about 50EUR both(each 25).

[ShaunBlake]

I lost interest in capnographs when my Internet search turned up only one -- nearly $2,000 about €1600 <choke>

[PaulaO2]

Cool that the SpO2 software could read it! I was wondering if it could since it is for a wide range of oximeters.

How was the data? Did you dip low?

[ShaunBlake]

<chuckle> Actually, I did "dip low" -- one time, to 89%. The thing recorded almost exactly the same levels as the CMS50 did. (Variations due to movement; I move my hands and arms a lot while falling asleep.)

The blasted CMS50 has become extremely unreliable to the point that I'm frustrated and disgusted with it. Starts recording -- even claims to be recording when I turn it off -- and uploads only a 2k or 3k data file. But when it does record, it gives a pleasing report; now that I've had an opportunity to cross-check it, I'm a little more pleased with it (but still frustrated and disgusted with it <grin>).

I could buy a used VitruOx (but it may not be the Ultra) for less than a hundred bucks so I'm very interested in its data-gathering. Also in the VirtuOx Pro you sussed out -- I haven't gotten to that yet.

[ardenum]

i used to dip under 70% , usually i woke up middle in the night with the room spinning that lasted for atleast half an hour, also had troponin elevated when that happened, it was when my doc said that chocking at night was anxiety and gave me high doses of anti depressants. those were the times.

[ShaunBlake]

...
those were the times.

♫ Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end ♬