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Anyone deal with an apnea monitor?

Heather1979Heather1979 member
in Preemies

Any tips on how not to throw this POS machine out the window? Read the manual, paid attention to the rental guy, but the POS beeps all the time when LO is perfectly fine and responsive.

She was in the NICU for two weeks and never once had a heart rate issue, she is on it because of some breathing issues she had during her apnea test. But the heart rate light is what always comes on. I've replaced the lead pads already after her bath, made sure her skin was in good shape before I affixed the lead pads, etc. but the dam thing keeps beeping just enough to freak us out.

I need to toughen up my nerves so that I won't drive off the road if I'm taking her somewhere and it goes off...  we're stuck with the monitor until at least Christmas...

 

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Re: Anyone deal with an apnea monitor?

  • *KatieH**KatieH*

     1) Is it fully charged?

    2)  are the sensors placed where they should be?  ( I believe near armpit and by abdomen)

    3)  are the wires securely connected?

    If so call the company tomorrow and tell them something is wrong with the machine.   They should be able to come out and fix it or give you a new one by end of business tomorrow.    I am sorry I know how frustrating that is.  We had a similar situation and it turned out we had the sensors in the wrong spots.  We had them where the rep from the company said to put them but the home care place wanted them somewhere else.   

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  • *Sweet pea**Sweet pea* member
    Are you putting lotion on her after her bath?  That could be what is causing it to go off.  If not I would call the CS# on your machine tomorrow and have them send you a new one. I had a machine till LO was 6months at times I wanted to throw it though the window also.
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  • mcdevmcdev member

    I am sure every single person on this board will agree that the apnea monitor is your best friend and worst enemy all in one!!

    Some thoughts on heartrate alarms......

    Call the monitor company in the morning and ask what the parameters are set at.  It may be that the parameters are set too high for your baby and they will either have to send someone out to change it or instruct you how to do it over the phone (with your doctor's permission).  As the baby grows older, their heartrate changes so it may just be that the monitor needs to be updated with your growing baby.

    Does it alarm for heartrate when she is eating?  It could be a symptom of reflux.  It was for my oldest daughter.

    Good luck and hang in there!!   

    Claire Avery born at 32 weeks on 10/25/06 Keira Leigh born at 27 weeks on 4/29/08
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  • KellyMichelleKellyMichelle

    I used bandaids over the sensors to keep them on more securely.  It still went off sometimes for no reason.

    Some things - in the car the radio can set it off, at home baby monitors, televisions and radios can set it off. 

    Kelly, Mom to Noah 8.27.05 (born at 26 weeks)
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  • Susan_KWSusan_KW member

    We used the chest wrap to secure the sensors.  It worked much better than the sticky leads (which would move within an hour or two.

    I'm curious why you would be on until Christmas?  We were able to go off of it when she DD was brady/apnea free for 2 weeks.

    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers Lilypie Third Birthday tickers
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  • Rachel&JoeRachel&Joe

    you need to call the respiratory therapist because that is not right.

    Also, i don't think you will have it until christmas.  stella came home on o2 (her lungs are a hot mess) & we got rid of the stupid apnea monitor after less than 6 weeks.  do you have a pulmonary appointment coming up soon or is the pedi in charge of when you get rid of it?  they will see on the report which alarms were true alarms & that's how you will get rid of it.

    we only just got rid of it a few weeks ago but the though of that horrible alarm will not soon be forgotten.  hang in there!

     

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  • KLynKLyn
    we tried the sticky leads or about 2 weeks and hated them.  We ended up using the band for the remainder of the 3 months that we had to use the monitors.  Have you tried to run the self test?  We had to replace the patient cables twice over the course of the 3 months, and use new leads a bunch of times, so they DO wear out.  If none of that works, call the company to switch out the box itself (we had to do that once also).  Sorry you have to deal with this - it's so frustrating!
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  • KLynKLyn
    we tried the sticky leads for about 2 weeks and hated them.  We ended up using the band for the remainder of the 3 months that we had to use the monitors.  Have you tried to run the self test?  We had to replace the patient cables twice over the course of the 3 months, and use new leads a bunch of times, so they DO wear out.  If none of that works, call the company to switch out the box itself (we had to do that once also).  Sorry you have to deal with this - it's so frustrating!
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  • Million$$BabyMillion$$Baby

    imagemcdev:

    Call the monitor company in the morning and ask what the parameters are set at.  It may be that the parameters are set too high for your baby and they will either have to send someone out to change it or instruct you how to do it over the phone (with your doctor's permission).  As the baby grows older, their heartrate changes so it may just be that the monitor needs to be updated with your growing baby. 

    Ditto this - my first thought was that maybe the settings were off. Also, as a few others mentioned, use the belt rather than the sticky leads if you have it/aren't already. I think the belt stays in place much better than the stickies. Good luck!

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