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My Spirometry Results Range From Very Bad to Normal!
I was a smoker of 1 pack a day for 15 years. I am 44, 50 pounds overweight and in bad shape. I have always been in bad shape since im a couch potato.
I had a spirometry test done about a year ago at the doctors office. First reading of set of 3 the printout read "severe pulmonary obstruction" I say no way, this cant be right, I beg to try again. so on the second round I got one that said "moderate obstruction" and another that said "mild obstruction"
Doctor said to stop smoking and come back in a month.
I did that, and I made sure I had an empty stomach when I went back.
I blow 3 times. first one said "mild obstruction, second one said "mild RESTRICTION"
Now Im really determined and the last blow read "NORMAL SPIROMETRY"
Mind you, I had to blow every single of drop oof air out of my lungs to get to the normal, I think I was even spitting. I thought I was going to pass out or collapse a lung doing this final blow.
By the way I used an inhaler on all days and there was no difference with the inhaler.
Doctor wasnt too concerned. I was very nervous about the poor results and asked him how could I have a severe obstruction. He said that if I indeed had a severe obstruction I wouldnt be able to walk across the room with being winded.
My question to you here is, how could so many tests result in so many different readings from severe to normal, and what exactly is my diagnosos?
Do I have COPD?
I had a spirometry test done about a year ago at the doctors office. First reading of set of 3 the printout read "severe pulmonary obstruction" I say no way, this cant be right, I beg to try again. so on the second round I got one that said "moderate obstruction" and another that said "mild obstruction"
Doctor said to stop smoking and come back in a month.
I did that, and I made sure I had an empty stomach when I went back.
I blow 3 times. first one said "mild obstruction, second one said "mild RESTRICTION"
Now Im really determined and the last blow read "NORMAL SPIROMETRY"
Mind you, I had to blow every single of drop oof air out of my lungs to get to the normal, I think I was even spitting. I thought I was going to pass out or collapse a lung doing this final blow.
By the way I used an inhaler on all days and there was no difference with the inhaler.
Doctor wasnt too concerned. I was very nervous about the poor results and asked him how could I have a severe obstruction. He said that if I indeed had a severe obstruction I wouldnt be able to walk across the room with being winded.
My question to you here is, how could so many tests result in so many different readings from severe to normal, and what exactly is my diagnosos?
Do I have COPD?
PS-when I asked why I get out of breath going up stairs doc said to loose 40 pounds :)
Well I went to a specialist (pulmonary) as promised, and I am glad I did!
As I explained earlier, about 3 years ago in my family doctors office my spirometry results stated "severe pulmonary obstruction" with very low fev1 numbers. I was sure I had COPD. I since quit smoking for about 2 years and last year resumed smoking but only about 4 cigs a day.
So yesterday this doctor (whos office is in NYU Medical Center) in NYC performs a complete PFT with EKG, Spirometry, and chest x-rays.
My spirometry was normal, I was shocked. When I questioned him about my fev1 he said I was at 98% :)
My chest X-rays were also normal as well as EKG.
Doc said I most certainly do not have COPD.
SoI am very happy, and my only conclusion about the results from 3 years ago are that the family doc had faulty equipment.
But I still plan to quit smoking.
Good luck to all of you
As I explained earlier, about 3 years ago in my family doctors office my spirometry results stated "severe pulmonary obstruction" with very low fev1 numbers. I was sure I had COPD. I since quit smoking for about 2 years and last year resumed smoking but only about 4 cigs a day.
So yesterday this doctor (whos office is in NYU Medical Center) in NYC performs a complete PFT with EKG, Spirometry, and chest x-rays.
My spirometry was normal, I was shocked. When I questioned him about my fev1 he said I was at 98% :)
My chest X-rays were also normal as well as EKG.
Doc said I most certainly do not have COPD.
SoI am very happy, and my only conclusion about the results from 3 years ago are that the family doc had faulty equipment.
But I still plan to quit smoking.
Good luck to all of you
I am so glad you are seeing (have seen?) the specialist. He should answer all your questions, but should also do the full range of other lung function tests, to determine exactly what your problem is.
Fingers crossed for you.
You may turn out to have asthma, which would be common enough with your wieght issue, and there is some reversibilty with that.
I'm still waiting to get my appointment through. The system in the UK is much slower than yours. If I'm lucky, I'll get the letter this week, but god knows when the appointment will be - in 2 weeks or maybe three.
Boy, will my anxiety levels go through te roof! I'll have to start biting my nails, instead of reaching for a cigarette!
Let me know when you have got some news. I'm going to be nervous for you! (You seem to have got your head round all this a bit better now)
Good Luck!
Fingers crossed for you.
You may turn out to have asthma, which would be common enough with your wieght issue, and there is some reversibilty with that.
I'm still waiting to get my appointment through. The system in the UK is much slower than yours. If I'm lucky, I'll get the letter this week, but god knows when the appointment will be - in 2 weeks or maybe three.
Boy, will my anxiety levels go through te roof! I'll have to start biting my nails, instead of reaching for a cigarette!
Let me know when you have got some news. I'm going to be nervous for you! (You seem to have got your head round all this a bit better now)
Good Luck!
By the way, I have an appointment with a Pulmonary specialist tomorrow morning. I would like to repeat the Spirometry in a specialists office and get a better understanding of whats really going on, if anything. I want to ask him how I can blow six different times and get six way different readings from normal to severe. I will report back tomorrow evening.
Little weed did you get your results?
Little weed did you get your results?
Hi dismayed,
Listen to jonkob he is so right. He is becoming very wise and objective on all of this. But don't beat yourself up about being pessimistic either - it's an easy trap to fall into. I know, believe me.
What you have to remember as well is that COPD is an umbrella term for chronic lung conditions, be it emphesema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis.
You need to see a lung specialist to determine exactly what your particular problem is. This can only be done by re-doing your spirometry with more sophisticated equipment, and a full range of lung function tests, known as PFT's, or LFT's, including diffusion tests to determine the volume capacity.
My GP, like yours, does not want to call COPD emphesema, even though that is in fact what I have been diagnosed with, much to the surprise of the hospital to which I was referred.
Why, I do not know. But for whatever reason, you need to ask to be referred to a specialist who will determine exactly what you do have and treat you accordingly.
The treatment is important, whichever your particular problem turns out to be. (asthma for example, will be treated differently to emphesema etc etc)
Well done for stopping smoking!
Good Luck!
Listen to jonkob he is so right. He is becoming very wise and objective on all of this. But don't beat yourself up about being pessimistic either - it's an easy trap to fall into. I know, believe me.
What you have to remember as well is that COPD is an umbrella term for chronic lung conditions, be it emphesema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis.
You need to see a lung specialist to determine exactly what your particular problem is. This can only be done by re-doing your spirometry with more sophisticated equipment, and a full range of lung function tests, known as PFT's, or LFT's, including diffusion tests to determine the volume capacity.
My GP, like yours, does not want to call COPD emphesema, even though that is in fact what I have been diagnosed with, much to the surprise of the hospital to which I was referred.
Why, I do not know. But for whatever reason, you need to ask to be referred to a specialist who will determine exactly what you do have and treat you accordingly.
The treatment is important, whichever your particular problem turns out to be. (asthma for example, will be treated differently to emphesema etc etc)
Well done for stopping smoking!
Good Luck!
I read my previous post again and apologise for being so pessimistic ... I tend to panic. You are correct in what you say jonkob ... thanks for the wise words.
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