Aa
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?
Oh sorry, just want to add one more thing, I did have a chest X ray about 2 years ago right after the spirometry and it came back normal.
Little weed how out of breath are you? Is it very bad?
By the way, I dont cough, I have no wheeze and no flem or congestion.
I do remember for the last 25 years my dad constantly clearing his throat especially in the morning, no i realize that must have been the COPD he never knew he had!
By the way, I dont cough, I have no wheeze and no flem or congestion.
I do remember for the last 25 years my dad constantly clearing his throat especially in the morning, no i realize that must have been the COPD he never knew he had!
Yes the computer printed the reports out, which had the numbers and then had the interpretations that I posted above.I just dont understand how one can be normal, one can say restrictivion and another say obstruction. a restriction is NOT OCD an obstruction is. From my research, a restriction is determined when your lungs can not hold the normal amount of air that they are supposed to hold, hence your chest is restricted from expanding and an obstruction is when your lungs can not fully empty.
I stopped smoking. I get out of breath walking up lots of stairs and stuff like that, but I have always been out of shape and out of breath going up too many stairs.
Im not going to worry about it.
I see no point in CT scans. even if I do all those scans (against doctors advice I might add) and they tell me I have mild or moderate or whatever COPD, with no real symptoms there is nothing to treat.
Im just going to assume I have some form of it and not smoke and get the flu shot and be careful.
My dad got stomach cancer at 77 years old, he was a heavy pipe smoker all his life. When he had the cancer he had to get a CT of the chest and it said "mild COPD" ! The Dr never even mentioned it and no one was concerned. He probably had the COPD 20 plus years. the stomach cancer killed him.
If I get to the point where I ever do have breathing issues then Il go to a pulmonologist for medications.
when I read "severe pulmonary obstruction" I panicked. My Dr said if I truly had severe pulmonary obstruction I wouldnt be able to walk across the room without being out of breath, Kind of makes sense, dont ya think?
I stopped smoking. I get out of breath walking up lots of stairs and stuff like that, but I have always been out of shape and out of breath going up too many stairs.
Im not going to worry about it.
I see no point in CT scans. even if I do all those scans (against doctors advice I might add) and they tell me I have mild or moderate or whatever COPD, with no real symptoms there is nothing to treat.
Im just going to assume I have some form of it and not smoke and get the flu shot and be careful.
My dad got stomach cancer at 77 years old, he was a heavy pipe smoker all his life. When he had the cancer he had to get a CT of the chest and it said "mild COPD" ! The Dr never even mentioned it and no one was concerned. He probably had the COPD 20 plus years. the stomach cancer killed him.
If I get to the point where I ever do have breathing issues then Il go to a pulmonologist for medications.
when I read "severe pulmonary obstruction" I panicked. My Dr said if I truly had severe pulmonary obstruction I wouldnt be able to walk across the room without being out of breath, Kind of makes sense, dont ya think?
Did your Spirometry test actually print out with "mild obstruction", "severe obstruction" etc etc???? or am I taking you too literally?
Usually they give out readings that are then interpreted eg FV1 etc.
I had a spirometry done at the GP's, then when I was referred to the Hospital, they re-did the spirometry test, using much more sophisticated equipment. I was sent for blood tests, and now I've just had "diffussion" tests and other complex testing, all of which come under the umbrella term of Lung Function Tests, or Pulmonary Funcion Tests.
I will be called back when the consultant gets these last ones and then I will be given the full diagnosis of how bad my emphesema is.
Initially the GP told me, on the strength of the Xray result 6 months ago I had COPD. Emphesema has been brought into the equation by the consultant on my first visit. But to me, being told I had COPD, was like being told I had emphesema anyway. I'm not daft.
The hospital staff are lovely and tell you in black and white, which is what I want, and need, to plan my future.
My GP's don't want to call COPD anything but that, and are not prepared to consider emphesema as even existing. Not because they know differently, they just don't want to tell you what's what.
My problem, now I've got over the shock of the news, is stopping smoking, which I am finding impossible.
Good luck!
Usually they give out readings that are then interpreted eg FV1 etc.
I had a spirometry done at the GP's, then when I was referred to the Hospital, they re-did the spirometry test, using much more sophisticated equipment. I was sent for blood tests, and now I've just had "diffussion" tests and other complex testing, all of which come under the umbrella term of Lung Function Tests, or Pulmonary Funcion Tests.
I will be called back when the consultant gets these last ones and then I will be given the full diagnosis of how bad my emphesema is.
Initially the GP told me, on the strength of the Xray result 6 months ago I had COPD. Emphesema has been brought into the equation by the consultant on my first visit. But to me, being told I had COPD, was like being told I had emphesema anyway. I'm not daft.
The hospital staff are lovely and tell you in black and white, which is what I want, and need, to plan my future.
My GP's don't want to call COPD anything but that, and are not prepared to consider emphesema as even existing. Not because they know differently, they just don't want to tell you what's what.
My problem, now I've got over the shock of the news, is stopping smoking, which I am finding impossible.
Good luck!
Yes - Please quit smoking - you will NEVER get better or live a full life unless you quit smoking - that is the most important thing you can do is QUIT SMOKING. Even if you have to use the gum or patches - you have to quit - or you will not get better - you will get worse - so please quit smoking.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder Community
Find out what causes asthma, and how to take control of your symptoms.
Healing home remedies for common ailments
Tricks to help you quit for good.
Is your area one of the dirtiest-air cities in the nation?
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
