Guest Julia59 Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Has anyone ever have a pulminary function test?I'm having one today at 3:30. What should I expect?I so medication sensitive---and I hope I don't have to have any of those inhaler things done. I'm having problems lately---respiratory wise. I don't know if it's connected to my lower brain compression---but I heard this can heppen with brain stem compression/chiari---and cranial settling.thanks in advance for any answers to my questions.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Hi Julie,I had one. It's painless, just frustrating if you can't breathe well. You just take really big breaths in then blow all the air out over as long a period as you can -- like 6-10 seconds (but I blew all of my air out in 3 seconds, which is why my result was abnormal). These tests are good at showing that there's a breathing problem but don't really pinpoint the cause -- especially if it's autonomic-related, because for some reason this kind of breathing dysfunction doesn't show up on tests very well. My pulse ox is always normal, even though I am constantly struggling for air, and my pulmonary function test was only mildly abnormal, despite this fact.But hopefully for you, yours will show something and will be correctable!Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Hello and good luck this afternoon!I did a search and there seems to be different kinds of tests. I did the simple breathing in and out of the tube like Amy did. The dr. had me do different kinds of breaths and then used different kinds of meters to see the values of inhalation and exhalation.Just wanted to let you know we're hoping it goes easy...take care, drive safe, lots of snow round here so if you have to deal with weather allow some extra time, tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnA Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 I had to do the methacoline challange! That is were they use methacoline to induce asthma symptoms. This can be uncomfortable if you have asthma, then you get albuterol to treat it, which can make your heart race. If the Dr is looking for asthma, you will probably have to go through this. I have breathing isssues that I feel are not related to asthma. I think we have trouble breathing, because our body is in a state of shock from low blood volume, probably other factors included. Good luck today! You will be OK.Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Dawn, Julie & anyone else with breathing problems, Question: Have any of you guys actually been given oxygen in an ER or in a doctor's office to see if this helps the breathing issue? I never have, but I kind of wonder whether it would help. I don't know that it would, but just curious if it's a hypoxia issue or not.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyMouse Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 I've had that test a number of times; it's not too bad, just lots of huffing and puffing. Let us know how you did.For me, despite asthma, my function is pretty good for my age. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hello everyone,My test came out just fine. My son and I went out to dinner to celebrate that something came out good for a change----LOL. However, I was able to eat all the Angel Hair pasta on my plate------------------ouch.The pulminologist would like to schedule a sleep study, as he thinks my breathing problems could be neurological in nature.Thank's to everyone for their answers.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnA Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I was given oxygen in an ambulance, but i was also given and IV. I think it was the IV that help more so that the oxygen. I never have had low O2 sats. So I dondt think hpoxia is my issue. I wonder about CO2 however.Sometimes at night I have a hard time talking and breathing if I have done a lot that day. I think my diaphragm gets week . Sometimes it tremors. Do others get this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danish Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Julie,I have asthma so I need to have a PFT every couple months, and I also have a couple different peak flow meters and spirometry devices to check myself at home. All that it really entails is taking a deep breath in and blowing out as hard as you can into a tube while you have a nose plug on. It's feels a lot like your'e blowing up a balloon. Some of the computers show you the graph itself, and others have images to help you like blowing out candles on a birthday cake. The test is about ten "blows" but because of all the pots stuff I get really dizzy after one or two. Once last year the nurse didn't listen to me and I ended up passing out. You really don't to blow that many times to get accurate results, so if you feel sick make sure that they let you stop. If you don't use inhalers now, you probably won't need to use any unless the first go around is abnormal. Then they would probably give you something like albuterol or intal and see if you do better a second time. Overall, it's painless.Good luck!~SarinaP.S. Amy, they always give me either an oxygen mask or nasal prongs at the hosp. when I have an asthma attack. I think that it's the combination of the O2, steroids, inhalers/nebulizers, and w/e the breathing medicine in the IV is that does the trick. I have no idea if oxygen itself would help. When I had whooping cough I was on oxygen but that was just one big mess. BTW, I don't think that struggling for air neccesarily means that you have a low pulse ox. During the whole whooping cough fiasco my blood oxygen would sometimes go down to 85% and I would be breathing fine at that moment. So I'm assuming that the opposite is prbably true for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julia59 Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 I was given oxygen in the ER before---but I was in a very hper -adrengic phase of my POTS----I was too much of a mess to tell if it helped me or not. I didn't notice if I was short of breath---I just noticed my pounding heart.Fortunately they never suspected asthma----so the albuterol was never needed----so no racing heart. I know my body would have over reacted to that.Julie :0) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingLight Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 hey julie!sorry i didn't get to write BEFORE your test.i spent every ounce of my energy today on the phone with dell tech support! ugh! but, let's just say, it was worth it b/c i cannot live without this computer!anyway, i had the test done early on too, but no probs either. sarina...terrible that the nurse didn't believe you and you ended up passing out! aaargh!julie...i am glad that the test went well. still, sorry though that you are still searching for answers to no avail.glad you got to go out to eat to celebrate! eat for me too, k? cause my appetite stinks right now...hugs, emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Dawn,I get that weird vibrating/twitching feeling in my diaphragm too! I also feel like my breathing is worse at the end of the day because my muscles are weak.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 HiWhen I get O2 right after fainting I don't loose my short term memory. nad I recuperate faster.Glad you test went OK Julia.Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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