COPD Support Group

I have no tip for anyone......But I am open to any that you folks have. I have to go have a pulmonary lung function test done this week. Any ideas, suggestions comments???? What should I expect from this test? Anytime my heart rate gets up even a little or I exert myself in any way I get VERY short of breath.

I do too mom .... I just had one done bout a month ago it takes bout 30-an hour to do the test they di for me on each test 3 times each and they put you in a liitle tiny well what i call box LOL they pinch your nose and you have to blow in this tube they will explain it there when you get it done its not that bad...but it does take the breath out of you tho ....good luck with the test

Kim

Hi Petimom

I have had 2 doctors do mine and I think all do a little different but none of it is to be anxious about it is simple u probaly will get bad sob but we do anyway right. It really is not bad but they can learn a lot from it and it may take a few days to get final results but he should be able to tell u a lot that day. Ask questions to Doc and nurses shey sometimes forget to tell newbies all the information and come back to us and ask any question u might have. Some of us have been wearing 02 for a few yrs and everyone here is good about answering questions and telling u their experiences with lung disease. We welcome u and hope ur test turns out good. Huggs

The main thing is to find a Pulmo that you trust and have faith in. I have had 3 and I wish I still had my first one but my insurance wouldn't pay for her. She was a real people person and you knew that she truly cared about you. The other 2 are just OK. Make sure you go with a list of anything that you might have questions about because if your like me, I totally forget when I get there. Ask about Pulmonary Rehab and if you would be able to go. I have not gone yet but everyone who has says that it is so wiorth it. They teach you how to breathe while exercising and how to save you breathing energy.

Also, I was going to tell you that You Tube has breathing exercises for people with COPD. Just type COPD in the search line. They have a world of Info.

Hi every one

Pulmonary function tests always make me think they are really going to test those lung thoroughly. After having had probably 50 or so of them with quarterly tests and 6 different clinical trials, I can speak with some experience.

The lungs can't do any thing at all unless your diaphragm is moving, the diaphragm is a muscle and the lungs have none.

So it had occurred to me that the PFT test is in fact more of a diaphragm speed test. The FEV1 test is a speed test for you diaphragm measuring how much the lungs expel in one second.

So if you want to ace the PFT practice contracting you diaphragm.

I had an electronic peak flow meter (PIKO) that I used in one of the trials.

I got an idea to blow up a balloon with one breath, tie it off , and attach it to the PICO, then I released the balloon and found out that even though the volume was the same the force of the tiny balloon tripled the FEV1. The balloon I blew up was about the size of a softball, not even close to a liter.

From then on I focused my efforts during a PFT on quick diaphragm response.

Just for your information the forced exhaled air speed is over 100mph. Yes, I did the math.

Blow'em a Hurricane!

cmore

Hi Cemore I was wondering if that piko has really done u any good is is something the rest of us might need?

The piko was just a part of a clinical trial. I set it aside as soon as the trial was over. It was more of a nuisance during the trial. It was like a mini-PFT every morning and evening for 6 months.

cmore

Ok thanks cemore.