Spirometry

Hi im worried about having the spirometry test done on wednesday, i havent been told anything about it, what i should and shouldnt do before it or anything. please can someone help me with this

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Hi, Don't worry, it really is ok. The nurses will talk you through what you have to do. Basically they give you a mouthpiece attached to the machine by a tube, you have to take a really deep breath and breathe out as fast and as long as you can. There are various other sorts of machine and test, but that is the basic principle. I have this every time I visit the hospital and you just get used to it. Don't be afraid to ask about the results and what they mean, it is your body after all!

Best Wishes

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ok then thank you. is there anyhting i shouldnt do before having it done

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What you could do is phone the hospital and ask to speak to one of the nurses and ask them. Sometimes they will say not to take various inhalers beforehand, but I think they would have said in your appointment letter if that were the case.

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its being done at my gps as i havent got a cons yet

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HI Amanda,

They never do tell you much about this or what the various tests are for - except one lovely clinical physiologist I had do my repeat ones. In the scheme of tests though they're not at all bad, if a bit knackering sometimes so don't plan too much for the rest of the day.

Pretty much what valj said. You don't have to prepare specially or anything EDIT forgot about the inhalers - if they do a reversibility test ie doing the test, giving you reliever and doing it again, you may have to avoid taking your reliever that day if possible. Try ringing surgery and asking?

You may just have the basics with the nurse at GPs though, rather than the full range they can give at the hospital, but it should be enough to go on for now. Results should be available right then and there so do ask - I often don't because I'm not assertive enough about medical stuff and leave it up to them to tell me, then regret it later. Don't worry about asking the nurse to repeat instructions if you're not sure or have managed to forget - the nurse should talk you through it though and tell you when and how to blow into the tubes.

Depending on results and what the consultant says when you get to see them, you may end up doing another set at the hospital which may involve a few more tests but that's in the future and will basically just mean it takes a bit longer and you have to blow into a few more devices.

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right ok it just as im using upto and over 50 puffs of my salbutamol inhaler and i have the symibcort inhaler as well do i need to avoid them or not

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I think preventer is ok as normal, but you may have to avoid reliever if possible - but if it's not just tell them and they may skip that bit. It's more of a diagnostic test for asthma anyway I think so if they don't doubt you have asthma they may not bother with that one.

If in doubt ring surgery and check - 50 puffs a day?!! Or is that just today? I could tell you needed a referral but you REALLY need one it seems - or if that is just today then maybe you should be off to Costa if it's not helping.

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its in a day i have that many sometimes more. everyday im getting worse and cant cope with it. im missing dance classes as well so i cant be my normal self any more. i know i should have seen someone by now but its been hard to sort it out

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Oh I know - I've seen how hard it was for you to get the referral, I just had no idea how much reliever you were taking on a regular basis and can't believe you had to try so hard and wait so long before getting it! Someone should have done something a long time ago - not you, you have been trying as hard as you can but difficult if they won't listen!

Massive sympathy having to give up things you like, I know how that feels as have the same issues. PM me if you want to sound off, I'll be out now for a bit but back later and happy to listen.