Histamine Test

[Asthma-girl]

I am awaiting for another hospital admission to go to RBH for some more tests to be done, one of the tests they want to do is a Histamine test.

I was wondering if anyone else has had this done and what happens during the test?

[Hidden]

I did a histamine test a few years ago. They get you to do the spirometry test then they get you to breathe in increasing amounts of histamine and do the spirometry test after each one to see if your airways are twitchy.

It can make you feel quite tight but they give you a neb after to reverse the effects.

Hope it goes ok!

[Hidden]

Oh when are you there asthmagirl? I'm there next week, having the histamine challenge Thurs morning! So I can't tell you what it's like yet, but if yours is after that I'll be able to tell you!

[Hidden]

A histamine or methacholine challenge test sees how your airways respond to a trigger. You will be asked to breathe in different levels histamine or methacholine through a nebuliser, which may cause the airways to narrow. Spirometry is done in between to check for any response. A decrease of a certain amount of lung function (often 20%) may show asthma. See here for information from Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham Methaholine/Histamine Challenge Testing

I had a methacholine challenge last year and it was ok, not the most pleasant and it was a few hours in total.

Hope you have a date for your tests. What did they do last time you were there as I thought they try to do all in that week of the difficult asthma protocol? I am there soon too for the same.

[Asthma-girl]

Thanks ever so much for your replies, I am currently awaiting an admission date this will be once the Olympics are over.

There are a few other tests they want to do whilst I am in there such an Echo.