What is your peak flow normally?

[Georgiax]

Mine is 460-480 normally. I just started using it for a few days and it always stays there. I am female and 157. I was just curious about yours.

[ElizabethC]

350 is my personal best. If I dip to 200 then its a problem. Lowest was recently due to asthma flare up - down to 150. Resulted in A&E visit.

[Georgiax in reply to ElizabethC]

Oh I hope you're okay now. Also does the hour of the day affect it for you? Sorry I'm a new asthmatic with a lot to learn.

[ElizabethC in reply to Georgiax]

Am getting there. Slowly. Its rather frustrating and I feel very restricted in what I can do. However, it is improving.

I'm recovering from the asthma attack that landed me in hospital A&E on 16th January. I'd had a cold the 1st week of January. 2nd week in work I was very dry and sore when breathing (though was stupidly ignoring it as I assumed it was the after effects of the cold I'd had the week before - though I was taking my inhalers too). 4 days of that and I was in trouble so went to surgery. Nebulised. Got through weekend was worse on the Monday and went back to surgery. Nebulised again but wasn't working hence A&E.

Whatever they did in the hospital got my peak flow back up and breathing stabilised and then the viral infection in my lungs showed itself for the next 2 weeks.

Been back at work the past 3 weeks. Way better than I was but I get breathless very easily at the moment.

Point is, you will find out what your triggers are. When I *don't* have a cold or flu infection and not recovering from it, I can be (or used to be) very good and almost symptomless for months (though Peak Flow was never much more than 350). At the moment I can be breathless doing very basic things or even nothing much. Literally - I can be sitting at my desk perfectly ok, not choking, coughing, breathing being fine and then BAM! I get breathless. No reason. Or none I can fathom. I'm just putting it down at the moment to still recovering from the viral infection and asthma flare up.

If you get breathless/asthma flares, try to see what has happened *differently* and record it somewhere. You might see a pattern, eg when x happens, you get breathless a few minutes or even half an hour or an hour later. Its trial and error and when newly diagnosed can take a while to figure out your triggers and particular symptoms and also which medications will help you.

Ventolin I've had as my reliever from the start in 2005, but am now on my 3rd preventer - symbicort which I seem to be doing well on.

Make sure you have a plan of what medications you have, what to do in an emergency. Let your loved ones and friends and work/school know of your plan too. Give them clear instructions on what to do if you can't get your breathing under control. If you're not sure yourself of that point, talk to your Asthma nurse or doctor for advice.

Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethC]

Hello Elisabeth

Like you..was 360 max a year ago now more like 320..in the morning I wake up with 270/280..lowest 250 2 weeks ago I think but I have better meds than I used to..just that I take a long time to get over those flare-ups..What about you?

So I'm doing this pulmonary rehab, one hour twice a week it is supposed to improve your lung capacity and hopefully I will start feeling the benefits in a month time I was told..I did it last year but I was feeling better than..feels like it has been a long winter..anyway I stick with it..

Are you ever light-headed? I feel light-headed..

[ElizabethC in reply to Hidden]

Cold and flu viruses triggered the asthma in the first place for me. I was adult onset in 2005 (and 42 now). Took a while to work out what it was but my doctor was very thorough even checking for Tuberculosis.

I've been finding when I get a virus - even just a cold now - if it goes to my lungs the flare up is bad. The recovery time is long. The last major one was February 2015. That was the year the flu vaccine failed. I picked it up from a new temp job in my first week (also first week of Feb) and it didn't really go till April. Chest infection, streaming head etc. Mid March I had one golden week of not coughing and then the laryngitis hit me badly. I lost my job at that point! The after effects of the laryngitis lasted 18 months. I lost my singing voice for most of that time. My original range (high soprano) only returned last Christmas. And I've lost it again.

I wanted to get into singing lessons to help but at the moment I can barely speak for long without losing my voice.

I do get light headed sometimes. I get very tired too. So frustrating not even able to get up my own stairs without getting breathless when I get to the top.

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethC]

So sorry about your voice..thank you for your sincere answer..I think inhalers damage our vocal chords they have mine..I have a constant sore throat too..so the nose and throat specialist said my vocal chords had thickened showing an inflammation..he did suggest to see a speech therapist..I haven't had time but I must make time after the endocrinologist and the allergologist^^ I have collected all the specialties I think..

but maybe if you haven't you could try a speech therapist..he explained something about asthma and coughing and using our voice in the wrong way..

Hope you feel better soon x

[ElizabethC in reply to Hidden]

I think the laryngitis did some damage. Oddly enough after this last viral attack, I don;t have the constant sensation of something in my voice box area as I had for months after the 2015 one.

I'd love to see some specialists in various areas. I am certain I have an underactive thyroid (mother, sister, grandmother and great aunts all have/had it) but because blood tests says its normal, GPs won't do anything further.

Even with the asthma in recent years I've been saying I think I need referring as there clearly is a genetic link. Again, mother, grandmother and sister all adult onset asthma. My mother is getting increasingly severe asthma - slightest thing will trigger her. And I am mirroring her. Again, GPs wouldn't do anything unless I am being hospitalised more often.

However, my new surgery, the Nurse Practitioner who has seen me for the first time since I joined the surgery and has dealt with me with this particular episode seems to listen and not dismiss out of hand any possible genetic links. Already she has suggested referring. I haven't been back to her for a while now even though the breathlessness is still around. I was wanting to give it a chance to heal. But may well go back if I can't walk to be usual places at lunch time as I used to by say mid March. See what she says then. Will also mention the thryoid issues. The private health screen I had last year picked up on that - even with the blood tests being "normal" they were just about normal.

[ElizabethC in reply to Hidden]

Something else I get now is a super sensitive cough or choke reflex. The back of the throat that will trigger a choking attack if it thinks something is going the wrong way is super sensitive. It can trigger even by my moving my head down or to the side. I think thats the symptom I find most worrisome as it can trigger with no warning and I am in full choke mode for up to half an hour which of course triggers the asthma coughing.

I mentioned it to my GP when I was at the new patient meeting last year but he dismissed it and said it was post nasal drip. It isn't. I can feel it coming *up* the airways not down.

[Hidden in reply to ElizabethC]

Hopefully you will get help from the nurse..Take care Elizabeth x

[Logo132 in reply to Hidden]

What’s involved with pulmonary rehab?

[Operanut72]

Mine is around 640, however it is normally worse in the morning. I wouldn't worry about looking for patterns until you've got a bigger data sample to look at. But if it drops below your normal levels then you ought to seek medical advice.

[Georgiax in reply to Operanut72]

Wow your value is really high. Yes, this was the reason that I even have a peak flow meter, to see if I am getting worse. Thank you for your answer.

[Operanut72 in reply to Georgiax]

I sing so I've kept my tidal volume. But if it drops to below 550, I struggle. I take my PEF (Peak Flow) twice a day and have done for thirty years so I've got a large data set to look at. I've had trouble this week and had to instigate my asthma plan. I've had to cancel a concert because I'm not well enough to travel.

Whilst it is a useful measure to see if things are controlled, don't ignore symptoms, if your PEF is lowish normal and yet you're struggling to breathe then you need medical assistance.

Hope that helps and I'm happy I was able to answer your question.

[Georgiax in reply to Operanut72]

Yes this really helps! Thank you so much!

[andy121]

My highest peak flow reading is normally 550. This week my asthma has been bad with a reading of 420. Now my new preventer/reliever has kicked in readings are sneaking back up to and am slowly feeling better. But like operanut said dont ignore symptoms. I knew I was getting bad before peak flow dropped.

[emmasue]

My peak flow is high, about 640 at maximum. If I get below 550, I know I am in trouble! I was told that the reason I have a good peak flow is that I played flute, French horn and Flugal Horn when I was a kid/teenager. I had asthma then, but it was good at developing my lung capacity. The positive is a good lung capacity. The negative is that when I am bad, the doctors/nurses see my peak flow and think that I am okay.

[Hidden]

Hi I am female and in my early 60's. My best is around 350. I wish mine was as good as yours! x

[Hidden]

It is a good score..such an individual thing..Do you feel well for it?

[emmasue in reply to Hidden]

I don't feel better for having a higher peak flow. I wish I did! An asthma nurse said once that it is because my small airways are twitchy. 😞

[Hidden in reply to emmasue]

ok..well we all have our problems I see..Asthma is such a variable disease..hope you feel better soon x

[Hidden]

Hi my best is 410 some times drops to 350 mainly of a morning my lowest was 60 when in icu

[elanaoali]

Mine best is 500 for my age etc should be 420. I usually hit 480 every day. According to my asthma plan if my peak flow drops below 300 then I am in trouble.

[Lyngal]

Hi Georgiax my best is 400 although dropped to 320 on pred at the moment x

[Emily-G]

Hi

Mine is 410 (I rarely get that tho) usually about 370 at night. Mine drops overnight to between 250 and 300. It used to be closer to 500 though.

Keeping a note of it over time does help me notice when things are getting worse and also better.

My 410 is usually after salbutamol.

Xxx

[Workwise]

Mine is 350 but early Saturday morning I checked down to 150 with bad pains under rib cage husband took me to hospital where my oxygen level was very low and blood pressure was low also felt alright all day bit of a cough that's all how can you tell when oxygen level is low please they said I had chest infection usual predispose I'm not good at spelling and antibiotics weekend off work so staying in bed .

[Hidden]

Normal for me with my new PFM is 390 (with my old mini wright PFM it was 410). I'm in my mid 50s.

The lowest I've ever been was 150. That happened when I was in my late 20s and I was subsequently admitted to hospital. Normal for me back then was around 440/450.

[Hanna222]

My predicted is 460. My personal best is 450. Now I'm on a good streak and I'm averaging around 430 in the morning. I feel tight at 350. My lowest recorded is 260. I have lower scores in the morning and at night, and higher in the middle of the day.

[Logo132]

Mines about 300 I’m female 44