Is it good if your peakflow is...

[Shannon97]

Is it good if your peakflow is going up x

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi Shannon!

An increasing PF usually means that your asthma control is improving and your meds are working - a great thing! When I'm well I always try to beat my best (I get competitive 😅 Haven't beaten my best for a while now tho 😒)

Regarding readings don't worry if it varies slightly throughout the day - that's normal so long as you're not getting any symptoms (for most it's usually worse at night/waking up, best in the afternoon/evening). Also you'll get a better read if you do it standing instead of sitting - again normal. Plus over time your best may gradually increase (as you perfect your technique) then again it may naturally lower as you age.

Don't worry if you compare your best PF to someone else's we are all different (my best is almost 2x one of my non-asthmatic friends) it's an independent measure, which just shows how much air you can puff out quickly from one breath.

PF is just a measure of how you're doing, but I usually put more focus on my symptoms then I do my PF in regards to when to get help and just use my PF to confirm that I'm not doing great/ record how well my meds have worked pre/post reliever meds in an attack situation.

Hope that resolves any worries you have! Keep doing what you're doing, sounds like you're doing fine!

[Erin001]

Yes because that means your lungs are improving

[healthwish]

Yes cause ur lungs can blow more air out which is good news. Keep record of peak flow so u get to know what is normal for u.

[Shannon97]

The reason why I've been put on is because tight chest? My peak flow is going up yet I still feel tight,So is this ashtma? My asthma nurse said it can take up to 8 weeks x

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Shannon97]

If your chest has been tight for a while it may take time for it to relax (and for your lungs to remember what is like to be healthy). Don't worry about it too much if you're currently improving your PF, though if you still feel tight at week 8 go back and talk to someone.

Try not to focus on it too much as that may just be reinforcing the tightness (a bit like when you stub your toe - if you thing about it, it will keep hurting, when you forget it can quickly disappear).

Asthma is usually a collection of symptoms, but everyone presents differently (I cough first, then tight chest/SOB, then wheeze, then different type of cough/can't cough. And I don't always wheeze either) but if the meds are helping and your doc/AN thinks it's asthma trust them it could just be you're very mild and only just starting to get symptoms.

If meds stop working, or don't resolve tightness speak to them; you could need different/more meds and at the same time you could ask for a spirometer test for official diagnosis if you're worried it's not asthma.

Hope that helps x

[Hidden]

Good news Shannon your meds are working and lungs are improving 👌

[HannahForever]

To me its a positive sign of better functioning