Hi can someone please explain peak flow to me? I take it twice a day at the minute as I've been feeling unwell for a week and I've been on a 5 day course of prednisolone. I find my peak flow has raised but I still feel quite poorly. Also, I think I had too much salbutamol today as I felt very shaky, and a bit nauseated. I had taken quite a few puffs as it's been very cold today but I'm also a bit confused as to how much of my inhaler I should be taking as I keep getting told different things.
Thank you all!
#ainteasybeingwheezy
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VentolinAddict
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Peak flow is a measure of the maximum amount of air you can get out of your lungs, measured in litres/min (I think). It's an important reading as, in effect, it is telling you something about how obstructed your airways are.
I have been told by a GP (but please get your own advice) that there's no great harm in taking lots of inhalations, but if you haven't already, get a spacer device which delivers more of the drug. My GP tells me a particular system of taking a high dose, which he says is as good as a nebuliser, but I'd rather not share as I don't know if it might be risky to others. Ask the pharmacist though about the best way to get an effective dose.
Salbutamol does cause those sorts of side-effect, but your priority at this stage is effective breathing. Once it settles, have a chat about getting an effective management plan in place.
There are a few tools around for tracking peak flow (I can send you one that helps track variation through the day if you like). Good luck & I hope you soon feel better.
Peak flow (PF) is basically just a measurement of how fast you can flow out the air in your lungs. It’s different for everyone however there is an ‘average’ chart you can compare to. Factors that can affect PF is age height weight playing wind instruments, or a history of sports, time of day etc.
What you’re looking for is your own personal best, and that you don’t vary too much from it (there is a daily variation so make sure to take it at the same times each day!). A drop in your PF indicates that your lungs aren’t functioning well (ie your asthma is bad), however PF doesn’t have to drop to be having difficulties!
If you don’t know your ‘best’ then you may have improved a bit but not enough (ie gone from 50% function to 70% or something not to 80%+ where ‘green’ zone is on your asthma plan).
If you’re still feeling bad despite your steroids, book in an emergency GP appt tomorrow. If it flares up again and you need lots of ventolin head to a&e - it could be that you need a little extra help to calm things down from whatever triggered this episode (weather, illness etc).
In essence 10 puffs of ventolin with little to no improvement means you need to head to hospital. If you’re taking enough to get the shakes and feel nauseous then you defo need to see your GP. If you take your ventolin and it doesn’t last for 4hrs then GP or hospital depending on the situation. Some people are prescribe 2 puffs up to 4 times a day, others are on an ‘as and when’ system so advice will vary drastically as it depends on the person and situation.
I hope that helps. If anything doesn’t make sense just ask! I hope you start to feel better soon!
Mmm. The prednisone should be enough to stop the wheeze - you shouldn't need so much Ventolin. You describe yourself as a ventolin addict and it is, in my experience, a mind addiction, not a physical one. When you feel better, try to do a few breathing exercises when you think you might need the puff and ask yourself if you can do without it. Some people use it as a cure-all, which it isn't of course. I know this isn't easy, as I had to do it, but it can be done.
My username is just something that I used to relate asthma to the forum. Last time I was prednisolone after the second day I was feeling as though I never had asthma at all.. This time though it hasn't worked that way but I think I may be going down with something like a cold I've had a much better day today with the highest peak flow reading I've had in a week and not using my blue inhaler at all really so that's a huge improvement but still feeling tight chested a d coughing.
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