How To Use Peak Flow Meter

[Tengudreams]

Hi. Im not asking how to use the PFM, but rather asking do you take a puff first and then breathe? Or do you do it without a puff? Also, I know its a personal thing, but what roughly is a decent number for peak flow? Thanks so much. Learning so much on these boards about this condition...I had it when young but it kay dormant for decades!

[Js706]

When you say a puff do you mean of your inhaler?

If you are only checking once then you can choose to do it with or without an inhaler puff - the most important thing is to compare like-for-like. So if you do it without taking your inhaler first, then always check before taking your inhaler.

The other thing you can do is see if your ventolin inhaler makes a difference to it. So check your peak flow once before using your inhaler (note the best of 3 goes), take your ventolin, wait around 10 minutes and then check your peak flow again. Generally in asthma it should go up after using ventolin (although if your asthma is very well controlled on your regular meds it may not improve as you’re already functioning at your “best”).

I normally check mine morning and evening before taking my inhalers and then if I’m having a flare up or attack I’ll also check after taking my ventolin to monitor my response and see when I might need to increase my other meds/seek extra help.

In terms of a “good” number as you’ve already guessed it’s incredibly personal! Loads of things will affect it, like age/height/fitness/technique/sports/playing instruments etc even before you take asthma control into account!

My mum has well controlled moderate asthma and a personal best of 300 or so, my asthma is severe and uncontrolled but I can reach 500 when well (I’m younger, taller and had singing lessons for years!).

To get a rough idea of an average predicted value to start though you can use peak flow charts like the one at the bottom of this page:

blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

Hope that helps

[Tengudreams]

Ok so Im frustrated. Help? I feel like awfulness times three. My chest is constricted and I feel SOB. Couldnt even cut my hair without feeling short of breath. So while feeling awful and not take my Symbicort yet...I used a PFM for the first time ever and scored a 700. I did it again, scored a 700. How can this be? I feel far worse than normal and yet score a 700? My ecg, chest x ray, blood work...always good...but Ive been told I have asthma.

Could this be an allergy Im not aware of?

[Js706 in reply to Tengudreams]

It’s hard to know and it may be hard to get a definite answer at the moment with access to doctors etc being more restricted!

But lots of different things can cause or contribute to feeling chest tightness and shortness of breath, not just asthma or allergies. And the main problem is they often present in really similar ways. EmmaF91 did a really good post earlier on today about ideas to try and start to tell the difference between some of them earlier on today - it may not be any of the things mentioned on that thread but it has some handy things to consider like any other symptoms you’re getting with it/any improvement with inhaler use etc that might start to help a bit!

[Tengudreams in reply to Js706]

Oooo thanks ill have to look at that!!!

[twinkly29 in reply to Tengudreams]

In addition to Js706's advice (and EmmaF91's), if you're not already taking an antihistamine it might be worth a try at the moment (the one a day ones like loratidine or cetirizine kick quite quickly as immediate effect but need to be taken for a few days for the full effect to build up I think). I think on one of your posts you said it's worse very recently? Grass pollen is very high at the moment so maybe that's what's doing it? And if it makes no difference it might rule it out.

[Tengudreams in reply to twinkly29]

Yeah it got worse when hiking one week and one day ago. I hike lots and was never a problem, but last week it was a new area and as soon as I got into a certain part of the woods, my lungs flared a little. The next day I went back to the spot as my lungs flared again...

[Fruitandnutcase]

Hi, you’ve had loads of good advice, can I add that I mostly do my peak flow when I get up in the morning. I’m in my 70s and only 5’2” and it’s mostly around 400. Things haven’t been great for me recently. I was blaming my change in brown inhaler - I didn’t think the new one was as good but I started taking antihistamine tablets and eye drops and it looks like the new one is as good as the old one. The hay fever wasn’t helping my chest.

I had an asthma nurse who thought my peak flow should be higher, not only that she decided I should be taking it in a completely different way to any of the other asthma nurses I had ever dealt with!!! Unfortunately her new way of taking it made me hyperventilate and feel terrible.

I came home and looked up a chart for age, height etc and discovered my 400 was pretty good and carried on taking my inhaler as normal. That nurse left and I got a different person who was happy with how I was doing things.

I’d definitely give antihistamines a try, hopefully you will feel better soon and can get a face to face chat with someone about it in the not too distant future.

[Tengudreams]

Wow these are great ideas. I woke up this morning with some chest tightness and lung soreness and blew a 700. Last night I felt good and blew a 700. Ungh so strange. Antihistamine is gonna get done and Ill see if that works well. I just cant believe an allergy could cause such things, but Im very ignorant about such things too. Thanks everyone. I have appt with respirologist in one month.

[AirIsUnderrated in reply to Tengudreams]

Hey there. I promised I would report back. I had my first dose of desloratadine last night, and managed a 12.5 hour day of physical work today, for the first time since March - with only the Qvar, no blue inhaler at all. And no side effects. I'm just gobsmacked. I guess it wasn't acid reflux then!

My peak flow hasn't changed. My "target" for my height and age is 400 and I'm getting a consistent 430 with no salbutamol. So for me, the antihistamine has helped a lot. Maybe it's just a shocking year for allergens, and instead of attacking my nose as it has for most of the past 40 years, the virus is causing only my lungs to complain.

I so hope you can find something that will help you too.