New to forum, need a bit of help

[LeiLey]

Hi I have just joined this Asthma forum, hope all are well. Just wondering if anybody has any advice please. Apologies if it’s a silly question😊. I have had breathlessness especially on exertion for a few months now, possibly post Covid symptoms from May. (I got a tight chest now and then before that as well but not as bad). Not a diagnosis as yet.

Gp has given me a peak flow meter to use before our consultation, I believe I am fine with the instructions for using them.

I am regularly blowing about 370 - 390 so I think this may be my best usual. But, I have done about 400 a few times before but there’s some saliva/spit (sorry) and leads me to cough when I’ve reached this amount.

I’m wondering if that’s what the gp wants when he wants my peak flow as that gets a better reading (but makes me feel a bit yuk)?

Any advice would be appreciated thank you.

I am female 36, LeiLey x

[Wheezycat]

That is a very good question! I normally discard such blows as it were, and redo them. Then it comes out a bit lower. I suspect the expulsion force of a cough distorts accurate results. But I could be so wrong so I am interested to see what others say.

[LeiLey in reply to Wheezycat]

Thank you for your reply! Glad it’s not a silly question from me haha! Hope we get some clarification, LeiLey x

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

Hi Leiley and welcome to the forum

To be honest 10L difference isn’t too extreme (not enough to really worry about anyway). In asthma where they look at % of best the difference is negligible when it’s 10L and things are usually rounded up. So 50% of 390 (195) is usually rounded to 200 etc

Try to stick to the same technique each time, which sounds like the 370-390 technique would be best. I was once told (not sure how much water it holds and how truthfully it is) by an asthma nurse that if you cough it doesn’t count (as this can falsely increase the score). If in doubt when you discuss the results with the doc you can mention it. But I discount coughing PFs cause they do increase and so don’t represent what my lungs are actually doing 😅

If you want more info about PFs you may want to read this post of mine; healthunlocked.com/asthmauk...

And here is the more official video of how to do it AUK produced (as well as their page on it), so you can compare; asthma.org.uk/advice/manage...

Hope this helps

[LeiLey in reply to EmmaF91]

Ah thank you Emma that’s very helpful. I am plotting the results down on my graph and they are regularly 370-390 so I will tell the gp along with the technique I am using. I’m sure he will check my technique as well.

I will have a look at your post, thank you. However I can’t see the video you said at the bottom of your post x

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to LeiLey]

If you scroll to below the instructions of ‘how to take your peak flow’ they have an instructional video Suzanne demonstrated 😉 (thought it would be easier to give you one page with both info and video, than 2 😅)

Also not sure when you read post, I may have been updating it having had to hunt down the link 😅

[LeiLey in reply to EmmaF91]

😊 thank you, will take a look.

Also can I ask another quick question.🙈 My gp said he will prescribe a steroid inhaler to do alongside my peak flows (I presume to see if there’s a difference), however it is a blue ventolin one when I picked up the prescription. So I haven’t used it yet. Do you know which inhaler they would use for this ‘trial’?

Thanks in advance

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to LeiLey]

The blue inhaler (ventolin) is where they might look for reversibility. When you’re symptomatic do your PF, then take 2x ventolin, wait 15 mins then do PF again. Record both scores. This shows if ventolin helps or not

The steroid preventer inhaler can take up to 6 weeks to take full affect. Over time this may increase your baseline PF if it is working.

Both tests together can help doctors work out what is going on. If you haven’t been prescribed the steroid inhaler call your GP tomorrow and get it organised as they seemed to suggest that’s what they wanted to give you... 😅

So blue is for treating symptoms and seeing if it helps stops them +/- changes your PF score, and the steroid is to build up and see if they can increase baseline over time.

Hope this helps

[AirIsUnderrated in reply to LeiLey]

I would imagine that if he gave you a blue reliever inhaler to use, he would have meant you to take your PF before (including at your worst after exercise), then use your inhaler, and then take the PF again 10 minutes afterwards. The difference in the before and after numbers will tell him whether that is the right medication for you.

If you get the steroid inhaler in the future, you would be taking your PF morning and evening before your dose (NOT after), and monitoring whether the numbers improve over time. So the PF can be used for 2 different tests.

[LeiLey in reply to AirIsUnderrated]

Ah thank you so much as well Airls, it’s helped a lot with my questions 👍

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to EmmaF91]

Also meant to add... while i know you’re probably plotting and taking PF twice a day, it may be worth doing it whilst your at your most symptomatic (ie after exertion). See if it deviates at all from the 370-390. Whether it does or does not, record it so you can tell your GP

[LeiLey in reply to EmmaF91]

Ah right thank you, that’s very informative advice! Really helpful with me being a newbie as well, I’m so pleased I have asked

LeiLey

[LeiLey in reply to LeiLey]

Hi I have got the steroids from the GP, not an inhaler as I first thought- It’s prednisolone 8 tablets daily for 1 week. Still to take peak flows at least twice a day and use blue inhaler if required. I forgot to ask if I should take the tablets on a morning and whether to do peak flow first, then breakfast, then the prednisolone? I always forget something 😆