PEAK FLOW APPERATuS

[cappy1966]

Ive got 2 peak flow machines , and they are consistent about 10% out of synche with each other . When i go to the GP , for my tests i am given another machine to blow into .......Not withstanding that mine barely get halfway up the scale ,.are peak flow meters actually monitered for accuracy ? ...Im not saying they are wrong , but just saying maybe we should make sure that all our readings are admistered on the same machine , because of the dependencies that may arise

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

General advice is to always use the same PFM when checking and monitoring PF at home. It’s a better way to measure fluctuations as you’ve already seen.

That being said, don’t forget that PFMs can break/wear out so if the difference is massive/constantly changes, then that’s possibly is what’s happened.

Spirometry is different to PF, and whilst it can give a PF score most people score higher on the spirometer than on the pfm.

Hope this helps explain things

[cappy1966 in reply to EmmaF91]

thanks .....i ve never had a spirometry test . to be honest i i don't even know what a spiromoty is 😙 . i never been asked to take one , etc ...there cant even tell me if ive got asthma or copd ....hopefully now ive had two spells in hospital in the last few months and booked in for some tests i may get to the bottom of it all

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to cappy1966]

🤞🏻🤞🏻

I wasn’t sure what you meant by GP machine. If you take your own PFM with you 9x/10 they’ll let you use that one (mine always have when I’ve told them I have my own 😅)

[cappy1966 in reply to EmmaF91]

they all give pretty low readings for me at the moment ! ... But i suspect all GP's would actually allow your to use your own meter .......in fact i would imagine at the present time ,with the covid stuff they should be actively encouraging you to bring your own with you

[Laurenhulk90]

I am always asked by the GP/respiratory nurses to do a PF, therefore I always carry mine with me. I have also used it during hospital admissions and they allow me to record myself. Never been questioned or challenged to use theirs!