I have to confess to being a bit of a nerd. I was kept twice daily records of my peak flow religiously for a couple of years. I would recommend this, even for non nerds.
But I recently had to get a new meter. The previous one was stuck full of unwanted gunk.
Lo and behold my peak flow jumped by two hundred points. All of my detailed analysis was now useless.
But which meter should I believe ?
Has anyone else found the same with their meters ?
I take my peak flow x4 a day (before and after meds) I replace my meter yearly at my GP surgery and wash the one I'm using regular. This is from the Asthma Lung site...Clean your peak flow meter by washing it in warm soapy water, rinsing it with clean water, and leaving it to air dry.
As for your predicament could it be the gunk that stop the accurate recording? Just a thought.
Oh, you are good. How often do you clean it ?
They are in soak now. I should clean them more often than I do, but I do try monthly at least.
Cripes, I've never washed mine 😬, it's years old in a drawer.
It never occurred to me to wash the meter. But they do get a bit grimy !
As I understand it, the change in your readings on a daily basis is more important than the level they are at. Therefore you should only worry if things get erratic on your new meter. a few years ago I had an accident & my peak flow dropped quite a lot, but is stable at this lower level & I feel just as well. The nurse commented it was low but was happy when I said what had happened & no-one has worried since.
My peak flow would get to 500 on the old meter on a good day. Today I got to 780. The readings stop at 800. But I agree that it's the movement that is indicative.
I would suggest that the new meter is faulty.
Hi PaulRosedene
Different peak flow meters , even of the same manufacturers type, can give different results.
So you should always use the same meter. So once you have used your new meter for a month or so, you will be clear what your ‘best reading’ ( ie normal )for that meter is.
The key value of a peak flow meter is that it tells you when your readings are going down or fluctuating ( more than 20% indicates your asthma is out of control.
Readings below 60% of your best means you are having a severe attack and need to follow your self management plan and see a doctor urgently .
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Peak flow questions
