Ok this will be a little long Please bare with me .I have posted here once before and greatly appreciate all your concern an advice .

[DELANE]

I have suffered on an off with breathing issues for about 7 years . Finally I was diagnosed copd emphesemia allergies and so forth a spirometer test given while I as sick concluded I was stage 3 now mind you I still do daily activities some very extreme no problems lying on my back or any other way no oxygen blood gases perfect but I have episode of extreme breathlessness sometimes lasting days Recently I had a bout with respiratory infection and was put on Avalox fights bacteria 5 days into treatment I was normal no problems breathing and to this day 2 weeks after treatment still back to I would really say normal breathing even during most extreme activities 4 years ago I was told it was my cats causing my problems still have them and now I question was that diagnosis right Please tell me if any of you have heard of being stage 3 an bouncing back to normal I was told you never return to previous state after such episodes I am so confused

[Hidden]

Difficult to know, it depends how you define normal. for me its normal to be breatheless on exertion, my fitness levels are much better than when first diagnosed, I manage my shortness of breath better. I still can't run as I once could before diagnosis. I can't be active day after day as I could either. Certain conditions make my breathing worse and airways close up, this is normal for me now, I have really good days on occasion when air quality is excellent, and although I am much better now and my condition is stable most of the time, in comparison to how it was when first diagnosed, when I was in a bad way and unstable for almost a year, I can't say my lungs are any better at all, just that I am managing my lung condition much better.

My lung condition was diagnosed as a result of having a CT scan after all other tests failed to show why I was in such difficulty. I don't think a Spirometry test is an accurate method of diagnosis, it cannot indicate extent of lung damage or which lung illness, it only measures how well we can exhale.

A relative has extreme allergy with tree pollens, these cause extreme respiratory difficulty and has resulted in hospitalisation and extreme measures to help prevent the complete shut down of the respiratory system. Generally is prescribed same inhalers as a person with breathing difficulties, however this relative does not have lung damage at all and symptoms miraculously disappear entirely when living in cyprus part of the year but re-manifest when returning to home in europe.

[Bliss2 in reply to Hidden]

That's a good point BlakeyC I also think a Spirometry test is only good for how you exhale I don't think it gives a good reading lol x

[happyfeet59]

I know very little about spirometery even though I have had many done over the years!. You say your spirometery was done while you were sick. When this happens to me it is mentioned and recorded on my notes. Next time I go my FEV1 usually shows very slight improvement but my underlying condition hasn't changed. I don't know about COPD but it may be that in terms of stages the spirometery readings don't change much.

[kirsty72 in reply to happyfeet59]

Hi there,

What is a Fev reading, and what is classed as normal or abnormal. And how do you know what stage you are at?

[happyfeet59 in reply to kirsty72]

I have bronchiectasis, not copd, so I don't know abour stages as I am not aware of bronch being talked of in terms of stages. I know that I was told several years ago that my bronch was severe - but I was still functioning 'normally' ie doing most things that my peers were. I just couldn't climb mountains! So normal is a relative term and can be difficult to define. My rule of thumb is - if I feel fine, I am fine.

FEV = forced expiratory volume. I can't explain it easily but I know it is what my cons checks every year to see how my lungs are doing. It must give them some info they find useful.

[frank65 in reply to happyfeet59]

spiro tests mesure your lung function i.e your capacity to take in by volume

[onamission]

For me level 3 was a walk in the park had days where I was fighting for my breath and other days felt as fit as a fiddle I got the flu last year was really bad with it and my last test showed I was level 4 the difference between them is massif keep up the exercise keep off the cigs and don't forget your flu jab

[Hidden]

Well I don't know a lot about emphysema but if you have extream (episodes of breathlessness) you just stay on the next stage it seams like it's getting even more serious for you

[DELANE]

Hi squady ! Can you elaborate on the lung resection. I belive I have suffered severe cat allergies for years that have resulted in some damage . I have an appointment soon with an allergist . We will see .... Thanks !!!