confused

[newlands]

Hi i attended my local hospital on Thursday too see the respiratory nurse ,my doctor asked me too make sure i had the lung function test as last time my fev 1 was 23.On requesting this i was asked why i wanted it as it didn't tell me or them anything!!! The nurse is new so i presumed she would be up to date with new methods but didnt expect that , so i came away without the test , so has anyone else been told this thank you Dorothy xx

[phillips1]

Hiya Dorothy, is it a new thing you being confused, he he he. I would have thought that taking a FEV1 reading was useful if only for logging the rate of deterioration of the lungs. Your treatment seems very odd. Hope you are well.

As always, love from Bobby xxxx.

[newlands in reply to phillips1]

hi Bobby maybe its an age thing and doesn't matter anymore !!! love

Dorothy xxxx

[dall05]

If it doesn't tell you or them anything then why does it exist. It sounds as though the nurse was too busy to be bothered. I would phone the respiratory team and ask to speak to the nurse in charge and see what she say's.

Did they do a 6 minute walk test or anything?

I would say its important to know the lung function/spirometry test results so you can compare against older tests and see if there is any deterioration or improvement.

I always insist on a full spirometry to check my gas transfer or TLCO so I know whats going on in my lungs, this way your consultant and GP will know how best to treat you.

Tony x

[newlands in reply to dall05]

She is the nurse in charge , also told me to stop using oxymeter ,should have asked if it was ok to use my peak flow!! i have never had a 6 minute walk test since i was diagnosed 12 years ago take care Dorothy

[dall05 in reply to newlands]

Having information from your oxymeter and peak flow meter can only help you monitor your condition. Sounds like this nurse would like you to know as little as possible so she is in control, from my experience the best way is to know as much as you can so you can act quickly if things start to go wrong.

Tony x

[initial]

As only diagnosed last summer, and being relatively new to the merry-go-round of hospitals and doctor appointments, I'm afraid I can't comment. I attend the respiratory team clinic, where it's more on coping with the condition rather than having tests done. Having said that, they have referred me to OT and a Dietician.

It's my surgery Nurse who makes the referrals to the hospital to have Spirometry tests done. Perhaps you should ask your doctor to write a referral to have another spirometry test? I've been told they test is only indicative of the condition, and isn't the be all and end all, as they are just numbers. It's how you feel and manage the condition, that's the important thing. Hope you are keeping well x

[newlands in reply to initial]

hi every time i have seen the nurse i have had a spiro reading, doesn't need a referral if attending the clinic as its in the next room, i have been going 10 years and this is the first time i have not had one

Hope your ok love Dorothy xxx

[Bengunn in reply to newlands]

Hi Newlands,I usually have the test every year but the last one I was supposed to have was vetoed by the nurse saying that my sats were too low, they were 86 so I objected and she advised me it would be too stressfull for me.apparrently the norm is between 88 / 92 so I think 2% would not have made much difference.Bengunn.xx

[cofdrop-UK]

She should have contacted your doctor if she wanted an explanation of why doc wanted it Grrrrrr!

cx

[newlands in reply to cofdrop-UK]

Oh well never mind xxx

[happyfeet59]

Sounds like she missed your reference to your GP and thought it was you who was asking for it.

LFT's in my hospital need to be booked in with the technicians and can't be done on spec. They are specialist tests which are done by the lung technology department not the resp nurse. GP's and Consultants have to request these tests through the correct proceedure and an appointment is sent out by post.

Go back to GP and tell him what happened.

[newlands in reply to happyfeet59]

HI at my local hospital if you attend the clinic one always had the spiro test as the person who does it is in the next room , so i think its an age thing ,or she couldn't be bothered xx

[Riverbank]

Hi

I was diagnosed 7 years ago and have a spiro test every year, which is done by my GP's nurse.

I am now moderate. I don't have a consultant or any thing like that.

Get my 3 inhalers on repeat prescription every month.

When I see the nurse yearly I ask for the results just to see if the fev1 has dropped.

Not that it makes any difference, we can't change or stop the illness, so is it better not to know?

[newlands in reply to Riverbank]

I think that's what she was more or less saying Dorothyxx

[newlands]

Thanks for your reply ,when attending the clinic dont need to book for test as it done in the next room take care xxx

[longlungs]

Hi Dorothy something sounds adrift definitely crossed wires? I would explain this with gp so that he can refer you to have them done if he is wanting this?You do normally need an appt for lung function tests cos they take a little while,different to just having the spirometer tests which most gps do at their surgerys now.Takecare Dorothy hope it gets sorted for you. Janexx

[happyfeet59 in reply to longlungs]

Yes Jane. I was just beginning to wonder if I had my wires crossed and Dorothy's doctor was referring to a spiro test rather than lung function tests. As you say spiro's can be done by nurses in the surgery but LFT's need specialist equipment, and take longer.

[newlands in reply to longlungs]

Explain please what the lung function test is please ,we do not have spirometer at our doctors as i said it is usually done by a technicians when i go to the hospital .No need to tell my doctor she will get a report from the hospital and i know what her response will be !!

[longlungs in reply to newlands]

Hi Dorothy Lung function test are far more involved,at my hospital we have to sit in a chamber where all sorts of breathing done with pegs on nose and off ,these can take up to an hour.Seeing that your doctor doesnt do spirometer test this is what he wanted to to get checked on at the hospital I think Dorothy,why the nurse didnt do you spirometry is anyone guess sadly as normally its automatic when we're having our checks.I sometimes say 'going for my lung function' meaning spirometer tests.Those more involved tests would really need an appt as they take quite a while.Its all chinese Dorothy lol.Does that make sense now or maybe im rubbish at explaining! Janexx

[newlands in reply to longlungs]

Yes that makes sense ,no dont have that only the spirometer and that's what i usually have .I also made the mistake of telling her when i have had a bath my oxymeter reads 75 thats when she told me to stop using it oh well got too nearly 72 and had lung problems since i was 5 after Tb and had asthma since then, diagnosed with copd 12 years ago and only seen a consultant once ,never had the walk test told i am stage 4 Guess i will just get on with it and see what the doctor says when she gets the report thanks again Jane take care

Dorothy xxxxxxx

[peege]

happyfeet is righ, good advice. If your gp want to know he wants to know and that's that.

Sometimes I think hospitals regard gp's as second class citizens. I know my con does.

Good luck Newlands .... btw, nice to see you

[dukes]

The more testimonies that you read, the more apparent it becomes how widely the testing, treatment and even the interest/importance of those with lung disorders varies throughout the country !

[newlands in reply to dukes]

I agree ,but if the nurse is new too the job i thought she would be up to date ! however i do think age has something to do with it take care

Dorothy

[dukes in reply to newlands]

I think you are dead right, Dorothy, at 73 I definitely get that impression. All we can do is 'Keep taking the tablets' !

[happyfeet59 in reply to dukes]

Sadly I have to agree re 'age'. I was saying to my sister last week that since I passed 60 I have been in hospital twice and I definitely felt that I was treated differently than before. Nurses who tell me not to worry, who avoid answering questions and giving info re eg sats. Those same nurses had no problems doing this before. I also got the feeling the consultants were less 'interested' in me.

I have been talked down to, patronised, ticked off, spoken sharply to.... none of which happened previously! I think they must assume my brain deteriorated sharply on my 60th birthday. My husband says they are less interested in me because I am no longer a productive member of society!!! Not paying anything in any more (retired).

So much for 60 is the new 40!!

[newlands in reply to happyfeet59]

I agree with everything you say ,all these old people living too long ,think they are trying to kill all of us ha ha

Dorothy xxx

[dukes in reply to happyfeet59]

I know what you mean, ‘Happy’,

After an emergency admission they managed to save my life at 68 ,woke up in intensive care deaf and dumb where they fitted a voice box , then before I left they chucked in MRSA of sputum for good measure. Never any treatment for MRSA or any apology, nobody even wanted to talk about it. Got pneumonia 4 years later, in hospital for 5 days and discharged feeling much worse than when I arrived. Haven’t seen my GP for 2 years, just a yearly Spiro check.

For deaf most people read ‘Daft’ and treat us accordingly, being so deaf can’t use phone so in an emergency now the odds are definitely against me in the future.

Us ‘Old - uns’ are such a drain on resources, aren’t we ?

[newlands in reply to dukes]

Hi again have you considered a care phone i have one most local authority s have these that way you just press the button they know all about you ,what your illness s are etc .

i live alone and wouldn't be without mine worth looking into, .I Agree with you they are always telling us we are living longer and how much we cost the NHS i say what a load of rubbish !!

[needtobreathe in reply to happyfeet59]

I agree happyfeet59, I have found that once you're over 60 they think you've had brain damage as well as everything else. Or too thick to understand the condition you've had longer then they were born. Don't put up with it, fight back, assert your rights. Make them see you as a person, not someone to put up with or put off. Sorry getting aggravated, it does make me mad. x

[dukes]

Thanks for that, Dorothy, I will investigate when I next see someone. Sounds like a good idea, it's a wonder that it has never been offered by them. Up the 'Crumbleys', best wishes Brian.