Results

[Tinkz]

Following from my last post I had spirometer today and these are my results. I'm 31 female. Specialist said it's normal but will have more detailed one in a month. Can anyone shed any light do they seem normal? I'm clueless all I can see is that my predicted fev1 should be 8.3 but is 7.8 and I'm worried. have been having symptoms of shortness of breath have been taking symbicort and ventolon which helps.

[mrsmummy]

If you look further along that line (FEV1) it also says it is 99% of that predicted for your gender, age, etc. Couldn't get much better than that.

[Swerv]

With an FEV of 98% why are you taking medication? Mine is 78% and i take nothing. Just healthy food and exercise.

[kimmy59]

Its fantastic news, your FEV1 is almost perfect. Are you still getting breathless or has the Symbicort and Ventolin worked. I'm not an expert but the advice I can give is, if you smoke stop, eat healthy, exercise is very important.

Kim xx

[Fennella02]

I think that when you first start getting respiratory symptoms, it is very concerning especially when you are young. I'm older than you but still relatively new to PFT's and I worry too. Your test results do seem very encouraging and at least you can feel reassured that they plan to assess you again quite soon. Hope this helps a little. Clare X

[soulsaver]

The numbers you quote are from the FVC/Fev1 ratio. 94% is in the normal range.

And yours is nothing to worry about.

'predicted' = average for people of your age & sex and height with 'normal' beathing. Average means some will be higher, and clearly some will be lower.

You have a lung age of 31.. not bad for a 30 year old.

[clematis5932]

I would love to have that Fev1 mine is 29 why would you be taking medication with that good reading.

[Hidden]

There's more to spirometry than FEV1 or FEV1/FVC ratio (which in your case are excellent.) There's also the "flow volume loop", sometimes shown as a graph on the back of the results and plotted using the FEF25, FEF50 & FEF75 figures. You can tell from this graph whether there is any bronchial obstruction. I don't know enough about it to advise but you could phone the BLF helpline 03000 030 555

[Tinkz]

Thank you all so much for the info and knollage. I understand there are people here much worse of than me, I was just looking for some advise as the shortness of breath Iv been experiencing has been getting me down, my mum was diagnosed with emphysema at the beginning of the year so Iv been rather anxious. The inhalers Iv been taking have been helping well. Thanks Hanne the flow volume loop does have a slight concave

[Hidden in reply to Tinkz]

You're only 30 I think Tinkz? So naturally you'd be concerned about any problem with your breathing. Bear in mind most people here are, at a guess, over 50. My flow volume loop is concave too. My FEV1 etc are also very good (not as good as yours, but then I'm twice your age!) but my FEF25-75 figures are very low indeed. I have bronchiectasis and asthma. So it can be a mistake for others to think that just because your FEV1 is really good, there's nothing wrong with you. I hope you get a diagnosis soon, then you can move forward.

[Hidden]

I'm on a similar path, a tad older at 37 - but I was having shortness of breath and my Lung Function test came back looking above wonderful - until they got to the RV and TLC section huge red flags went up. I don't see RV or TLC on the image you uploaded. RV (residual volume), TLC (total lung capacity) will show if your lungs are having a hard time exhaling old air out. It's called "air trapping" and it feels like suffocation, even in otherwise healthy lungs.

I'm surprised no one else has mentioned it in a reply yet, but I would DEFINITELY ask for an Alpha-1 Deficiency test, it's a quick and easy test, results can take a few weeks to get back. But it usually starts to show symptoms between 20's and 40's.

I hope you get to the source of your issues.