Spirometry results?

[Claudine]

Nurse put the finger clip on and said 99% was a brilliant result. When I asked her what the translation of the spirometry results amounted to in terms of lung function, she said about 50% - a little lower than last year. How do these two results tally? One seems very good and the other feels like I have only one lung! Can anyone enlighten me please?

[Toci]

The spirometry measures your lungs' capacity and performance and the 'finger clip' your oxygen levels. You can have compromised lungs with no drop in oxygen, which seems to be the case for you.

[Hidden in reply to Toci]

Love the term 'compromised lungs'

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My lung function is around the mid 70's but my oxygen levels are usually in the low 90's. They are different things.

[Nottobad in reply to Hidden]

My lung function is 40%. And my sats are normally 94 and above. Funnyhow we are all so different.

[memx in reply to Nottobad]

I believe it has to do with the amount of exercise you get. We breathe or eliminate CO2; anaerobically(with O2) and aerobically (Occurring in the absence of O2 or not requiring O2 to live).

khanacademy.org/science/bio...

[Hidden]

Spirometer measures air coming in and out of your lungs. The pulse oximeter finger peg measures the amount of oxygen in your bloodstream (haemoglobin ) xxx

[2greys in reply to Hidden]

Your readings are not unusual. On a good day I can have a saturation level of 97/98% at rest, conversely on a bad day it can be 92/93% at rest. That is with just a third of my lungs left working.

At the end of the day they are just numbers, as long as you are above 89% what matters is how you feel. Some days my o2 can be 92% and I feel great, other days o2 can be 96% and feel really out of breath. No rhyme or reason, it just is. There are just so many variables, pollen, pollution, humidity, temperature, air pressure, air density and then there is also mental state i.e. anxiety or feeling on top of the world, all of which can affect your breathing. Or as Toci has said you are one of the lucky ones, I suspect that your TLCO (gas exchange) is pretty good and up around the 80% mark whilst mine is at 65%.

Not really a lot of help, but maybe enough to explain what appears to be, on the surface, conflicting results. This nasty disease affects people in so many different ways it really is bizarre for two people to have the same disease and severity yet present different symptoms.

[Claudine]

It's a fascinating subject if it isn't affecting one personally, eh? Just returned from Scotland (flying there and back) so not feeling too good this week. I've had a sore throat and copious mucus and runny nose! I think air con is a health hazard. Air up there is so much fresher though - it's the journey that's the problem. Just feeling a little delicate. Thanks for all the replies.

[Hidden in reply to Claudine]

Where were you in Scotland Claudine ..i cone from Scotland but live down south now x

[Claudine in reply to Hidden]

Flew to Glasgow. Holiday Inn (air con) overnight. Coach to Pitlochry following day. Lovely. 3 different steam railway journeys (wonder in hindsight if that was a good idea - lots of smoke!). Then coach back down to Glasgow via Stirling for the day before leaving. We did the Tourist open top bus (very blowy) but took in all the architecture. Lovely holiday. It was an experiment really. My daughter came with me. Haven't been on holiday since my husband died. Just wanted to see if I could do it! Amazing scenery and actually the food has improved up there over the years too. Come home to have a rest!

[Hidden in reply to Claudine]

Awww how lovely that you managed so much in 3 days ..i lived in stirling last year for 9 months while I was working ...i moved to Hampshire in 87 and tried to move back last year but I couldn't stay there. Hampshire's my home now lol sorry to hear of your husband passing xxxx

[Claudine in reply to Hidden]

Architecture in Stirling around the castle is stunning. Need to sort through my photos now. Daughter-in-law is going to make up an album for me with captions as a reminder.

Yes, Hampshire is lovely too. I have a friend in Emsworth - she loves it there.

We were married in Chichester too - so long ago. My husband died 6 months before out Golden Anniversary - very cruel.

[Hidden in reply to Claudine]

It's a beautiful country but here is home for me now. I lived near Chichester village called Angmering worked at St Richards and then the Chich Nuffield . I now live in Hythe and have done for years right on the forest edge and beach . It will be lovely to have all your pics in an album to look back on .Feet up and rest a while xxx

[Nottobad in reply to Claudine]

Try Edinburgh for your next holiday. Even better than Stirling.

[Claudine in reply to Nottobad]

Re Edinburgh, my most favourite Scottish accent is Fraser Nelson. I think that's from Edinburgh. He's sometimes on Question Time. Very soft and melodious!

We've rather strayed from the subject haven't we?!

[Sohara in reply to Claudine]

Hi Claudine, I used to fly a lot all around the world, for business, and I ALWAYS got a chest infection after flying , and I used to take my rescue antibiotics with me, I truly believe its the air con on the flights. I used to use Vicks first defence before and after the flight, and put a Nasal block in my nose, but I still picked up chest infections . Its a great source of sorrow to ne now making the decision to not fly anywhere again, especially as my son ( and granddaughter) live over there, but the last time I visited them I went business class in the mistaken hope that they change their filters more often there and the seats are further apart, but I still got an infection !!!! my lungs a severely 'compromised' and I cannot afford to lose any more function due to repeated chest infections, so I do not fly anymore, they come to me, and if I do ever go out there I will cruise over ( although I have been told cruise ships are all air controlled now too) I have never been on a cruise , but loved sailing when younger.

Amazingly it does work, I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to 'speak too soon' ( suspicious me? ) but flying is the bug bear of us with compromised lungs ( I am colonised with pseudo now so don't want to set those bugs off ) perhaps next time get the train up to Scotland

Love Sohara

[Claudine in reply to Sohara]

I did actually buy some First Defence but didn't have the courage to use it because my sinuses are so inflamed. Apparently you shouldn't use it if your nose is sore. The best cruise we ever had was a river cruise with a juliet balcony so I guess that might be better coz you can let the fresh air in. I also have colonised pseudomonas and have Cipro as my emergency drugs - I'd have to be really, really bad to take them. I hate them.

I've got a friend with asthma who lives in Paris. She had so many bronchitis infections that she's given up flying too and always drives via the ferry now.

This has been a long exchange of posts - very interesting!

[Sohara in reply to Claudine]

Claudine Boots now do there own version of First Defence, its called 'duel defence' its SO much kinder to the nose, I found first defence harsh and actually hurt me when I used it, so this new one is really lovely, do give it a try

[Claudine in reply to Sohara]

Thanks for that - I'll make a note.

[Ayrshiregirl in reply to Sohara]

Thank you for the information. I'm new to the site, diagnosed in March with mild COPD after having chest x-ray and spirometry test. I m a non smoker, haven't had one in over 20 years, eat healthily and keep myself fit. I'm going on my first flight since diagnosis and have bought the Dual Defence to take before and after, will let you know how I get on. Convinced it was after a flight that I picked up a nasty chest infection which led the doctor to investigate further. Im on a couple of inhalers, take vitamin D so hopefully I'll be ok when I get back. I do realise I'm in a good place compared to a lot of folk out there, hadn't heard of this awful disease until March!

[Lizzyblue in reply to Sohara]

Wear a nask

[Billiejean_2]

I'm sitting here salivating about seeing Scotland from trains and open-top buses. I can smell the heather already Believe it or not, I've never been to Scotland. Agree with everything said about air con and recycled air but sometimes needs must.

[Mairap]

Hi everyone. I always read the numbers, because I like to compare them with mine. But just because I want to learn about the disease. There isn't too much information here, in Argentina. So, my TLCO now is 45% (few months ago was 22%). And my FEV1 is 32%. Usually, my oxygen level is 93 un rest, but when I take a bath, make the bed, or walk, it down to %88 or lees. So, I don't know if the O2 is useful to indicate how am I. Just I hope improve all those number day after day.

[Grayjay]

Hi ,

Due to chest infections after flying, I'm quite nervous as I'm going to Majorca in Sept. Normally we go to places with quite a longish flying time but realise that I can't do it anymore. This one is 2 1/2 hours so hopefully won't be too bad. I have just been reading about nasal block (First Defense) which I'll buy. Also I was thinking of buying some masks. Can anyone recommend something like that.?

Thanks in advance.😎

[Claudine in reply to Grayjay]

Can only pass on what someone else mentioned here. Boots do their own version of First Defence but called Duel Defence. It's kinder on the nose! A lot of us have inflamed sinuses so this may be better. My GP thinks the ordinary face masks are pretty useless but haven't tried anything more heavy-duty. If I was you I think I would ask my GP for a reserve pack of antibiotics - just in case.

Enjoy Majorca.

[northernlass in reply to Grayjay]

Hi, I bought a RESPRO 3SV mask for travelling on coach journeys (as road fumes make me bad and the prev' trip from Southampton after a cruise landed me in hosp for 9 nights, incidentally started on ship as deisel powered).

Me and pal were heading off to Hull to get ferry to Holland BUT was a brand new coach and driver assured me there would be no fumes and he was right, I was ok BUT I did wonder if the mask itself would help create a warm, moist haven for bacteria as I did my homework well and it was indeed very well fitting so haven't used it since trying it out for an hour or so.

Incidentally, I wrote to National holidays and they assured me that all their coaches have filters but even on my brand new car with a HEPA filter, I can smell and taste deisel if I don't drive on 'recycle', my chest is very, very susceptible to road fumes.

[Claudine in reply to northernlass]

Thanks for this. I'll have to make some enquiries. I need to be better prepared next time. I just feel grateful that I didn't have any side effects with the journey out on holiday, only the way back. The other way round would have made my week rather miserable. I have finally given in now and I've started my reserve pack of Cipro. I don't seem as sensitive as you to the fumes, just the recycled air containing someone else's germs!

What is your lung condition?

[Grayjay]

Thank you Claudine x