Pulmonary function test results

[Oliver1954]

I got the results of my first pulmonary function test

FVC 84%

FEV 100%

Fev/Fvc130%

Dlco 67%

No time for consultant to go through them with me, as my blood test results got lost so had to go to the blood department to get more taken.

[janice01]

Not certain but FEV1 is important .... mine is around 25%.....

[Oliver1954 in reply to janice01]

Thanks a miiion for sharing your result, i am trying to understand which results to home in on.

I have been told its PF From CHP at this stage

Main culprits are:

Statins (taken off them same day)

feather pillows & duvets

Allergens from the farming community I live in.

seams i also have bronchiectasis.

[Hidden]

Hi if your fev1 is 100% then that is normal and you haven't got copd. This figure is your lung function. It's only if it falls below 90% that it becomes copd.

Best to make an appointment with your consultant or doctor so they can explain them to you.

[Oliver1954 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks a million 4 your reply, I am going back to him in October after bronchoscopy, he has already told me I have Pf as a result of CHP.

I was just trying to understand breathing results.

[Salmo]

Poor not to give you any explanation and that you have to come here, especally as we are likley to give you the wrong diagnosis as most people (myslef included) are not that familiar with the detailed results.

In general your resuls may suggest a mild restrictive disease (ie not COPD or Asthma) as you have a high FEV/FVC - normal is around 80%. However, 130% is quite high so perhaps there was a also problem with your lung function tests and perhaps the consultant did not want to make a guess at this stage and wanted to get your blood results first and perhaps repeat the lung function tests.

There are a host of restrictive diseases ranging from transient and completely reversible to more serious ones so perhaps that is why the doctor did not want to say much as he knows people will google whatever he says and come up with conclusion they have a week to live !!.

Blood tests should help clarify things up (could be allergy to something or caused by a known disease) so no need to worry at this stage but keep on top of things. I know from personal experience that this is the worst time. Only word of advice would be to prepare for next meeting carefully to make sure there is a clear plan for follow up. No doubt you will be asked if you have smoked, been exposed to any chemicals/dust, worked on farm etc so think about that before hand. Dont be fobbed of with a "repeat the tests in 6 months" approach and if you see a different doctor ask why this is. In my case I saw 4 different doctors over a year and nothing ever got sorted out. Turned out there was no permanent consultant and each time I was seeing a temporary locum who left it for the next one to sort out !.

[Oliver1954 in reply to Salmo]

Thanks a million 4 your reply, I appreciate all your points.

after he went through CT scan results (PF FROM CHP) it became apparent that the Bloods were missing lots of time wasted trying to locate them only to go and have to get them repeated urgently.

It is now just a question of them trying to find out what caused the CHP the end result i can't see changing now.

I was just trying to get my head around the breathing test results so that I have a better handle on the questions and what to look for with each breathing test.

I have just come out of what I would call my angry phase if my GP would have took my concerns about my weaknesses this last 12 months seriously then the hypersensitivity pneumonitis May not have developed into PF, so I take your point completely about keeping on top of them.

[Salmo in reply to Oliver1954]

Thanks for clarifying things. The readings were almost identical to mine about 3 years ago and I had hoped it was not PF. Sorry to hear that it is PF though at least with CHP there is more hope as its generally a more slowly progressing form of PF and there is the possibility that you can stop progression if you can find the cause.

In terms or your original question about what the numbers mean and what to look out for the simple answer is to focus on the FVC (most accurate/relevant) and the DLCO and look for any change of more than 10% in a year as an indicator that the disease is getting significantly worse though you will know this from your degree of breathless. If you want more info let me know.

At your stage the disease is still mild so take advantage to keep fit and get important things done now. If FVC gets down to 60-70% and DLCO below 50% it really starts to affect what you can do.

One issue that can be serious with PF is desaturation (O2 levels fall below 90% on exercise) and hospitals are poor at keeping on top of this. Get yourself an oximeter now and use it whenever you do anything strenuous. I spent over a year exercising my socks off but then discovered my O2 levels were in the low 80s and that probably caused the serious heart problems I now have.

Ask if hospital have a respiratory nurse who can recommend an oximeter and show you how to use it. Do not scrimp on the oximeter. I've had 3 and while all have been fine the type they use in the hospital is vastly superior. Normally cost £100-£200 but I got mine for £35 on e-bay and its only one still working and have never had problems.

Keep updated on treatment options. CHP treatment seems to focus more on removing cause and damping down immune system (steroids/ immunosuppressants) but if your PF gets worse then anti-fibrotics may be a better option. They are not approved for CHP yet but it may be worth asking doctors if they feel they would help should things get worse.

[Oliver1954]

I'm sorry to hear you have this disease also.

I have for over a year been suffering with unkown CHP which went from subacute, acute to chronic, it was only when I hit the chronic stage that i got the chest x ray. I went through each phase with gp telling me but you look great. So now its PF may have been different if gp listened. like you I could just not walk up the hill in the way I did. Breathless when picking buckets up in yard. Felt great if i sat in a chair and did nothing ha ha.

I have now changed GPS. Registered with this site and reading as many posts as possible, as at first was looking at Google which was scary scary scary..

As suggested by so many people i have took on board the exercise needed to hopefully try and retain what I've got left.

I am walking one dog am stop start & doing some 15 min of light exercise mid day and pm walking another dog.

How did you find the warm summer? I found it very difficult to walk?

I am keen to attend the pulmonary rehab that I've heard so much about as I am unsure how far to push myself and also I tend to hang on to breaths when exercising.

So at least now I can monitor the changes outside of the GPs/consultants room so that when I do go in I am much more informed.

agree with you after reading post i think that they will start me with prednisone.

I will know this on 9th Oct at next consultants meeting.

Again from reading posts about prednisone I have changed my eating habits to 6 small meals instead of the 3 big and snacks, surprising that I am not missing the chips and white bread.

So I am very greatful to all of you that have posted over the years about the 2 conditions I now find myself with, this information is giving me a level of control over this disease.

After an op in 1980 i only had a thyroid condition to live with, until this last couple of years, so I could say I have had a good run...

What brand of Oximeter did did you buy ? And how are you coping with the drugs? Any side effects?

Again thanks a million.