Methacholine challenge test

[Hellodolly]

Hello lovely people -

I am having this test and wondered if anyone else on here has had it? It looks quite unpleasant , as it narrows the poor old airways , but perhaps it’s doesn’t feel too bad??

Do let me know please and thanks in advance

Best wishes to all

Hello Dolly

[HungryHufflepuff]

I haven't but I hope it goes as well as can be 🤞

[Hellodolly in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Thank you! After reading about a death from it, wondering about not having it!!

[Kpacific]

Hellodolly, I was diagnosed with asthma at age 67. A year and a half later diagnosed with Bronchiectasis. My pulmonologist didn’t think that I had asthma, so I was given the Meth. Challenge. I worried about it before hand, but it was no problem at all.

A doctor administered the test. It took about 30 minutes. He had 5 test tubes set up, each with higher doses of methacholine. I was given the doses with a nebulizer, about 5 minutes apart. After each dose I exhaled into a spirometer hooked to a computer. This is the important part, how does the methacholine affect your spirometry readings? My readings actually got better, if you have asthma the readings should get worse.

The methacholine is only in your lungs for a very short time. Should you react negatively to a dose, Ventolin is available through the nebulizer. I didn’t feel any negative sensations, while inhaling the drug or afterwards.

It seems to me to be a safe test with proper medical supervision.

Hope I’ve given you some useful info. Good luck with your test!

Kpacific

[Hellodolly in reply to Kpacific]

Thank you very much for that - extremely helpful and reassuring. Like you they are not sure whether or not I have asthma, hence the test. They said I’m not sensitive to ventolin, so I got worried about what they could gove me if I closed up too much.

[Lizzab]

What is the point of the test? What does it tell them? I've never heard of it.

[Hellodolly in reply to Lizzab]

Hi there

It’s for people who appear to have asthma but are resistant to ventolin and may not have it. If you don’t have it, they then look at other reasons for your pulmonary obstruction problems.

[Hidden in reply to Hellodolly]

I was diagnosed with late onset Asthma, but after 3 years of Asthma treatment I had a CT scan which showed I had Bronchiectasis. This is the usual way Bronch is diagnosed, I never had the test you mentioned.Good luck with it.

[Hellodolly in reply to Hidden]

Thank you! I have had a ct scan but now they want this too.

[Hidden in reply to Hellodolly]

😘