asthma but good peak flow

[NLGA]

anyone have a peak flow of 650 plus yet some days struggle to walk up stairs without being breathless

[Hidden]

hello NLGA. looked at your profile and see that you have AF. As your peak flow is so good I suggest that you get your GP to investigate whether your heart is causing your breathlessness.

[NLGA in reply to Hidden]

hi I have had a echo which was ok and a CT scan that was fine as the heart / lungs was my feelings but they seem to be all ok

I understand your thoughts as it was mine

[Hidden in reply to NLGA]

I hope that you get to the bottom of it.vitamin B12 deficiency? Anaemia? Worth checking.

[NLGA in reply to Hidden]

yep had various test including b12 all was good

[Hidden]

Maybe you need a meeting with a specialist in difficult asthma. Have a look for one in the profiles on a big teaching hospiral that you can get to. Taje the name to your GP and insist on a referral.

[NLGA in reply to Hidden]

that’s where I am with it but then if it really is bad asthma amd not my heart or lungs why is the peak flow so good it makes no sense

[Hidden in reply to NLGA]

Only a specialist in the subject can tell you that.

[Karenanne61]

When you had tests did they include for anaemia and thyroid problems? I ask because many years ago, pre diagnosis, I was really struggling. Finally a full blood test was done and I had both! The appropriate meds made a huge difference. Just a thought as not everything is our poor lungs fault.

[NLGA in reply to Karenanne61]

I had thyroid for sure but I don’t remember anaemia but I had liver kidney b12 all ok just little low on calcium but that’s fine now with a supplement

[TeaToasty in reply to NLGA]

Make sure ferritin is checked for low iron stores. You can be iron depleted and not yet anemic by complete blood count. Iron depletion can give symptoms you describe, but also unusual fatigue overall.

[Leenavin in reply to Karenanne61]

Oh , all the proper 5ests are really important

[NLGA]

just carried a watering can up my garden and felt breathing issues checked my peak flow it’s 770 .

[Patk1]

That's a gd peak flow.id try a technique called ' controlled breathing going upstairs and whn struggling.

[Offcut]

I had a highish peak flow for some time and found that I was still getting out of breath? For many years they blamed most of it on my AF. It was not until I found I had worked with asbestos that they looked a lot deeper. It was then they found I was not only COPD but RLD. Now this is known to give a 10% higher Peak reading! Because of all the extra tests at the hospital I was then found to have IPAH and I am now also treated in Sheffield PH Centre.

webmd.com/lung/obstructive-...

Be well

[NLGA in reply to Offcut]

I had a CT scan would that not have picked it up ?

[Offcut in reply to NLGA]

It was the spirometry test that showed it with me on someone that knew what to look for it has been missed on the few other times before

[ccccc]

Hi NLGA

All I can add is that I have severe asthma and my peak flow rarely drops below 550 (Male, 40) so PF isn't always a reliable indicator of asthma, it doesn't necessarily pick up activity in the small airways. Spirometry is a better indicator of lung issues.

[NLGA in reply to ccccc]

I think that’s my next plan . I have a telephone appointment on Monday I will bring that up

[ccccc in reply to NLGA]

have you contacted the nurses at Asthma UK? they are really helpful with things like this. 0300 222 5800

[NLGA in reply to ccccc]

they told me it sounds like a condition other than asthma. I have AF but the hospital say my breathing issue is asthma not helped by AF but the beta blockers control the heart beat now but the breathing is still bad so back to square one

[ccccc in reply to NLGA]

Does taking something like Salbutamol help with the breathlessness? This can be a good way to determine if it's a lung issue or not.

[NLGA in reply to ccccc]

I’m not sure it does or if it does doesn’t work like it seems to for other asthmatics I seem to be st at regular on my bad days .

[ghousrider]

good day i glad that you can reach that high i go on mine every day noe aged 58 i can o ly blow to 240/250 / been in touch with mediacl help they say nothing they can do also have bronical problems & copd what the next stage is it death not having any help ghuost rider

[NLGA in reply to ghousrider]

I feel the same with my breathing issues no help and no care from the nhs

[sciencepotato]

did you get anywhere with your asthma quest? I'm having a very similar experience. Although I know that prednisolone helps me with the issue. But its doesn't reflect in my peak flow.

[NLGA in reply to sciencepotato]

nope no luck at all

I have had another heart monitor and by pulse was swinging from 50-132 over 7 days hitting 120 at night

I have been told the hearts fine just AF the issue

I am on a very high dose of beta blocker 10mg. Today I did some light work and was breathless I popped 5mg more and within 10 mins my breathing was fine

I know that amount is high and surprising to many I agree considering I have no diagnoses of HF

I had a lung X-ray recently all good and a spirometer which was low normal and I was breathless that day

[sciencepotato]

what's your tsh? Thyroid function test. I'm an outlier I know but it can affect my heart rate as well as asthma.

How are you finding steroids though - do they help breathlessness?

Beta blockers many asthmatics find cause breathing issues buy I find them always helpful, to the contrary.

I think maybe you would find more answers with CT scan? At least many things can be ruled out with that. I'd push for that.

[NLGA in reply to sciencepotato]

I don’t know the score only that I had a thyroid test early on and no further action was needed

I had a CT scan nothing again that was a few months go , arteries only had 1pc build build up where 10 per cent is normal for my age group

I had a echo all fine

Like you I would be lost without my beta blockers and I am in a really high amount .

The cardio doctor is convinced the AF sets my breathing off he has me on flecainde now but I can’t say it’s done much

[sciencepotato in reply to NLGA]

But you're not on thyroxine already are you?

What's your asthma meds at the moment?

[NLGA in reply to sciencepotato]

No I’m not on that

I am taking seritide I think 125 2 puffs morning/ night

Ventolin should I have a attack but like today that did nothing for me yet the Bisoprolol worked pretty much instantly

[sciencepotato in reply to NLGA]

Yeah I find ventolin not much use for my breathlessness either.

I'd try asking for lama like Spiriva to see if your breathlessness improves. Worth a try perhaps? But if you say beta blockers help then it's probably not asthma related, or not entirely at least.

[NLGA in reply to sciencepotato]

No I am very confused by it

Ct / echo / lung x Ray/ heart x Ray / 3 monitors

Only AF detected and here I am on 10mg beta blockers and having to pop 5mg more today

[Patk1 in reply to NLGA]

If taking extra bisoprolol helps, perhaps it's due to tachycardia( fast pulse).it may b worth checking pulse with Yr finger eg wrist or temple( don't press hard) nx time Yr breathless and feel u need bisoprolol x

[NLGA in reply to Patk1]

I think you make a excellent point ,

I am confused by AF and a tachycardia How does a tachycardia differ from AF I thought it was form of the same thing . It’s never really been discussed with me

Just seems such a high dose of beta blocker to control it