I'm a little bit confused because I went for a spirometry test today because I saw a doctor a while ago as my asthma was bad and she increased me to 4 puffs of seretide twice a day and said i should have this test. So I went today, and I was really excited because the nurse said it was really good! I have been feeling loads better since starting the increased seretide so I was really happy. Then she said that I don't have asthma which also sounded like really good news to me. Since I have been home however, I have actually thought about it, and I am a little confused on a few things:
1. A consultant once told me that asthmatics should have normal spirometry when well
2. The nurse has told me to stop all medication immediately, which is a bit scary as I've always been told to decrease them slowly (although if I don't have asthma this won't matter anyway right?)
3. I have been into hospital a lot with asthma, and if that wasn't asthma attacks what was it and how can I stop it happening again?
4. Why have inhalers and steroids always seemed to work for me? Could it all be in my head?
Please don't get the wrong idea - I would be ecstatic if it turned out I don't have asthma! But I don't want to get my hopes up if its not right. Also I'm scared to completely cut off medication right now as I have a lot going on and I can't afford to have problems (be they related to the asthma or all in my head!)
Sorry for the long, confused waffle - I'm just a little scared
Maths Nerd
P.S. My mum is going to ring the doctors tomorrow to check anyway so I am getting proper medical advice! I just wanted to ask people who know about this stuff and how scary it can be.
Hi there, congratulations on the good spirometry. Your consultant knows best re test results but they can be normal when aymptomatic. If the test was done when your asthma was worse and you were experiencing more symptoms, then the results may be different. Who tested you a nurse or respiratory physiologist? Either way your mum is right to call the doctor as stopping all meds on one result can be dangerous and this person should not have said this. Maybe you could call your consultants secretary regarding the advice you were given? Hope this helps but please don't stop your inhalers you are on a fairly high dose, thank goodness you are sensible !
Take care
sadwheezer
Congratulations on the good spirometry!
The person doing your spirometry shouldnt have told you that because your spirometry was normal that you dont have asthma and to stop your medication. Also it depends what measurements from the spirometry they were looking at, some maybe normal while others may not be. Just because it was normal does not mean that you dont have asthma, normal spirometry does not exclude asthma, especially if you are not symptomatic at the time of the test. Definately check with your doctor tomorrow and dont stop your meds without your doctors approval.
Also, it may be worth going back to do spirometry when you are symptomatic see what it looks like then.
Hi Maths Nerd,
Please do speak to your doctor before cutting down or stopping any of your asthma medication. Normal spirometry definitely does not exclude asthma - asthma is a condition of *reversible* airway narrowing and therefore a lot of asthmatics will have normal spirometry at one time or another, especially if their asthma is well controlled.
Normal spirometry in asthma is a very good sign (it means you probably do not have any 'airway remodelling' or long term fixed obstruction) but it definitely does not mean that you do not have asthma.
Just to reiterate - please do not stop or change your medication. Please do speak to your doctor or consultant.
Take care
Em H
Thank you for your replies. My mum only got to speak to the same nurse so we are going to try and speak to the doctor who specialises in asthma to see what she says and for now I'm going to keep taking my medication.
Sadwheezer - it was the nurse at my GP surgery and it was the GP who asked for the test I don't have a consultant
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