not asthma??

hi i was diagnosed with asthma about twenty years ago when i was 23 yrs old,now my asthma nurse thinks because mypeak flow is so low all the time- it ranges between 280-200. that i may not have asthma and wants me to a peak flow diary for 2 wks and then she says she will be able to calcuate the results and work out if i have asthma ???? how will she work this out for my peak flow diary?? and if its not asthma wot cus b wrong with me??

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hard to read someone's mind, but the fact that you are not getting any improvement with treatment might indicate that you are towards the COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) end of the asthma spectrum, ie your airways narrowing is not reversible. It means that if you are not benefiting with treatment they might be more likely to stop some of it, but it is also worth checking that you are on optimum treatment before they decide your airways narrowing is not reversible.

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Dear Kazza,

After you have done the peak flow diary, and spoken to the asthma nurse/gp. There are some tests that give a more definitive view as to whether you have asthma or not.

Both CT scans and Bronchoscopies help with giving diagnosis, but also a thing called a Metacholine Challenge test, which is a test that forces an asthma attack, and then is reversible. This is not a particularly nice test, but gives drs a really good idea about where your asthma is at, And according to one of my consultants is one of the best indicators of severity of asthma.

So If you are in doubt, you should ask to be referred. However anyone would/ should ask you to keep a peak flow diary first. From your post it is hard to guage how much asthma affects your life. If you find Asthma affects everything you do.. then you should take control, as much as you can, don't let it run you.

Do pay attention to the asthma nurse, a lot of them are better than gps at dealing with asthma.

Also if they take you off drugs and you get worse, then you will no that something is going on. Another thing.... Some people's asthma is not well controlled by inhaled steroids. + Can you honestly say that you do take them everyday? I used to be a great firefighter... ie take them when ill, then stop. However now I am a good girl, as I landed up very sick one day, and knew for my kids sake that I had to start taking things seriously.

Probably none of this is any help at all.

cheers

RI