Spirometry confusion

Got a copy of my referral letter for RBH today! Woop!

But it gives test results etc (marks to specialist reg for mentioning air entry not just 'no added sounds') and for once they are not all normal (sad to be excited I know...). FEV1/FVC ratio is lower than predicted (FEV1 itself may be low at 3.25 but some things I looked up say this is normal for my height etc, others low). OK ratio is not that low (around 70%, things I saw say 80-85% predicted for me) but it's the first time everything's not better than normal. PF is 600 which is ok for me and of course way above predicted (predicted is 200 lower than my actual best of 670 - which they didn't put grrr - I'm sure I told them my actual best, isn't predicted just for when you don't know the real best?)

Just puzzled as I'd always assumed my PF is so good because of all the singing and oboe-playing...but I got the impression that should affect all the results not just PF.

Any other musicians/singers on here had this? I'm just curious really but it does seem a bit weird...maybe I will have to ask the RBH.

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Hope all goes well and they get to the bottom of your problems. My spirometry tests are always good too and show as normal. Then when I go into the next room to see the consultant a few minutes later he says how very wheezy I am! I am classed as severe asthma following a near fatal attack a while ago after I had visited my GP twice convinced I was in trouble but he just shrugged and said asthma is a funny thing!! Not much makes sense really but at least now I am taken seriously.

Are they good where you are going? Do you have faith in them? Hope they are brilliant and that you don't get fobbed off. Sounds silly but I hope when you get there you are having an ""off"" day because I am always feeling ok when my appointments come round. Very frustrating.

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For spirometry tests the predicted values are always used rather than your personal best as the test is based on the predicted values of a standardized, healthy population. Your personal peak flow readings are always taken on your personal best :))

Glad you got your referal letter for RBH and some different results to discuss...

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Thanks! Malawi2, makes sense as no real way of finding out personal best for things like FEV1 really, as you can't do them at home, so they have to go on something! Just frustrating as I've found they so often look at them and say 'well obviously you must be ok, these results are great' without considering that maybe in some cases predicted is not that accurate and asking if there's any reason I might have the PF of a 6 ft 3 man lol.

Pauline47 - sounds confusing! Yep the people at the moment seem better than before, if puzzled, but I guess I won't be with them much longer. Massive kudos to the specialist reg and cons for not just giving up as others have done, though I'm very glad they are sending me on to RBH as a couple of things she has said suggest that she's thinking of the whole 'tension/stress' thing again grr. I know what you mean about hoping you have an 'off' day - it drives me mad when they say you're fine after seeing you on a good day and not listening when you try to describe a bad one. The letter did say I'd said I was breathless during clinic, but not that I'd stressed only a bit and nothing compared to how it could be.

Also seems to have been miscommunication as they said diagnosed with VCD/upper airway dysfunction...which actually they said at previous clinic it wasn't.