Peak Flow Variability

Hi everyone

Sorry I keep posting questions on here, but I'm still only learning - despite having mild ""asthma"" since I was about 2 years old. I'm now 22 years old.

My Doctors always told me ""my asthma doesn't worry them"" and as such, I never really bothered reading much about it.

However, since quitting smoking, I've decided to read more about asthma - I want to treat it as well as possible.

One thing I don't understand is peak flow - my highest reading is 560 - but my lowest is 520. This has been recorded everyday for a month. Is such variability normal?

I'm also panicking about airway remodeling. Some sources online say it's not really clinically significant - whilst others say it increases mortality. Can anyone chime in w/ details on this?

I've never had an attack/ exacerbation - and since quitting smoking, I'm constantly anxious that I will!

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Hi everyone

Sorry I keep posting questions on here, but I'm still only learning - despite having mild ""asthma"" since I was about 2 years old. I'm now 22 years old.

My Doctors always told me ""my asthma doesn't worry them"" and as such, I never really bothered reading much about it.

However, since quitting smoking, I've decided to read more about asthma - I want to treat it as well as possible.

One thing I don't understand is peak flow - my highest reading is 560 - but my lowest is 520. This has been recorded everyday for a month. Is such variability normal?

I'm also panicking about airway remodeling. Some sources online say it's not really clinically significant - whilst others say it increases mortality. Can anyone chime in w/ details on this?

I've never had an attack/ exacerbation - and since quitting smoking, I'm constantly anxious that I will!

Northern Ireland has more than it's fair share of asthmatics and other people suffering with respiratory disorders. I see that you have quit smoking and had been a smoker for a very short period of time. Smoking is only an aggravating factor that is not responsible for causing asthma or the associated attackers.

As you appear to like reading and researching your condition, I would suggest that you read up on some other medical calamities such as epilepsy. I have also made other postings that you might like to read. From your own postings, I detect there had been an assumption that you suffer from asthma long ago.

[Irishboy]

Bit harsh grownup70 ?

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Hello,

you mention in you your post about the peak flow, this is generally a device used to see how well managed/ controlled ones asthma is.

I am taught that we have three zones like a set of traffic lights green yellow and red.

green would be between 100-80% of you best ever peak flow so somewhere between 490 and 560 - you would feel well and not limited in activities

75%-50% 420- 280 you will be using your reliever more and have more asthma symptoms this could be a sign you need to add additional drugs to maintain control

50% or less- 280 red zone medical emergency

peak flows do vary in asthmatics on a day and nightly basis and through out the day lots of variability is a sign of poor control and you should see you gp to help you become more stable.

hope this helps

Emmaleigh.