Peak Flow Meter.

[Zeppelin68]

Using one but without action plan unable to make sense of readings. Will speak to my nurse but meantime anyone able to comment on my scores 300-350?

[twinkly29]

Not really, unfortunately, because they're personal to you. AN will probably tell you whether they are within the "expected" range relative to your age and height - but even then that's only a guide. Some people find their normal is way beyond what would be expected and others (not just asthmatics either) find that their best is some way below wgat would be expected for them. My suggestion would be to continue to measure it twice a day to get a good understanding of what's normal for you as you'll then be able to spot when it's not. AN should give you some parameters for how much it drops (if it does) and what to do, but again these should be related to your best, not necessarily a number decided on because you're a certain age and height. Hope that makes sense!

[Hidden]

It means that your asthma is completely under control and prevention inhaler is working I have that high scores. It's below 250 I have to really worry

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

It does for you, but not necessarily for others. I certainly wouldn't be doing well at 300-350 - even if you used my predicted it wouldn't be ideal as 300 would only be about 63% of my predicted best. It's less than 50% of my actual best and given my peak flow doesn't necessarily drop as much as you'd expect when I'm bad, would really be a bad number for me.

As Twinkly29 says, the numbers have to be taken into context and are fairly individual. So it's impossible to say those are 'high scores' or say they mean someone is well controlled unless you have a baseline to work from (and peak flow alone also doesn't determine if someone is controlled or not). I won't repeat Twinkly29's post as she's given great advice.

[Hidden in reply to Lysistrata]

I am just saying that is completely stable if they keep getting the same score all the time as I had to ask my nurse and that is what she informed me. I got that 3 months of starting fostair

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

It doesn’t mean it’s definitely completely stable tho. I spent a year at 300 because my team couldn’t get me control. After a hospital trip I would get 500-630, but a couple days later I’d be back at 300 and no more unless i nebbed/went to hospital. The first time I did a PF was after treatment in a&e. Got 400 so got sent home as nothing to compare to. After months of med trials I got my best (630).

So going on PF alone we cannot say if they are fully controlled. If they are asymptomatic and keep getting the same score then yes they are stable. But if they are still getting symptoms they aren’t. I hope that explains a bit. Stability is not just on PF number, it’s on range and how medication changes it etc etc.

Generally yes your nurse is correct but that can only be applied if you know the full story, which in this case we don’t.

Hope that explains it a bit more

[Hidden in reply to EmmaF91]

Thanks for the explanation. I know it didn't mean that is 💯% stable but I was sure what it fully meant

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador]

As twinkly29 and Lysistrata said PF scores are personal.

There are many many factors that can affect a persons best peak flow. Singing, playing wind instruments, high performance sports, endurance sports (cycling running swimming etc) will all probably increase your best score (esp of you did them as a child or have done them for years). As will chest shape (ie I have a large rib cage thus larger lung capacity than if I had a smaller cage), a history of smoking/passive smoking etc etc will have an affect, as well as things like ethnicity, weight and which country you live in etc. To give you a guide to compare to you can look up the predicted charts which is literally the average score in that age/height/gender of a population, however many years ago, only factoring in those criteria and none others. (I think one of the scales was from a town somewhere in Scandinavia in the 70s but I may be wrong). It’s why you should compare to your best not your predicted. If you’re just starting to be looked into for asthma it’s less about the score and more about the range (ie how much is it jumping about).

I have a best of 630 but a predicted of 440 (ex-high performance sports). A high or low best PF does not reflect on control. I have severe asthma and get 143% predicted, I have a friend whose best is 70% their predicted... they have no resp condition at all.

See how your PF changes throughout the day and see if the medications have any affect.

PF can be useful to indicate when to go to hospital or to see your GP if it is a reliable measure for you (not everyone has a PF that drops when they are really bad...). Generally the advice is if it’s below 75% your best (70-80% depending on plan) you need to see your GP and maybe start steroids, if it’s below 50% and your blue pump isn’t helping you need hosp. This is along side your symptoms... so if you can’t walk/talk/eat/sleep normally and preventer isn’t helping they usually advise hospital as well.

You can print your own plan off of the AUK site here;

asthma.org.uk/advice/manage...

It may also be an idea to contact AUK next week for further more personal advice ( 03002225800 Mon-Fri 9-5). Hope this helps

[Troilus]

Hi Zeppelin

As others have already said your predicted peak flow is determined by your age and height. You can find calculators on line.

Search for predicted peak flow calculator ers The ers refers to European values.

[Js706]

I know its already been said but just another to say that your personal best is what is most important, not necessarily your predicted - that's an average from the whole population of a certain age, gender and height and can be useful if someone presents with asthma symptoms (e.g. in a&e or to their GP) without experiencing them before or if they have never done a peak flow. But once someone knows their normal that gets used instead.

Lots of different things affect it as others have said, I have severe asthma and my personal best is a bit above my predicted (475 predicted, 510 best) whereas my mum has moderate well-controlled asthma and her best is only around 300 or so (vs a predicted of 370). And my dad without any respiratory problems can get 800 odd! (predicted 590)

Twinkly29 and EmmaF91 have both given great advice so I won't labour the point. But another thing you can do is if you need to take your blue inhaler check your peak flow beforehand and around 10 minutes after to see if it improves things As response to treatment is another important measure in asthma.

[Busterrusty]

I have a peak flow meter mine was 300 now since being on montelukast its gone to 350 /370 that's not to bad any thing over 400 is good I've never got mine that high hope this helps

[Taztarr]

Hope this helps peakflow.com/top_nav/normal...

[Zeppelin68]

To everyone who have replied can I say many, many thanks. In a short period my knowledge of Asthma has improved so much.

[Carriejen]

I agree with everything so far said. My best is 500, average for my height etc is 420. Mine was at 430-ish until they started me on Fostair. If you're feeling ok, medication is ok and consistently getting 350 that might just be what your best is. You need to record it and how you are feeling over a period of time to get a good idea.

[Zeppelin68 in reply to Carriejen]

Thanks for feedback. Very helpful.

[Birthday60]

Google peak flow chart and check out your target based on age/height/gender . Not at all difficult.

[Zeppelin68 in reply to Birthday60]

Cheers.

[Zeppelin68 in reply to Birthday60]

Cheers.

[Willow7733]

What I have done, is google an action plan. This tells you what percentage your green, yellow, and red zones would be. Then I used my peak flow meter and followed what it said on line: take readings first thing in the morning, and just before bed. For three weeks. Then use the highest reading for your best number. Mine was 450. So on the on line action plan, when I go down to 80% of 450 peak flow reading, I should watch it because I am now in the yellow zone (caution). If I take my peak flow reading, and it is 70% of my best (450), I am in the red zone and this is an emergency. I don’t have my sheet here and am not certain the percentages are right, but this is just an example. I don’t have an action plan either, but I found some good ones on line. I am going to see my pulmonologist in a month and will get one from him. In the meantime, I can use this. Hope I made sense, and this helps!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Willow7733]

% wise for an asthma plan red zone is usually below 50% best PF (and/or a certain level of symptoms. It very brittle ‘fast drop’ asthmatics this may be 60% PF) and yellow zone is usually below 70-80% (again and/or a certain level of symptoms. Yellow zone varies on the patients presentation/doctor who sets it. Personally mine is 75%). Remember to not just focus of PF but symptom level as well (not everyone has a reliable PF compared to asthma level.

Here is an AUK asthma action plan you can print off and get help filling it out from your nurse when you next speak to them; asthma.org.uk/globalassets/...

[Zeppelin68 in reply to EmmaF91]

Many thanks.

[watergazer]

As others have said your scores are personal to you dependant on your age, height and sex. Your nurse or doctor needs to give you a plan to work from with your best score on . x

[Zeppelin68 in reply to watergazer]

Thanks for tip.

[Willow7733]

That sound right. I haven’t started to track my numbers so couldn’t find the sheet I had to get the correct percentages. The main thing is to get your specialist or doctor to make one up for you. That way it is specific to you and your treatment plan.

[Zeppelin68]

Thanks Willow and will do.

[Zeppelin68]

Cheers Woody.

[Hidden]

I was told 350 is OK but I've recently been getting 400. Contact your Asthma nurse to make sure your readings are OK.

[Zeppelin68]

Very reassuring.