Changes to FEV/VC

[MarieW-F]

Got my letter form a recent consultant visit. Both of the above test results have 'increased'. Does that mean my lung function has improved a little or got worse? I still have no idea what they mean after all these years!

Thanks

Marie x

[Hidden]

It's improved and the volume you take in has increased. Well done!!! Great news

[Minushabens]

FEV stands for Forced Expiry Volume, so FEV-1 is how much air you can get out in 1 second (measured in litres/minute I believe) & FEV-6 the same but over 6 seconds.

VC is Vital Capacity & measures the total amount of air you can expel with maximum intake of breath.

FEV & peak flow are standard spirometry tests and for each of them you want the numbers to go up not down.

It all sounds like good news for you

[MarieW-F]

Thanks all. I didn't put the results up but its nice to know I have gone from really rubbish to slightly less rubbish!

Old test was FEV1/VC 0.64/2.19

New test was FEV1/VC 0.70/2.50

Still meaningless but going in the right direction.

[Billiejean_2]

That's great news Marie. Keeping the numbers from going down is good but an improvement, however small, is excellent. Well done !

[MarieW-F in reply to Billiejean_2]

Thanks - might be all that swimming. I just think they caught me on a good day! Talking of good and bad days how are you feeling now? Last time we 'spoke' you were in hospital.

[Billiejean_2 in reply to MarieW-F]

Home for a week today Marie and still very 'fragile'. The infection just didn't respond to the IVs in the way it should have done which was disappointing. I'm finishing a week's oral Cipro today so praying that things won't kick off again when it stops. But I'm up and busy preparing for Christmas. It's amazing the number of things you can do while sitting down Have a lovely Christmas !

[MarieW-F in reply to Billiejean_2]

I am pleased you are home. Please do try and keep well. Have a wonderful Christmas.

Mx

[Hidden]

I have never seen mine in three years

[soulsaver]

Your Fev1/VC ratio has gone form 29% to 28%. But that can be just down to daily variation - ie on a warmer day you could do better. Or on an a empty stomache etc.

[MarieW-F in reply to soulsaver]

So its got worse then? Boooo!

[soulsaver in reply to MarieW-F]

Not necessarily - it varies during the day/week/month/summer winter - you'd need lots of measures to establish a trend.. or a big change.

[Billiejean_2 in reply to MarieW-F]

Such a small change is considered a 'fluctuation' and as others have pointed out can occur for many reasons on a day to day basis.

[jackdup in reply to MarieW-F]

The important number is the FEV1 and it has improved. The ratio that is usually discussed is FEV1/FVC and not FEV1/VC and as you have not listed your FVC from the previous test or this test we don't know whether that number has improved or gotten worse. The improvement in your FEV1 is nearly 10% and I would be happy if mine improved by 10%

[rubyred777]

Good job Marie! You must be doing something right. Swimming probably helps a lot. Now maybe you can add something to your routine to help even more.

Rubyxx 😊

[soulsaver]

see above reply

[Jessy11 in reply to soulsaver]

I don't think you've got anything to worry about. Your results are quite stable, not much difference either way.

So keep up the exercise... You're doing great!! 👏👏👏

[rubyred777]

Me too. I'm not seeing what their commenting on.

😊.xx

[MarieW-F]

Thanks everyone. I will try and keep calm at this fluctuation. I just don't want to keep getting worse - although I know I will.