Flight assessment.

[Susan1200]

I wrote a few months ago regarding my flight assessment,I received a letter stating FEVL ,which is 47 percent of predicted and FVC of 1.93which is 75 percent making the ratio of 52percent ,This is significantly obstructive.

Also stating l need Oxygen when traveling by aeroplane.

I would be so grateful if any one can please explain what FEVI and everything else.

Thank you in advance.

Susan 🐘

[CSimms452]

be interested to hear how you get on, as looked into this few years ago and couldn't get info as how to get it for hubby.

[Bkin]

If you are in the UK perhaps telephone the BLF helpline or your consultant.

If you do not live in the UK whoever authorized your flight assessment test they would be the person to explain your results I would say.

Best wishes

[Susan1200 in reply to Bkin]

Thank you BKin , for replying,I live in the UK,and will see my lung specialist on the 5th of September.i am feeling so depressed at the moment.,my son has no interest at all ,so I feel so alone.

[Bkin in reply to Susan1200]

Oh that's good you don't have long to wait Susan, I know the feeling when family have no interest in our difficulties, it is lonely, but our consolation is we do have on-line support now, which is so helpful in so many ways. Hope you will find your mood lifting soon.

Try not to despair, the flight assessment may show you can still fly, and if you cannot, you can still holiday, by car, train, bus, boat, coach etc where there's a will there is a way, just keep focussed on holiday x x

[Susan1200 in reply to Bkin]

I have done it before, it's just to much stress for me ,and it's more or less 10 hours travel.🤤

Thanks again for replying.

Best regards

Susan 🐘

[Bkin in reply to Susan1200]

10 hours is a long time travelling, you are doing ok to achieve that

[JasperDylan in reply to Bkin]

Hi Bkin it could mean that you can fly but have to use Oxygen during the flight I am in the same situation I can’t fly without Oxygen I need 2.ltrs of oxygen during the flight

The only bad side about this his that most airlines don’t provide Oxygen and that you have to hire a Concentrator to use during the flight we have hired ours from O2 Imogen 16 cell battery gives you 6 hours use

I hope this helps .

[Susan1200 in reply to JasperDylan]

Thank you JasperDylan.,for replying.

Kind regards

Susan 🐘

[stamford1234 in reply to Susan1200]

Oh Susan, don't be down. You have come to the right place. Let it all out my love

[hypercat54]

Hi the best thing would be either to make an appointment with your doctor or nurse and get them to go through it with you. Or how about contacting BLF?

I know the FEV1 figure is the most important one and is your lung function. I think you are saying yours is 52%. In that case you come at the bottom of the moderate stage. x

[Susan1200 in reply to hypercat54]

Thank you hypercat54 for your reply ,oh no ,I walk and walk every single day ,I just can't understand ,I shall speak to the lung specialist this Wednesday.

Much appreciated

Kind regards

Susan 🐘

[hypercat54]

Not sure what exactly you don't understand Susan so will go through a few facts. I presume you have copd? If so you are diagnosed with this if your lung function is below the average for your age group, sex, and age. If for example the average is 95% lung function (we all decline naturally with age) then your FEV1 or your lung function is a percentage of this figure and not 100%. So if you are told your FEV1 is 52% you have just over half of the lung function you would have without lung disease.

Exercise is essential as this will teach your muscles to need less oxygen to function but it cannot repair any of the damage done to your lungs.

When you fly the air pressure causes your oxygen levels to fall and whilst that isn't a problem with most people, it is likely ours can fall to an unsafe level. This is why you have been told you need oxygen to fly.

I hope this is a bit clearer. x

[Susan1200 in reply to hypercat54]

Thank you hypercat54,I am 69 years old ,I weigh 64 kg ,heigh 1:64 .

I so appreciate your comments,no one explains anything except I have COPD .

Kind regards

Susan 🐘

[hypercat54 in reply to Susan1200]

You are very welcome Susan. Have a look round the site as there is lots of useful info there. Stay with us too and join in as between us we are a mine of info.

I had very little knowledge of copd when I joined too and most of what I know I learnt on here.

Oh if you want to notify someone just type in an asterisk @ followed immediately by their name Susan1200 x

[Susan1200 in reply to hypercat54]

Thank you hypercat54 for your understanding, it just seems no doctor has ever explained anything about COPD, Since being on this forum,I have learnt a lot more ..

Much appreciated

Susan 🐘

[skischool]

Susan,in order to ensure you fly with a safe level of oxygen in your blood you could be asked to take a flight assessment.a sample of your blood will be taken,normally from your ear lobe and then you will asked to breath in a mixture of gases which mimic you flying at cabin pressure air which equates to approx 15% oxygen intake as opposed to the 21% you have at sea level.your o2 sats will be constantly measured using a pulse oximeter and should they drop too low you will be administered O2 until they reach the appropriate safe level and you will probably have another blood sample taken.the whole process takes between 15-30 mins dependent on how your O2 levels are doing ,at the end of the assessment the results will be given to your consultant who will decide your safety to fly either without supplementary O2 or with a recommendation that you require it and at what rate per minute.i have over simplified the procedure but just wanted to give you a heads up on what is entailed and why.

best wishes Ski's and scruffy x

p.s if you are not on ambulatory o2 at the moment it is unlikely you will need it for flying and i hope that reassures you a bit.

[Judith56 in reply to skischool]

I had no idea we would need a flight assessment. Is this on for international flights? There is so much good information here.

[Susan1200 in reply to Judith56]

Hello Judith 56 , not everyone needs a flight assessment,but because my Oxygen levels were low when I saw the lung specialist, then he said I needed a flight assessment.

Have a lovely day.

[Judith56 in reply to Susan1200]

Thank you Susan, I have severe copd. I just flew to Anchorage from Seattle and now I know why my oxygen went down while I was on the plane. I also had an anxiety attack which when flying has never bothered me before. Hope you are doing well. Have you heard yet how Anne is getting along? I have been praying for her. Judith56

[Susan1200 in reply to Judith56]

Sorry Judith56,to read your bad experience,it must have been awful for you , sorry I haven't heard anything thing .

Take care Judith56. , hope you can still fly without any problems

Kind regards

Susan 🐘

[Judith56 in reply to Susan1200]

Thank you Susan, I am flying home on Friday. Now that I know what to expect I will be better prepared. Hope you are having a wonderful day!

[Susan1200 in reply to Judith56]

Thank you Judith,I hope you have a safe flight home, please take deep breaths when your on the plane , just take everything slowly and easy.

Judith,let me know how you get on .take care Judith56.

Best wishes.

Susan 🐘

[Susan1200 in reply to skischool]

Thank you Skischool,,I have already done a flight assessment but they never took any blood from me.,the nurse said my Oxygen levels were 96 so I had to wait until they dropped ,then she told the other nurse , can't wait much longer write down 95 percent , which she did ,any way I didn't pass the flight assessment with a great big smile from the nurse.

Thanks once again Skischool,I have to see lung specialist tomorrow.

[skischool in reply to Susan1200]

they obviously didn't do a proper assessment and are basically talking out of their back sides,good luck tomorrow with the consultant.i am sure with sat levels like yours you will be pleasantly surprised..

Ski's x

[Susan1200 in reply to skischool]

Thank you Skischool,I shall tell them,I didn't like the nurse as I felt she was rushing me. next time I have a flight assessment.

[Susan1200 in reply to skischool]

Hi Skischool,

Just to let you know I have to have another Flight assessment ,and I will certainly tell the nurse about them taking a blood sample,but I shall tell them I want another nurse .

Thank you Skischool for the valuable information you have given me .

Have a lovely evening ⭐

Best wishes.

Susan 🐘

[skischool in reply to Susan1200]

Susan,get your consultant to arrange the flight assessment at a proper lung centre then it will be done correctly,it can not be done by basis nursing staff.

best wishes Ski's x

[B0xermad]

Hi if you really cannot fly at the end of all your tests consultation etc .also germs on recirculated cabin air is also a factor as I have found, so I now cruise instead and feel so much better for going on holiday in the sun .best wishes with all your findings.oh by the way I have copd bronchiectasis and asthma

[Susan1200 in reply to B0xermad]

Thank you BOxermad , for replying ,I am Swiss and visit Switzerland twice a year ,I prefer to fly as j can get some really good deals , unfortunately it's not looking promising for me ,as unfortunately I will not travel with Oxygen.

Just a thought but when you go on a cruise do you have a high insurance.?

Best wishes

Susan 🐘

[B0xermad in reply to Susan1200]

Oh I see. I do pay between £500 & £1000 depending if I have had a recent bout of pneumonia and stayed in hospital or not.it is important you fly then to go back to Switzerland regularly

[Starfish321]

Hello Susan,

You may find this link useful -

healthline.com/health/fev1-...

[Susan1200 in reply to Starfish321]

Thank you Stella-Dickson ,for sending me this link ,it is very useful ,so what I understand 52 percent is moderate.

I shall put this to the lung specialist.

Many thanks

Susan 🐘

[Hidden]

Hi. I flew BA to Singapore this year, fortunately I didn't need oxygen to fly but had already checked and as long as they have enough notice the do supply it on long haul flughts and even if you don't order individual oxygen it is available on the flight if necessary.

[Susan1200 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Christine, sounds positive .

Best wishes

Susan 🐘

[B0xermad]

Some airlines carry enough only for 1 person oxygen.probably the low cost ones

[adapting]

hi susan, i didn't know there was such a thing as a pre flight assessment, how did you get it please?

[Susan1200]

Hallo adapting , what had happened,I had an appointment with my lung specialist,as soon as I got there the nurse took my Oxygen levels because I had rushed they were only 88 and the lung specialist decided I needed a flight assessment test ,I had already booked my flight so I still went.

When I came back, the hospital had sent me an appointment letter .

Apparentlly I didn't get though,I thought all was okay as the assistant nurse said it was ok , but the head nurse said it wasn't,so I received a letter stating I had to use Oxygen if I fly again,I wasn't happy about the results,so I saw a private doctor,he said taking Oxygen levels with an oximeter is not always actate,so he took blood from my ear ,my Oxygen levels were 96/98.

So this month I have an appointment with the lung specialist and see what happens.A lot of people don't know about flight assessment.

Sorry it's a long texts, hopefully it's helpful.

Best regards.

Susan 🐘