Diagnosing COPD uses spirometry recommended by NICE guidelines.
torbaycaretrust.nhs.uk/publ...
for patients new and worried what happens and what the test indicates.
Spirometry Guidelines: Diagnosing COPD... - Lung Conditions C...
Spirometry Guidelines
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artiste
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Initial tests are done using spirometry but my doctor then sent me to my local hospital where they used a Body Plethysmography chamber. These give more readings. They are complimentary to each other, It helped my pulmonary consultant decide the best medicines for me.
ganshorn-respiratory.com/in...
Chamber not mentioned by BTS brit-thoracic.org.uk/Portal...
I'm glad I had one done. I had to change doctors because my original one was quite useless when dealing with COPD. I suppose each doctor deals with it as they think fit.
More guidelines nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/enc...
in reply to artiste
What preparation is needed before having spirometry?
You should get instructions from the doctor, nurse, or hospital department that does this test. Always follow these carefully. The instructions may include such things as not to use a bronchodilator inhaler for a set time before the test (several hours or more, depending on the inhaler). Also, not to have alcohol, a heavy meal, or do vigorous exercise for a few hours before the test. Ideally, you should not smoke for 24 hours before the test.
patient.co.uk/health/spirom...
going without inhalers was the worst of it when I only have light meals and dont drink or smoke now,
thanks for that the next time i have minedone ,if its the same horrible person as the last time who told me i had to get three in a row all the same and would have to do it time and time again until idid , she really confused me .
As i had never been told this before dum bo me thought it must be a new thing .
I hope iget the little madam next time frightening a senior !!!!
in reply to newlands
I have nearly been sick trying to keep the reading the same when they wont let you have a good breather in between blows. We learn from each other newlands hope its not the same one next time and it goes great.
In the local military hospital the staff would scream like am RSM at the patient BLOW BLOW BLOW and frighten the life out of them. It is not an easy task to complete without a lot of practise.
The important thing is a tight seal with the lips around the mouth piece and then blow as hard and as long as you can. The paradox is if we could breath as hard and as long as we could we wouldn't have COPD!!!
Spirometry
is a method of assessing lung function by measuring the volume of
air that is expelled from the lungs from maximal inspiration to maximal expiration. It
is a reliable method of differentiating between obstructive airways disease, e.g.
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and restrictive disease, e.g.
fibrotic lung disease.
only one test part of a picture the doc will want more > bloods xray scans
The BTS (British Thoracic Society) guidelines - 1994 (this may not be the most up to date but is cited in the 'Spirometry Handbook for Health Professionals' ) recommends that
"there should be at least three tests carried out and no more than eight",
with adequate time between each to regain breath and not to continue if patient is showing signs of distress and/or frustration.
Interesting that this articlle has different obstruction % severity, ie it puts mild as above 50%, moderate obstruction between 30% and 49% and severe under 30%.. Kinda confusing to the stage my respiratory nurse says I am at
The NICE stages have changed now.
Stage 1 - mild: 80% or above (symptoms should be present to diagnose COPD in people with mild airflow obstruction).
Stage 2 - moderate: 50-79%.
Stage 3 - severe: 30-49%.
Stage 4 - very severe: below 30% (or FEV1 less than 50% but with respiratory failure).
if this articlle is right it puts me in the mild stage where has been told im moderate..all confusing to me.
I have had a bad winter where i had a cold and chest infection that lasted weeks but this past 4 days where the weather has been ok i can say that i feel has if there is nothing wrong with me... but i must remember that there is and i do have this nasty COPD and to keep on exercising and not smoke anymore ( 4 months now have not smoked )
and when i was told i had this COPD i honestly thought i had 6 months to a year to live has was given no information on COPD AND WAS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NASTY AMERICAN SITES until i found this site where people are so nice and understanding..thank god for BLF keep up the good work
I'm just curious. Has anyone else been tested with a Plethysmography chamber ?
cuh.org.uk/addenbrookes/ser...
in reply to Puffthemagicdragon
Not me Puff.
in reply to
Oh, I lied! I did not recognise the terms used but having now watched the video (Doh!), yes, I had this done.
I had this done as part of my investigations. I presented to my GP with shortness of breath and I was actually referred to a consultant cardiologist as there is poor heart history in my family so I had heart scans and a stress echocardiogram with the consultant. Then I had lung function tests with a cardiac technician and one of the tests was in the chamber. Don't think I had to do the panting bit as shown in your link but I do remember the air being blocked off for a couple of seconds and told to continue breathing during that time. It was the consultant cardiologist that came up with the diagnosis of COPD.
I was diagnosed on March 7th at the hospital. Before this I had spirometry done at the doctors which I was just told that I had failed. I was in agony with what felt like pleurisy again, but was apparently just a strained muscle from coughing. I had also just broken down and cried and cried in the nurses room, because I felt so ill and low. I had a blood test done as well. I was sent to local hospital for chest x-ray which came back clear of pleurisy or infection. At the time I felt so ill for so long and was in so much pain that I thought I was dying so I just could not understand how the x-ray and bloods were fine and I thought I had failed the lung function because I had been crying and because the pain was stopping me from blowing properly. Then my hospital appointment came round and I did the spirometry test again. And the consultant had my x-ray on the screen and a few questions later and that was that I had Emphysema and Asthma Was told Seretide 500 Accuhalor twice a day and Salbutamol when breathless. And for a 3 weeks I had a nasal spray Beclomethasone.
I do not understand the results of Spirometry they say FEV1 of 1.39% (51% predicted) FVC 2.61 with ratio of 53% but apparently I am moderate COPD My dad died of Emphysema in 1996, and progressed rapidly from a bit of breathlessness to struggling to breath on O2 , his dad died of what the Docs said was Bronchitis I never knew my Grandad he died in 1958
I thought I should ask for the Alpha 1 test as I have four sons and grandson.
oarsome in reply to
Have all the tests possible would be my advice psorias the unknown cannot be treat or faced up to when there's a need for getting your head around something.
Recently had a setback that pulled me low when my FEV1 dropped so much that it terrified me, got a handle on it all now and feeling better about where I am with this now I have adapted my expectations.
Medical science has come along from our grand parents generation when most of them were not told anything was wrong until near the end and there was little that could be done, we have more understanding, medicine for treatment and earlier diagnosis giving chances that generation could not have dreamed of..
in reply to oarsome
thanks oarsome will ask for that test should make another gp appointment
just looked at all my hospital letters again and realise that i go to hospital tomorrow for my pulmonary rehab assessment good job a had a look cos i thought it was on Thursday
Yes I have last December at the Royal Brompton. I underwent all sorts of test to see if I qualified to have coils fitted and that test was one of them.
Good point pooh more people need testing with referrals to GPs when the results show a problem in need of further investigation that catches copd at the early stages when more can be done.
It seems to be a lottery postcode thing again.
My consultant is good. He sends me a copy of my results and his interpretation of them that he sands to my GP on each 6 month checkup. I don't ask him he just does it. Apparently i get a checkup every 6 months as I am on oxygen. Otherwise it would be every 12 months.
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