Anyone done a lung function test?

[Matlockmale]

Morning everyone. Yesterday I did a lung function test at my local chemist. Neither she or I knew if we were doing it right. The way we did it was to breath hard but for as long as I could. I have since been told that what you are supposed to do is to breath out as fast and hard as possible rather than just consistently blow hard. Does anyone know what the answer is?

To be honest it scared the hell out of me. I am 38 and the result suggested I have the lungs of a 52 year old- even though I am a light smoker and do loads of exercise. The chemist thought we had done it wrong, but I don't know. Help!

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer]

Aup Matlockmale, erm sorry but dont know much about it

I had a lung test last summer at work, it was taken by a qualified nurse may i say, I am sure I had to take a deep breath in, and blow out as hard and as fast as I could I was 56 then and he told me that I had the lungs of a 40 year old male, which I was pleased with erm the male bit I mean

It sounds to me that she didnt know what she was doing !! perhaps go see your GP and ask their advice !! and tell them that you are worried about it, and could they test you

Mm please keep us posted, on how you get on speak soon, Pete

[Hidden in reply to monky]

That's good considering how much you smoked. I only smoked about 12 a day, does that mean I would have the lungs of a 25 year old then? Y'now when I actually write that down and look at it - 12 a day, why am I finding it sooooo difficult to stop altogether, yep I still have cravings like more than 12 times a day. Have just been looking up e-cigs on the internet but after watching some youtube vids they look so complicated to use and I dunno, kind of dodgy, so will stick to quitting I s'pose. How you doin Pete, are you still taking the Champix?

[monky Administrator Cake sniffer outer in reply to Hidden]

Hi ya Sinfree its lovely to see you again gal, yeah am doin ok with champix still, although still get the urge now and again

You smoked 12 a day, and your getting about 12 cravings a day hmmm.

Just wondering if you would have smoked those 12 times a day that you get the cravings ?? try doing something different like if you have your dins-lunch at 12.00, then have it at 12.30 see if that makes any difference

E.cigs, sorry dont know much about them, but I know a Lady who does, PM Mad, cos i bet she will put you rite with them

[Hidden]

Good news .... your lung function reduces at same rate as a non-smoker if you quit .... otherwise it reduces much faster !

Not many people fear getting COPD - as they do not know much about it if anything. .... Many more people end up suffering from COPD than from cancer. 3 of 4 COPDers have been smokers. Yet COPD does not get the publicity or funding that cancer does. COPD means breathlessness and dying earlier after years of life-limiting illness. It can be managed nowadays so that it can be slowed and life can be better than it would be otherwise... but it is a progressive disease that cannot be cured.

[tomc LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi Matlockmale

I get frequent lung function tests at hospital and can tell you the way in which they asses your lungs for distribution of oxygen, condition and general function.

1/ PUT A PINCH CLIP ON YOUR NOSE

2/ TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN.

3/ BLOW OUT AS HARD AS YOU CAN through a tube attached to a meter FOR AS LONG AS YOU CAN.

TEST 2

AS above except this time deep breath in and long slow breath out for as long as you can.

During both these tests, your blood pressure is recorded with a finger clip, oxygen and duration of air flow are recorded and then the nurse/ doctor does a few sums to asses your lung and general condition.

Hope this is helpful.

Tom.

[Matlockmale in reply to tomc]

Hiya Tom,

Thanks for your reply (and to everyone else who replied.) Tome, can I just ask, with the first test bit when you say 'As HARD as you can for as long as you can' does the hard mean FAST and for a long time? When I need mine, I felt I was blowing hard but not releasing the air as fast as I could.

Thanks

[tomc LONG TERM WINNER in reply to Matlockmale]

Yes hard means with as much force as you can muster and for as long as you can.

This gives the tester an idea of the volume of air you have in your lung and how strong your lung function is and the machine records vital info about oxygen levels and bp ( or so I have been told by the hospital).

Tom

[tomc LONG TERM WINNER]

Can I point out that COPD is a general term for all forms of lung diseases.

Not smoking does slow down deterition of the lungs and Juliekkay is right in what she says that it is a progressive condition with NO CURE.

I am asthmatic as well as having bronchiects`s, but I am determined to live the rest of whatever life I have left as a non smoker.

Who knows, maybe I`ll hit 90.

[tazdave 6 MONTH WINNER]

yeah go to a doc and get a proper spirometer test done.youll do three and theyll take the average out of 3. i did one while still smoking shocking results 78 percent predicted then one 4 mths after quit cigs.and walking and jogging 120 percent predicted and couldnt even pick up that i gad asthma.