I had the dlco gas exchange test done today and with the pattern of breathing they asked me to I just couldn't take any more breath in and I could only get to around 60% of my maximum breath.
The testers where clearly getting annoyed but I was trying so hard.
Just wondering if anyone else struggled
Isn't it lovely when the technicians give the impression that people are causing them an issue! 😔 Any of the lung function tests can be tricky to get one's head round and sometimes to complete and you'd hope they would understand that.
If breathing in or taking a big breath in is an issue, it might be worth investigating or asking your GP or consultant (not sure what stage you're at in terms of care) to investigate breathing pattern disorders/BPD. This appears similar to asthma in symptoms but very often causes issues with breathing in whereas asthma doesn't. Weird breathing patterns can be caused by all sorts of things. Some people have BPD instead of asthma where it's often misdiagnosed as asthma as the symptoms can be very similar (the misdiagnosis is not helpful as asthma meds don't work for BPD). Some people have both asthma and BPD - the BPD might be all the time or just occasionally. So, for example, if it occurred at times of stress or anxiety (such as when faced with or caused by a test that's proving tricky with staff who are adding to the pressure), it might mean that those symptoms of not being able to breathe in occur.
Ooh that was long and maybe burbly! But basically, if BPD was involved at the very time of test, it may have made it difficult to complete. Some respiratory physio exercises might make it easier to do the test in future if that was part of it.
If you were doing other tests though, they may have got the info they needed from other tests?
Is that the one where they shut the air off if so I cannot do that either instant panick a peg on your nose and no air not good for me they get frustrated with me too
Thanks,
Hopefully they got enough, I'm seeing the consultant on Tuesday so I will find out.
Yes Burghy, that's the one
Just telling you to breathe in more when you next time isn't helpful when you csnt 😂
Was in that position on the last lung function test I had. The technician was getting very annoyed with me too which didn't help when she kept wanting to repeat the test. I did eventually do it to her satisfaction but it certainly wasn't with her encouragement. On other occasions I always found the technicians very helpful, understanding and patient.
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