asthma test

[tester]

Has anyone ever had an asthma test?  My doctor recommended one for me, but I am having trouble scheduling it.

[National Jewish]

There is a simple asthma test.  You will blow into a machine called a spirometer, both before and after taking an inhaled medicine.  This test is positive for asthma if the result after the inhaled medicine is 20% higher than it was before the inhaled medicine.

There is a complex asthma test that is the gold standard for diagnosing asthma.  This is called a methacholine challenge.  You will blow into a spirometer before and after each increasing dose of an inhaled medicine.  This test is positive for asthma if the result after the inhaled medicine is 20% lower than it was before the inhaled medicine.

[starion]

By an asthma test, what exactly did your doctor mean?  One of the common tests which m-i-g-h-t have been meant is a spirometry test before and after bronchodilator (such as albuterol).  If your breathing numbers improve after the medication, it is some evidence of asthma.  Another test that your doctor m-a-y have meant is a methacholine challenge test, where you are tested before and after you've inhaled increasing amounts of a chemical to determine whether you are asthmatic (see thread below on methacholine challenge).
In my experience, the DOCTOR'S office generally schedules all such tests--insurers won't pay for tests scheduled by patients!  At least the doctor's office makes the initial arrangements & then the patient works out the date & details with the lab.  You need more information as to the exact name of the test your doctor wants you to have.
Starion