spirometry test results

[2Young4This31]

FVC  -   (TRIAL4)- 3.19  / (%PRED) -148  (PRED) 2.14  - (LLN) 1.65
FEV1  - (TRIAL4)- 1.20  (%PRED) 60   (PRED)1.97  (LLN) 1.39
FEV1%  (TRIAL4) 38  (%PRED) 41  (PRED) 93 (LLN) 80
FEF25-75  (TRIAL) 1.05 (%PRED) 40 (PRED) 2.60
PEF  (TRIAL) 1.22  (%PRED) 24 (PRED) 4.96



The nurse put me at 52 inches instead of 62 inches ,i was wondering if these tests results are any good ?  he did this test while i was on spiriva , it says that my fev1 and fev1% is below LLN what ever that means , and its also says , predmed moderate obstruction , im 31 y/o , 5f2  (62inches) , and 168lbs . there is trial2 and trial3 listed on here too if u want those numbers ? im wondering if my own doc doesnt understand too  maybe i should ask him to send me to a pulm doc .
            

[bentcorp]

I've seen two pulmonologists recently, and both came up with thinking I have sleep apnea - I do not think that is my problem - I did two sleeping disorder tests, the second with the CPAP, or mask to keep air moving through my system, but I had a lot of difficulty falling asleep wearing the mask, and felt terrible when I awoke. I've heard that if you have sleep apnea, and you use the CPAP, you wake up feeling wonderful - I definitely did not.

[Sunny602]

It looks like obstructive deficit to me...I think that it wouldn't be a bad idea to see a pulmo. You are quite young to have obstruction like this, the reason has to be determined so that your treatment can be tweaked to help you best.  He or she would probably repeat the tests due to the innacurate height. Predicted values are based on height and gender, so a difference of 10 inches would be pretty significant. Taller people have bigger lungs usually, so their predicted FEV, FVC and small airways (FEF 25-75) would be greater than that of a smaller person. When I use a spirometry calculator on your values, the expected results for someone your height and gender are more than what is what you report. Your actual percentages are less than what is predicted as a result. If you want to plug in the numbers yourself to see the difference 10 inches of height is, regarding your values here is the link: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/spirometry/RefCalculator.html
I used it alot myself when I underwent PFT's.
Hope this all helps..sunny

[2Young4This31]

Thank you sunny, i asked my doctor wed. about the height thing and he also told me no but yes , and i asked him well i dont understand , he told me we will talk about that later. and just seemed to brush it off . i called because i was on spiriva , then he put me on flovent well i have 13 spriva caps left and he told me to finish them with the flovent so i did i felt good actually , then i ran out of spiriva and 2 weeks later i felt like i did when i first went in there . heavinessi n chest, breathless, felt like someone took there finger and plugged my tracia hole. i have been coughing a lil more than usaul , and coughing up stuff. here and there. when he listen to my lungs he said he didnt hear any wheezing. i just so confused as what what exactly it is i really do have and how much lung cap i have left?  he diag. me with copd/asthma  and now GERD  my belly looks like a blow fish blew up in there . ive gained 10 lbs in less than 2months . i feel awful  because of thatis happing to me so suddenly ! ...........2young

[2Young4This31]

i went and looked im still not understanding , so the 38% is my lung cap? im still baffled lol can u please explain it to me ? thank you ..........2young

[Sunny602]

Good grief! Definitely try to get to a pulmo...I don't know why your doc is even hesitating!!! Please push for a consult.A pulmo has the expertice in the field of COPD/asthma. Has your doc mentioned any other tests such as a CT scan? Sometimes that can tell alot too about the kind of disease you have .You are only 31....do you happen to smoke alot? Even so, COPD at your age is fairly young. There are other reasons why you would have COPD issues, there are genetic disorders such as Alpha 1 antitrypsen defect which causes early COPD. There are other reasons but you get my point.
He shouldn't be blowing you off, you need some real treatment!!

As far as the 38% goes...that value means that your values are at 38% predicted. I am guessing you are looking at the FEV1, the FEV1 (forced expiratory volume over 1 second) means how much you blow out rapidly in a second's time. YOu probably remember blowing out as fast and furious as you can during the PFT's (kind of feels like you are in labor with the coaching the tech does LOL). People who have obstruction (as in COPD and asthma) or restriction (pulmonary fibrosis for example) have lower numbers. The lower the numbers, the greater the obstruction or restriction.

The FVC (forced volume capacity) it the total amount you can blow out forcefully after taking a deep breath in.

The FEF 25%-75%  (forced expiratory flow) is an indication of your small airways...how fast air leaves the lungs. These numbers are low for those who have problems in that area. PEF (peak expiratory flow) is the speed of the air at the beginning of that forceful breath you do during your PFT's. Again, it is usually lower with those who have obstruction/restriction.

I hope that I didn't confuse you...ask away as far as questions go. I am not a doc, but someone who has definitely been through this and learned from them. A background in nursing also helps! Good luck...Sunny

[2Young4This31]

I sent off my test , it came in yesterday and i did it last night and sent it out today (alpha-1 test) . so with in 4-6 wks i should get the results . all i know is my doc is trying to get me on the right meds . I was on spiriva , but he gave me flovent instead and a rescue inhaler (albutrol ) but i did tell him that the spirvia and the flovent together worked , and after i came off the spiriva i felt as though i was back to the begining . so now he told me to take 2inhales in the monring and 2 at night. of the flovent. and if it wasnt helping he gave me a sample of symbicort . i have my results on my computer if u care to take a look at them , because the graph looks kinda funny to me lol . its all over the place and i dont quite understand it either .

I quit smoking about 2 months ago , i smoked for 18 yrs on and off  about 1 to 2 pks a day . plus i was 3 month premature . and i did have some lung probsi had a right  mild collasped lung ,rds, pulm displsia,  but i got better and they sent me home after 3 months and then on christmas day when i was 4 months old  i went back into the hosp. because i stopped breathing .

Anyways like i said im so confused as to whats going on anymore and i jsut go with the flow . i dont know what it is my doc is trying to do . maybe he is also baffled as to why my lungs are like that  or maybe he thinks its all asthma and not copd anymore i just dont know . can asthma do that make your lungs that bad ?

I think he told me that 75 % of it is caused by copd when he did my test and when i take the albutrol that ill gain 10% back . ive got gears turning so much lately that i just dont know whats up or down anymore.
thank you for helping me and answeing my questions . your a big help !!!
...............................................................THANK YOU , 2young

[Sunny602]

I sent you a private message..please email me whenever you want. I think there is more to you than just asthma, that's just my opinion. It is possible to have both COPD and asthma...I just pray that you get answers soon. Again, I really think a pulmo should be helping your doc in your care. Sometimes it takes a good doc to realize that he or she needs help, hopefully he will do the right thing. I really am glad that he is testing you for Alpha 1, that would have been the first thing I would think of in a young person such as yourself with COPD, especially with your numbers. I will keep you in my thoughts, hugs Sunny