fvc

[kylet1990]

Hi i am undergoing testing from the hospital as i have shortness of breath when excersising and my spirometry shows slightly irregular flow loops. My fev1 is 4.77 ( predicted 4.53 ) 105% and my fvc is 4.77 ( predicted 5.78 ) 89%. I also have quite bad anxiety. Ive had xrays which were normal and a normal bronchoscopy. Im soo worries about the posibilaty of havong pulmonary fibrosis. Does anyone know if my results could show this? Thanks

[ninammam]

I disagree a lung biopsy is the only way to find out if you have COPD I have ILD and they found it With a CT. My pulmo wanted to do a lung biopsy, I don't think there is any need to do that to find out if you have COPD.

[kylet1990]

Does anyone know if a slightly irregular flow loop can be normal in some people. I am a very slim male age 22, im just trying to worl out if im worrying over nothing. Thanks people :)

[kylet1990]

Hi, ive not been offered a sleep test. They were debating whether to give me a excersise test were they do sort of a spirometry whilst running i believe or something like that. I do get excess stomach acid quite a lot and have read that sometimes this can affect breathing. I will defenatly mention this when at the doctors thanks.

[Jerry_NJ]

I'm an old guy and recently when through a sleep test under the care of a Pulmonary Doctor.  They X-rayed my chest looking for lung trouble due to my complaint of low Oxygen Saturation.  I used a personal Oximeter to monitor (not record) my O2 Sat.  When I woke up at "night" I'd grab the meter and take a reading.  I found some reading below 90% which led to consultation with doctors.  My primary care doctor prescribed an overnight Recording Oximeter test.  This confirmed in detail my low O2 findings.  The Recording Oximeter test is a low cost and very easy test to take.  Has that been considered in your case?   My Medicare coverage has not yet been determined due to a filing error, it will be covered, but when I saw the full bill I though it was what I had to pay after insurance coverage.  Just looked back, you in the UK, so you have Medicare for all, right?  Still, I was happy to see low cost regardless of who/how it is paid, some one pays and it all maps back into our cost of living.

Sorry for the ramble, if more interested in the subject I have posted elsewhere on the Oximeter subject - see Heart Rhythm Community.. where I have the longest/deepest connection.   And speaking of fibrosis, I likely have heart atrium fibrosis.

Good to check it out, again low O2 Sat can lead to SOB, even to panic feeling of suffocation.  Right now I am working on losing weight to correct what turned out diagnosed as mild sleep apnea for me (in addition to heart problems).  I have lost 10 pounds and already see improvement.  Hey, I'm not a "fat guy", I have weighted as much as 250 pounds (245 when I started the latest lose program) but I am 6' 5" tall.  Still, getting down to 235 has shown a relief in symptoms.  If I can get another 10 pounds off we'll run another Recording Oximeter test, no need to re-run the full Sleep Study - the SS is expensive, as it requires an overnight stay in the hospital (or sleep clinic) with full personal supervision by a medical technician.  I then the tech was "watching" two of us at the same time, we each had a private room.

Keep us posted, hope you find something simple and easy to correct.  Fibrosis is not, I believe.  

[kylet1990]

Thank you it really makes me feel better. I didnt realise it causes a cough i have no cough, wheeze or pain. Only shortness of breath. I have always thought it was just my anxiety getting the better of me as i sit for hours on the internet looking at diseases that could cause this. My girlfriends having my baby in 2 weeks so its really had me down thr thought of not seeing her grow up.

[achmedskeeper]

The only real way to find out is to do a lung biopsy like they had to do on me but make sure you have the coughing, shortness of breath, weakness and your chest hurts trying to get a breath. Those lung biopsies really get you down.

[achmedskeeper]

I have pulmonary fibrosis and before diagnosed I had a bad cough lasting 7 months, also very short on breath sometimes so bad I had to use oxygen! Like you though I suffer from anxiety and it can be tricky. Sometimes my anxiety attacks have a resemblance of shortness of breath, after taking my meds I can breath fine. Sweetly it will be alright focus on your anxiety right now! ; @ )

[kylet1990]

Ive read up on pulmonary fibrosis and i have noticed alot of websites say people dont usually get it until about 50 im only 22. However ive been diagnosed with asthma in the last few years then had a negative mannatol challenge sp that was dismissed. Then i had a bronchoscopy for vocal cord dysfunction in which they had i look right down to my large airways and everything was normal nothing found. I do attend cbt for panic attacks but with being constantly tested for illnesses at the hospital im convinced it must be something bad.

[kylet1990]

Mostly when im running on a treadmill. I really struggle to control my breathing i feel short of breath but at the same time my breathing feels really fast.

[Jerry_NJ]

Do you have shortness of breath (sob) when walking? when walking fast?  How fast?  What do you mean when you say "exercising".

When I was still a running I always ran at a speed that made me feel short of breath, then I'd back off a little bit to get to the feeling that I can breath fast enough.