COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Hello All...
I am new to all of this. I am 47 year old male and a 31 year smoker. Smoked 2-3 packs a day.
I moved to Lima, Peru a year ago from Florida.
I had an "asthma attack" in mid October. I went to the ER and they said an acute bronchial spasm. They did a lung x-ray and put me on a nebulizer. I went to a Peru lung doctor and he said I was asthmatic in Peru. He prescribed Spiriva and Symbicort.
Two weeks later my Mother died and I had to fly to the States. So, I figured that I would get a full physical. My doctor game me a physical and the ordered chest x-rays and a lung test. He prescribed my ProAir HFA too.
I felt much better in Indiana and Florida so I kinda blew off the Spiriva and Symbicort thinking it was asthma.
The night before the Lung Test I partied hard and smoked a lot. (I hadn't seen my friends in 10 months.)
Here were my Spirometry results:
Baseline
FVC (L) = 5.56
Predicted = 5.83
% Pred = 95
Post = 5.61
Change = 1%
FEV1 (L) = 3.49
Predicted = 4.54
% Pred = 77
Post = 3.62
Change = 4%
FEV1/FVC = .63
Predicted = .78
% Pred = 80
PEF (L/min) = 491.93
Predicted = 653.33
% Pred = 75
Post = 544.95
Change = 11%
FEF25-75 (L/s) = 1.71
Predicted = 4.01
% Pred = 43
Post = 1.82
Change = 6%
TEST RESULTS: "Your FEV1 is 77% Predicted. Your lung Age is 78."
The lung ex-ray came back:
"The heart is not enlarged. Lungs are hypoinflated with low, flat diaphragms and increased retrosternal air space. The lungs are clear. There are no pleural effusions. CONCLUSION: Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Configuration Without Active Infiltrate or Congestive Failure."
So, I am taking the Spiriva in the AM and Symbicort AM and PM. I used the ProAir HFA when needed which is a few times a week.
Since I have still not talked to my US doctor - would some of you please give me your opinions on my test results?
I realize that you are not doctors. But after having undiagnosed Lyme 12 years ago I realize patients with a disease have very good insight into their diseases. And tests.
Great forum!!!
Dave
PS: I am quitting smoking 12/31. I have cut back to a pack a day and am timing them and cutting back 5 minutes each day between smokes. Dealing with my Mom dying and this diagnosis it is not easy to quit smoking.
I am new to all of this. I am 47 year old male and a 31 year smoker. Smoked 2-3 packs a day.
I moved to Lima, Peru a year ago from Florida.
I had an "asthma attack" in mid October. I went to the ER and they said an acute bronchial spasm. They did a lung x-ray and put me on a nebulizer. I went to a Peru lung doctor and he said I was asthmatic in Peru. He prescribed Spiriva and Symbicort.
Two weeks later my Mother died and I had to fly to the States. So, I figured that I would get a full physical. My doctor game me a physical and the ordered chest x-rays and a lung test. He prescribed my ProAir HFA too.
I felt much better in Indiana and Florida so I kinda blew off the Spiriva and Symbicort thinking it was asthma.
The night before the Lung Test I partied hard and smoked a lot. (I hadn't seen my friends in 10 months.)
Here were my Spirometry results:
Baseline
FVC (L) = 5.56
Predicted = 5.83
% Pred = 95
Post = 5.61
Change = 1%
FEV1 (L) = 3.49
Predicted = 4.54
% Pred = 77
Post = 3.62
Change = 4%
FEV1/FVC = .63
Predicted = .78
% Pred = 80
PEF (L/min) = 491.93
Predicted = 653.33
% Pred = 75
Post = 544.95
Change = 11%
FEF25-75 (L/s) = 1.71
Predicted = 4.01
% Pred = 43
Post = 1.82
Change = 6%
TEST RESULTS: "Your FEV1 is 77% Predicted. Your lung Age is 78."
The lung ex-ray came back:
"The heart is not enlarged. Lungs are hypoinflated with low, flat diaphragms and increased retrosternal air space. The lungs are clear. There are no pleural effusions. CONCLUSION: Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Configuration Without Active Infiltrate or Congestive Failure."
So, I am taking the Spiriva in the AM and Symbicort AM and PM. I used the ProAir HFA when needed which is a few times a week.
Since I have still not talked to my US doctor - would some of you please give me your opinions on my test results?
I realize that you are not doctors. But after having undiagnosed Lyme 12 years ago I realize patients with a disease have very good insight into their diseases. And tests.
Great forum!!!
Dave
PS: I am quitting smoking 12/31. I have cut back to a pack a day and am timing them and cutting back 5 minutes each day between smokes. Dealing with my Mom dying and this diagnosis it is not easy to quit smoking.
This is the easiest site I have found that explains all the numbers involved in a PFT or Spirometry test:
http://www.copdcanada.ca/pft_numbers.htm
Hope that helps you to understand your test more completely.
I am sure everyone in this group will tell you that quitting smoking is the best thing you can do. Exercise and nutrition are important also. Best wishes.
Looks like you are in stage 2, moderate. If you quit smoking now and do a few healthy things you could slow the progression of this disease to a crawl. It's running on you now.
Here are the stages.
http://www.copd-international.com/library/stages.htm
tom
I am going to quit smoking. And yes, my Mom will help with that.
One question I have from my results that I get confused about.
On a lot of the sites they will talk about your FEV1/FVC percentage. Do they mean % of Predicted? Or the percentage?
Mine says:
FEV1/FVC = .63
Predicted = .78
% Pred = 80
So, is my FEV1/FVC percentage 63%?
Like this site:
=========================
* FEV1/FVC: This ratio compares the volume of air expelled in the first second to the total volume expelled.
In healthy patients the FEV1/FVC is usually around 70%-80%. In patients with obstructive lung disease FEV1/FVC decreases and can be as low as 20-30% in severe obstructive airway disease. Restrictive disorders have a near normal FEV1/FVC ratio.
http://www.yourlunghealth.org/testing/spirometry/my_doctor.cfm
=========================
And then on the GOLD scale I am a 77%? Like they say here:
http://www.copd-international.com/library/stages.htm
Thanks again all. I am so glad I found an "active" COPD forum! This is really going to help!
Dave
Are you back in Peru now? At what altitude? I just wonder if some of the difficulty you noticed and its relief when you were in Florida was the affects also of altitude on COPD. It does make it a bit harder with some folks.
I live in Lima which is at sea level. But, it is in a desert! So, a lot of dust. And there is 95% humidity. So, a lot of mold too.
I just have to quit smoking. There is a lot of pollution here to. But, I live up in a suburb. So, that is better.
Good doctors here. Just the language barrier.
Thanks!