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Do I ahve asthma? Sprirometer test says no BUT...

Posted , 5 users are following.

chalkey79
chalkey79

I have just had a scary episode which I believe was asthma, but a recent spirometer showed no sign of breathing issues.

What triggered me today was first and foremost the cold. I was at a football match where the conditions were cold, wet and windy. There was a marked damp chill to the air. Meanwhile, gomg the game I caught a lungful of fumes from a golf buggy that is used to ferry those with mobility issues up a steep hill leading to the ground. That h\as always seemed to make me feel bad. Then you can add in stress and noise from the crowd to the equation and a bit of exposure to cigarette smoke.

I felt a bit better when I was out of the ground but only really began to recover when  I got home into the warm. I had also had a measure of whisky at half time with a couple of lumps of ice in it that seemed to make things worse.

I also have sleep apnoea and use a CPAP machine, and am withdrawing (very slowly) from a benzodiazepine.

I have had this kind of attacks on and off for years. Recently my doctor gave me a spirometer (I think that's the name - a very low tech tube with a gauge that I had to blow into and bashed up to the end or very close to it every time, twice a day for a month. The max possible reading was 800 - not sure what the units are.

In the basis that I had no problems with this instrument, he seemed to conclude I did not have asthma, but I did not feel breathless at the time. I would be interested to see how I would have done a couple of hours ago when I was breathless.

Could I have asthma? What other tests could I undergo?

s

 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • nigel28138
    nigel28138 chalkey79

    Posted

    Hi 

    may I ask how old you are and are you a smoker?

    do you ever get breathless?

  • chalkey79
    chalkey79

    Posted

    I am 51 and a non-smoker. I used to be a light smoker but gave up aged 38.
  • nigel28138
    nigel28138 chalkey79

    Posted

    Have you ever had a chest x Ray?as this would possibly show if anything else is to blame ie copd. If it’s of any help my asthma plays up in very cold air I use a scarf to warm the air first .
  • jacqline
    jacqline chalkey79

    Posted

    Hi Chalkey, asthma difficulties rarely plague us 24/7, except those with very severe cases. But I would like more details about the symptoms you experienced at the football game that made you think it was asthma. Were you wheezing? Trouble breathing? Chest tightened? Coughing? Exhaustion? Have you experienced those symptoms before? You mentioned extreme cold, wind and dampness, breathing noxious fumes, and the exertion of climbing a hill. Any of those conditions could cause an otherwise healthy person to feel ill and short of breath. So, honestly, most doctors would question you about other times you experienced typical asthma symptoms. It would be difficult to diagnose you based on one day. On the other hand, the things you mentioned could well be triggers, as they are for many asthmatics. My suggestion is to be aware of how you feel in certain situations, like bitterly cold weather or inhaling exhaust fumes, dust or pet dander. If you start wheezing, coughing and become short of breath after exposure to those conditions, that sounds like asthma triggered by allergens, to me. I have had moderate to severe asthma for 30 years. I can only blow about a 400 on a spirometry on a good (symptom free) day. When I having a full-blown asthma attack, the best I do is between 150 and 250, which really sucks. Clearly, I am hospitalized at that point. After 2 or 3 days, they usually just discharge me if I manage to hit 350, which is still low but OK for me. Hope this has helped a bit.
  • anson92911
    anson92911 chalkey79

    Posted

    Hi Chalkey,

    I understand your current situation as i have had asthma before and still have it now but very mild. Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties. It affects people of all ages and often starts in childhood, although it can also appear for the first time in adults. I recommend you going to this website if you wanna learn more about asthma and its symptoms.

    https://www.quro.ai/dictionary/asthma/

    Hope this helps!

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