question for people with asthma

[OakLeaf]

Do you use a peak flow meter at home? Have the results correlated well with your PFTs?

Off topic - there was a write-up last week about the Buteyko method - which is pretty interesting. My asthma is extremely mild, but I definitely plan to look into this.

[Fontinalis]

I've had the pulmonary function tests about every 5 years. And only because there was actually a need for it. Not as a routine thing.

I think the main thing, if your asthma is well controlled, is to have that well documented, and for that, a regular check up with your doc is ok. No need for a yearly test. The reason that it needs to be regularly documented is that insurance companies always like to fall back on 'preexisting condition' to deny you claims. And you need to prove that although you have asthma, a chronic disease, it was well controlled.

[TryingisDying]

I have had asthma for 31 years...I have not had a PFT in years. I have to go in every 6 months and get refils on my meds if I need them. My asthma is so well controlled that I just have to get the advair refilled......

[MommyBird]

My 17 year old son has had asthma since toddler-hood. His pediatrician avoided doing anything that would create a preexisting condition status on our insurance for years. He had his first and only PFT when he was 15.
His asthma is fairly mild and mainly exercise induced. He has had some pretty scary cat episodes but those are easy to avoid.
He did gymnastics from 2 1/2 to 11 and the chalk was pretty rough on him. He is very tall so he switched to figure skating and the chemicals they use to chill the ice were worse than the chalk. He was finally sent to the Pulmonologist.
Now he is 6'4" and he only skates for fun. He rows with his big brother. The ERG training has done wonders for him.

It would seem to me that a yearly test is either excessive or your doctor has not done a very good job communicating why your specific condition warrants the yearly test. You may want to question them about it before they set up the next test.

[TryingisDying]

I can relate sooo much to the cat thing...I love cats BUT I can start wheezing within a few min if I am around them..and I get some huge hives if I touch them. It is the one thing besides horses that really trigger me!