Lung Function Tests Results

[li10up]

On Monday I had my lung function tests performed and then met with the pulmonologist. He talked a lot about the nodule in my lung and showed me my PET scan images and then talked about the tests I had done earlier. I thought I understood what he was saying but now I have a question about something. He said something about 70 or 70% being borderline obstruction something-or-other and I was at 69 or 69%...I'm not sure which. Can anyone explain what he was talking about? He said he could give me an Rx for an inhaler that I could try to see if it helped with my breathing during exercise but then said that maybe I should just wait and see how things went. So that's what we decided...wait and see. Should I have tried the inhaler?

[Possegal]

i'm guessing you don't remember any terms that the dr used? which is totally normal especially if the words are foreign to you. i'm guessing he is telling you that your FEV1/FVC is at 69%?? and 70% or lower is considered obstructive airway disease. i can explain what the two numbers are specifically if you need me to. i'm guessing you don't have a copy of the report. i've found myself asking for copies of everything with my sister lately. did you take the PFTs before and then after using an inhaler? which would tell you if that significantly changed the numbers? i used to teach spirometry to my pharmacy students (not fun, as most folks when told to breathe normally hyperventilated and a few passed out on me), but i digress. do you have exercise induced asthma? an inhaler really helps with that and it isn't a bad thing to have one handy in case you need it. but if your dr thinks just going as is and seeing how you do, with i presume follow-up as needed, then that is probably the way to go.

[li10up]

i'm guessing you don't remember any terms that the dr used? which is totally normal especially if the words are foreign to you. i'm guessing he is telling you that your FEV1/FVC is at 69%?? and 70% or lower is considered obstructive airway disease. i can explain what the two numbers are specifically if you need me to. i'm guessing you don't have a copy of the report. i've found myself asking for copies of everything with my sister lately. did you take the PFTs before and then after using an inhaler? which would tell you if that significantly changed the numbers? i used to teach spirometry to my pharmacy students (not fun, as most folks when told to breathe normally hyperventilated and a few passed out on me), but i digress. do you have exercise induced asthma? an inhaler really helps with that and it isn't a bad thing to have one handy in case you need it. but if your dr thinks just going as is and seeing how you do, with i presume follow-up as needed, then that is probably the way to go.

I got confused with the numbers he was throwing at me but what you said sounds right to me. Yes, it would be great if you could explain what those numbers mean. He did not give me a copy of the report. I should have asked for one. I could get it if I needed to. No I did not us an inhaler at all during the PFT. He said I "may" have exercise induced asthma but he thinks that with the "worry" of the nodule that I should just wait and call him if I continue to have problems. When riding my airway seems to fill with mucous and I feel like I'm breathing through a straw...but I don't have any wheezing. Then afterward, when I get home, I seem to cough off and on for an hour or two. I also started coughing a little bit near the end of the PFT tests. What are your thoughts on this? Thanks so much for replying.

[maillotpois]

I'm still confused - what IS the nodule and is it supposed to stay there?

[li10up]

According to my doc the only way to KNOW what the nodule is is to do a biopsy. He doesn't think that is a good idea since the PET scan indicates that it is benign. However, there is still a small chance that it could be malignant so that is why they need to follow up with CT scans over the next two years to make sure it doesn't grow. If it increases in size then something will have to be done...if it doesn't I should be good to go. He said it could be something left from a case of walking pneumonia when I was younger (don't think I ever had this), something I was born with, or any other number of things. They just don't know without doing a biopsy...and a lung biopsy isn't a small matter.

I've learned a lot over the last few months.

[maillotpois]

But is the nodule impeding your lung function?

[RoadRaven]

...if it doesn't I should be good to go.

This is the line I am focusing on. This sounds really good.
This is where I will "send" when I think of you, li, and this is what I trust will be confirmed with no growth in the next two years.

Aroha from Aotearoa