FEV1 Validity

Lex · Aug 23, 2008

So I've been wondering lately how valid FEV1 really is. Mine has been dropping the past couple years, stabilized, gone down, etc. But it seems like how I feel isn't represented in those numbers. For example, I recently went to the clinic and was measured at 25%. Two days later, I was running 100 meter sprints with decent times. Is that possible?

I have asthma too and I wonder if the asthma does more to contribute to poor PFT numbers than to the health of my lungs. On my last visit, the doc brought up the possibility of a transplant if I drop any more. I understand where he's coming from, but from a functioning point of view, I don't feel like a transplant is in my "near" future. He told me that the difference between, say, 25% and 18% is huge. I'll take his word for it, yet, I'm running just as fast on the track that I was when my FEV1 was in the 80's.

Any thoughts on this?

Lex · Aug 23, 2008

So I've been wondering lately how valid FEV1 really is. Mine has been dropping the past couple years, stabilized, gone down, etc. But it seems like how I feel isn't represented in those numbers. For example, I recently went to the clinic and was measured at 25%. Two days later, I was running 100 meter sprints with decent times. Is that possible?

I have asthma too and I wonder if the asthma does more to contribute to poor PFT numbers than to the health of my lungs. On my last visit, the doc brought up the possibility of a transplant if I drop any more. I understand where he's coming from, but from a functioning point of view, I don't feel like a transplant is in my "near" future. He told me that the difference between, say, 25% and 18% is huge. I'll take his word for it, yet, I'm running just as fast on the track that I was when my FEV1 was in the 80's.

Any thoughts on this?

Lex · Aug 23, 2008

So I've been wondering lately how valid FEV1 really is. Mine has been dropping the past couple years, stabilized, gone down, etc. But it seems like how I feel isn't represented in those numbers. For example, I recently went to the clinic and was measured at 25%. Two days later, I was running 100 meter sprints with decent times. Is that possible?

I have asthma too and I wonder if the asthma does more to contribute to poor PFT numbers than to the health of my lungs. On my last visit, the doc brought up the possibility of a transplant if I drop any more. I understand where he's coming from, but from a functioning point of view, I don't feel like a transplant is in my "near" future. He told me that the difference between, say, 25% and 18% is huge. I'll take his word for it, yet, I'm running just as fast on the track that I was when my FEV1 was in the 80's.

Any thoughts on this?

Lex · Aug 23, 2008

So I've been wondering lately how valid FEV1 really is. Mine has been dropping the past couple years, stabilized, gone down, etc. But it seems like how I feel isn't represented in those numbers. For example, I recently went to the clinic and was measured at 25%. Two days later, I was running 100 meter sprints with decent times. Is that possible?

I have asthma too and I wonder if the asthma does more to contribute to poor PFT numbers than to the health of my lungs. On my last visit, the doc brought up the possibility of a transplant if I drop any more. I understand where he's coming from, but from a functioning point of view, I don't feel like a transplant is in my "near" future. He told me that the difference between, say, 25% and 18% is huge. I'll take his word for it, yet, I'm running just as fast on the track that I was when my FEV1 was in the 80's.

Any thoughts on this?

Lex · Aug 23, 2008

So I've been wondering lately how valid FEV1 really is. Mine has been dropping the past couple years, stabilized, gone down, etc. But it seems like how I feel isn't represented in those numbers. For example, I recently went to the clinic and was measured at 25%. Two days later, I was running 100 meter sprints with decent times. Is that possible?
 
 I have asthma too and I wonder if the asthma does more to contribute to poor PFT numbers than to the health of my lungs. On my last visit, the doc brought up the possibility of a transplant if I drop any more. I understand where he's coming from, but from a functioning point of view, I don't feel like a transplant is in my "near" future. He told me that the difference between, say, 25% and 18% is huge. I'll take his word for it, yet, I'm running just as fast on the track that I was when my FEV1 was in the 80's.
 
 Any thoughts on this?

Transplantmommy · Aug 23, 2008

Well, I wasn't running around at those numbers and I was on O2 but I can tell you that I was pregnant with a 37% FEV1 and I felt great!!! My doctors told me that most women who have no lung problems and are pregnant complain that they have a hard time breathing....I guess I was just used to not being able to breathe.

Even though you feel great, I would definitely look into Tx soon and here is why I say that. I just told you that my FEV1 was 37% when I was pregnant and after I had my son. I was put on the transplant list (double lung and liver) 7 months after I had the baby and by the time Brady was 1 year old....my lung function was down to 15% and that's when I had the transplant. I dropped 22% in that one year and I fear that if you had to wait long on the list when you were finally evaluated, you would not make it. But then again, every case is different, and it's your choice to make. No one can make that choice for you. I was just thinking though that if something happened to you like what happened to me, by this time next year you would be at 3% lung function and I don't think that you will still be hanging on.

Of course this is all just my opinion though. But pay attention to how you are feeling and make the decisions that you have to make for yourself.

Transplantmommy · Aug 23, 2008

Well, I wasn't running around at those numbers and I was on O2 but I can tell you that I was pregnant with a 37% FEV1 and I felt great!!! My doctors told me that most women who have no lung problems and are pregnant complain that they have a hard time breathing....I guess I was just used to not being able to breathe.

Even though you feel great, I would definitely look into Tx soon and here is why I say that. I just told you that my FEV1 was 37% when I was pregnant and after I had my son. I was put on the transplant list (double lung and liver) 7 months after I had the baby and by the time Brady was 1 year old....my lung function was down to 15% and that's when I had the transplant. I dropped 22% in that one year and I fear that if you had to wait long on the list when you were finally evaluated, you would not make it. But then again, every case is different, and it's your choice to make. No one can make that choice for you. I was just thinking though that if something happened to you like what happened to me, by this time next year you would be at 3% lung function and I don't think that you will still be hanging on.

Of course this is all just my opinion though. But pay attention to how you are feeling and make the decisions that you have to make for yourself.

Transplantmommy · Aug 23, 2008

Well, I wasn't running around at those numbers and I was on O2 but I can tell you that I was pregnant with a 37% FEV1 and I felt great!!! My doctors told me that most women who have no lung problems and are pregnant complain that they have a hard time breathing....I guess I was just used to not being able to breathe.

Even though you feel great, I would definitely look into Tx soon and here is why I say that. I just told you that my FEV1 was 37% when I was pregnant and after I had my son. I was put on the transplant list (double lung and liver) 7 months after I had the baby and by the time Brady was 1 year old....my lung function was down to 15% and that's when I had the transplant. I dropped 22% in that one year and I fear that if you had to wait long on the list when you were finally evaluated, you would not make it. But then again, every case is different, and it's your choice to make. No one can make that choice for you. I was just thinking though that if something happened to you like what happened to me, by this time next year you would be at 3% lung function and I don't think that you will still be hanging on.

Of course this is all just my opinion though. But pay attention to how you are feeling and make the decisions that you have to make for yourself.

Transplantmommy · Aug 23, 2008

Well, I wasn't running around at those numbers and I was on O2 but I can tell you that I was pregnant with a 37% FEV1 and I felt great!!! My doctors told me that most women who have no lung problems and are pregnant complain that they have a hard time breathing....I guess I was just used to not being able to breathe.

Even though you feel great, I would definitely look into Tx soon and here is why I say that. I just told you that my FEV1 was 37% when I was pregnant and after I had my son. I was put on the transplant list (double lung and liver) 7 months after I had the baby and by the time Brady was 1 year old....my lung function was down to 15% and that's when I had the transplant. I dropped 22% in that one year and I fear that if you had to wait long on the list when you were finally evaluated, you would not make it. But then again, every case is different, and it's your choice to make. No one can make that choice for you. I was just thinking though that if something happened to you like what happened to me, by this time next year you would be at 3% lung function and I don't think that you will still be hanging on.

Of course this is all just my opinion though. But pay attention to how you are feeling and make the decisions that you have to make for yourself.

Transplantmommy · Aug 23, 2008

Well, I wasn't running around at those numbers and I was on O2 but I can tell you that I was pregnant with a 37% FEV1 and I felt great!!! My doctors told me that most women who have no lung problems and are pregnant complain that they have a hard time breathing....I guess I was just used to not being able to breathe.
 
 Even though you feel great, I would definitely look into Tx soon and here is why I say that. I just told you that my FEV1 was 37% when I was pregnant and after I had my son. I was put on the transplant list (double lung and liver) 7 months after I had the baby and by the time Brady was 1 year old....my lung function was down to 15% and that's when I had the transplant. I dropped 22% in that one year and I fear that if you had to wait long on the list when you were finally evaluated, you would not make it. But then again, every case is different, and it's your choice to make. No one can make that choice for you. I was just thinking though that if something happened to you like what happened to me, by this time next year you would be at 3% lung function and I don't think that you will still be hanging on.
 
 Of course this is all just my opinion though. But pay attention to how you are feeling and make the decisions that you have to make for yourself.

laulau555 · Aug 23, 2008