PFTs slowly dropping

CFtori

New member
So I am not the oldest. I'm 14 and this is my first year of high school. In my elementary years, my PFTs stayed in the 80%- 100% range. In middle school, they actually went up to 90%- 103%. But then in 8th grade (last middle school year) I got infected with Pseudomonas, bronchitis, pneumonia, staph, mrsa, and the flu all at the same time. So my PFTs dropped to 68%. I was hospitalized after a long time. I got back up to the 90s%. Then in 5 months later I got really sick again but my PFTs weren't effected as much.<div><br></div><div>So that was the background info. Just a week ago I had a check up after having a cold for a couple weeks. My PFTs were 74%-91%. The doctors told me to step up my treatments because before that, they were 98%. So then I stepped up to 3 treatments a day and lots of exercise. A week later we went in to see if they improved but they had only gotten worse. They are 71%-89% They have started me on antibiotics.</div><div><br></div><div>I think I need another tune- up. But my doctor hasn't mentioned it. What do you guys think? Do I need another tune-up?</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I know some of you would kill to have 71% PFTs but this is just the start of me rolling downhill. So we want to prevent that.</div>
 

CFtori

New member
So I am not the oldest. I'm 14 and this is my first year of high school. In my elementary years, my PFTs stayed in the 80%- 100% range. In middle school, they actually went up to 90%- 103%. But then in 8th grade (last middle school year) I got infected withPseudomonas, bronchitis,pneumonia, staph, mrsa, and the flu all at the same time. So my PFTs dropped to 68%. I was hospitalized after a long time. I got back up to the 90s%. Then in 5 months later I got really sick again but my PFTs weren't effected as much.<br>So that was thebackgroundinfo. Just a week ago I had a check up after having a cold for a couple weeks. My PFTs were 74%-91%. The doctors told me to step up my treatments because before that, they were 98%. So then I stepped up to 3 treatments a day and lots ofexercise. A week later we went in to see if they improved but they had only gotten worse. They are 71%-89% They have started me on antibiotics.<br>I think I need another tune- up. But my doctor hasn't mentioned it. What do you guys think? Do I need another tune-up?<br><br>I know some of you would kill to have 71% PFTs but this is just the start of me rolling downhill. So we want to prevent that.
 

CFtori

New member
So I am not the oldest. I'm 14 and this is my first year of high school. In my elementary years, my PFTs stayed in the 80%- 100% range. In middle school, they actually went up to 90%- 103%. But then in 8th grade (last middle school year) I got infected withPseudomonas, bronchitis,pneumonia, staph, mrsa, and the flu all at the same time. So my PFTs dropped to 68%. I was hospitalized after a long time. I got back up to the 90s%. Then in 5 months later I got really sick again but my PFTs weren't effected as much.<br>So that was thebackgroundinfo. Just a week ago I had a check up after having a cold for a couple weeks. My PFTs were 74%-91%. The doctors told me to step up my treatments because before that, they were 98%. So then I stepped up to 3 treatments a day and lots ofexercise. A week later we went in to see if they improved but they had only gotten worse. They are 71%-89% They have started me on antibiotics.<br>I think I need another tune- up. But my doctor hasn't mentioned it. What do you guys think? Do I need another tune-up?<br><br>I know some of you would kill to have 71% PFTs but this is just the start of me rolling downhill. So we want to prevent that.
 

Ldude916

New member
I commend you for being concerned about your health and thinking proactively, doing your treatments and exercising!!! Awesome job! I know a lot of patients your age aren't as mindful about these things =)

So if I understand it correctly, you have been doing 3 treatments and day and exercising for a week now, and you just started oral antibiotics today? If that is the case, I would keep doing all of that, and give the orals two weeks to finish working and see if your PFT's improve after the orals. If they don't improve, I would consider talking to your doctor about a tune up.

What are you doing for exercise (equipment and time)? Do you physically feel any different than normal (more coughing, change in sputum amount or color, fatigued)?

Exercise sometimes takes a little bit of time to see the long term PFT improvements, but you definitely don't want to wait too long for a tune up if you're not feeling well outside of lower PFTs.

Good luck, thinking of you and sending good vibes!
 

Ldude916

New member
I commend you for being concerned about your health and thinking proactively, doing your treatments and exercising!!! Awesome job! I know a lot of patients your age aren't as mindful about these things =)

So if I understand it correctly, you have been doing 3 treatments and day and exercising for a week now, and you just started oral antibiotics today? If that is the case, I would keep doing all of that, and give the orals two weeks to finish working and see if your PFT's improve after the orals. If they don't improve, I would consider talking to your doctor about a tune up.

What are you doing for exercise (equipment and time)? Do you physically feel any different than normal (more coughing, change in sputum amount or color, fatigued)?

Exercise sometimes takes a little bit of time to see the long term PFT improvements, but you definitely don't want to wait too long for a tune up if you're not feeling well outside of lower PFTs.

Good luck, thinking of you and sending good vibes!
 

Ldude916

New member
I commend you for being concerned about your health and thinking proactively, doing your treatments and exercising!!! Awesome job! I know a lot of patients your age aren't as mindful about these things =)
<br />
<br />So if I understand it correctly, you have been doing 3 treatments and day and exercising for a week now, and you just started oral antibiotics today? If that is the case, I would keep doing all of that, and give the orals two weeks to finish working and see if your PFT's improve after the orals. If they don't improve, I would consider talking to your doctor about a tune up.
<br />
<br />What are you doing for exercise (equipment and time)? Do you physically feel any different than normal (more coughing, change in sputum amount or color, fatigued)?
<br />
<br />Exercise sometimes takes a little bit of time to see the long term PFT improvements, but you definitely don't want to wait too long for a tune up if you're not feeling well outside of lower PFTs.
<br />
<br />Good luck, thinking of you and sending good vibes!
 

Incomudrox

New member
I am kind of confused as to what your actual FEV1 is here.... is it 71 or 89? If YOU think you need another tune up ask for one, I'm 110% sure they will give it to you. You sound like you are really mature for 14, the doctor wouldn't expect you to want another one which is most likely why he's trying oral meds first. Also as side note, (someone correct me if I'm wrong) you can not have Staph and MRSA, you either have one or the other. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a stronger version of Staphylococcus Aureus. If you have been treated with Glycopeptides such as Vancomycin then you have MRSA. VRSA is the next step but only three people in the world have been reported to have it so we won't talk about it.

But in closing, you are the only one besides your doctor who knows if you need a tune up. So if you think you need one pickup the phone tomorrow morning and call... get the ball rolling. Don't waste time if you don't feel like oral meds are working. For me anymore they may keep from dropping but they won't bring me up from the point I was at when I started them.
 

Incomudrox

New member
I am kind of confused as to what your actual FEV1 is here.... is it 71 or 89? If YOU think you need another tune up ask for one, I'm 110% sure they will give it to you. You sound like you are really mature for 14, the doctor wouldn't expect you to want another one which is most likely why he's trying oral meds first. Also as side note, (someone correct me if I'm wrong) you can not have Staph and MRSA, you either have one or the other. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a stronger version of Staphylococcus Aureus. If you have been treated with Glycopeptides such as Vancomycin then you have MRSA. VRSA is the next step but only three people in the world have been reported to have it so we won't talk about it.

But in closing, you are the only one besides your doctor who knows if you need a tune up. So if you think you need one pickup the phone tomorrow morning and call... get the ball rolling. Don't waste time if you don't feel like oral meds are working. For me anymore they may keep from dropping but they won't bring me up from the point I was at when I started them.
 

Incomudrox

New member
I am kind of confused as to what your actual FEV1 is here.... is it 71 or 89? If YOU think you need another tune up ask for one, I'm 110% sure they will give it to you. You sound like you are really mature for 14, the doctor wouldn't expect you to want another one which is most likely why he's trying oral meds first. Also as side note, (someone correct me if I'm wrong) you can not have Staph and MRSA, you either have one or the other. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus is a stronger version of Staphylococcus Aureus. If you have been treated with Glycopeptides such as Vancomycin then you have MRSA. VRSA is the next step but only three people in the world have been reported to have it so we won't talk about it.
<br />
<br />But in closing, you are the only one besides your doctor who knows if you need a tune up. So if you think you need one pickup the phone tomorrow morning and call... get the ball rolling. Don't waste time if you don't feel like oral meds are working. For me anymore they may keep from dropping but they won't bring me up from the point I was at when I started them.
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
I would wait and see what these oral meds do for you. Thats what I always do. If in four or five days you do not feel better (even if you still have some oral meds left), then call you doctor back.

Also maybe think about either Cayston or Tobi every other month. My health has not been very stable in the last year. My PFT's are stable but my cough will not go away. So My doctor and I decided to try and start back up with an every other month abx regiment. I am hopeful that this will help me, so maybe it would help you as well.
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
I would wait and see what these oral meds do for you. Thats what I always do. If in four or five days you do not feel better (even if you still have some oral meds left), then call you doctor back.

Also maybe think about either Cayston or Tobi every other month. My health has not been very stable in the last year. My PFT's are stable but my cough will not go away. So My doctor and I decided to try and start back up with an every other month abx regiment. I am hopeful that this will help me, so maybe it would help you as well.
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
I would wait and see what these oral meds do for you. Thats what I always do. If in four or five days you do not feel better (even if you still have some oral meds left), then call you doctor back.
<br />
<br />Also maybe think about either Cayston or Tobi every other month. My health has not been very stable in the last year. My PFT's are stable but my cough will not go away. So My doctor and I decided to try and start back up with an every other month abx regiment. I am hopeful that this will help me, so maybe it would help you as well.
 

Havoc

New member
At this point you may need a few weeks of IV antibiotics, but being that young I think exercise (once you're feeling better) is going to be your best option to augment your treatments. You can medicate yourself until it comes out your ears, but you have to stay active to keep your lungs healthy.
 

Havoc

New member
At this point you may need a few weeks of IV antibiotics, but being that young I think exercise (once you're feeling better) is going to be your best option to augment your treatments. You can medicate yourself until it comes out your ears, but you have to stay active to keep your lungs healthy.
 

Havoc

New member
At this point you may need a few weeks of IV antibiotics, but being that young I think exercise (once you're feeling better) is going to be your best option to augment your treatments. You can medicate yourself until it comes out your ears, but you have to stay active to keep your lungs healthy.
 

CFtori

New member
Thank you guys! Loved all the advice. We are going to go in for PFTs later in the week to see my PFTs again after the antibiotics. I usually go speed skating 2 times a week for around 4 hours which results in lots of coughing. After school for everyday I would go walking or jogging. Same result, much coughing, much sputum. My FEV1 was 71% at it's lowest in the test and 89% at its highest. I talked to my mom about suggesting a tune up if FEV1s haven't improved. She thought it was a good idea but wasn't sure if the insurance would cover it because we suggested it and not the doctor. Thanks guys!!
 

CFtori

New member
Thank you guys! Loved all the advice. We are going to go in for PFTs later in the week to see my PFTs again after the antibiotics. I usually go speed skating 2 times a week for around 4 hours which results in lots of coughing. After school for everyday I would go walking or jogging. Same result, much coughing, much sputum. My FEV1 was 71% at it's lowest in the test and 89% at its highest. I talked to my mom about suggesting a tune up if FEV1s haven't improved. She thought it was a good idea but wasn't sure if the insurance would cover it because we suggested it and not the doctor. Thanks guys!!
 
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