question for denise breathing and gerd

Hi Motox,
I go to an allergy/asthma and get a pulmonary function test fairly often. In this way he tracks my breathing over time. I always do it once, then take an inhaler and do it again. I don't know what a "full pulmonary test" is--is more than just the spirometry?

My spirometry doesn't vary much. about 4 years ago I was hospitalized for GERD and asthma. My doctor was worried because the asthma was uncontrollable. In the hospital(on IV steroids, because he couldn't give them to me orally because of stomach problems), my oxygen levels were never below 99% even though my lungs were in horrible shape. When I do my peak flow meter, I always blow about the same number--even when I'm suffering from increased symptoms.

I have a family doctor that I've been with for over 25 years, and he knows me really well. He put me on a PPI as soon as he suspected that GERD was exacerbating my asthma. He watched my GERD get progressively worse, which led to the worsening of my asthma. My asthma became uncontrolled, and my inhaled steroid doses were increased.

I'm lucky, because my doctors really communicate with each other (family, allergy/asthma, GI). My family doctor knows me the best, and he was very confident that the GERD was creating my severe and uncontrolled asthma symptoms. I also noticed that if I ate too late at night, I'd awaken with coughing and asthma sumptoms. (I always had to sleep almost sitting up--a raised head of the bed and additional height added with a wedge.)

Although my GERD symptoms were not extreme, my family and asthma docs were very confident that the GERD was greatly increasing my asthma symptoms. They communicated this to my GI doc, and about 2 years ago he did a 24 hour PH monitor (and monometry) which came back with a score of "4". This is a very low score, and the GI doc told me that the GERD was not causing my asthma.

Still, my family and asthma doctors remained unconvinced. My asthma (and GERD) grew continually worse, and for the past year at least, my asthma was horrible. I had to use a nebulizer 2 -3 times daily, and was coughing up large amounts of mucous. I was forced to go on high levels of inhaled steroids, and intermittent prednosone bursts. My asthma still was uncontrolled, and my doctors couldn't do anything more for me. (I had developed adrenal insufficiency, which has led to thinning of my skin, bruises, and skin tears. My skin is like the skin of a 90 year old woman. Not a healthy situation.)

Both my asthma and family docs remained unconvinced by the low PH monitor score. Finally, last August, my family doctor made an appointment for me with a surgeon to discuss the possibility of fundoplication surgery. That surgeon ordered a barium swallow and did an endoscopy. Combined with the opinions of my family and asthma doctors, he determined that I was a good candidate for the surgery.

This led me back to my GI doctor. I had read so many horrible posts about the surgery, that I was very afraid to have it. I wanted to get his opinion, and discuss the possibilities. He did another PH 24 hr. monitor test. This time the score was higher--14. That is not a high score--very average. But in conjunction with the information from my other doctors, suggested that I go see a surgeon that he recommended. He said I could either treat the problem with meds, or try the surgery. I went to see the surgeon, and decided to go ahead with it, because I was sick of not being able to breathe.

Post surgery, my asthma is much, much improved. (I do still have some symptoms due to allergies, but nothing like they were.)
I am very happy that I had the surgery. It has made a huge difference in my quality of life. Now I am working on my allergies--trying to get them under control.

I hope this post has answered your questions. I'll be happy to answer any other you might have.
Good luck!
Denise

Motox,

I believe you are asking for info re the plethysmography. In this test, you sit inside an airtight cubicle that looks like a phone booth, and you breathe in and out through a pipe in the wall. The air pressure inside the box changes with your breathing because your chest expands and contracts while you breathe. This pressure change can be measured and used to calculate the amount of air you are breathing. This test measures  lung volume.

The other way to measure lung volume is  to have you inhale a small carefully measured amount of a specific gas (such as helium) that is not absorbed into your bloodstream. This gas mixes with the air in your lungs before you breathe it out again. The air and helium that you breathe out is tested to see how much the helium was diluted by the air in your lungs, and a calculation can reveal how much air your lungs were holding in the first place.

Denise may not be on today to answer your question but she will be here soon.  :)

Take care and be well,

Kitt

Quote.......

"Hi Motox,
I go to an allergy/asthma and get a pulmonary function test fairly often. In this way he tracks my breathing over time. I always do it once, then take an inhaler and do it again. I don't know what a "full pulmonary test" is--is more than just the spirometry? My spirometry doesn't vary much

I see, your spirometry does not vary much....

But, did it show aigns of asmtha?

Also, you said you get the pulmonary function test's farily often, so your doctor can track your breathing.

My question is, when you had the bad asmtha and breathing problems, did these pulmonary fuction tests show it? (ie* confirmed your breathing issues)

Thanks a ton, i really appreciate it.
Motox

Well see thats the thing........

I have breathing problems. It feels like my lungs dont want to expand, burning, ect..

But...

Inhalers dont make ANY difference.

My pulmonary function tests are perfectly normal... no weird points or curves on the graph. Never one or two things slightly out of wack.

Clean lung X-ray, Clean CT scan, Clean CT scan with dye.

No weezing noises heard.

That why I wanted to ask you guys about your tests:
I wanted to see if when you guys said you had asmatha, if it could be proven

ie* such as weird numbers on pulmonay tests, weezing, inhalers HELPING, xrays showing something.....

Thanks for the reply, and I am egar to hear what Denise's test showed.

Motox, I'll need to go into my records from NJ; it's possible that they were able to determine this from what they did and not necessarily from one test. I'll try to get to this tonight, but it may be tomorrow.
Janice