Are peak flow meters accurate?

I have severe gerd ( Acid R) and noticed it sets off tight chest and asthma like symptoms but when i use my peak flow i always blow 600 or better, always in the green. im getting another PFT next week bc my last one i had to be rushed to the ER after i took my inhaler and got a really tight chest and could not breath. turned out to be horrible anxiety and gerd i guess bc the first thing they did was give me a test wiht the peak flow then gave me atavain and i was ok.. im only a 21 year old male. Thanks

My Gerd was messing up my asthma something terrible. I decided to get my GERD fixed with the surgery to stop it and now I have no more asthma-GERD related problems.

By the way the surgery is called Nissen Fundoplication.

In my experience, the peak flow meter is great and accurate. I use mine all the time

Hi Kbentley,

Peak flow meters are accurate if you use the same one all the time.  When you switch from one to another you can get very different readings.  I'm sure some are better than others.  I'm probably due for a new one, as the one I have is probably 15+ years old.  Ya think?

 

I'm another one whose GERD was creating havoc with my lungs.  I had the Nissen surgery four years ago, and once my lungs had a chance to heal (about 2 and a half months) they were 100% better.

Good luck!

Denise

 

MrGrlNC,

Great point!  One can get multiple reads on any one peak flow meter.  Personally, for me, it's often just how much energy I have to put into the blow.  It's important to give full force right away at the beginning and blow as hard as humanly possible.

Well said,

Denise