Bronchial Provocation (methacholine challenge) - Asthma Message Board

scb411 · 09-07-2003, 11:35 PM

I'm having a methacholine challenge on Thursday. I know all about the test, but now I'd kind of like to hear some of your stories. I'm also having a lary, but I'm not worried about that. So, if you have had one, and have time, tell me your story. How many vials did it take? Is there a placebo placed somewhere in the test? Did you know your functions had dropped? Etc.

Thanks so much!

plm · 09-09-2003, 11:16 AM

I had a methacholine challenge test a few months ago. It was no big deal. You breathe in a little methacholine through their machine. Then they check to see if it affected your lungs and by how much. Then they give it to you again and check, etc. I believe they will do this up to 6 times. If it hasn't affected your lungs after 6 times, you aren't asthmatic.

They keep giving it to you (up to 6 times) until you are 20% constricted. The third time I breathed it, I measured 28% restricted, so she stopped the test. Then gave me albuteral to reverse the restriction.

I was happy to have the test so I'd know for sure if I had asthmatic lungs. I don't believe in doctors who just "guess" what it is and give you meds to "see if this will work". I'd rather have a definitive diagnosis and then take the proper medication.

scb411 · 09-09-2003, 12:04 PM

Thank you so much for replying! I have severe asthma and we are trying to rule everything out. My doctors told me that it is rare that someone is just severe without anything else driving it. My dad has severe asthma like that. So we've ruled everything out and the things that can possibly drive my asthma is now all controlled, though they didn't do that much before. Now I'm having a methacholine challenge. Because you stopped on the third vial what did they classify you as (if you don't mind me asking)?

plm · 09-10-2003, 07:11 AM

They didn't put me in any classification. Just said that when you test positive to the methacholine, it means you have asthmatic lungs.

If you doctor is SURE you have asthma, why is he doing the methacholine challenge test? All that shows is that you have asthmatic lungs. Maybe he isn't so sure that asthma is the problem, so he's testing to make sure. But...you can have asthma AND other problems, so hmmmm.

I also had allergy tests by an allergist/asthma doctor. I was allergic to many things, but highly allergic to dust mite poop. So I've just started allergy shots. Asthma can be caused by allergies (it isn't always), so it's a good idea to find out if you have allergies and get treated for them. Anything you can do to cut down on the things that bother your lungs is good.

scb411 · 09-11-2003, 12:53 AM

I've had allergy testing. I tried shots, but they didn't do me much good, caused asthma attacks. We know I'm asthmatic because of my response to bronchodilators and my spirometry curves and numbers. The question is how severe. The earlier you respond to the methacholine, the more severe you are.