peak flow readings - Asthma Message Board

fatcatdogbog · 07-27-2004, 05:33 PM

hi, i would love to hear what some of the "normal" range peak flow readings are for females, 40s, not overweight, 5'6. my doctor feels like i am always in a mild state of asthma that i have just learned to live with. i cant seem to ever get my "good peak flow average" up very high. i wrote in the other day, concerned because she has me on 2 doses of singulair a day, which is highly unusual. (10mg a piece) there are so many things that seem to tighten up my chest, from a simple sneeze to a cold drink, but it never really gets beyond the tightness and a little coughing, unless i happen to have a cold. i just cant figure out what is going on. i dont know what my peak flows should be or if other people have these "asthma spasms" throughout the day?

Howitt44 · 07-27-2004, 09:45 PM

Your peak flow average varies a lot from person to person, but if you look at the charts you have to determine your age and height. Thats all - those two things, not your weight. My best peak flow is around 470 to 500 and I am 5'3" tall and 47 years old. From all the charts of averages I have looked at, that is pretty typical. The older you get the less it will be and the shorter you are the less it will be. Hope this helps!

Blondee15 · 07-28-2004, 12:19 AM

I too can't budge from ok/low peakflows! My best is 470, which still isn't great for my age/ht/wt (17/5'3/104lbs)& 99% of the time I am 300-350. My doctor thinks I should be consistently hitting high 400s-500. Can I get it to go up? Sometimes, on Singulair I do very well on it, but i'm just used to lower than normal lung function lately. I don't take it, it's just the difference between feeling alright and feeling great. Anything below 350 & i'm supposed to do neb treatments of Xopenex until my peak flow goes up & if it goes below 300, go to the hospital but if I followed that advice.. i'd be on constant neb treatments & in & out of the hospital lol. I too am triggered by strange things throughout the day, a cold drink/ice cream sets me off coughing, often eating makes me cough, smoke, stress, exercise, allergies.. it sucks. Some people are like omg I had to take my inhaler this time or that time! & it's kinda funny to me how albuterol is just something I take & don't even think about lol, i'm just so used to taking it whenever I need it. When my asthma is goin bad I can't really control it, but right now i'm doing alright, better than i've been & that's thanks to minimal allergen exposure & consistently taking my meds! I used to take Tessalon perles for the cough, codeine when I really need it but I don't like it cuz it gives me stridor=(. Has your doctor tried boosting your inhaled steroid maybe that will help? well your not alone, we are all in it here together hehe!

Rain820 · 09-23-2004, 10:55 AM

Hi folks, I have a few questions regarding this peak flow meter deal. My doctor has never made me use one, and I don't know if I should be concerned about that. I figured if he is not suggesting it, then maybe it's not something he thinks I need to check?

Today at work we are having a heath fair and I visited the asthma/alllergies table. I told the woman I have allergies that incude asthma, been diagnosed just in June so I'm still in the process of figuring out what's working, what's not. She said, "Want to try the peak flow?" I said sure, so she told me how to do it and the first try she said she didn't think that was "my best" So I did it again, tried to blow out as hard and quick as I could, but still she thought I was doing it wrong. Then a third time, she said OK it's still kind of low....you really should get that checked out, etc. And she proceeded to give me her card, and say how the doctors there will give me shots, etc. But I tried to explain to her that I AM seeing a doctor, I've had the scratch test done, I know what I'm allergic to, etc. and we are still working on what routines will work for me. My doctor thinks that GERD is playing a role in my issues too, and I have an appointment MOnday with a gastro doctor to see about that. So the allergy doctor said to see what the gastro guy prescribes for a few weeks, then come back to him to see if that helped ease up on any of the asthma stuff as well. About the allergy shots, he told me my body first has to be healthy before we get to that step.

But now this woman now has me worried that my doctor is a quack. Why hasn't he had me do the peak flow thing yet? Should I try and get a new doctor, or does it seem like this woman was only trying to drum up business for her own offices?

proudmom47 · 09-23-2004, 11:48 AM

I would bring up the situation with my doctor. He knows more about you and your medical history than that woman does...
Oh, by the way, your doctor has perfomed a spirometer test (lung function test) on you, hasn't he? That is really the only way he can know how your lungs are doing. I have asthma and my peak flows are always normal, no matter what. So peak flow isnt really a good indicator.