Expected Peak flow levels

[radarcontrol]

Hi guys and gals...

About to book my Class 1. Got Asthma, exercise induced. On approved meds, doesn't affect my life day to day. Been keeping a peak flow diary over the last 3 weeks. My reading consistently hovers around the 650 mark, however this evening I got 670 and the last time I went to the quacks I got 710.

I'm 21 yrs old and 6'1.

Do these seem likely acceptable figures for Class 1 issue?

Thanks

RC

[Unwell_Raptor]

A bit off-topic, but my wife (late forties) is a severe asthmatic. Her best PF in the last few years is about 320, and when she is struggling it can slip down to 170. Any lower and it's blue-light time.

Her employer, a big bank, does not think that this is bad enough to give her early retirement.

[QDMQDMQDM]

Those are absolutely fine peak flows.

QDM

[radarcontrol]

Thanks QDM...

My only remaining worry is the treamill exercise they make you do on the day. Lets just hope I can deal with that. The irony is, whether I fail that section or not, I've not had an Asthma attack in about 17 years and during my normal day to day life, apart from puffing my beclathomasone, I don't notice I have asthma at all.

RC

[QDMQDMQDM]

If you haven't had an asthma attack for 17 years there is no obvious reason why you should fail the treadmill test for the reason of asthma.

Best,

QDM

[Whirlybird]

I've been meaning to ask someone about the peak flow meter for ages. I've done it twice now, once at my initial Class 1, and once at my last renewal. Both times I haven't quite reached the figure required, or just barely. Both times the doc has said it's OK though. But I've been surprised, as although I'm not super-fit, I'm probably above average...live up one of the steepest hills in North Wales and walk home up it regularly, swim and do salsa and a few other fairly strenuous activities. Does being female and fairly small make a difference, or what? I'm fairly clued-up on most medical matters - especially where they concern me personally - but I don't know about this one.

[Flyin'Dutch']

Peak flow is nothing more than a crude means to establish peak flow. They are very much influenced by technique. It is therefore not unusual for people not used to doing it getting a less than representative value.

Lung capacity and cardiovasular performance are not very well measured by it as you so eloquently demonstrate.

Asthma is a condition which causes the small airways to be restricted (contracted muscle tissue around them does that). This mainly affects the expiration phase of the respiration process. The restriction causes a slow down of the air outwards and hence you will measure a lower value, in people who have active asthma.

FD

[gingernut]

with those peak flow's, you should be ok if one of your engines fail, you could blow the thing all the way home !

[Localiser Green]

My only remaining worry is the treamill exercise they make you do on the day.

Just out of interest what treadmill exercise is this? I did my Class 1 initial at Gatwick in 2001 and never did any treadmill exercise :confused:

[HomerJay]

Longshot but does anyone know if a Seretide 100g inhaler would be suitable medication, its a steroid inhaler.

Im going to check with the CAA but Id imagine it will be a while before I hear from them

[radarcontrol]

Homerjay:

Took me 2.5 weeks to get a reply when i wrote. I know that both Beclathomasone and Salbutamol are both accepted. Don't know anything about seretide though. I can ask my mother next time I call home, she's the Chairman of the National Asthma Campaign in my part of the world.

Localiser Green:

If you have Asthma they make you do a 5 minute run on a treadmill, taking your peak flow reading immediately before, immediately after and then 10 minutes after that. This, I guess is to ensure that your level doesnt fall too low during exercise, and if it does, that it recovers quickly. This is heresay only though, I haven't been for my Class 1 yet...I'll post again once I have.

[HomerJay]

would appreciate it, thanks

[autosync]

Back when I was a healthy young Whipper snapper doing my class 1 in Gatwick my initial peak flow was in the mid 900's, then was made do it again and it was in the high 900's then the head nurse was called in because it seemed abnormal and when I had to do it again in front of her I got over a thousand.

I am 6'1 and they looked at me like I had two heads
Is that considered unusual?
What are the norms?

[Paracab]

If anyone would like the normal ranges then please PM me. I've got them but they are at work in my grab bag, and I can't remember them all !

I will bring them home when I am next at work.

They are issued to us at work by the the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaision Committee (JRCALC - UK)

[mini]

I smoke too much, drink too much, eat too much etc etc.

Did a medical last year, not my usual Doc, but his fitness/healthy lifestyle son (nice guy btw) Had to do the peak flow thingy in a red plastic gadget. I blew it to the end of its range - don't know the value. The Doc looked at me speachless.

I put it down to the smoking induced coughing - gives me an extra strong diaphragm?

:uhoh:

[Paracab]

mini,

It may be that you simply have the correct technique perfected, it is very simple to blow the pointer off the scale if you have the technique, no matter what your build/age etc may be.

I had a meter prescribed by the gp and with very little practice blew the marker off he scale every time ( I was 12 at the time)

This highlights what a crude piece of apparatus the PFM is.