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What Does My Pulmonary Function Test Report Indicate?
Question: Doctor,
I had a pulmonary function test about 10 months back concerning my shortness of breath. Before I attach my files to better equip you with information I wanted to share with you some of my information and my current symptoms.
Age: 23 years old (22 years old when I had the PFT)
Height: 5'10
Weight: 161lbs
Sex: Male
Symptoms
1. Shortness breath upon exertion
2. Feeling like my stomach and lower chest is hyper inflated
3. Constantly gasping and yawning for air to try and catch my breath or to satisfy a deep breath
4. Heart palpations and heart beats hard upon very very little exertion
5. Standing up my chest and stomach feel tight like I am not fully expanding which feels very uncomfortable
Medical History:
None
Family History
1. Heart disease, CHF
2. Sleep Apnea
The reason I am contacting you doctor is of course my concern with my symptoms that I have posted above but it is also my concern with my pulmonary function test and what sounds like a wheezing sound from my nose. Whenever I am breathing through my nose either above inhalation and exhalation my nose seems to be wheezing or making some sort of noise which concerns me cause breathing should be quiet. I will post a video of me breathing through my nose so you can hear what I am talking about Doctor.
My concern with the pulmonary function test is even though it does not show any indication of COPD from what my lung specialist has said, the results are still below what is recommended for my age height and weight. It seems like my numbers are a bit low for my age and I'm concerned that 10-15 years down the lung I will end up with COPD due to the natural decline of the lungs. I did look my the age of my lungs which came out to be 30-32 years old and this worries me cause I am nervous that I might have very very mild COPD that the doctor is not really looking for due to my age.
I did have a blood test for the Alpha 1 gene which came back negative and I should also mention that I am a non smoker but I have been around second hand smoke at work cause I am a firefighter and when I was a kid I was around second hand smoke. Doctor is it possible to listen to your own lung sounds as well? Ive tried but can't seem to hear cause I am not sure if its possible.
I had a pulmonary function test about 10 months back concerning my shortness of breath. Before I attach my files to better equip you with information I wanted to share with you some of my information and my current symptoms.
Age: 23 years old (22 years old when I had the PFT)
Height: 5'10
Weight: 161lbs
Sex: Male
Symptoms
1. Shortness breath upon exertion
2. Feeling like my stomach and lower chest is hyper inflated
3. Constantly gasping and yawning for air to try and catch my breath or to satisfy a deep breath
4. Heart palpations and heart beats hard upon very very little exertion
5. Standing up my chest and stomach feel tight like I am not fully expanding which feels very uncomfortable
Medical History:
None
Family History
1. Heart disease, CHF
2. Sleep Apnea
The reason I am contacting you doctor is of course my concern with my symptoms that I have posted above but it is also my concern with my pulmonary function test and what sounds like a wheezing sound from my nose. Whenever I am breathing through my nose either above inhalation and exhalation my nose seems to be wheezing or making some sort of noise which concerns me cause breathing should be quiet. I will post a video of me breathing through my nose so you can hear what I am talking about Doctor.
My concern with the pulmonary function test is even though it does not show any indication of COPD from what my lung specialist has said, the results are still below what is recommended for my age height and weight. It seems like my numbers are a bit low for my age and I'm concerned that 10-15 years down the lung I will end up with COPD due to the natural decline of the lungs. I did look my the age of my lungs which came out to be 30-32 years old and this worries me cause I am nervous that I might have very very mild COPD that the doctor is not really looking for due to my age.
I did have a blood test for the Alpha 1 gene which came back negative and I should also mention that I am a non smoker but I have been around second hand smoke at work cause I am a firefighter and when I was a kid I was around second hand smoke. Doctor is it possible to listen to your own lung sounds as well? Ive tried but can't seem to hear cause I am not sure if its possible.
Brief Answer:
You don't have COPD don't worry
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome in HCM
I am very sorry for your situation
I have gone very careful through your concern and i have examined carefully the results of pulmonary function tests too.
According to the history you provide first i want to say to you that it is not possible you have COPD because it is a diseases of patients > 40 years and smokers/exsmokers.
For determining better the lung emphysema the best examination is thorax HRCT,but given the fact that you are not a smoker and the result of Alpha 1 gene is negative i don't think it is needed in your case.
I completely agree with the conclusion of PFT test.In my opinion it is a normal test.
For the nose sound if you were my patient i would recommend you a test
Fibronasoscopy to evaluate the inner part of the nose .May be there is an obstacle or deviation of the septum nasi that cause that sound.
But in my opinion you should be examined for allergies too with the following test:
Specific IgE
Prick tests
Pneumoalergens
The improvement of FEF 25-75% of 12 % is sometimes an indirect sign of alergic situation.
If the above results are positive than the alergologist will order a treatment with inhalers like Ventolin, or aerosols as needed and you will repeat the PFT after 2-3 months.
I am sure you will be better with this treatment
At last no you can not hear your lung sounds by yourself
So do the above and you can attach me the results and i am here to help you again whenever.
Take care
Dr.Jolanda
You don't have COPD don't worry
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome in HCM
I am very sorry for your situation
I have gone very careful through your concern and i have examined carefully the results of pulmonary function tests too.
According to the history you provide first i want to say to you that it is not possible you have COPD because it is a diseases of patients > 40 years and smokers/exsmokers.
For determining better the lung emphysema the best examination is thorax HRCT,but given the fact that you are not a smoker and the result of Alpha 1 gene is negative i don't think it is needed in your case.
I completely agree with the conclusion of PFT test.In my opinion it is a normal test.
For the nose sound if you were my patient i would recommend you a test
Fibronasoscopy to evaluate the inner part of the nose .May be there is an obstacle or deviation of the septum nasi that cause that sound.
But in my opinion you should be examined for allergies too with the following test:
Specific IgE
Prick tests
Pneumoalergens
The improvement of FEF 25-75% of 12 % is sometimes an indirect sign of alergic situation.
If the above results are positive than the alergologist will order a treatment with inhalers like Ventolin, or aerosols as needed and you will repeat the PFT after 2-3 months.
I am sure you will be better with this treatment
At last no you can not hear your lung sounds by yourself
So do the above and you can attach me the results and i am here to help you again whenever.
Take care
Dr.Jolanda
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Hello Dr. Jolanda,
Firstly thank you for replying to my post so promptly cause it is very much appreciated.
Doctor I understand that up to this day COPD is very well known as an age that effects or starts to effect majority of patients who are 40 and older who are either smokers or past smokers.
Doctor I hope you do not take this the wrong way cause you are certainly more educated in the field then I am but wouldn't me being exposed to second hand smoke be a sufficient amount of exposure to be concerned with COPD? Also my exposure at the fire department the fumes coming from the fire engines, would this not be a huge concern?
I understand that my pulmonary function test is normal as of right now but my main concern with the test is that the numbers are just slightly below the reference number which concerns me cause I am not sure why my numbers are not 100% or higher for example my FEV1 and FVC.
Doctor I tried looking up the test Fibronasoscopy but could not find anything on it. Not sure if this was a typo but I am willing to do this test if you could just explain to me what the test is so I could make sure I am getting the right test when setting up my appointment. I am planning on today setting up an appointment with a ENT and Allergist specialist to try and see if I could possibly be allergic to all this pollen in XXXXXXX but I am not sure if this is the case since my symptoms have been year round.
Doctor I want to understand exactly what you are stating, if I do end up being positive for some sort of allergic reaction then this could be an indication of why my PFT was a bit low and then this would be needed for a repeat test a few months after treatment.
Doctor I want to get these test done for you but I am worried that these discussions only atay open for 3 days and I am not sure if I can get these appointments done by then and then reply back to you on here in record time with the results.
Again thank you Doctor for answering my post and reading this post.
Firstly thank you for replying to my post so promptly cause it is very much appreciated.
Doctor I understand that up to this day COPD is very well known as an age that effects or starts to effect majority of patients who are 40 and older who are either smokers or past smokers.
Doctor I hope you do not take this the wrong way cause you are certainly more educated in the field then I am but wouldn't me being exposed to second hand smoke be a sufficient amount of exposure to be concerned with COPD? Also my exposure at the fire department the fumes coming from the fire engines, would this not be a huge concern?
I understand that my pulmonary function test is normal as of right now but my main concern with the test is that the numbers are just slightly below the reference number which concerns me cause I am not sure why my numbers are not 100% or higher for example my FEV1 and FVC.
Doctor I tried looking up the test Fibronasoscopy but could not find anything on it. Not sure if this was a typo but I am willing to do this test if you could just explain to me what the test is so I could make sure I am getting the right test when setting up my appointment. I am planning on today setting up an appointment with a ENT and Allergist specialist to try and see if I could possibly be allergic to all this pollen in XXXXXXX but I am not sure if this is the case since my symptoms have been year round.
Doctor I want to understand exactly what you are stating, if I do end up being positive for some sort of allergic reaction then this could be an indication of why my PFT was a bit low and then this would be needed for a repeat test a few months after treatment.
Doctor I want to get these test done for you but I am worried that these discussions only atay open for 3 days and I am not sure if I can get these appointments done by then and then reply back to you on here in record time with the results.
Again thank you Doctor for answering my post and reading this post.
Brief Answer:
I am here to help you again whenever
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
I can understand your concern
Yes i agree that active or passive smoking ,environment dust are etiologic factors causing COPD in some subjects (not in all ) but we can not predict if we will encounter COPD in the age of >40 years.
The only think that we can do is to avoid the above factors during lifetime and to do a healthy life.
For example you can change your job or workplace.
Usually the ENT specialist order the fibronasoscopy if it will be needed.This test is perform from ENT doctor.
Normal values of spirometry are considering values of > 80%.Given this fact you have normal spiromery test.
In my opinion you have an allergic situation but it is the consultation of Allergist specialist which decide about it.
In some cases even if we have clinical picture for allergy the above tests might be negative and in such cases we recommend the empiric treatment and the follow up of the patient.
I am here to help you again whenever
Regards
Dr.Jolanda
I am here to help you again whenever
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
I can understand your concern
Yes i agree that active or passive smoking ,environment dust are etiologic factors causing COPD in some subjects (not in all ) but we can not predict if we will encounter COPD in the age of >40 years.
The only think that we can do is to avoid the above factors during lifetime and to do a healthy life.
For example you can change your job or workplace.
Usually the ENT specialist order the fibronasoscopy if it will be needed.This test is perform from ENT doctor.
Normal values of spirometry are considering values of > 80%.Given this fact you have normal spiromery test.
In my opinion you have an allergic situation but it is the consultation of Allergist specialist which decide about it.
In some cases even if we have clinical picture for allergy the above tests might be negative and in such cases we recommend the empiric treatment and the follow up of the patient.
I am here to help you again whenever
Regards
Dr.Jolanda
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Hello Doctor,
I did want to get in contact with me again to share with you what I have done so far. Today was my appointment with the allergist who wanted to do a prick test on me but couldn't do it today due to financial issues so Friday in the morning will be the day I get this test done to check for allergies. All she did today with me was a spriometery test that actually surprised. I shared those results with you, attached the files into this report if you wanted to take a look doctor. What surprised me is that my numbers randomly skyrocketed from my pulmonary function test results. Why is that doctor or am I reading the results wrong?
I did want to get in contact with me again to share with you what I have done so far. Today was my appointment with the allergist who wanted to do a prick test on me but couldn't do it today due to financial issues so Friday in the morning will be the day I get this test done to check for allergies. All she did today with me was a spriometery test that actually surprised. I shared those results with you, attached the files into this report if you wanted to take a look doctor. What surprised me is that my numbers randomly skyrocketed from my pulmonary function test results. Why is that doctor or am I reading the results wrong?
Brief Answer:
Normal values
Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
I saw the results,
It seems everything is okay, test is normal again.
Do the prick test and attach the results whenever available for my review.
We will discuss again after having the results.
Take care
Regards
Dr.Jolanda
Normal values
Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
I saw the results,
It seems everything is okay, test is normal again.
Do the prick test and attach the results whenever available for my review.
We will discuss again after having the results.
Take care
Regards
Dr.Jolanda
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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