Re: Re: Six Minute Walk Test

[Guest guest]

It really amazes me how many doctors that are out there who have no idea that

Xolair exists. I have a friend who is an ER doc and when he found out that I had

started Xolair he asked me to come in and talk to the staff about it. Not

because they would administer it in the ER, but because none of them knew about

it. After that, the were able to suggest it to the Asthma patents they treated.

I have to share this kind of funny story with everyone. Hope you don't mind

Doug!

Back in 2007, when a few of us ( 250 actually) all got conned into to doing the

speaker training, they sent us to AZ. The first night we were there, one of

they poor guys had a full blown Asthma Attack. The paramedic's came and wisked

him away to the local ER. When he came back to the conference the next day he

told a few of us, that after he had a few treatments and his stats were all

back to normal, his " room " was PACKED with ER staff because he did an ENTIRE

Xolair presentation to them! Talk about being a trouper! Not sure what

happened to him, after the conference, as I lost touch with him...so " G " if you

happen to read this....EMAIL ME!!

Doug, I know you met him that last night when we were all there eating our baby

back and/or short ribs! Glad your mum-in-law is on the mend!

________________________________

From: DougB <uca79iii@...>

Sent: Sun, December 19, 2010 9:51:45 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

I had 4 minutes on an extremely inclined treadmill two weeks ago with my

cardiologist. I walk 30 minutes every day and thought I was in shape.

That thing bout killed me. I was having a hard time breathing especially when

they injected the nuclear stuff.

After I recuperated, I could breathe fine. Cardiologist said I was just out of

shape. My tests went great. I passed with flying colors.

Update on my mother in law:

Her Pulmo said that she had " non smokers COPD " and kept her on a neb of

albiuterol/atrovent mix and added Quvar.

I told him I was a trained patient speaker for Xolair and the first xolair

patient in the state of Arkansas. He about flipped out. He has been the local

speaker and didn't know I was around. Next time, he will call me to speak to the

doctors in the area.

Most doctors except pulmo's and allergists still do not know about Xolair. If I

had a dime for every time a doctor has asked me " What's this? " I could retire

LOL. Good grief, it's been on the market for over 7.5 years now.

Doug

Group founder

[Guest guest]

I bumped into an ER doctor in Denver wfo knew about xolair.

________________________________

From: DougB <uca79iii@...>

Sent: Sun, December 19, 2010 8:51:45 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

 

I had 4 minutes on an extremely inclined treadmill two weeks ago with my

cardiologist. I walk 30 minutes every day and thought I was in shape.

That thing bout killed me. I was having a hard time breathing especially when

they injected the nuclear stuff.

After I recuperated, I could breathe fine. Cardiologist said I was just out of

shape. My tests went great. I passed with flying colors.

Update on my mother in law:

Her Pulmo said that she had " non smokers COPD " and kept her on a neb of

albiuterol/atrovent mix and added Quvar.

I told him I was a trained patient speaker for Xolair and the first xolair

patient in the state of Arkansas. He about flipped out. He has been the local

speaker and didn't know I was around. Next time, he will call me to speak to the

doctors in the area.

Most doctors except pulmo's and allergists still do not know about Xolair. If I

had a dime for every time a doctor has asked me " What's this? " I could retire

LOL. Good grief, it's been on the market for over 7.5 years now.

Doug

Group founder

[Guest guest]

Considering that National Jewish is in Denver, that doesn't really surprise me

at all.

________________________________

From: Leigh McCall-Alton <mccallalton@...>

Sent: Sun, December 19, 2010 5:46:25 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

I bumped into an ER doctor in Denver wfo knew about xolair.

________________________________

From: DougB <uca79iii@...>

Sent: Sun, December 19, 2010 8:51:45 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

I had 4 minutes on an extremely inclined treadmill two weeks ago with my

cardiologist. I walk 30 minutes every day and thought I was in shape.

That thing bout killed me. I was having a hard time breathing especially when

they injected the nuclear stuff.

After I recuperated, I could breathe fine. Cardiologist said I was just out of

shape. My tests went great. I passed with flying colors.

Update on my mother in law:

Her Pulmo said that she had " non smokers COPD " and kept her on a neb of

albiuterol/atrovent mix and added Quvar.

I told him I was a trained patient speaker for Xolair and the first xolair

patient in the state of Arkansas. He about flipped out. He has been the local

speaker and didn't know I was around. Next time, he will call me to speak to the

doctors in the area.

Most doctors except pulmo's and allergists still do not know about Xolair. If I

had a dime for every time a doctor has asked me " What's this? " I could retire

LOL. Good grief, it's been on the market for over 7.5 years now.

Doug

Group founder

[Guest guest]

Well I am glad they are getting to the bottom of it. Those are all reasonable

things that can cause decreased blood oxygen. I expect you will feel way better

on oxygen since, after all, your brain needs it to function properly.

There are lots of different delivery devices, some more portable than others,

but the home oxygen people are very good about setting you up.

Let us know how things go!

________________________________

From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@...>

Sent: Wed, December 22, 2010 3:37:41 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

My pulmo left a message ... will be working with the assistant to make

arrangements. She wants to find out why my oxygen level goes so low.

Looks like I'm having a cat scan of my chest to rule out interstitial lung

disease and pulmonary embolism. (I have trouble with iodine so I'm a little

fearful about that part.)

Also having a cardiac echogram. And, they're getting oxygen for me.

The oxygen thing is all new to me - wonder what it will be like? I had it

during an MRI because I had to lay flat on my back for 40 mins and can't

breathe right in that situation. I noticed at the time that my mind was sharper

at least in the sense of recalling some events and words.

Now I'm a little afraid about what they will find!

>

>

> Today I had a six minute walk test as I often feel like my test is

> tight. Fortunately, the NP suggested it when I complained about chronic

> tightness and shortness of breath.

>

> It's relatively simple - just walked down a hall and back, supposedly

> for 6 minutes. Right after I hit 2 minutes and was feeling a bit loopy

> and dizzy and like my stomach was pushing into my chest, the Pulmo

> Therapist (something like that) told me to stop and sit down. It turns

> out that just sitting in the chair, before starting to walk, my oxygen

> was at 100% but it went down to 82% which she said was dangerous. She

> advised me to walk slower and sit down often. Goodness, I've had this

> for YEARS and haven't really had any help for it other than Advair,

> Albuterol, Spriva, and at one time, Xolair. However, none of these

> treatments (can't remember for sure though about Xolair) controlled that

> feeling of tightness. I do believe the tightness and shortness of

> breath are having a bad effect on my heart, strength, endurance, and

> even thinking sometimes.

>

> I'm waiting to hear the official result - had hoped the pulmo would call

> me this afternoon but alas nothing. Is a 6 min walk test typical for

> other asthma patients? From what I've read it's sometimes done before

> progressing with a treatment plan.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'm not using oxygen.

I have never had any aches or pains associated with the xolair, but the ones you

described in your earlier post remind me of the way I felt on prednisone.  If I

take pred. now, it is very short burst.  In the four years I have been on

xolair I have taken pred one time, so I am grateful.

 

However, as our moderators have reminded us many times, each person has a

different chemical makeup and often responds to meds very differently. 

 

Have a better 2011.....

From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@...>

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

Date: Sunday, January 2, 2011, 4:12 PM

 

I had an echocardiogram and chest cat scan last Wed. aftn. Still haven't heard

back from the doc but the echo tech said that she thought my heart looked

essentially ok. As she pointed out, it still had to be read by a cardiologist.

She also said there was fluid in my lungs. Is that normal? I thought she said

everyone has it but quite possibly I misunderstood.

They were going to have me do the inhale-blow-out-hard-and-fast sequence in the

cat scan but never did. Just brief (up to 8 secs which is all I can do) breath

holding. I started coughing and was extremely miserable.

The oxygen equipment was terrible. The plastic tubing reeked of plastic odor and

with my multi-chemical sensitivity it made my severe vertigo and sinus headache

re-intensify. Also, the cannula that goes into the nose was too big and

irritated my nostrils. They sent me a tank on a 2-wheeled pushing device that's

way too big for me to wrangle and drag around. The other machine - a

concentrator I think - is the size of a carpet shampoo machine that you would

rent from a grocery store. I was supposed to drag 30 feet of tubing around the

floor so my hubby, myself, and our 2 dogs could trip over it. Sometimes I

couldn't even reach the bathroom with it on. Obviously I'm not using it. I was

so sick at the time I didn't remember the directions and they didn't even give

me a pamphlet. The garbage man comes next Friday.

Is anyone else on the board using oxygen or have someone close to them who's

using it? In reading recently I see there are much smaller lightweight portable

devices but I'd like to get feedback from real people. Thx, everyone and

comfortable breathing in 2011.

> >

> > No it is not common for asthma patients. They do use it in COPD to determine

the

> > extent to which lung disease is compromising activities of daily living. You

> > might need to be on home oxygen if you are desaturating with such simple

effort.

> > The symptoms you are feeling, like being dizzy and loopy are from having low

> > oxygen levels (normal people are above 92% at all times). The problem could

be

> > cardiac in nature as well. Desaturation is a late sign of resp distress and

> > generally is only a feature in asthma when the patient is in major resp

> > distress. There are other lung diseases eg fibrosis etc that can cause

similar

> > symptoms of asthma like the chest tightness.

> >

> > Please let us know what the pulmo says!

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> > From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@>

> >

> > Sent: Fri, December 17, 2010 2:18:12 AM

> > Subject: [ ] Six Minute Walk Test

> >

> >

> >

> > Today I had a six minute walk test as I often feel like my test is

> > tight. Fortunately, the NP suggested it when I complained about chronic

> > tightness and shortness of breath.

> >

> > It's relatively simple - just walked down a hall and back, supposedly

> > for 6 minutes. Right after I hit 2 minutes and was feeling a bit loopy

> > and dizzy and like my stomach was pushing into my chest, the Pulmo

> > Therapist (something like that) told me to stop and sit down. It turns

> > out that just sitting in the chair, before starting to walk, my oxygen

> > was at 100% but it went down to 82% which she said was dangerous. She

> > advised me to walk slower and sit down often. Goodness, I've had this

> > for YEARS and haven't really had any help for it other than Advair,

> > Albuterol, Spriva, and at one time, Xolair. However, none of these

> > treatments (can't remember for sure though about Xolair) controlled that

> > feeling of tightness. I do believe the tightness and shortness of

> > breath are having a bad effect on my heart, strength, endurance, and

> > even thinking sometimes.

> >

> > I'm waiting to hear the official result - had hoped the pulmo would call

> > me this afternoon but alas nothing. Is a 6 min walk test typical for

> > other asthma patients? From what I've read it's sometimes done before

> > progressing with a treatment plan.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I use home oxygen for nighttime and daytime when ill. I have the same size

concentrator you describe, but they gave me 50 ft tubing or 7 ft. Well needless

to say I use the 50 because the 7 ft is NOT long enough. Also my " portable "

which thank God for now I rarely use are the big " E " tank with pull cart, not at

all easy to transport. The home health agency did tell me if I was using the

portable more often they would get me the kind that can be filled off my

concentrator. Also they said for traveling they would loan me a portable

concentrator.

Tricia

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-----Original Message-----

From: " instdesgn1 " <instdesgn1@...>

Sender:

Date: Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:12:36

< >

Reply-

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

I had an echocardiogram and chest cat scan last Wed. aftn. Still haven't heard

back from the doc but the echo tech said that she thought my heart looked

essentially ok. As she pointed out, it still had to be read by a cardiologist.

She also said there was fluid in my lungs. Is that normal? I thought she said

everyone has it but quite possibly I misunderstood.

They were going to have me do the inhale-blow-out-hard-and-fast sequence in the

cat scan but never did. Just brief (up to 8 secs which is all I can do) breath

holding. I started coughing and was extremely miserable.

The oxygen equipment was terrible. The plastic tubing reeked of plastic odor

and with my multi-chemical sensitivity it made my severe vertigo and sinus

headache re-intensify. Also, the cannula that goes into the nose was too big

and irritated my nostrils. They sent me a tank on a 2-wheeled pushing device

that's way too big for me to wrangle and drag around. The other machine - a

concentrator I think - is the size of a carpet shampoo machine that you would

rent from a grocery store. I was supposed to drag 30 feet of tubing around the

floor so my hubby, myself, and our 2 dogs could trip over it. Sometimes I

couldn't even reach the bathroom with it on. Obviously I'm not using it. I was

so sick at the time I didn't remember the directions and they didn't even give

me a pamphlet. The garbage man comes next Friday.

Is anyone else on the board using oxygen or have someone close to them who's

using it? In reading recently I see there are much smaller lightweight portable

devices but I'd like to get feedback from real people. Thx, everyone and

comfortable breathing in 2011.

> >

> > No it is not common for asthma patients. They do use it in COPD to determine

the

> > extent to which lung disease is compromising activities of daily living. You

> > might need to be on home oxygen if you are desaturating with such simple

effort.

> > The symptoms you are feeling, like being dizzy and loopy are from having low

> > oxygen levels (normal people are above 92% at all times). The problem could

be

> > cardiac in nature as well. Desaturation is a late sign of resp distress and

> > generally is only a feature in asthma when the patient is in major resp

> > distress. There are other lung diseases eg fibrosis etc that can cause

similar

> > symptoms of asthma like the chest tightness.

> >

> > Please let us know what the pulmo says!

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >________________________________

> > From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@>

> >

> > Sent: Fri, December 17, 2010 2:18:12 AM

> > Subject: [ ] Six Minute Walk Test

> >

> >

> >

> > Today I had a six minute walk test as I often feel like my test is

> > tight. Fortunately, the NP suggested it when I complained about chronic

> > tightness and shortness of breath.

> >

> > It's relatively simple - just walked down a hall and back, supposedly

> > for 6 minutes. Right after I hit 2 minutes and was feeling a bit loopy

> > and dizzy and like my stomach was pushing into my chest, the Pulmo

> > Therapist (something like that) told me to stop and sit down. It turns

> > out that just sitting in the chair, before starting to walk, my oxygen

> > was at 100% but it went down to 82% which she said was dangerous. She

> > advised me to walk slower and sit down often. Goodness, I've had this

> > for YEARS and haven't really had any help for it other than Advair,

> > Albuterol, Spriva, and at one time, Xolair. However, none of these

> > treatments (can't remember for sure though about Xolair) controlled that

> > feeling of tightness. I do believe the tightness and shortness of

> > breath are having a bad effect on my heart, strength, endurance, and

> > even thinking sometimes.

> >

> > I'm waiting to hear the official result - had hoped the pulmo would call

> > me this afternoon but alas nothing. Is a 6 min walk test typical for

> > other asthma patients? From what I've read it's sometimes done before

> > progressing with a treatment plan.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

All the tests they run on me contradict each other also. I still don't have a

diagnoses. My chart says severe uncontrolled asthma\probable interstitial lung

disease?!? But I was first sick in 2006 when I ended up in the hospital. Since

then not only can I not get off oral steroids, I can't even get off advair

500/50 long enough to do a methocholine? challenge. I have been sent to 3 pulms

and all want to do a biopsy of my lungs, but none will do it while on steroids.

And none want to risk a bronchoscopy?

Good luck to you and I hope you get answers.

I have been on xolair since April 1st and I can't say I have noticed a

difference. I am going to try it out for a year and see

Tricia

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-----Original Message-----

From: " instdesgn1 " <instdesgn1@...>

Sender:

Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2011 05:43:13

< >

Reply-

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

After some scarey days of waiting I was able to talk to the pulmo. She doesn't

believe I have pulmonary hypertension because there are certain things they look

for (sorry, she said a lot and used terms and I couldn't keep up!) that either I

don't have or don't have them significantly enough in combination with other

test results.

However, she does not know what I do have! My PFT shows I'm getting all the

carbon dioxide out of my lungs and have normal lung volume although it also

indicates asthma. The results of the tests tend to contradict each other

although she did look first hand at the films for echo & CT. The feeling has

always been that I have allergic asthma and although Xolair helped I was never

able to get off Advair 500/50. Nonetheless, other docs have noted my fingers

turning blue and what seem to be obvious problems with getting oxygen to

extremeties and possibly other areas.

I'm scheduled to have complete PFT next week in plexiglass booth (ugh - I'm not

going to let them " kill " me doing it this time) and another 6 minute walk test.

The echo said I have normal LV systolic function, normal wall motion, limited

endocardial definition, mild mitral annular calcification and insufficient

amount of TR to allow estimation of PA pressure. (WHAT IS THAT?)

The CT said (as 4 yrs ago) minimally patchy groundglass pattern on expiration

within bilateral lung bases, Minimally increased diameter of the right and left

main pulmonary arteries. The pattern was thought to be the result of frequent

upper respiratory infections, I thought. Something common to asthma, is it not?

Anyone else run into contradictory tests with their asthma/lung diseases?

Thx and have a great week-end everyone!

> >

> > No it is not common for asthma patients. They do use it in COPD to determine

the

> > extent to which lung disease is compromising activities of daily living. You

> > might need to be on home oxygen if you are desaturating with such simple

effort.

> > The symptoms you are feeling, like being dizzy and loopy are from having low

> > oxygen levels (normal people are above 92% at all times). The problem could

be

> > cardiac in nature as well. Desaturation is a late sign of resp distress and

> > generally is only a feature in asthma when the patient is in major resp

> > distress. There are other lung diseases eg fibrosis etc that can cause

similar

> > symptoms of asthma like the chest tightness.

> >

> > Please let us know what the pulmo says!

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >________________________________

> > From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@>

> >

> > Sent: Fri, December 17, 2010 2:18:12 AM

> > Subject: [ ] Six Minute Walk Test

> >

> >

> >

> > Today I had a six minute walk test as I often feel like my test is

> > tight. Fortunately, the NP suggested it when I complained about chronic

> > tightness and shortness of breath.

> >

> > It's relatively simple - just walked down a hall and back, supposedly

> > for 6 minutes. Right after I hit 2 minutes and was feeling a bit loopy

> > and dizzy and like my stomach was pushing into my chest, the Pulmo

> > Therapist (something like that) told me to stop and sit down. It turns

> > out that just sitting in the chair, before starting to walk, my oxygen

> > was at 100% but it went down to 82% which she said was dangerous. She

> > advised me to walk slower and sit down often. Goodness, I've had this

> > for YEARS and haven't really had any help for it other than Advair,

> > Albuterol, Spriva, and at one time, Xolair. However, none of these

> > treatments (can't remember for sure though about Xolair) controlled that

> > feeling of tightness. I do believe the tightness and shortness of

> > breath are having a bad effect on my heart, strength, endurance, and

> > even thinking sometimes.

> >

> > I'm waiting to hear the official result - had hoped the pulmo would call

> > me this afternoon but alas nothing. Is a 6 min walk test typical for

> > other asthma patients? From what I've read it's sometimes done before

> > progressing with a treatment plan.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Well, instdesgn1, I am glad they are in the process of sorting things out. At

least your heart appears ok! Are you using your oxygen? Perhaps you should if

there is evidence that you are not perfusing your extremities (and your brain)

well.

Keep us posted!

________________________________

From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@...>

Sent: Sat, January 8, 2011 12:43:13 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

After some scarey days of waiting I was able to talk to the pulmo. She doesn't

believe I have pulmonary hypertension because there are certain things they look

for (sorry, she said a lot and used terms and I couldn't keep up!) that either I

don't have or don't have them significantly enough in combination with other

test results.

However, she does not know what I do have! My PFT shows I'm getting all the

carbon dioxide out of my lungs and have normal lung volume although it also

indicates asthma. The results of the tests tend to contradict each other

although she did look first hand at the films for echo & CT. The feeling has

always been that I have allergic asthma and although Xolair helped I was never

able to get off Advair 500/50. Nonetheless, other docs have noted my fingers

turning blue and what seem to be obvious problems with getting oxygen to

extremeties and possibly other areas.

I'm scheduled to have complete PFT next week in plexiglass booth (ugh - I'm not

going to let them " kill " me doing it this time) and another 6 minute walk test.

The echo said I have normal LV systolic function, normal wall motion, limited

endocardial definition, mild mitral annular calcification and insufficient

amount of TR to allow estimation of PA pressure. (WHAT IS THAT?)

The CT said (as 4 yrs ago) minimally patchy groundglass pattern on expiration

within bilateral lung bases, Minimally increased diameter of the right and left

main pulmonary arteries. The pattern was thought to be the result of frequent

upper respiratory infections, I thought. Something common to asthma, is it not?

Anyone else run into contradictory tests with their asthma/lung diseases?

Thx and have a great week-end everyone!

> >

> > No it is not common for asthma patients. They do use it in COPD to determine

>the

>

> > extent to which lung disease is compromising activities of daily living. You

> > might need to be on home oxygen if you are desaturating with such simple

>effort.

>

> > The symptoms you are feeling, like being dizzy and loopy are from having low

> > oxygen levels (normal people are above 92% at all times). The problem could

>be

>

> > cardiac in nature as well. Desaturation is a late sign of resp distress and

> > generally is only a feature in asthma when the patient is in major resp

> > distress. There are other lung diseases eg fibrosis etc that can cause

>similar

>

> > symptoms of asthma like the chest tightness.

> >

> > Please let us know what the pulmo says!

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ________________________________

> > From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@>

> >

> > Sent: Fri, December 17, 2010 2:18:12 AM

> > Subject: [ ] Six Minute Walk Test

> >

> >

> >

> > Today I had a six minute walk test as I often feel like my test is

> > tight. Fortunately, the NP suggested it when I complained about chronic

> > tightness and shortness of breath.

> >

> > It's relatively simple - just walked down a hall and back, supposedly

> > for 6 minutes. Right after I hit 2 minutes and was feeling a bit loopy

> > and dizzy and like my stomach was pushing into my chest, the Pulmo

> > Therapist (something like that) told me to stop and sit down. It turns

> > out that just sitting in the chair, before starting to walk, my oxygen

> > was at 100% but it went down to 82% which she said was dangerous. She

> > advised me to walk slower and sit down often. Goodness, I've had this

> > for YEARS and haven't really had any help for it other than Advair,

> > Albuterol, Spriva, and at one time, Xolair. However, none of these

> > treatments (can't remember for sure though about Xolair) controlled that

> > feeling of tightness. I do believe the tightness and shortness of

> > breath are having a bad effect on my heart, strength, endurance, and

> > even thinking sometimes.

> >

> > I'm waiting to hear the official result - had hoped the pulmo would call

> > me this afternoon but alas nothing. Is a 6 min walk test typical for

> > other asthma patients? From what I've read it's sometimes done before

> > progressing with a treatment plan.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I don't have reactions to smells, but I do know what you are talking about. I

know that I get sinus headaches and my sinus are super dry in the morning. I

just use my O2 at night, but I do a saline wash before putting my oxygen on and

again when I wake up in the morning. I also have a distilled water bubbler I use

on the oxygen. This has helped A LOT, even though the RT's say the bubbler

doesn't make a difference unless you are on more than 5 liters. I feel it does,

so I use it.

Tricia

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-----Original Message-----

From: " instdesgn1 " <instdesgn1@...>

Sender:

Date: Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:22:51

< >

Reply-

Subject: [ ] Re: Six Minute Walk Test

I'm willing to use oxygen except that ... the gases from the plastic give me a

horrible sinus headache and infection and I think even affect lungs. There must

be hypoallergenic medical tubing for people like us somewhere. I don't believe

I'm the only one who has trouble with plastic!

It seems incredibly absurd that I was on Xolair for significant allergies yet it

doesn't occur to the provider that cheap plastic could make me sick ... as in

multiple chemical sensitivity. Still waiting on that ....

Is multiple chemical sensitivity the same as allergies?

> > >

> > > No it is not common for asthma patients. They do use it in COPD to

determine

> >the

> >

> > > extent to which lung disease is compromising activities of daily living.

You

>

> > > might need to be on home oxygen if you are desaturating with such simple

> >effort.

> >

> > > The symptoms you are feeling, like being dizzy and loopy are from having

low

>

> > > oxygen levels (normal people are above 92% at all times). The problem

could

> >be

> >

> > > cardiac in nature as well. Desaturation is a late sign of resp distress

and

> > > generally is only a feature in asthma when the patient is in major resp

> > > distress. There are other lung diseases eg fibrosis etc that can cause

> >similar

> >

> > > symptoms of asthma like the chest tightness.

> > >

> > > Please let us know what the pulmo says!

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >________________________________

> > > From: instdesgn1 <instdesgn1@>

> > >

> > > Sent: Fri, December 17, 2010 2:18:12 AM

> > > Subject: [ ] Six Minute Walk Test

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Today I had a six minute walk test as I often feel like my test is

> > > tight. Fortunately, the NP suggested it when I complained about chronic

> > > tightness and shortness of breath.

> > >

> > > It's relatively simple - just walked down a hall and back, supposedly

> > > for 6 minutes. Right after I hit 2 minutes and was feeling a bit loopy

> > > and dizzy and like my stomach was pushing into my chest, the Pulmo

> > > Therapist (something like that) told me to stop and sit down. It turns

> > > out that just sitting in the chair, before starting to walk, my oxygen

> > > was at 100% but it went down to 82% which she said was dangerous. She

> > > advised me to walk slower and sit down often. Goodness, I've had this

> > > for YEARS and haven't really had any help for it other than Advair,

> > > Albuterol, Spriva, and at one time, Xolair. However, none of these

> > > treatments (can't remember for sure though about Xolair) controlled that

> > > feeling of tightness. I do believe the tightness and shortness of

> > > breath are having a bad effect on my heart, strength, endurance, and

> > > even thinking sometimes.

> > >

> > > I'm waiting to hear the official result - had hoped the pulmo would call

> > > me this afternoon but alas nothing. Is a 6 min walk test typical for

> > > other asthma patients? From what I've read it's sometimes done before

> > > progressing with a treatment plan.

> > >

> > >