PFT's

[Guest guest]

Good morning, everyone. I'm sorry I'm wayyyyy behind on the posts

(desperately need to get caught up!!!), however, I thought I would

fill you in on how my PFT's went yesterday in the meantime! After

they did the majority of the tests, the technician took me for a short

walk around the corridors with that oxygen thingie on my finger (is

this called the oximeter??) and I started out at 100% oxygen, as I

normally do. We no sooner started walking, and it started to

nose-dive, quickly.....89...87...84...79...etc. I'm guessing we

weren't gone any longer than 1.5 minutes (if that!!) and my oxygen

level read 69%. At that point, the technician said, " oh this thing

can't be working " , and she felt my fingers to see if they were cold

(what does this have to do with it??) and I told her, " yes, it's

working...I told you I can't do a single thing around my house without

gasping for air! " . So we quickly went back to the room and she then

took my blood gases. I don't know if she indicated anywhere that my

oxgen level dropped down to 69% or not. Anyway...it certainly wasn't

a 6 minute walk that we went on! LOL! I didn't get the impression

they were real happy with the results of my PFT's (as if they wanted

better results), but I did the best I could! Last evening and today,

my shoulders, back and chest are EXTREMELY sore and tender (almost

bruised feeling!). Is this from taking such deep breaths during the

tests?? I do have a muscle disease, but it just seems coincidental

that it occurred right after the PFT's.

Thanks,

Dawn

[Guest guest]

Dawn,

What happened to you on your 6 minute walk is exactly what happens on mine if we do it without O2. My sats drop like a rock very quickly. I'm so sorry the techs weren't pleased with your "performance" on the PFT. Good Lord do they think you're making this all up? Of course you did the best you could. We all do. We all want our tests to accurately reflect our condition so we give it our best effort. One way you can tell you did your best is how sore you are today. Pretty much everyone here finds the PFT exhausting and many of us are sore and achy for a couple of days afterward. Those tests are hard work!!! Remember that because our lungs have scarring, they are stiff and that makes it much harder to move air in and out. Something like a PFT takes a toll on us!

Beth in NC age 48 Fibrotic NSIP 06/06

"For as long as I shall live, I will testify to Love."

PFT's

Good morning, everyone. I'm sorry I'm wayyyyy behind on the posts(desperately need to get caught up!!!), however, I thought I wouldfill you in on how my PFT's went yesterday in the meantime! Afterthey did the majority of the tests, the technician took me for a shortwalk around the corridors with that oxygen thingie on my finger (isthis called the oximeter??) and I started out at 100% oxygen, as Inormally do. We no sooner started walking, and it started tonose-dive, quickly..... 89...87.. .84...79. ..etc. I'm guessing weweren't gone any longer than 1.5 minutes (if that!!) and my oxygenlevel read 69%. At that point, the technician said, "oh this thingcan't be working", and she felt my fingers to see if they were cold(what does this have to do with it??) and I told her, "yes, it'sworking...I told you I can't do a single thing around my house withoutgasping for air!". So we quickly went back to the room

and she thentook my blood gases. I don't know if she indicated anywhere that myoxgen level dropped down to 69% or not. Anyway...it certainly wasn'ta 6 minute walk that we went on! LOL! I didn't get the impressionthey were real happy with the results of my PFT's (as if they wantedbetter results), but I did the best I could! Last evening and today,my shoulders, back and chest are EXTREMELY sore and tender (almostbruised feeling!). Is this from taking such deep breaths during thetests?? I do have a muscle disease, but it just seems coincidentalthat it occurred right after the PFT's. Thanks,Dawn