Tuesday 21 August 2007

First week, day five


Based on five days peak flow statistics I fulfill two diagnostic criterias (1. ≥20% difference on at least three days in a week for at least two weeks; 2. ≥20% improvement of peak flow following treatment) out of three (3. ≥20% decrease in peak flow following exposure to a trigger (e.g., exercise)) most common criterias used to diagnose asthma (when I was a toddler my mother had blood tests meant to diagnose asthma (which came out negative, because of that it took over a year before she got the diagnose - and apparently they weren't very reliable as there's no mention about that diagnosing method anywhere anymore)), but my peak flow results are sometimes so low that I may be directed to hospital for further investigations (I'm too young, smoke free, atopic and reactive for steroids to have COPD, but my morning peak flow results are suitable in about every other day... that is actually only criteria I fulfill *grin* And to think of it, COPD would probably be visible in thorax X-ray and mine was clean).

Or maybe they will use my poor lung function as a third diagnostic criteria. The normal average for a healthy 28 year old, 165 cm short (I have lost four cm since I was twenty! (if I lose another cent I can ask further investigations as then there is good reason to believe that my spine has some degenerative issue) female is 445 l/ min and anything over 365 l/min is considered as normal... I can have it as low as 320 l/min (when medicated it may go up to 620 l/min)...
That kind of makes one wonder. And understand why I have been feeling like crap for few months.

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