Fvc

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KimT

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Is there any equipment for less than $1,000 that measures your FVC at home? I've seen cheap things on Amazon used for asthma. I'm thinking at least you could get relative numbers even if they are not correct. I'm trying to think of ways to minimize my trips to Jacksonville in the future.
 
1) Not that I know of, but until/unless you have seal issues, a local hospital could do as well
2) If PFTs are the only reason to go to Jax, don't...it is not really actionable information anyway.
 
I have read that a quick way to check FVC is to take a deep breath and then count as far and as fast as you can on that one breath. If you get to 40 that roughly equates to a FVC of 4 liters which is normal or 100%. 30 would be 75%, 20 would be 50%, and 10 only 25. If you want, you can do the math to figure out what getting to, say, 23 would mean in percent, but I wouldn't consider this down and dirty method as being accurate enough to bother! It did however, correlate well for me and I have always wanted to hear if it was as close to the huff and puff numbers for other people. Anyone want to try it and repeat it a few times between resting and report how close the average was to your "real" test numbers?
 
Laurie,
That chart doesn't match with Mayo's predicted numbers. I'm 60, 5'6" and their predicted was 3.55. What am I missing?
 
I have read that a quick way to check FVC is to take a deep breath and then count as far and as fast as you can on that one breath. If you get to 40 that roughly equates to a FVC of 4 liters which is normal or 100%. 30 would be 75%, 20 would be 50%, and 10 only 25. If you want, you can do the math to figure out what getting to, say, 23 would mean in percent, but I wouldn't consider this down and dirty method as being accurate enough to bother! It did however, correlate well for me and I have always wanted to hear if it was as close to the huff and puff numbers for other people. Anyone want to try it and repeat it a few times between resting and report how close the average was to your "real" test numbers?

Count fast? Count out loud?

Do you exhale as fast as possible?

I can take a deep breath and count to 70 out loud yet my FVC is between 60 and 75, depending on who measures.

Can you explain your technique a little better.
 
1) Not that I know of, but until/unless you have seal issues, a local hospital could do as well
2) If PFTs are the only reason to go to Jax, don't...it is not really actionable information anyway.

At the risk of sounding weird, I'm afraid of our local hospital. They have lots of staff infections and complaints.

My pulmo doc will do it but his mouthpiece is round and I can't get a good seal. I guess I could hold onto it. I still have to go to Jacksonville but I was just thinking down the road.
 
Hmm. Your counting to 70 matches your FVC well. I guess that is how it is supposed to be scored--your best count as your percentage. It has been 30 years since I read that tidbit and 12 years since I was able to try it, so the info was obviously mis-remembered. And, no, don't exhale purposefully. Counting out loud will do the lung emptying at a steady rate. The counting test uses the number you can count to as your score instead of the number on a gauge of a forced exhale.
 
Kim,
There are a couple of tables in use. I went to a Euro one for balance and your predicted FVC was 3.36, between Mayo and OSHA.
 
Hmm. I am shorter than you Kim by a couple of inches but last svc reading ( December) was 100% and I could only get to the mid forties. Can some more PALS and maybe CALS try? This might be helpful just comparing your own readings over time though?
 
Hmm. Your counting to 70 matches your FVC well. I guess that is how it is supposed to be scored--your best count as your percentage. It has been 30 years since I read that tidbit and 12 years since I was able to try it, so the info was obviously mis-remembered. And, no, don't exhale purposefully. Counting out loud will do the lung emptying at a steady rate. The counting test uses the number you can count to as your score instead of the number on a gauge of a forced exhale.

Can you re-read your initial post? You said 40 = 100% I'm very confused.
 
Hmm. I am shorter than you Kim by a couple of inches but last svc reading ( December) was 100% and I could only get to the mid forties. Can some more PALS and maybe CALS try? This might be helpful just comparing your own readings over time though?

I wonder if it has more to do with your breathing muscles than your FVC? Supposedly, I still have strong breathing muscles and, at the end of my count (I'm counting very quickly) I'm pushing hard with my muscles (I even cramped them up on one try.)
 
I wonder if it has more to do with your breathing muscles than your FVC? Supposedly, I still have strong breathing muscles and, at the end of my count (I'm counting very quickly) I'm pushing hard with my muscles (I even cramped them up on one try.)

Plus my TLC is low (66). I'm missing something.....surely not the first time.
 
Kim, Skip the stuff about 40 = 100% , etc. That was totally incorrect. Just count fast out loud as far as you can on one deep breath, and that number is (supposedly) an approximation of your FVC. Just as with the real FVC tests, you should be winded and maybe a little dizzy after. Don't repeat it without resting. Don't put too much trust in the results. At best they will only be close. I think the best this test can do is show significant drops from your last office or clinic test and encourage going back for a new check.
 
In your case, Kim, it's the diffusion by your lung tissue once air gets in, that is more of a problem for you than moving the air in the first place.
 
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