I have just been for a health MOT at work, and came out with pretty good results overall, apart from my lungs. She said that my lung capacity was equivalent to a 70yr old 🙁 and I am 42 !

Apparently I am quite efficient at getting air in and out quickly, just that I don’t get much in to start with…

She said I should get referred to a Respiratory Consultant for investigation.

I just wondered if anyone else has had similar experiences, and if this can be improved at all?

For record, non smoker, however did suffer from quite bad pneumonia 4 years ago, which potentially could have left scaring.

I’ve had an annual diving medical which includes the spirometry test for the past 30 years. I’m 6’1, 198 Lbs and from memory my FVC is 6.5 litres. 2.7 seems very low to me. Definitely worth checking out. Have you got two lungs 😀

and from memory my FVC is 6.5 litres.

Quite high.

IIRC 4.5-5.5 is average for a man.

That shows a restrictive lung pattern.
See your gp first..you may or may not need onward referral…

Do you have symptoms? Breathless?

DrP

I was referred for Spirometry test after my GP said I had COPD. The test were all passed with flying colours expect volumes which were low. The nurse who performed the tests asked a specialist to look at results. He simply had me taking deep breathes whilst looking at me and told me I was a lazy breather and not using my diaphragm enough. Took me through some simple exercises to ensure I was using my diaphragm, did the tests again and showed slight improvements in all the test but the volumes were nearly doubled. Turns out I didn’t have COPD but the GP still won’t remove it from my notes 😥

Quick search of the internet and this article explains it well

He simply had me taking deep breathes whilst looking at me and told me I was a lazy breather and not using my diaphragm enough

Indeed. Ask many people to take a deep breath and they will breath into their chest and their shoulders will rise. This fails to fill the lungs. I only learned to breath properly when learning to play woodwinds. Keep the shoulders down and allow your abdomen to expand as you breath. My respiration rate is much lower than it was in the old days even when ny heart rate rises.

Indeed. Ask many people to take a deep breath and they will breath into their chest and their shoulders will rise. This fails to fill the lungs. I only learned to breath properly when learning to play woodwinds. Keep the shoulders down and allow your abdomen to expand as you breath. My respiration rate is much lower than it was in the old days even when ny heart rate rises.

The specialist said it was the way my shoulders raised up when breathing that he could tell I wasn’t using my diaphragm.

Had a second set of tests yesterday by a respiratory nurse. Although the result were slightly higher, they were still very low 🙁

Booking in to see the GP, and referral to consultant….not that there is much they can do.

Do you have symptoms? Breathless?

Doing normal activity no. Walking up 1 flight of steps at work, when I get to the top I can no longer hold conversation with some one. Starting off with exercise ie cycling or running I always can not keep up with people at first, I have to gradually get going.

I have been queried asthma after the Pneumonia (most recent episode of Pneumonia was last Autumn) and always comes back as not being asthmatic.

I had one. Can’t remember my numbers but the told me I’m slow at getting air in and out, have a capacity 121% of my average for my age (44), and suffer from EIB.

It’s a restrictive pattern of lung function, as DrP says, rather than an obstructive pattern (which would be more typical of asthma). Causes include anything from poor technique on the test, to scarring of the lungs from various mechanisms, to just being fat.

GP should be the first port of call, who should take a decent history (including any occupational dust exposures, smoking history and whether you have any pets) have a listen to your chest. He/she may refer you for a chest X-Ray, CT scan, or to a specialist for further investigations depending on what they find.

Unfortunately the GP was next to useless. I showed him both sets of test results, and within seconds he proclaims I have asthma !

Being no expert I did question the results, and my understanding that the obstructive readings were ok. Made no odds. He next prescribes a steroid inhaler (which yesterday I find has been discontinued)

So I am to take a steroid inhaler for 8 weeks and then repeat the test.

Waist of everyone’s time and NHS money 🙄

I use a spacer with my steroid inhaler , reduces risk of oral thrush and I find I can take a better inward breath .

https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhalers-medicines-treatments/inhalers-and-spacers/spacers/

I’ve just read this whole thread whilst breathing deeply trying to keep my shoulders down 😆

Me too! 😆

Some people breath once every 20 seconds or so and have 5-6 ltr lung capacity, others breath one every 5 seconds or so and have a 2-3 ltr lung capacity. Then there are those that don’t breath at all. They’re dead!
I’m an average bloke in every way and a lifelong medicated asthma sufferer but, I can blow FEVI off the scale. I don’t think this proves much at all other than I’m good at breathing out.
Unless you are ill or find your lack of lung capacity debilitating, concentrate on learning to breath properly and perform breathing exercises daily. In addition, take the advice of your doctor. Short time inhaler use, to see if it helps, will not be detrimental so why worry about it? If you hadn’t been for a health MOT would this have been an issue for you?

Sage advice Gears Suck, I apparently have the lung function of an 82 year old and I’m in my mid fifties, but seem to manage ok. Test after test after test 20 years ago, an apperantly top man in respatory illness said I’ve probably got asthma!

Unfortunately the GP was next to useless. I showed him both sets of test results, and within seconds he proclaims I have asthma !

Chuckle…
And i wonder why my profession often gets negative press!
Oh well..

DrP

A few days after the above I spoke to the practice respiratory nurse (she lives on our street). On asking her opinion she appeared to be absolutely clueless, and suggested that the results indicated asthma too 😯

With a scary lack of knowledge within the practice now building, I went back to the GP’s for a second opinion.

This time seeing a different doctor, she reassured me that the tests were not too bad, however given my recent past medical history, and that I am relatively fit, then it was worth getting an expert to check me out.

Now awaiting referral to respiratory consultant.