Question:
Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the other,Scoop0901 read that on Mon, 07 Feb 2000 00:07:27 GMT, in article <389e065d.984…@netnews.netreach.net>, perryfis…@netreach.net said: >Well I ended up in the hospital a second time having trouble breathing >and it turned out I have asthma as well as apnea, which is one reason >why my O2 levels are still considered low. I had to quit the cigs and >now use inhalers. But all the tests indicate theres nothing wrong >except my bronchial tubes really spasm and close up. >Having a lung scan is not a pleasant experience when you already are >having trouble breathing, but the test where you blow into a device to >measure volume and force and then repeat after getting medicine isn’t >bad. >perryfis…@netreach.net
Here’s to hoping my test Friday isn’t bad, either. ;-) -dave Visit a journalist’s website: coming soon to the Net near you: *** http://www.scoop0901.net *** also visit: www.newsguy.com for commentary, newsgroups, and more!
Response:
On 06 Feb 2000 04:49:48 GMT, psighd…@aol.com (Psighduck) wrote: >Thanks for the suggestion. It is something I have wondered about.
I tend to cut most of the message away and leave the important point. Wonder if that means that I would have been a good $urge-on? 
PS: Nawww… electrical power distribution systems generally don’t bleed and make messes on the floor (unless you drop them on your thumb).
Response:
Psighduck wrote: > <<snipped>> > Thanks for the suggestion. It is something I have wondered about. From my > lurking days, the custom in this newsgroup seemed to be to quote more > extensively than in others but perhaps my reading has been somewhat skewed. I > was also trying to correct by including the post obscured under the previous > thread title. ><<snipped>> > Claire
It seems that we get a lot of people new to newsgroups in this one as compared to others plus they may be sleep deprived. Therefore they aren’t aware of the best practices. Changing the subject line is a very good newsgroup practice. Big Al db-g…@bignospamfoot.com Remove nospam to reply via email
Response:
On 5 Feb 2000 21:32:26 -0800, Dave J. (Scoop0901) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<scoop0…@newsguy.com> wrote: >Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the >other,Scoop0901 read that on 05 Feb 2000 23:36:45 GMT, in article ><20000205183645.24993.00001…@ng-ci1.aol.com>, psighd…@aol.com said: >>As a matter of interest (and to start a more specific thread): >>How many of you have had pulmonary function tests: either as (a) part of the >>diagnostic voyage of discovery to apnea, or as (b) a regular, recurrent >>evaluation subsequent to the diagnosis of apnea? How many of you also have >>other respiratory difficulties? >I’m set for a PFT on Fri, Feb 11. Bob said I should plan on having a wonderful >time during the test (being funny here … start the laugh track). This is in >part due to pneumonia I was diagnosed and hospitalized with for New Year’s, the >sleep apnea that was discovered during my time in ICU with pneumonia, the >discovery that I have asthma, and the possibility that I may have emphysema. >Aren’t hospitalizations such great ego boosters? I’ve had family doctors and ER >doctors (on a few occasions) check me out. I’ve had X-rays for various things, >specifically chest X-rays, and no one said a word to me about apnea, asthma, >emphysema, or any lung damage. I’m told any doctor paying attention to what >they were doing as recent as three years ago should have been able to at least >diagnose a respiratory problem. >-dave
Well I ended up in the hospital a second time having trouble breathing and it turned out I have asthma as well as apnea, which is one reason why my O2 levels are still considered low. I had to quit the cigs and now use inhalers. But all the tests indicate theres nothing wrong except my bronchial tubes really spasm and close up. Having a lung scan is not a pleasant experience when you already are having trouble breathing, but the test where you blow into a device to measure volume and force and then repeat after getting medicine isn’t bad. perryfis…@netreach.net "My my I’m so happy, I’m gonna join the band. We’re gonna sing and dance in celebration, we’re in the Promised Land." — Led Zeppelin
Response:
Big Al wrote in: >Message-id: <389CC9B9.6750B…@worldnet.att.net> [snip] >By the way, you don’t have to keep all the old text around when you reply. >It >helps to keep the size down if you just keep the pertinent parts. >Big Al
Al Thanks for the suggestion. It is something I have wondered about. From my lurking days, the custom in this newsgroup seemed to be to quote more extensively than in others but perhaps my reading has been somewhat skewed. I was also trying to correct by including the post obscured under the previous thread title. ::sighing:: I have noted that one aspect of my mental fuzziness which is most prominent is a difficulty to summarize. ::brightening:: But at least my subject and verbs are agreeing most days now! Claire
Response:
Yes. I had a pulmonary function test as part of the workup before I had UPPP surgery. In the pre-op testing an arterial stick showed a O2 level of 91% in the middle of the day. The PFT showed my lungs to have above normal function. I now run 98 to 99% O2 daytime. So the UPPP may have been helpful for that even if it didn’t help my OSA. By the way, you don’t have to keep all the old text around when you reply. It helps to keep the size down if you just keep the pertinent parts. Big Al db-g…@bignospamfoot.com Remove nospam to reply via email – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Psighduck wrote: > As a matter of interest (and to start a more specific thread): > How many of you have had pulmonary function tests: either as (a) part of the > diagnostic voyage of discovery to apnea, or as (b) a regular, recurrent > evaluation subsequent to the diagnosis of apnea? How many of you also have > other respiratory difficulties? > For me, it was the second test (after the chest x-ray). Despite it showing my > difficulty with inhaling 
and despite my primary complaints of constant > mental fatigue and physical exhaustion, even with 11-14 hours of sleep, it was > a full five years before sleep apnea was considered. This was probably due in > part to my allergies and asthma and to the anemia discovered about year 3. > Thanks. > > Claire
Response:
Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the other,Scoop0901 read that on 05 Feb 2000 23:36:45 GMT, in article <20000205183645.24993.00001…@ng-ci1.aol.com>, psighd…@aol.com said: >As a matter of interest (and to start a more specific thread): >How many of you have had pulmonary function tests: either as (a) part of the >diagnostic voyage of discovery to apnea, or as (b) a regular, recurrent >evaluation subsequent to the diagnosis of apnea? How many of you also have >other respiratory difficulties?
I’m set for a PFT on Fri, Feb 11. Bob said I should plan on having a wonderful time during the test (being funny here … start the laugh track). This is in part due to pneumonia I was diagnosed and hospitalized with for New Year’s, the sleep apnea that was discovered during my time in ICU with pneumonia, the discovery that I have asthma, and the possibility that I may have emphysema. Aren’t hospitalizations such great ego boosters? I’ve had family doctors and ER doctors (on a few occasions) check me out. I’ve had X-rays for various things, specifically chest X-rays, and no one said a word to me about apnea, asthma, emphysema, or any lung damage. I’m told any doctor paying attention to what they were doing as recent as three years ago should have been able to at least diagnose a respiratory problem. >For me, it was the second test (after the chest x-ray). Despite it showing my >difficulty with inhaling and despite my primary complaints of constant >mental fatigue and physical exhaustion, even with 11-14 hours of sleep, it was >a full five years before sleep apnea was considered. This was probably due in >part to my allergies and asthma and to the anemia discovered about year 3.
Funny thing, I’m not sure if because I’m a former soldier and combat veteran if I just ignored the symptoms of asthma, etc., or if I never had any tell-tale symptoms. I’ve had the symptoms of apnea, including constant, chronic fatigue; mind-splitting headaches in the morning; constantly disturbed sleep; etc. Dr.’s always told me to take Tylenol and forget about the headaches. For sleep, roll over and go back to sleep. Good docs, huh? >Thanks. >Claire
-dave Visit a journalist’s website: coming soon to the Net near you: *** http://www.scoop0901.net *** also visit: www.newsguy.com for commentary, newsgroups, and more!
Response:
As a matter of interest (and to start a more specific thread): How many of you have had pulmonary function tests: either as (a) part of the diagnostic voyage of discovery to apnea, or as (b) a regular, recurrent evaluation subsequent to the diagnosis of apnea? How many of you also have other respiratory difficulties? For me, it was the second test (after the chest x-ray). Despite it showing my difficulty with inhaling and despite my primary complaints of constant mental fatigue and physical exhaustion, even with 11-14 hours of sleep, it was a full five years before sleep apnea was considered. This was probably due in part to my allergies and asthma and to the anemia discovered about year 3. Thanks. Claire – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Subject: Re: Need Test Names! >From: psighd…@aol.com (Psighduck) >Date: 2/5/00 12:33 PM Central Standard Time >Message-id: <20000205133354.27241.00001…@ng-fv1.aol.com> >Dave >My experience with a PFT was a little different from the ones already posted. >For me, it was the first test (after the chest x-ray) following my being >rushed >to the college health clinic with what appeared at the time to be another >asthma attack. >My test was done a couple of days later at a lab in the hospital. I was >standing and had a device covering my mouth and I had to inhale and then >exhale >repeatedly as the nurse / technician watched a monitor and dropped her arm >for >me to perform. I couldn’t breathe right enough to generate a normal graph >and >she kept me trying for over an hour. We did a series with no medication and >then one following a standard inhaler. (I don’t remember which one, this was >back in October of 1994 at the beginning of my own time in this twilight zone >of fatigue and fuzzy-headedness.) >The primary conclusion of the report was that I had difficulty inhaling. (No >trace of asthma (difficulty exhaling) on this test, which was interesting >since >I suffer and have suffered from mild asthma for years.) In conjunction with >the x-ray, the doctors suspected an extra-thoracic obstruction (read ‘tumor’ >or >’neoplasm’ as they acted). >While the PFT itself was not a great afternoon and I was exhausted after it, >it >was far far better than the other tests that followed. [ My favorite one was >wearing a tube up my nose and down my esophagus while wearing a monitor for >twenty-four hours to check for acid reflux. ] >I’d be interested to hear how your test goes and how it might differ from my >experience. I will probably need to have another one done soon, but it will >be >down here in Houston instead of up in the Philly area (as my first one was). >:) >Claire > Dave J. (Scoop0901) wrote in: >>Message-id: <878d4j$1…@edrn.newsguy.com> >>Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the >>other,Scoop0901 read that on Tue, 01 Feb 2000 16:59:34 -0500, in article >><38975746.486A5…@wnol.net>, Bob said: >>>"Dave J. (Scoop0901)" wrote: >>>> Bob, >>>> What is a pulmonary function test? >>>Dave, >>>A PFT is a test to determine your lung capacity and other things.(?) >>>All you do is sit in a chair with a pulse oxy thing on your finger and >>>they hook a thing like a aqua lung to your mouth and clamp your nose and >>>you breathe different ways. >>>One time when I had one test done (I’ve had 3 over the years) I had to >>>inhale this medicine steam stuff and it choked the hell out of me, then >>>you use an inhaler then they measure your capacity again. >>>When they did this test they determined that I had asthma. >>>Over all it’s not a bad procedure. >>Oh, this sure does sound like a ton of fun! Yeah, right! But, if it will >>help >>… >> Thanks for the info, Bob. >>-dave >>Visit a journalist’s website: >>coming soon to the Net near you: >>*** http://www.scoop0901.net *** >>also visit: www.newsguy.com for commentary, newsgroups, and more!
Response:
Dave My experience with a PFT was a little different from the ones already posted. For me, it was the first test (after the chest x-ray) following my being rushed to the college health clinic with what appeared at the time to be another asthma attack. My test was done a couple of days later at a lab in the hospital. I was standing and had a device covering my mouth and I had to inhale and then exhale repeatedly as the nurse / technician watched a monitor and dropped her arm for me to perform. I couldn’t breathe right enough to generate a normal graph and she kept me trying for over an hour. We did a series with no medication and then one following a standard inhaler. (I don’t remember which one, this was back in October of 1994 at the beginning of my own time in this twilight zone of fatigue and fuzzy-headedness.) The primary conclusion of the report was that I had difficulty inhaling. (No trace of asthma (difficulty exhaling) on this test, which was interesting since I suffer and have suffered from mild asthma for years.) In conjunction with the x-ray, the doctors suspected an extra-thoracic obstruction (read ‘tumor’ or ‘neoplasm’ as they acted). While the PFT itself was not a great afternoon and I was exhausted after it, it was far far better than the other tests that followed. [ My favorite one was wearing a tube up my nose and down my esophagus while wearing a monitor for twenty-four hours to check for acid reflux. ] I’d be interested to hear how your test goes and how it might differ from my experience. I will probably need to have another one done soon, but it will be down here in Houston instead of up in the Philly area (as my first one was). Claire Dave J. (Scoop0901) wrote in: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Message-id: <878d4j$1…@edrn.newsguy.com> >Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the >other,Scoop0901 read that on Tue, 01 Feb 2000 16:59:34 -0500, in article ><38975746.486A5…@wnol.net>, Bob said: >>"Dave J. (Scoop0901)" wrote: >>> Bob, >>> What is a pulmonary function test? >>Dave, >>A PFT is a test to determine your lung capacity and other things.(?) >>All you do is sit in a chair with a pulse oxy thing on your finger and >>they hook a thing like a aqua lung to your mouth and clamp your nose and >>you breathe different ways. >>One time when I had one test done (I’ve had 3 over the years) I had to >>inhale this medicine steam stuff and it choked the hell out of me, then >>you use an inhaler then they measure your capacity again. >>When they did this test they determined that I had asthma. >>Over all it’s not a bad procedure. >Oh, this sure does sound like a ton of fun! Yeah, right! But, if it will >help >… > Thanks for the info, Bob. >-dave >Visit a journalist’s website: >coming soon to the Net near you: >*** http://www.scoop0901.net *** >also visit: www.newsguy.com for commentary, newsgroups, and more!
Response:
Big Al wrote: > The standard test for sleep apnea is an overnight polysomnography. That’s a > combination of an EEG, EKG, oximetry and a few other things. They can’t > properly set the pressure (called titration) without one while you’re on xPAP. > Too high a pressure can cause central apneas while it cures the obstructive > apneas. They also check for limb movements. IMHO setting CPAP pressure without > one is malpractice. I have no idea what the pressure test in the glass room > was. > Big Al > db-g…@bignospamfoot.com > Remove nospam to reply via email
The glass room test is part of a pulmonary function test (PFT), although some places have more modern equipment to do this. — Bob Visit my information & link page at http://twilight.webbernet.net/~gooteebob/index_html.htm news.newusers.questions Moderation Team Worker
Response:
Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the other,Scoop0901 read that on Fri, 28 Jan 2000 22:18:57 -0500, in article <38925C21.967EA…@wnol.net>, Bob said: Bob, What is a pulmonary function test, what does it determine, how is it conducted, etc … give me all the info you can, please. I’m set to have one on 2/11/2000. Thanks, dave >The glass room test is part of a pulmonary function test (PFT), although >some places have more modern equipment to do this. >– >Bob >Visit my information & link page at >http://twilight.webbernet.net/~gooteebob/index_html.htm >news.newusers.questions Moderation Team Worker
Visit a journalist’s website: coming soon to the Net near you: *** http://www.scoop0901.net *** also visit: www.newsguy.com for commentary, newsgroups, and more!
Response:
If it is like the one the pulmonologist gave me when I saw him to determine if I should have a sleep test, it is a smallish machine that you take a deep breath and blow as much as possible into a tube which goes into the machine. It measures how much of your lung capacity (based on your height and weight I think) you are actually using. With my test it was around 85%, which he was not surprised about as I am overweight and that usually lowers lung capacity. It did not take very long for the test ( a minute or two) or the results (10 or 15 minutes) and was done right in his office. Of course this could be a different test and I may have the name wrong.
Response:
"Dave J. (Scoop0901)" wrote: > Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the > other,Scoop0901 read that on Fri, 28 Jan 2000 22:18:57 -0500, in article > <38925C21.967EA…@wnol.net>, Bob said: > Bob, > What is a pulmonary function test, what does it determine, how is it conducted, > etc … give me all the info you can, please. I’m set to have one on 2/11/2000. > Thanks, > dave
Dave, A PFT is a test to determine your lung capacity and other things.(?) All you do is sit in a chair with a pulse oxy thing on your finger and they hook a thing like a aqua lung to your mouth and clamp your nose and you breathe different ways. One time when I had one test done (I’ve had 3 over the years) I had to inhale this medicine steam stuff and it choked the hell out of me, then you use an inhaler then they measure your capacity again. When they did this test they determined that I had asthma. Over all it’s not a bad procedure. — Bob Visit my information & link page at http://twilight.webbernet.net/~gooteebob/index_html.htm news.newusers.questions Moderation Team Worker
Response:
Holding a Philly hoagie in one hand, a 28-oz. cup of coffee in the other,Scoop0901 read that on Tue, 01 Feb 2000 16:59:34 -0500, in article <38975746.486A5…@wnol.net>, Bob said: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->"Dave J. (Scoop0901)" wrote: >> Bob, >> What is a pulmonary function test? >Dave, >A PFT is a test to determine your lung capacity and other things.(?) >All you do is sit in a chair with a pulse oxy thing on your finger and >they hook a thing like a aqua lung to your mouth and clamp your nose and >you breathe different ways. >One time when I had one test done (I’ve had 3 over the years) I had to >inhale this medicine steam stuff and it choked the hell out of me, then >you use an inhaler then they measure your capacity again. >When they did this test they determined that I had asthma. >Over all it’s not a bad procedure.
Oh, this sure does sound like a ton of fun! Yeah, right! But, if it will help … Thanks for the info, Bob. -dave Visit a journalist’s website: coming soon to the Net near you: *** http://www.scoop0901.net *** also visit: www.newsguy.com for commentary, newsgroups, and more!
Response:
The standard test for sleep apnea is an overnight polysomnography. That’s a combination of an EEG, EKG, oximetry and a few other things. They can’t properly set the pressure (called titration) without one while you’re on xPAP. Too high a pressure can cause central apneas while it cures the obstructive apneas. They also check for limb movements. IMHO setting CPAP pressure without one is malpractice. I have no idea what the pressure test in the glass room was. Big Al db-g…@bignospamfoot.com Remove nospam to reply via email – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -REP wrote: > I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea with a take-home oximetry unit > almost a year ago.Since then, I’ve had my pressure upped to 20 and I’m > still excessively tired. My mother recently underwent a huge battery of > tests that showed that she not only has apnea during REM sleep, she also > has some type of scarring on the lungs (and she got the best, top-of-line > equipment, including an oxygen concentrator! My HMO sucks worse than I > thought!). > She can’t remember exactly what the tests were, except some were in a lab > with stuff glued to her body and a pressure test done in glass room. What > are the standard sleep disorder tests? I want to specifically request them > as the last time I requested to be retested I was sent home with an > oximetry unit again.
Response:
I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea with a take-home oximetry unit almost a year ago.Since then, I’ve had my pressure upped to 20 and I’m still excessively tired. My mother recently underwent a huge battery of tests that showed that she not only has apnea during REM sleep, she also has some type of scarring on the lungs (and she got the best, top-of-line equipment, including an oxygen concentrator! My HMO sucks worse than I thought!). She can’t remember exactly what the tests were, except some were in a lab with stuff glued to her body and a pressure test done in glass room. What are the standard sleep disorder tests? I want to specifically request them as the last time I requested to be retested I was sent home with an oximetry unit again.
Response:
