Comments on: The dangers of assuming things about norms. (Sorry, another asthma post.)

By: Kat S.

Kat S. — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:19:49 +0000

My peak flow readings are also above 650 when I’m “good”, so when they drop to below 300, I’m feeling awful and struggling to breathe, but when I blow 250 or 300, so many doctors have told me “that’s good”. I always tell them it’s not good for me and when I tell them what my average “good” readings are, invariably get a quizzical look and a head shake. So then I tell them I sang in a choir since childhood and swim when feeling OK and that’s probably why my good is higher than average. I don’t know if it’s really the reason, but when I’m sick I can’t sing, or swim I can barely talk, and walking even a bit triggers an attack. I find the peak flow readings are more a hindrance than a help. I always know when I feel poorly.

By: Fairen

Fairen — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:08:27 +0000

I am terrified of all of this, I dont know whether or not to believe my peak flow anymore. I am new to ALL of this asthma BS and I cant stand it any more! I am terrified of dieing. I never freaking feel like I can breath WELL. Yes I am surviving doc, but I feel like shit. I dont even know what to do anymore, this stuff scares me to the point of panic ATTACKS, and then I cant tell if its a panic or asthma attack. I check my peak flow to see if its in my head or real, but now I dont know if I should believe it or what…If ANYONE has ANY advice feel free to email me…Davidsonfairen@yahoo.com. Thanks!

By: Steve G

Steve G — Fri, 04 May 2007 13:49:18 +0000

I have the same problem with correlating my peak flow readings with how I actually feel

Sometimes , I’ll be so short of breath that I can barely walk around the house, and my peak flow will read 500 when it feels like it should be 200! ( my baseline is 600).

Turns out that peak flow meters only measure flow rates from the the larger airways. If you have significant small airway damage or remodeling , as is common in severe asthmatics, your peak flow readings will never truly reflect the degree of obstruction. The concept of green, yellow and red-zones goes right out the window.
You have to recalibrate, so rather than 300 being my red-zone , in actually, 550 is my yellow zone and 400 is my red zone!
A big difference in the way ER docs are going to determine how sick you are.

By: J

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:47:21 +0000

I’m from Oregon, but part of the problem is that I rarely have the kind of medical problems that go all the way to the doctor. As a kid, I got sent to the school nurse a lot, and I spent a lot of time in the Peace Corps, where there was a nurse we were supposed to call for advice every time we were sick. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to the doctor with a fever. I’d usually deal with a nurse (or someone described as a nurse), who wouldn’t ask me anything about my normal temperature, but tell me that such-and-such temperature was a minor/nonexistent fever, and I should take an asprin and go back to whatever I’d been doing.

So possibly doctors do know that, and probably most RNs, but I spent a good chunk of my childhood learning that feeling like I had a fever and running a high temperature for me didn’t count for anything, and I’ve never had a medical professional take any interest in my normal temperature (even if I go out of my way to inform them),

By: ballastexistenz

ballastexistenz — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:51:04 +0000

My normal temperature is 97.7 and they always see it as normal. Of course, if I came in with a temperature of 98.6 they’d probably still see it as normal, but that’s rarely been a problem.

By: poproxy

poproxy — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:45:36 +0000

I’ve encountered people (myself included) that have the so-called lungs of a man, that don’t have that type of experience. So, I think it may be an overall oxygen consumption/capacity thing, which can come with singing or wind-instrument experience, among other things, making the phenomenon of “man lungs” more common than presumed.

By: zilari

zilari — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 02:51:23 +0000

Good to know you are breathing a bit better now. And with regard to the clueless-doctor issue: I am consistently amazed at the degree to which assumptions (and stereotypes) are invoked at a higher informational priority than the actual data sitting right in front of someone.

By: Brunson

Brunson — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 01:41:02 +0000

Just a minor question to “j’s” claim that “despite widespread knowledge by the medical profession that 98.6 is really the average temperature for a healthy adult, not the normal temperature (everyone has there own individual norm, which will probably be close to 98.6), I have an almost impossible time getting many medical professional to believe me on this.” Now, I’m not calling BS on you, but what state/country do you live in? I’m surprised when even a layperson doesn’t know that the average normal temp. for a healthy adult falls between 98.2-98.6, let alone someone who is a “medical professional.” I know many doctors aren’t perfect, but I have trouble believing that this is any sort of a typical failing…unless you live in Alabama, in which case, I retract my statement in it’s entirety.

By: ballastexistenz

ballastexistenz — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 18:16:28 +0000

An asthmatic doctor sounds really good.

I’m not sure whether I’m unusual or not — I have had fairly extensive singing and wind-instrument experience, and I’m told that makes a big difference.

By: poproxy

poproxy — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:34:22 +0000

Men supposodly have stronger lungs than women. Perhaps that’s the largest misconception, or perhaps the “average” is miscalculated, or balanced by a previously unmentioned proportion of “weak-lunged” persons.