lungs: good

Several months ago Deb and I decided that we should go on a hike in NZ. An organised hike. First, they need a doctor to sign off that we can do the hike.

No worries for Deb.

The GP sends me off for a heart test and a lung test.

The heart test is done.

I suppose that I should find out the results, sometime.

It takes months to get an appointment for a lung test. Today is the day.

There are two parts: breathing tests then a meeting with the specialist doc.

First: a covid test. Negative.

I could have done it at home and taken a photo of the results. Ha! as If I could test myself. Or take a photo.

The breathing tests take maybe 45 minutes. Breathing in. Out. More out. Light gasping. Out... more. And so on.

With a pause when I breath in some Ventolin. The repeat all the breathing.

Wait an hour till I see the doc.

There's a nice cafe down the road says the nurse who runs the tests.

It's hard to find, it's inside another shop she tells me.

The cafe is easy to find. I stare at the wall of glass till someone comes out... only then do I know which stretch of glass is a door.

I sip one coffee. Wait. Walk. Get back to see the lung doc.

====

It's all reassuring. Perhaps because I hear everything as I expect to hear it :-)

My lungs are okay... for my age.

Very good transfer of oxygen from lungs to blood.

The ventolin makes no difference so probably not asthma.

Do I want a definite test for asthma? It's something direct from Guantomo Bay: get me to breathe in salt water. If I do have asthma, that will force an attack. No thanks, we agree.

The doc asks about symptoms of breathing problems: none. Family history of lung problems: none. Wheezing, coughing fits, none.

Can I exercise? Well... 8km yesterday, okay.

I say that I'm doing the typical asthmatic thing: aerobic exercise, trying to build spare lung capacity. Good, she says.

While I'm sitting talking, the feeling that I can't take a full breath comes and goes. Typical. That's the way it works (or fails to work).

The doc gives me a prescription for some extra-strength not-quite-ventolin.

She looks at the alternate that I have tried. Says, well, the delivery system doesn't work -- it's delivering nothing. That's why that one doesn't work.

She may have provided a bigger-dose prescription for the same stuff. I've heard enough, I'm starting to lose concentration.

She outlines a schedule of daily  puffers and wait and see. Okay I say, adding, though I will probably not follow it. Not while it's just difficulty getting a full breath. But if I use ventolin -- I now have a "spacer" and know how it works (maybe).

====

The lung doc will get the results of my previous lung test and see if anything has changed.  That's something I would like to know.

She will check with the cancer doc, see if I had the chemo which is known to damage lungs (I think I did).

She will get hold of my PET scans which cover the lung area, make sure there is nothing nasty. (Probably not, the analysis once mentioned RSI in my shoulder, they are not likely to have missed lung damage.

Am I thinking of taking up, for example, aqualung-ing? No way. Okay, no worries.

Does shortness of breath affect me? Yes, it slows me down (even more than usual:-) when I run -- then it clears. I don't have the asthmatic can't-breathe episodes.

Sitting around, I sometimes need to focus on breathing deeply and carefully. It feels uncomfortable but usually not for long.

====

That all sounds a bit ho hum... but I'm satisfied.

The main message is: There is nothing -- nothing obvious -- that is dangerous.

I could try more extreme anti-asthma drugs -- but it may not be asthma.

What I'm doing is good. I'm not badly affected.

====

The lung doc will contact the cancer doc and the GP. I'll check with the GP, about both heart and lung tests.

I can't get out the door without a phone appointment for March next year.

====

Nothing really new. Except... reassurance that... there is nothing new.

I am reassured :-)

Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper

...        Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved

===

"Yesterday I knew nothing. Today I know that." ... per Ginger Meggs

Dying for you to read my blog, at https://notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com/ :-)