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Hi Sue! I was thinking more along the lines of if theres the 6 min walk test, or the test where my nose gets clipped shut and I have to breathe in and out as quick as I can, or the inhale as deep as you can into the gizmo with the little plastic ball.
I'm not nervous about him being higher up the proverbial ladder than I, I'm nervous because this could be the day I actually finally start finding out what's wrong, illnesses that could be eliminated and ones that could still be "in play ". They say it wasnt covid, some said it wasnt pneumonia, one said Interstitial lung, another said the symptoms dont match, I dont think its asthma nor COPD. The only sure thing was the second time whatever it was included sepsis. And the bronchoscopy test results showed nothing.
My own doctor wont even advise me if getting the pneumococcal vaccine is safe. He said ask the pulmonologist. So yes my list is growing!
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Hi Yvonne,
The six minute walk test is simply that. They put a monitor on you and you walk on flat ground for 6 minutes or until your oxygen level falls below a certain level. By the time they gave me this test (months after I started seeing him), I was able to do only 3 minutes before my oxygen level went to low. This test was repeated every so often after the first time.
When I went for the pulmonary function test (the box), the person that gave me the test told me what to do and I just did it. When he told me to breathe normal, I breathed normal. When he said to breathe fast as if panting, that is what I did. I didn't need to worry about what to do.
I never had the spirometer (mechanism with the ball inside) until after my first hospitalization.
However, the first visit was just them getting a history, taking blood, looking at my nails (I have clubbed fingers, which is a sign of pulmonary issues) and listening to my lungs. Not all pulmonologists do the blood work themselves.
My son saw a different pulmonologist, due to insurance reasons. On his first visit, the doctor listened to his lungs and sent him for chest X-rays and blood work. On his second visit they did the pulmonary strength test (measures how much you can inhale and exhale) and sent him for further blood work (allergy tests).
When I asked the pulmonologist about the pneumococcal vaccination (I am younger than the age where everyone should get it), he said yes and told me which one to get. So this is a great question for him. Another good question would be "what is next?" or "what should I expect?"