What was the percentage? Usually they show predicted, actual and percentage. The actual doesn't tell me much; the percentage is what you blew compared to what is predicted for someone your height, age, weight and sex, so without knowing those variables, no one could tell you good, bad or indifferent. Give me either the percentage or the predicted and the actual, and I can figure it out.

We usually talk about the FEV1 as our "lung function". There are several standards that are used, but in general anything 60% or above is considered mild; moderate would be more than 30; and severe less than 30%. Those are just ranges, and often people with the same FEV1 find that they have vastly different capabilities for a whole variety of reasons. I know people with very low FEV1 % who are still very active, engaged and enjoying life, and I know people with FEV1s that I would kill for who consider themselves practically invalided by COPD. A lot of it's attitude; some is the difference between people and some is that COPD affects each of us individually and one size does NOT fit all!

Jean

You probably need to talk with your doc about the O2 issue. If you have an oximeter, use it to see what your O2 saturation levels are with various kinds of activity. If you regularly go below 88, the tech is probably right. If you use O2 to exercise, use it to help you increase your endurance and stamina by really giving yourself a workout. Shoot for 30 minutes non-stop aerobic activity and when you reach that, add speed, distance or time and push yourself. Keep your saturation levels up there at 93 - 97 and push hard so you really make your 60% lung function work efficiently for you. Huffing and puffing won't hurt you and being sob won't hurt you either as long as your O2 sats are right up there. Use pursed lip breathing to help keep the sob down.

My FEV1 is 35%; I'd give a lot to be at 60%. I'm 71, I work out every day for at least 30 minutes, and I travel about twice a month by air for various activities. My life is really very good, and I think yours can be too.

I went from 25% to 30% in a few years of not smoking. I can go without oxygen most days but only use at night. I try to keep somewhat active but you have to determine your own body. I like to go dancing once in awhile and it helps me sometime to breath better as long as I am having a good day and not over doing.
So I believe we need to move as much as we can to gain strength.

I only have 17% and I ride my horses every day and go to the gym every day. When I start to get hypoxic, I stop and breathe until my o2 levels come up. I am on oxygen 24/7 but it doesn't slow me down much.

Thanks Jean...you've been very helpful. I will be discussing a lot of things with my pulmonary doctor when I see him in Sept. He also wants me to have an echocardiogram done before I see him.