Blow to reach your peak (Digital Peak Flow Meter with Cate)

Member Name: Grimsbygal

Product:	Digital Peak Flow Meter with Cate
Date:	27/07/01 (4139 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: helps control asthma, easy to use, inexpensive

Disadvantages: not free

As my regular readers already know, I suffer from asthma. When I went to the doctors a few years ago he introduced me to a peak flow meter.

“Anna, this is Mr Peak Flow,” said my doctor.
“Hello Mr Peak Flow.”
“Hello Anna, let me measure your peak flow.”
“Okay, what do you want me to do?”
“Blow, blow as hard as you can.”
“Where shall I blow Mr Peak Flow?”
“Into my long tube, take a deep breath and blow as hard as you can.”
I puffed into the tube. My doctor looked quite upset.
“You can do better than that Anna. Blow into Mr Peak Flow again, this time harder.”
I huffed and puffed as much as I could. The marker on Mr Peak Flow shot up.
“That is more satisfying Anna. You may have just reached you peak.”
“Thanks Mr Peak Flow.”
“Thank you Anna, I do hope you come again soon.”

Okay so it didn’t quite happen like that. Sorry to disappoint you all but Mr Peak Flow could not really talk. He was only a hand held device used to measure how the air flowed from my lungs in one fast blast. In other words this little device measures the ability to push air out of your lungs.

Many people who have asthma can benefit from using a peak flow meter. A peak flow meter can help you and your doctor monitor your asthma. These measurements can be important and help your doctor prescribe medicines to keep your asthma in control.

Anyone from the age of three can use a peak flow meter although you can get different ones for smaller children. I have a standard peak floe meter, which is suitable for older children, teenagers and adults.

A peak flow meter can help you when your asthma is getting worse. Asthmas sometimes changes gradually and a peak flow meter can show changes before you feel them. If you know how to control your asthma this can prevent hospital visits.


A peak flow meter works on a scale of 0-800. This confuses some people, as they don’t know what the usual achievement is. When I first got my peak flow meter I was not sure what my aim was. The secret is there is no aim. You just do the best you can and you can monitor your asthma around your best reading not the boys next door. There is a table available showing a normal average peak expiratory flow for different heights. It says a normal person my height would show a reading of 460. I often struggle to get 350.

If you or your child have asthma and don’t own a peak flow meter, ask your doctor to prescribe you one. They do last a lifetime so it is an inexpensive way of monitoring your condition. I especially recommend them for children as it helps parents monitor their child’s asthma and can improve their health.

Many doctors recommend you keep a chart showing your peak flow readings on. It tells you to measure your peak flow twice a day, first thing in the morning , and at bedtime. Each time you measure your peak flow you should take your best reading out of three. You then need to plot your highest reading on the graph. By joining the dots on the graph you can see how your peak flow varies from one day to the next. You can also measure if you become wheezy or feel an attack coming on.

Peak flow meters should be cleaned at least once every sixth months and should only be used by one person. I must admit when I first got mine everyone had a go to see who had the most puff. No prizes for guessing who lost.

Anyway what I am really trying to say by writing this opinion is a peak flow meter is a must for asthmatics. It really does help and in the long run can prove to be a lifesaver.

Take Care and sorry for the boring read,
Anna
(Grimsbygal)

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