Need to go to the Emergency Room? This Peak Flow Meter Can Help You Decide
Written: Jul 25 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Helps monitor your current asthma condition.
Cons: Only available through health care professionals.
The Bottom Line: If you suffer from breathing problems, ask your doctor about one of these meters.
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| dagny21's Full Review: Truzone Peak Flow Meter - Help Monitor Asthma Cond... |
Note: I am not a medical professional, and far from knowledgeable about asthma or it's dangers. This product review should be read as a personal experience only, and in no way as medical advice. If you've happened upon this review because you're sitting there concerned about your immediate condition, quit reading and call your doctor.
I'm a new, and hopefully only temporary, sufferer from asthma - or at least asthma-like symptoms. About 6 weeks ago I experienced some smoke inhalation from a campfire at a kid's birthday party. It is taking my lungs awhile to recover, and since then I have been suffering from bronchospasms, which is what causes regular asthma sufferers to have trouble breathing.
Recently, I ended up at the emergency room when I was short of breath and my prescribed inhaler did not seem to be helping very much. Being new to this condition, I don't yet know when breathing problems are just an all-consuming distraction, or when they are immediately life-threatening. I am one of the lucky people with very good medical insurance, so when I got scared and my doctor's office was closed, off I went to the emergency room.
One of the things I came home with from the hospital was this Truzone Peak Flow Meter. I had expressed to the Physician's Assistant I was dealing with that I just didn't know when I should seek immediate help and was concerned about coming to the emergency room unnecessarily, but more concerned about not going when I needed to. He showed me how to use this device and gave me a number on the gage at which - based on my body type - I should be concerned enough to seek immediate medical attention. He then gave me one to take home.
What is a Peak Flow Meter?
These simple mechanical devices come in different shapes and different sizes, but they all do basically the same thing. They measure how forcefully you can expel air from your lungs. How much or little you can push out is a crude measure of your current lung function. These gages are not as accurate as a hospital spirometer, but they can be used at home, in your car, and almost anywhere else.
The Truzone Peak Flow Meter
This particular flow meter is a long plastic tube about eight inches in length. It has a number line that runs down it that goes from 0 to 800. At the 0 end is the word "Reset" and there is a little thing (I don't know what to call it) that moves up and down this line. At one end of the tube is a green mouthpiece, and the other end is vented so that the air you blow into it comes out. In the box the meter comes in, you will find some colored stickers and instructions in a couple of languages, that include various charts that tell you what your normal maximum output should be based on your age, sex, and weight. There is also a daily record chart to use to gage your condition over time.
How to Use this Flow Meter
You should be either standing or sitting up when you use this meter. Make sure that the little thing inside starts out resting against the "Reset" area of the tube. If it is not, shake the tube gently until the little piece falls down to reset. Expel as much air as you can from your lungs, then breathe in as deeply as you can. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth with the machine parallel to the ground, and push out as hard and as fast as you can (The PA told me to pretend it was my 100th birthday and I was trying to blow out all of the candles in one big, fast, hard breath). Then look at the meter to see what your number is. The higher the number, the better your lung function at that moment. You should repeat this action between 2 and 5 times to get an average number, each time making sure the thing is resting against "Reset" before you blow.
Using the Stickers?
I have not been using the stickers with this flow meter, and don't plan to. But, these stickers can be used to personalize the flow meter to you. There are 4 different stickers. Each one is a long bar with green at the top, then yellow, then red. You place them on the meter to indicate different ranges of function for yourself. You place the green end on where your "best" range should be. You can cut the stickers if necessary to put them in the right ranges. For example, if I'm in the red, that means I need medical help. I would actually need to cut the sticker to place the red part in the right area. I don't use the stickers just because it's easy enough for me to remember the number at which to seek help. I don't need a sticker for that.
Care and Maintenance
The Truzone meter comes with a 1 year warranty. You can get a replacement for free from wherever you purchased it if it stops working properly during that time. To keep the Truzone working properly, it should be washed by moving it gently through warm soapy water. Do not brush out the inside or anything else like that. Just fill a dish with soapy water and move it around in the dish. Then allow to air dry completely before using it. Do this once per week.
How To Get Your Own Truzone Peak Flow Meter
On the box it says that by law these devices are only available through or by the order of a health practitioner. If you think you might be able to benefit from one of these, ask your physician.
Final Thoughts
I'm really glad to have this little tool. I use it several times a day, sometimes when I'm feeling badly, but also when I'm feeling good. It gives me an objective way to measure how I'm doing and how my medication is working for me. I'm not sure how the Truzone Peak Flow Meter compares with other meters, but I think all those with breathing issues might benefit from a self-monitoring tool like this.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dagny21
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 in Kids & Family |
 - Top 500 |
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Member: Christine D
Location: Alaska
Reviews written: 388
Trusted by: 66 members
About Me:
Happily married mother of one boy.
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