Sleep and Lung Function Service | James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sleep and Lung Function Service

Opening times

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm

Telephone

01493 453055

Location

The Oulton Suite, on the first floor of the James Paget Orthopaedic Centre building on the north side of the hospital site, and at the Norfolk Coastal Centre, Wood Farm Lane, Beacon Park, Gorleston, NR31 9AQ.

We provide various tests for assessing the lungs whilst awake and during sleep.

If your hospital doctor wants further information on how your lungs are working or if breathing is okay during sleep they may refer you to us where we will undertake the relevant test for you. We also provide a specific treatment to help breathing during sleep.

All tests are undertaken by trained staff and your test results will be returned to your referring doctor who will either discuss the results with you in person or will write to you to let you know the outcome of your test(s).

With our sleep tests you will be asked to collect a simple piece of recording equipment one day, wear it at home overnight then return it to the department the following day. Sometimes the doctor asks for a sleep study in the hospital. If this is the case you would attend hospital overnight.

Please check your appointment letter for details of where you need to attend.

What services are provided?

How can I get a referral?

How do I find the Oulton Suite?

How do I find the Norfolk Coastal Centre?

Key staff

Dr Venkat Mahadevan

Consultant Physician in Respiratory & General Medicine

Sleep and Lung Function tests

Pulmonary function tests

Pulmonary Function Tests or “Lung Function Tests” are breathing measurements to assess how well your lungs are working.

They help the doctor to: diagnose a chest condition e.g. asthma, measure response to treatment, and monitor your progress.

It is advisable to;

Not smoke for 24 hours prior to your appointment
Not eat a large meal two hours prior to the test or to wear tight restrictive clothing
Not to drink alcohol for at least four hours prior to the appointment

If possible do not take the following inhalers prior to the tests;

Ventolin (Salamol, Salbutamol) or Bricanyl for at least 6 hours prior
Atrovent (Ipratropium), Duovent or Combivent for at least 8 hours prior
Seretide, Fostair (purple), Symbicort, and Theophylline for 12 hours prior
Spiriva (Tiotropium) or Seebri for 24 hours prior

If you feel you need to take any of these inhalers on the day of your tests or the day prior because of breathlessness then please do, but try to remember which one you have taken and at what time.

These tests take about 30 – 60 minutes. We measure your height and weight, then sit you in front of a machine and talk you through various breathing manoeuvres. For example, during one measure you have to hold your breath for a few seconds whereas on a different one you’ll be asked to “blow!” the air out. These are different measurements to those performed in your GP surgery.

You will be asked to repeat each measure several times so that we record the best possible results. We are aware this may be difficult for some patients but always encourage you to try your best. The measures are harmless and generally cause no pain.

Sometimes we perform a measurement “post bronchodilator”. If we did this with you, you would use an inhaler like unit to breathe in a medication, wait for 20 minutes then repeat one of the breathing manoeuvres.

Simple exercise

Airways challenge

The airways challenge tests involves performing several maximal exhalations (i.e. blow’s out).

In between each effort you will breathe in a sweet sugar like powder. The test will assess how sensitive (or irriatable) your airways are.

There is strict preparation for this test;

you should not be pregnant
you should be free from chest infection for at least six weeks prior
you should perform no vigorous exercise on the day of the test
no smoking for six hours prior the test
no caffeinated foods/drinks (e.g. tea, coffee, cola, chocolate) on the day of the test.

Also for the Airways Challenge test 'inhalers and antihistamine need to be stopped', please follow the table below;

Agent	Withholding Time
Singulair (Montlukast)	4 days
Antihistamines (Cetirizine/Zyrtec, Fexofenadine/Telfast, Loratadine/Claratyne)	3 days
Spiriva (Tiotropium), Seebri	3 days
Seretide, (Purple inhaler), Symbicort (white with red bottom inhaler)	24 hours
Serevent (Green inhaler), Oxis, Onbrez	24 hours
Nuelin (Theophylline)	24 hours
Flixotide, Becotide, Becloforte, Qvar, Pulmicort (brown/red inhalers)	12 hours
Atrovent (Ipratropium)	12 hours
Ventolin (Blue inhalers) or Bricanyl (terbutaline, white & blue)	8 hours
Intel (Sodium Cromoglycate) or Tilade (nedcocromil sodium)	8 hours

If you have any concerns with withholding medications prior to the airways challenge test please have your current prescription to hand and ring the department on 01493 453055 - you will need to speak to one of the lung technicians/physiologists.

The most common side effect during the airways challenge test is cough. Sometimes it can cause mild shortness of breath, wheeze or chest soreness. If these side effects occur they are mild, last only a few minutes, and disappear following breathing a medication we have to hand if necessary. Many patients do not experience any of these side effects at all.

Hypoxic Challenge (part of Flight Assessment)

Respiratory Muscle Function

Overnight Pulse Oximetry

Home sleep study

Inpatient sleep study

CPAP Therapy

If you have any questions, or any other concerns about any of these services please contact us on 01493 453055 during office hours.

The photograph at the top of the page of some of our team has been supplied courtesy of Darwin Group.

Further information and useful links

Opening times

Telephone

Location

If you have any questions, or any other concerns about any of these services please contact us on 01493 453055 during office hours.

DVLA Tiredness can kill leaflet