Hi Artchick, I am not sure you had same tests as I. This what I had that was most revealing, a Negative Inspiratory force test or NIF. They have a low tech version done at bedside but in fully loaded hosptial pulmononary labs they have the chair in the bubble you sit in and they hook you up to tubes and a mouth piece that is atached to a computer and it is all very fine tuned.

And this is for measuring diaphragm and muscle strength for breathing and not just for COPD so is accurate for what we have. In January:
first one was Peak NIF of -36 cm of water (before appointment)
second was Peak NIF of -50 cm of water (after appointment and eating)
after mestion Peak NIF of -91 cm of water !!!! and wow did I feel the difference here. I felt my diaphragm move! Normally I feel nothing there.

Tests also done were FVC or forced vital capacity which increased 10% after the mestinon. Diffusion capacity was at 68% of predicted prior to mestinon. My lung volumes showed total lung capacity of 86% of predicted.

Now my lung doc is the director of this lab as well as one of the senior doc at the teaching hospital I go to. But I have had these tests thru earlier lung docs so I know that you all can get them too.

Brain has gone blank....so I gotta sign off. Hope this helps someone in some way.

Annie59