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BCPO and scoliosis 40, years old

Posted , 3 users are following.

sara55410
sara55410

Hello, I'm 40 years old and I've been diagnosed with bcpo and severe scolisis.

​My fvc is 3,10 and my fev1 is 2,34.

​I feel alone with my diseanse, I'm Italian.

​We've no group for bpco in my country.

​And I'm young for this kind of problems.

I'd like some friends to share problems.

Actually I'm stopping smoking.

I'v also problems with my heart rate. Tachicardia.

​At the moment I take Ivabradine 7,5 .

 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • david1942
    david1942 sara55410

    Posted

    COPD in Italian is "broncopneumopatia cronica ostruttiva". It might also indicate you have suffered a bout of pneumonia at some stage of your life. The detail in the description may differ to the recognised UK/US definition of the disease.

    There are others on the forum who may be able to make suggestions. In terms of your other symptoms, scoliosis might have happened either at birth or much later in your life. The tachycardia is a bit worrying and, generally, the desciption is used for a heart rate of more than 100/minute.

    I think one of your first goals is to bring your heart rate down to more acceptable levels. Besides following a healthy Italian diet your priority is to stop smoking . . .and stop it for good. Take as much exercise as you can each day, although I realise it might be difficult in the summer heat if you live in the south.

    Auguri, Sara. 

     

    • sara55410
      sara55410 david1942

      Posted

      Thank you very much for your answer.

      ​I'm trying my best quitting cigrettes.

      ​I eat very well. I have scoliosis since I was 11.

      ​I exercice every day.

      ​My best wishes to you.

       

  • aitarg35939
    aitarg35939 sara55410

    Posted

    Hi Sara,

    This is a great site, folks are nice with many positive ideas, administrator is unobtrusive. I'm in Texas and I like this site better than the ones I've found in the States.

    I have all 3 conditions you mentioned. My scoliosis doesn't bother me. maybe it's been there all my life and maybe not. I know there are others whose scoliosis is much worse and more intrusive in daily life.

    When I was first diagnosed with tachycardia it was after an "event" in which my heart got stuck at 185 beats/minute for almost an hour, I got a very good electrophysiologist. Even before diagnosing the kind of tachycardia I had he gave me the caffeine lecture, as in stop all caffeine one now. That wasn't hard as I'd already had to give up coffee. Most such specialists here don't tell patients to give up caffeine. This way, the docs can make more money from prescriptions and procedures. So if no one has told you, it would be good to cut out caffeine.

    Can you feel when your heart beats faster than normal? I happen to be blessed with the ability to know whether my heart is beating normally or at 100 or 120 or 140. Past that I just know I'm in big trouble. Calming teas can help slow the heart as can meditation. When things are really bad, I use a technique from Healing Chi Gong. It's called "9 Turns" or "9 Slow Turns" and even my electrophysiologist knows of its effectiveness. It may not work for all kinds of tachycardia but it sure helps me. (If things are really bad I alternate that with Vagal Maneuvers.) I have chosen not to have ablation because my doc, who doesn't that surgery all day long, says he wouldn't do it if he were me.)

    Otherwise, there are now many meds for other kinds of tachycardia - if you need them.

    I too was first diagnosed with COPD/BCPO at about 40. I foolishly continued smoking. Good for you that you are quitting now. When I quit I found one good thing about McDonald's: the straws they give out for drinks here are a perfect prop for one's hands in that first week or two. Most everyone in this forum was a smoker and some still are. We're all here to cheer you on as you quit cigarettes.

    You may be alone with your conditions in Italy, but you're not alone in the universe. We're here with you.

    Aitarg

    • sara55410
      sara55410 aitarg35939

      Posted

      Hello Aitarg,

      thanks for your answer.

      I feel very bad cause I can't quit smoking.

      ​I try....and I try....but I can't.

      ​About tachicardia, I still take my meds.

      ​My WCB are always high - 14.000, can be a cause of COPD?

    • aitarg35939
      aitarg35939 sara55410

      Posted

      Dear Sara:

      Quitting is hard, something most of us did many times until one day it worked. As to the WCB, I assume that's white blood cell count? If so, I don'r know about that as a cause of COPD/BCPO. Did your doctor say it's a cause? Perhaps someone else can speak to that. (I'm pretty ignorant of causes other than smoking.)

      Aitarg

    • sara55410
      sara55410 aitarg35939

      Posted

      Hello!

      thanks for your answer....I'll try, and try, and try again.....

      ​I'll go to the doctor and I'll ask about the white blood cell count.

      ​I went to U.S when a was 16 years old for a summer study vacation...

      I miss that period so much!

       

    • aitarg35939
      aitarg35939 sara55410

      Posted

      Hi Sara

      Sometimes it helps - in the long-run of quitting cigarettes - if we start by first quitting during certain activities or in certain places. Long before I wanted to quit smoking I quit smoking inside my house. I had bought an expensive painting and didn't want it ruined by smoke (after seeing the brown water from hand-washing a cream colored drape). By the time I wanted to quit I was out of the habit of smoking inside my house. Then when I was quitting I had to first give up smoking while talking on the phone then while driving my car. The hardest to give up was smoking whilst drinking :-). Here in my part of the world it's so hard to find a public place to smoke that if one can't smoke at home one is pretty much forced to quit or cut way down. And yes, after I bought that painting I spent 17 (!) years smoking in the garage in bad weather and out under the patio cover otherwise. But I stupidly had no desire to quit for most of those years.

      Where did you spend your time in the States? High school itself wasn't fun for me and I always had to work, yet I still miss those years and the freedom - to hitchhike safely everywhere, to believe that if we just ended the Vietnam conflict my country would be better and of course to still have my mom alive and all of us living in the countryside again. Ah well old age comes to us all if we are lucky, even if it comes with inhalers and a cough.

      Aitarg

  • Vee2
    Vee2 sara55410

    Posted

    Hi Sara welcome here,

    Well done for stopping smoking, I had tachicardia in the early days of diagnosis also, but for me it did pass after some time once prescribed the inhalers that helped me breathe easier.  I hope this is your experience too.

    You may want to joint the scoliosis forum also at patient UK :  https://patient.info/forums/discuss/browse/scoliosis-and-kyphosis-2097

    Wishing you every success in remaining smoke free.

    Best wishes V

     

    • sara55410
      sara55410 Vee2

      Posted

      Thank you very much for your anwer and links.

      ​I'm trying to do my best.

       

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