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Cant Breath and getting paranoid

Posted , 6 users are following.

panagiotis81652
panagiotis81652

Hello to all ,

My name is Takis and i have been suffering for shortness of breath as i feel it i cant breath normally and sometimes suffocating, i am a smoker for more than 15 years, im 31 years old and im living in Swiss i migrated from Greece 2 years ago climate wise.

I try to take deep breaths and it seems that the air is not enough , i have this problem for some years now but it came and gone as it pleased.

1 month now it became worse after a flu that i passed that required antibiotics to pass and its becoming worse and worse every day. The symptoms are as followed : one cough in morning with a big flem of black residue and during the day its becoming worse but with no apparent residue like the morning , feeling out of breath need to take more air and last if i choke on food or water it needs about 2 3 minutes to recover and my breath stops for 20 seconds, Half of the times it feels like someone is sitting on my chest and im gasping for a breth and sometimes it feels like half of my lung is not functioning.

Doctor tests X ray, spirometer , cardiac diagram , blood test ,allergy test and throat doctor couldnt find anything with the little camera through the nose except little problem in throat but he blamed it on acid reflux but i know i dont have it cause i dont feel burn like when you throw up and after. Everything showed normal for a smoker.

I have been between doctors and they cant find anything in particular for my condition.

Im getting paranoid and i dont know how to get rid of that cause it stops me from doing my daily normal activities even going to work is a nightmare cause i work in a kitchen for 2 years now and its pilling up.

If someone can help me or direct me i would be most gratefull.

Maybe im not describing it so good so if someone can ask me specific questions for symptom evaluation that would be great.

Thank you in advance.!

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • deanne77778
    deanne77778 panagiotis81652

    Posted

    Hi Takis,

    This is awful for you.  Do you have any inhalers?  At the very minimum you do need them.  Maybe it would be a good idea to see yet another doctor.  Help is available for you, just keep digging for it.

    I wish I could be of more help but I send you my love and blessings.

    • panagiotis81652
      panagiotis81652 deanne77778

      Posted

      Thanx for the quick reply .

      I have one ventolyn that they gave me but doesnt help and also one with kortizon wich i didnt try yet cause of fear of the symptoms that this drug gives .

  • sandy58386
    sandy58386 panagiotis81652

    Posted

    Hi Panagiotis....so sorry you are suffering so!  Please ask your doctor to prescribe a CT scan.  If he/she will not, seek a different doctor.  I don't see how they can accurately diagnose something in your lungs by running a tube down your nose!!  I was diagnosed with COPD BECAUSE my doctor prescribed a CT scan.  Let us know how it goes!!  Hugs!!

    • panagiotis81652
      panagiotis81652 sandy58386

      Posted

      Thank you for your advice it all comes through the ct scan thats what people tell me so i will do that and see.

      One more question if i have copd im 31 years old is it reversible cause if it started from now in 10 years i will die like this.

    • hypercat
      hypercat panagiotis81652

      Posted

      Hi it's unlikely you have copd as it is rare at your age.  Rare but not unheard of.  The best way to avoid it is to give up the ciggies right now.  Not easy but doable. 

      Copd is a progressive disease and the damage can't be reversed.  It is however very manageable especially at the early stages.  It would be very unlikely you would be diagnosed at an early stage and be dead 10 years later!  In reality it (unless you are still smoking) usually progresses a lot slower than that and it is possible with leading a healthy lifestyle and a bit of luck to hold it stable for many years. 

      For example I was diagnosed at around 75% lung function 9 years ago and it is still about the same now.  The main danger isn't so much of dying of it but of living with oxygen and a limited lifestyle if you don't look after your lungs.  It can't be much fun living for a lot of years like that!  x

       

  • deanne77778
    deanne77778 panagiotis81652

    Posted

    Hi again,

    As I understand it COPD is a blanket term for lung problems and cannot be reversed BUT IT CAN BE MANAGED.

    I am 71 years old and was diagnosed with Asthma 17 years ago.  I have smoked since the age of 10 and foolishly I still do but non smokers don't realise how hard it is to give up.  For me it is impossible and I don't intend to try as I love my ciggies.  I have had three "flare ups" in the last 18 months caused by colds and I have to take steroids and antibiotics when that happens.  It's good to keep those by you to start as soon as a problem arises.  Don't give up and don't be afraid.  There are thousands of us out there just like you. Just keep trying to get help until you can manage your symptoms yourself.

    Big Hugs. xx

    • panagiotis81652
      panagiotis81652 deanne77778

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your support mentally and psychologically and your advice i will try to make a ct scan and see what the problem is there and move on to treating it.. i hope the damage is not permanent and is curable.

      Wish you luck and good health with your condition also and hope it turns out good for both of us !!

  • Vee2
    Vee2 panagiotis81652

    Posted

    Given your age, I would also ask for a blood test to eliminate alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency.

    In addition anxiety can trigger shortness of breath.

    If you take your medicine as prescribed including the corticosteroid for a few months just to see if this does help your shortness of breath.

    The corticosteroid for a few months trial period is not going to cause any drastic problems and could well help your symptoms, besides the doctor needs to know if the prescribed medicine is not working.  In addition not taking it could result in further complications to your health.

    You are coughing up black from the lungs?  You need referral to a specialist.  I would attend your new doctor asap.

    • panagiotis81652
      panagiotis81652 Vee2

      Posted

      Thank you for the info as for the last part for black its like when in the morning ypur nose and lungs are full of all night and it looks grey colored with flem !
  • amanda1827h
    amanda1827h panagiotis81652

    Posted

    Hi Have you tried a salt air inhaler? Also get an inhaler jug from your chemist & boil kettle till nearly boiling & add 3 drops of olbas oil & breathe in for a least 15 mins per session.Have olbas oil in the morning & again in the evenings.Put olbas oil on the pillow as well,so your breathing it in.Have you given up smoking? This you MUST do.Also get to a physiotherapist to get help with breathing excerises. Also get to the nearest doctor. Regards Amandah

    • panagiotis81652
      panagiotis81652 amanda1827h

      Posted

      I will try this oil that you said and regarding phisio etc.. im a little bit hard here cause i imigrated to switzerland 2 years ago and here the money and the insurances are like mafia hehe so its difficult to move in that direction .

      As far as the cigarrete all the doctors said to quit and i have to !

  • sandy58386
    sandy58386 panagiotis81652

    Posted

    Hi Panagiotis.....this is Sandy again.  I am NOT laughing at you or belittling you for your remark that you will be dead in 10 years......I'm sure we ALL were scared and confused when we were first diagnosed.   I have heard of patients with COPD that have lived 20 or many more years after they are diagnosed.  Please don't think or feel that you will die in 10 years.  I have a good friend that was diagnosed 27 years ago and is still VERY active.  If you DO get a definite COPD diagnosis, you MUST quit smoking and follow all of your physicians orders.  PLEASE insist on a CT scan.  Hugs!

    • panagiotis81652
      panagiotis81652 sandy58386

      Posted

      Im sorry if i gave the wrong impression i was merely being humorous to try and divert my psychology to a more productive outcome but still truth is truth i am struggling to breath now for a month more than before and i feel if i have to live with it i will not survive it in the long run but im a positive person so as i hear people are fighting it so will i !
  • elaine59512
    elaine59512 panagiotis81652

    Posted

    I was watching a Medical TV program not long ago and there was a woman on it who was 90 years old with COPD so please don't worry about dying early.

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