chest x rays

hi Jessie thank you for you reply yes very confusing, indeed hope you feel better soon .

Hi ricky32 thank you for your reply , i have had this problem for a number of years in 2011 i went to see a chest specialist i had one test done there,just  normal spirometry and was told i my fev1/fvc was 66% and that i should not be having the symptoms that i was having and basically that was it. when he sent the report to my gp he said i lead a sedentary lifestyle that couldn't have been further from the truth i am overweight and everything that is wrong with me is down to this, or being lazy which im not . i have asked could i have a ct scan and was told no, no reason just no so. i don't think i will be able to see specialist again i would pay privately but again gp has to refer you here in the uk  and he wont .  last time i seen my gp  about a different matter he yawned all the time i was in there so degrading so now i try not to go to my gp and i usually get appointment every august for a copd check but this year they haven't even sent for me im stuck don't know what to do for the best but thank you again for your input much appreciated .

WOW BILLY,

IMMA stop whinning about doctors because I can't imagine not being able to see a specialist in different types of our bodies where things go wrong.n  My gp here we call them Primary Care Physician  PCP, and thats about all they do is refer patients to specialits.  In fact i HAVE copd WITH ONLY 30% LUNG FUNCTION LEFT AMD THAT WAS DONE 4 1/2 YEARS AGO.  WELL NOW IT'S GOT REALLY BAD.  mY BREATHING SCARES ME.  SO SHORT OF BREATHE CAN'T WAK 15 FEET TO BATHROON NOW W/O OXYGEN. sorry about the caps here i wasnt looking.  im a hunt and peck typist and have to look at keyboard when typing.  But Billy just to give you an idea how common place it is here in the states for PCP to refer you is that since I went to see mine 3 weeks ago and told her about how bad my breathing had got she refered me to pulmonologist because she told me there was an relatively new inhaler out for COPD sufferers but she couldn't prescribe it only special;ist.  Soi after reading how it is in UK, I feel grateful for care iu get here.  Good luck billy and i look forward to hearing how you are from time to time.

ricky

thank you for your reply ricky2 ,hope you get some improvement when you have the new inhaler sorry to hear things are so bad for you good luck .

Maureen

HI BILLY,

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO MY LAST RESPONSE THE OTHERDAY.  WELL I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SPECIALTY  CLINIC ON THURSDAY SEPT. 14. MY APPT. WAS WITH THE OXYGEN CLINIC AND THE OXYGEN THERAPIST'S JOB IS TO ACCESS WHETHER I NEED TO INCRESE THE AMOUNT OF OXYGEN THAT I'M USING AND TO DETERMINE IF I NEED TO INCREASE IT FROM WHAT I WAS PRESCRIBED BACK IN JAN. 2017, AT THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR.  THE PROCEDURE FOR TESTING WHETHER OR NOT I NEED MORE IS REAL SIMPLE. THE FIRST THING SHE DOES IS HAVE ME SIT IN A CHAIR BESIDE HER FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND WHILE I'M SITTING IN CHAIR SHE PUTS THAT LITTLE OXYGEM METER THAT GOES ON MY FINGER AND READS WHAT MY OXYGEN LEVEL IS WHILE JUST SITTING STILL.  MY READING WAS 95% BWHICH SHE SAID WAS GOOD GIVEN THE FACT THAT MY LUNG FUNCTION LEVEL TAKEN 4 1/2 YEARS AGO SHOWED I HAD ONLY 30% LUNG FUNCTION REMAINING.  ANYWAY AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES SHE GOT ME TRO START WALKING DOWN VARIOUS HALLWAYS IN THE HOSPITAL, WITHOUT OXYGEN AND WITH THE METER STILL ON FINGER. I WALKED BACK AND FORTH DOWN HALL AS YOU WAS BESIDE ME WALKING AND NKEEPPING EYE ON FINGER METER. AFTER WALKING ABOUT 5 MINUTES I WAS GETTING SHORT OF BREATHE THE LONGER I BWALKED. I ASK HER WHAT THE READING WAS AND SHE TOLD ME IT HAD DROPPED TO 90 AFTER 5 TO 6 MINUTWES AND AFTER 12 TO 15 MINUTES IT DROPPED TO 85%.  I WAS REALLY SHORT OF BREATRHE AND TOLD HER I WAS TIRED AND NEEDED TO REST.  SHE SAID THAT WAS FINE THE TEST WAS OVER AND WE WALKED BACK TO GER OFFICE AND I SAT BACK DOWN AND PUT MY OXYGEL HOE BACK ON THE KIND WITH THGE 2 NOSTROL TUBES. IT WAS SET FOR 2 PULSES TO TAKE IN AFTER EVERY BREATHE I TOOK.  ESSENTIALLY SHE SAID NOTHING HAD CHANGED SINCE JAN 2017 THRU NOW SEPT. 2017.

I FELT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WITH HER ASSESSMENT THAT NOTHING HAD CHANGED IN 9 MONTHS, PLUS ADDITIONALLY, I FELT GREAT KNOWING THAT I WAS ABLE TO WALK RATHER RAPIDLY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES WITHOUT HAVING TO USE THE OXYGEN. I WAS AFRAID TO EVEN WALK ANY DISTANCE AT ALL WITHOUT THE OXYGEN. ( I was told in Jan. by another respiratory therapist that i didn't need to use the oxygen while sitting down, only when i got up to walk.) PLUS I AM NOT ON A CONSTANT FLOW OF OXYGEN, ONLY 2 PUFFS FOR EVERY TIME I TOOK A BREATHE.  SO I FELT GREAT ABOUT THE TEST I HAD DONE AND RESULTS. I KNOW NOW THAT I HAVE OVER COME MY FEAR AND ACTUALLY CAN WALK WITHOUT IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I HAVE AN APPT. ON OCTOBER 4TH NEXT MONTH TO HAVE A LUNG FUNCTION TEST FOLLOWED WITH AN APPT. TO SEE THE SPECIALIST DOCTOR WHO IS A PULMONOLOGIST AND THEN AFTER MEETING WITH HIM I WILL KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE AT THAT TIME ABOUT WHAT TO INSPECT/ I KNOW I HAVE STAGE 4, OR END STAGE COPD AND THAT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF ME AND IS EXTREMELY SERIOUS BUT I'LL KNOW A LOT MORE AFTER OCTOBER 4.  ILL TRY TO POST THE RESULTS OF THE EXAM THEN IF I DONT FORGET BUT MAYBE SOME OF YOU MEMBERS CAN MAKE A NOTE TO ASK ME THEN IF INTERESTED.

THANKS FOR LETTING ME SHARE

RICKY

Sounds great though. No change in 9 months ! Sounds like you're doing good. Good luck with your doctor visits.

Hi ricky2 so glad your appointment went better than expected , and you feel less scared about walking a little without oxygen , well good luck for your next appointment and keep us updated on how you get on.

 Take care

billy.

Hi nellebelle how  am i lucky to have copd and chest x rays although taken few years ago showed widespread inflammatory lung disease i asked a question that's all does it disappear, and the above message billy chest x ray im quite confused what do you mean .

thank you nellebelle i have not been offended i just did not understand what you was trying to say no harm done.

hope you keep well

.billy235