emphysema?
Posted , 4 users are following.
I'm 43 male very overweight. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with sarcoidosis and sent to lung specialists.he sent me for all kinds of lung function test. His nurse calls me a few days later says I have moderate emphysema and need to quit smoking. I was able to stop smoking and have been smoke free now for 8 years. When I smoked I coughed a lot but since quitting I no longer cough. I do have shortness of breath but I am overweight a lot.I recently took a basic lung function test the very basic one that takes like 5 min. I think it measures how much air your moving. In and out. It showed normal.my question is could the test I took 10 years ago have been mistaken. They were very extensive test. But I don't have a cough my o ly symptom is shortness of breath. And extreme fatigue. But as I stated I'm significantly overweight.I've read most people with emphysema have a cough
0 likes, 5 replies
john80670 ronaldky
Posted
HI the test you just had did you get the results ? if you did you can check them here https://patient.info/doctor/spirometry-calculator
ronaldky john80670
Posted
No I took it at hospital sitting in an office I breathed in a little thing about the size of electric pencil sharpener it took like five minutes. I wAs watching the screen and talking to the guy doing the test he said it was in normal range for this test.I do have significant shortness of breath and fatigue. No energy but I'm severely overweight. The test I took ten years ago were extensive and took a long time and measured lot of different things. And I had smoked heavily for 20 years. I'm just curious if it's possible to get a misdiagnosis from an extensive test like I had ten years ago. I guess I'll probably have to see specialists and maybe do testing again to get my answers but thanks everybody for listening
john80670 ronaldky
Posted
breathless ronaldky
Posted
Hello Ronald, I have read what comrades with copd have written to you and I agree, Your tests 10 years ago were probably very accurate. However, with your quitting smoking you probably stopped any further damage to your lungs. That does not mean that your Emphysema/COPD is gone, it just means that you have not further damaged your lungs by smoking. I would say after 10 years, it's time that you had complete testing done again, not just the simple 5 minute test. It's nothing to play with, but your other conditions you are at a greater risk of other things happening to your lungs, being significantly overweight has a lot to do with your fatigue and can also contribute to your shortness of breath, it's probably wise that you go back to the specialist and have yourself a complete physical and check your lung functions with a Pulmonologist. I wish you the best. God speed. Breathless
Vee2 ronaldky
Posted
I've never had a 5 minute spirometry or lung function test ronaldky, perhaps the test you had was just peak flow, that is a very quick test. that test is mainly for asthmatics although it has been used as part of the lung tests for COPD patients.
A peak flow reading that says normal, would not mean you don't have lung issues.
I only cough if air quality is poor or if I have a lung infection or a cold, at other times I do not have a cough either, I have emphysema, diagnosed over 12 years ago.
Of course being overweight can also result in shortness of breath as can cardiac issues, but only your respiratory consultant can action further tests to see if you have miraculously no further lung issues,
The normal annual test for already diagnosed patients that are stable is call a spirometry test. In my own experience this lasts much longer than 5 mins.