Emphysema at 30. could it be wrong?
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi all,
I had a neck ct scan for another reason which picked up the beginning of my lungs. And the doc said i have emphysema. I also had a digital xray which was completely normal. My breathing tests completely normal. I have no symptom whatsoever. I run daily, i feel fine.
Could anything else resemble emphysema on a ct scan? Or is it 100% that? And no im not a smoker and i dont have the alpha enzyme either.
Im quite worried. I wont be able to see another specialist for a couple of weeks but i feel like this is the end of my life.
1 like, 36 replies
mikeaust teras
Posted
teras mikeaust
Posted
LouAnne8000 teras
Posted
I've read all through your responses (don't we have a great support system,??😁
and I agree with the majority. STOP Worrying! Please keep us updated. It is very odd that a Dr. would make that statement. If he continues, I'd get a second opinion.
STOP WORRYING!!!
teras LouAnne8000
Posted
sue28894 teras
Posted
Hi teras Please try to relax or do something enjoyable while you wait for your results. I know what its like to worry about your health. The thing is it doesn't help at all just makes you stressed. Try not researching for a week and do fun things. You will find you sleep better. Hugs sent to you... Sue
mikeaust teras
Posted
Hi Teras if you are extremely stressed maybe get something from the dr to help you sleep? i was lucky to have some valium while going through the "thinking i had lung cancer episode"
Vee2 teras
Posted
You had a neck ct scan for another reason which picked up the beginning of your lungs you say, and the doc said you have emphysema.
You also had a digital xray which was completely normal.
Your breathing tests completely normal.
You have no symptom whatsoever.
You run daily, you feel fine.
You are not a smoker
and I assume you have been tested for alpha1 since you say you don't have that.
So its a mystery to me why you think this is the end of your life.
You can see a specialist in a couple of weeks, that is great, the specialist will be able to advise if you have emphysema or not after carrying out further tests, but since you have no symptoms and breathing test and digital xray show normal chances are this is not the end of your life.
Incidently I have been living with emphysema over 12 years, I can't run and daily life involves reduced activity, shortness of breath, tiredness as the norm, but I am certainly not headed to the pearly gates just yet.
( I hope) :D
You ask: is there anything else that may be indicative of a lung issues other than emphysema from a CT scan, the answer is yes, but only a specialising respiratory consultant will be able to ID the difference.
Relax and breathe and run as you normally do until your appointment with the specialist comes around.
All good wishes OJ
Vee2
Posted
All good wishes V that should read
teras Vee2
Posted
im thinking if the alpha test was wrong. but I will try to calm down. cos im near death because of anxiety. the reason I panic is I dont want my parents to see me suffer and be sad about me. they wanted me to have a full life kids etc but im not sure I will cos I dont wanna get into a marriage and die a few yrs later. and I dont wanna see my parents cry cos of me
Vee2 teras
Posted
You seem focussed on or have convinced yourself of the worst case scenario, with very little reason to do so. Before you start taking the route of doom and gloom perhaps wait to see what the specialising respiratory consultant has to say.
As I said I am 12+ years diagnosed with emphysema and I tend to focuss on what I can do rather than what I can't do, and just generally enjoy as much of life as I can, no time for worrying about if I am gonna die in a few years. Try it and see
robertgreynomad teras
Posted
I really think we have ALL helped you as much as we can, with the very little resuts that you have. Please just WAIT til you know more from the specialist review of your scans.
In the mean time , if you are thaat stressed, see your doctor a
hypercat teras
Posted
mikeaust teras
Posted
Hi Teras, it sounds unlikely you have something seriously wrong with your lungs. I just spent 4 days thinking i had lung cancer!!! waking at 3am searching the internet for signs and symptoms of cancer
it turns out they made a mistake on my x ray and the blood ive been coughing up is from the few cigs i was smoking. 2 to 4 a day for a year.
teras mikeaust
Posted
oh im sorry you went through this. but its over now so you can relax
and quit smoking!
i guess i dont have anything serious at the moment. but the docs are convinced i have emphysema so im not handing it very well. it means in a few years i will get the bad symptoms. and im only young.
hypercat teras
Posted
Hi if you have emphysema it is most likely to be mild. At this stage all you will suffer will be getting breathless when walking up hills and steps. You might feel a bit more tired as well. That's it folks. There is no inevitability that you will get 'bad symptoms' in a few years. With leading a healthy lifestyle and looking after your lungs you could easily stay mild for the next few decades, or longer.
Emphysema doesn't usually progress very quickly as you seem to think and you are not going to go from mild to severe overnight. You will probably never progress to severe unless you expect to live to 120!
It might go to moderate by the time you are 60 eg as your lung function does decline a bit naturally as you age. To put it into perspective the minimum lung function you can live with is 6%. In practise most people don't make it so far down and the low teens is when most would expect not to have many years left. You wouldn't be considered very ill unless you got down below say 30%.
Like I said most emphysema sufferers die with it rather than from it. Please stop thinking you have only a few years of healthy life left! You have a lot more than that. x