Im freaking out.. please help
Posted , 6 users are following.
Where to start i am a male 29 yrs of age i stopped smoking 22 months ago. In february i had a pain in my right breast and thought cancer so went and got it looked at. They gave me a ultra sound and told me that it was fat so to start exercising and it would go away so when summer rolled round (im in canada) july 1st i started walking 5 days a week. almost 2 months in i have lost about 18 to pounds but i still had that breast pain and every now and then a sligh pressing pain in different parts of my chest. I went back to the doctor and he said i may have pulled my sternum so go to my chriopractor and that should fix it. I did that and it has gone away from the most part. What he had said at the time was he does not think it is a lung issue cause im not coughing alot. I did tell him i have a very slight half cough but he said its nothing to be concerned about my chest sounds clear so i went on my way but my cough over the last month has gradually gotten worse now its a dry horse cough that comes every couple hours between one or 2 coughs and its gone with some small almost half like half breath coughs its hard to explain. I was not worried about my breathing untill my mother mentioned this weekend that my great grandmother had emphysema or Ashma she could not be sure but said it was from working in the mines or something. Needlse to say that sent me on a downward spyril once i looked it up and i have been worried about my breathing since to the point i feel like my chest is closing and i can eat if i try eat i get a funny like empty/tingly feeling in my chest and just don't want to eat. I am constantly now trying to get a depth break but most of the time i cant get that deep catch and keep on trying or yawning to get it and when i do get it i feel relieved for a moment and then have to try again. I will mention if i am busy and not thinking about it i don't seem to have any issue but then i start thinking on it again and it comes back. I went to my doctor yesterday and he listend to my lungs again and said they sound normal they abit congested but nothing he would be concerned about. When i told him about my family he said he wants to test me for Ashma cause of my family history though my great grandmother only got it from work related issues. He is sending me for a breathing test but said it will take 2 to 3 months for them to book an appointment so now im reading all over the place dreading this, The only symptom i really seem to have is the couch im not coughing up any flem though i do have some thick spit in my mouth. I have a 18th month old daughter and i read the life expectancy is 5 years i don't want to miss out on my daughters whole like i don't know what to do am i worrying about nothing or do i have emphasema/COPD
0 likes, 10 replies
Vee2 nick09159
Posted
Hi Nick, can I suggest you put into your search engine
'emphysema copd canada' you will see the lung canada website who will be better informed to advise you of the procedure to take in Canada. The health system in UK is quite different.
The initial test is a spirometry test, you could look that up on lung Canada site.
Alternatively you could search Patient UK and read up on COPD and emphysema.
You grandmother had is from work environement, that doesn't mean you will get it.
Life expenctancy 5 years is not accurate, you need to be a bit more selective in the sites you are visiting, as I said above lung association canada would be a good place to start.
I have had emphysema for over 12 years and I am likely gonna stick around for another 15 years at least.
I think you are causing yourself anxiety with panicking as you are, after all you may not have COPD / emphysema, your doctor has said your lungs are clear, you say you have no cough when you a busy doing something, only when you focus on an undiagnosed illness and worry about if you have it do you cough, all this unnecessary stress.
But one good move you can do at this time is kick the smokes if you smoke and exercise regularly if you don't already.
Good luck with your results and hopefully your test results show you do not have COPD / emphysema.
Vee2 nick09159
Posted
terri69807 Vee2
Posted
As much as I hate to say it, this UK forum, in my opinion, is far superior to any of the forums I have found in Canada.
My adoptive Mom was from the Uk, does that count? (tongue in cheek).
I have spent a lot of time in the UK, including my early schooling. So, no, I wouldn't recommend a COPD forum in Canada. Let me know though Nick if you find a good one!
nick09159 Vee2
Posted
Thanks Vee I looked for Canadian sites but the either been closed down or not very helpful at all. I do cough when I'm not thinking about it what I find I have a issue with is keep trying to get a deep inhale breath and not being able to do it all the time. I have stopped smoking almost 2 years now and I brisk walk/ jog 5km 5 days a week hence the weightless factor and not knowing if.it's related I am glad to hear the 5 year thing is not very a curate though. THanks for the reply
Vee2 nick09159
Posted
This site is not closed Nick and all the information concerning information about lung disease in relation to health procedures in Canada. Check it out: http://www.lung.ca/lung-health/lung-disease/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd
Forums, lots of them to check out here: https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=copd+forum+canada
As I said above the health system / procedure for patients in UK is entirely different to other countries, so your best advise concerning tests and checks will come from those who are living in the same country as yourself.
Vee2 nick09159
Posted
further info for you currently waiting moderation.
Best wishes V
Vee2
Posted
robert25492 nick09159
Posted
Bob
dilys83010 nick09159
Posted
hypercat nick09159
Posted
Hi it's very unlikely you have emphysema as this is usally caused by many years of smoking, working in certain industries, or with a rare genetic link. It affects mainly people in their 40's and older.
It is possible it is an intolderance to dairy foods? My sister (who doesn't have lung issues) had a dry cough for years, so she cut out all dairy then reintroduced then one at a time. She found she only coughed when she drank cows milk or ice cream. Since stopping those the cough has gone. Also while dairy won't produce more mucus it can make it thicker and hard to cough up. The answer is to drink more water (not tea, coffee, alcohol etc) which thins it down.
You have definitely got a lot longer than 5 years to live from the sounds of it! x