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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
 Posted - May 15 2010 : 09:07:34 AM
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| waiting to be sent for several tests including a ct scan,recently attended a copd clinic and talked alot n had some breathing tests.ive had breathing problems for around 17 years since the age of 26,when i suddenly felt a windy air feeling in my abdomen n collapsed n passed out.when i came round my abdomen was distended n since then it feels tight n uncomfortable just to breath in n out.after several years of being told i was imagining things or that it was down to ibs,i was diagnosed with emphysema about a year or so back.the tests at the copd clinic show i have a lung age of 71 n an irregular breathing pattern,but she was not certain it was soley down to emphysema as there are other symptoms like severe headache profuse sweating shortness of breath n the abdominal distention.eager to have the chest clinic tests to find out exactly what stage im at after 17 years. |
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jdcsky
Member
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 09:36:40 AM
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| Welcome to the Forums. There is a lot of help available here. Are you scheduled for a Pulmonary Function Test? |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 09:55:07 AM
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| had some tests at the copd clinic where i had to hold my breathe all different ways n breath into the tube thing,lung age came out at 71 seems to think it might not be emphysema and kinda scared myself on an online symptom checker as when i filled in my symptoms i got 508 possible causes. |
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jdcsky
Member
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 10:01:05 AM
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Breathing into the tube sounds like PFT. It is good checking the heart also since the two systems work together.
Did you get any written results from the COPD clinic? |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 10:20:43 AM
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| no results personally but expect my gp got some,waiting to go to the chest hospital n also being sent to a smoking rehabiltation clinic as tho i quit for 3 months i started again n not only cigs i have a problem with n tho im managing not to smoke cigs 6th day without not finding it so easy with the other stuff yet know i need to stop both. |
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jdcsky
Member
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 10:45:33 AM
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| Ask your GP for Chantix. It will help you quit smoking. Worked wonderful for me. |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 10:52:28 AM
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| not allowed chantix as when my breathing trouble first started they tried to say i had mental health problems n my symptoms were all in my mind kinda got labled that way n so just have to try with willpower which i know i have as i quit drinking in 1991 n now hate alcohol n feel pretty much the same about tobacco |
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PennyPA
Contributing Member
USA
1564 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 11:22:24 AM
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| Well, are you still smoking if you feel that way about tobacco? I agree, though, that it doesn't seem like you have emphysema...or at least that it's not the main problem. Do yu still have the distended stomach? I think it is good that they are going to look for other problems due to your symptoms. Please keep us posted on your progress. |
Penny's LVRS Blog
And Our Travel Blog After LVRS
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 11:30:35 AM
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| not smoked a cigarette for 6 days so far dont feel like i want one abdomens been distended ever since i passed out 17 years ago,wonder if im being starved of oxygen somehow. |
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PennyPA
Contributing Member
USA
1564 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 1:37:30 PM
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Congrats on the not smoking. You've taken the first step in helping yourself conquer what emphysema you might have.
Are you male or female? Distended stomachs can be caused by many (I think you said you found 508!) things but some are different for male and female. |
Penny's LVRS Blog
And Our Travel Blog After LVRS
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 1:46:15 PM
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| male n for 17 years my stomachs felt like an over stretched balloon very uncomfortable n causes me great distress |
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PennyPA
Contributing Member
USA
1564 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 5:26:14 PM
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| I wonder if you might have torn a muscle or something like that way back when and it never healed properly. We need muscles to hold our stomachs in (tell me about it...me and my fat belly!) and if those muscles aren't working properly or have become stretched or whatever, it can cause problems. Is this your lower or upper belly or just generally in the middle? |
Penny's LVRS Blog
And Our Travel Blog After LVRS
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CarolCA
Contributing Member
USA
606 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 5:28:56 PM
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| Have you had an abdominal CT scan? That would be the first order of business with unexplained distended stomach. A distended stomach is going to make you short of breath and give a false reading as it is pushing on the lungs and cause less breathing capacity. One reason I don't drink carbonated beverages. |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 6:08:36 PM
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| gonna be having ct scans,back when i first got the distention i had gastro n endoscopies as then docs thought it was due to ibs spent bout 14 of 17 years looking for things to do with the stomach n bowels but never found anything part from mild diverticular disease then just over a year ago i had a pretty bad cold with wheezing n coughing went to my then gp n he diagnosed me with copd n said that the distention was cause i had a barrel chest n that meant all the air that my lungs can no longer hold has gone into my abdomen n pushed my ribs outwards n apart thing is everything ive since read about barrel chests say it means its in the later stage of the disease |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 6:12:14 PM
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| my whole abdomens distended n feel great pressure like my diaphragm has something stopping from working |
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PennyPA
Contributing Member
USA
1564 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 8:54:07 PM
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| Oh good Lord, your gp surely doesn't know much about copd. #1 - a distended stomach cannot be caused by air that your lungs can no longer hold because your lungs are not attached to your stomach. Yes, your ribs can be pushed out into what is called a barrel chest but that is because the lungs are getting longer and larger. However, like you said, that comes in the severe forms of copd. Now, if the distention is indeed in your rib area, maybe you do have a barrel chest. But if it's truly in your stomach, it is NOT from copd. Let us know what your ctscans show. |
Penny's LVRS Blog
And Our Travel Blog After LVRS
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CarolCA
Contributing Member
USA
606 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 8:57:44 PM
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| Most of us get a widened rib cage as it expands very slowly to accomodate our expanding lungs. The air does't go out of the lungs into the stomach are. The lungs expand over a number of years. It doesn't distend the stomach. Liver problems extend the stomach. Ultrasound and CT scans are a must. Barrel chest is usually seen on very thin people with late stage COPD but it is not mistaken for distended stomach. |
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majseventh
Senior Member
USA
414 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 9:29:47 PM
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What is the other thing you are having a problem with besides cigs? Pot?
It sounds like you need to see a Pulmonologist and not just a GP.
Have they put you on any inhalers or are you on any other medication? |
CaseyCA |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 04:09:21 AM
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| gp who diagnosed me was a bit of an idiot but at a different gp now n he's got me all my tests n takes me alot more seriously been a long 17 years of being told it was this n that but should get to the bottom of it now and im on a blue inhaler n a mauve one but niether help much at all |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 07:15:45 AM
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| smoked cigz n weed since bout 12 years old wish i didnt now n would advice any kid who thinks its tough or smart to smoke against starting in the 1st place. |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 2:40:27 PM
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| still not smoked a cigarette bout 7 days now dont feel like i want one really more time goes by just dont see the point,they smell horrible taste foul n have no benefit what so ever.when i dont smoke cigs for days n walk past someone in the street smoking i start to choke. |
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PennyPA
Contributing Member
USA
1564 Posts |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 3:41:22 PM
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| cigs dont find any problem not smoking them weed tho is a different problem all together n not quite sure how to go about it going to a rehab place but not sure it'll help but we'll see |
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majseventh
Senior Member
USA
414 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 4:08:57 PM
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You can do it, if you want to do it.
Just be strong and muster up the ole will power along with whatever help they can give you.
Your lungs just can't take any more and you have a lot of life to live.
Good luck. |
CaseyCA |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 4:13:51 PM
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| do know i have to stop both not just cigs but dont even drink so not quite sure what i'll do n scared to feel normal or sober what ever you wanna call it |
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majseventh
Senior Member
USA
414 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 5:23:49 PM
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I haven't had a drink for 5 years, cigs for 3 and 1/2 and don't smoke pot or use any illegal drugs. I do take Lexapro for depression though.
It is really OK to have your mind back, more than OK. Without the smoking (both) you will taste again like you have never tasted food. Also, you will smell things both good and bad that you can't now and be able to breathe air into your lungs. You will feel incredible.
Get into EXERCISING instead. It is good for you and just as addictive as the drugs and alcohol.
It is totally a high to walk for 2 or 3 or 4 miles in an hour, lift some weights, or whatever gets you. I would replace your bad habits with something else like that. |
CaseyCA |
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CarolCA
Contributing Member
USA
606 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 6:30:34 PM
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| Yes, they have now found that weed is more destructive than cigarettes. You may smoke less of it in your life but it is causing major destruction. At one time they actually thought it helped people with asthma. |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 10:37:19 PM
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| yeah always realised its worse then cigs n people confuse natural with being good for you which isnt true as some nature is highly posienous n tabacco is a plant n weed is a plant so kinda seems obvious they both have toxic things in them |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2010 : 2:13:56 PM
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| no cigs so far today 8th day in a row now hate them yuck horrible things,something i always found kinda amusing is how people who smoke pot somehow wanna believe n kid themselves its not as harmful as tobacco cause its natural but they are both plants so tabacco is natural. |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2010 : 08:48:34 AM
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| 9th day n no cigs if i can go another week should be a lil easier to stay off them then only have the other stuff to worry about,hardest part of not smoking cigs tho is things like smoking to pass time like at a bus stop or when waiting for something but just need to get thru that 20 second nicotine craving. |
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jdcsky
Member
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2010 : 09:27:34 AM
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| Good Job. You are doing well. |
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CarolCA
Contributing Member
USA
606 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 12:10:12 AM
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| It is those triggers that bother us. Try drinking water while waiting for the bus or whenever you feel that is when you usually have a cig. Keep track of your progress on www.quitmeter.com. It will really motivate you to keep going. You can back track it to your quit date and it will give you lots of info. It was my biggest motivator as I didn't want to start over. |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 07:31:18 AM
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| none today so far see how i go when i go out this afternoon,got smoking my cessation appointment coming up aswell gonna phone to confirm today. |
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PennyPA
Contributing Member
USA
1564 Posts |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 3:29:26 PM
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| gotta call from a cannabis rehab place going for an assessment monday |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 3:31:03 PM
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| thing is its in an area with alot of rastas an alot of weed so not sure its good to be hanging around there lol |
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redwine
Member
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 4:10:16 PM
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| There's always brownies if you can't resist. |
Edited by - redwine on May 19 2010 4:10:43 PM |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 4:28:55 PM
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| is that plain or hashed you mean :s |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 04:05:34 AM
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| is the fact i cant sleep to do with my breathing sure i saw it mentioned somewhere,usually go sleep round 11 to midnight always have trouble getting to sleep cant sleep deep n up wide awake by 3 or 4 |
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shady
Member
United Kingdom
71 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 12:09:29 PM
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| filled in n sent off a appeal to look at the mobility part of my disability claim again,already get the high rate for care but trying to get the high rate for mobility as recently ive realised that all my symptoms are connected to my copd. |
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majseventh
Senior Member
USA
414 Posts |
Posted - May 20 2010 : 3:53:20 PM
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Your sleep problems could be from not smoking. It will go away soon. Just make sure you are doing some kind of exercise everyday too.
Shady, do you have a real name? LOL |
CaseyCA |
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copd
