suspected emphysema hospital referral 25th sep slight breathlessness on exertion what to expect next ?

[mickymouse123]

49 years old smoked 39 years

[Hidden]

Sorry cant help my husband was diagnosed by his doctor and never been referred to the hospital! Would imagine you will be given a spirometry test - just breathing hard into a tube three times which measures lung function etc . Good luck TAD x

[mickymouse123 in reply to Hidden]

thank you

[Hidden]

Sorry cant help my husband was diagnosed by his doctor and never been referred to the hospital! Would imagine you will be given a spirometry test - just breathing hard into a tube three times which measures lung function etc . Good luck TAD x

[Hidden]

I would agree with Tadaw be lung function test

[Hidden]

I was diagnosed at hospital after lung function test. Prior to that I had chest x ray and scan. Perhaps your doctor wants to make sure you have COPD only. and not just rely on the lung function test only. Knowing what you have will determine what meds you require. If you havent yet given up smoking then stopping now will be hard but the best thing you can do to help yourself. Hope all goes well. Joyce

[mickymouse123 in reply to Hidden]

yes thank you , had x-ray before thought i had throat cancer , now say emphysema, stopped smoking 58 hrs ago still trying

[mickymouse123 in reply to Hidden]

thank you Joyce yes stopped smoking 58 hrs ago still trying, am going for many walks,lots of fruit ,trying to be positive many thanks

[Hidden in reply to mickymouse123]

Well done for giving up the ciggies.I am now over 3 years further on. and must say I have not noticed any deterioration in my breathing only some side effects from the meds. Like you eating better and getting out for exercise every day. Any worries you have can be shared on this site. Plenty of support Joyce

[hertsguy]

I was referred to the hospital after what was thought to be a heart attack. At the hospital I had a spirometry test, chest xray and a walking test on the treadmill with the heart monitor attached,it was then when I was diagnosed with Emphysema, because of chest pains I later had an angiogram but these turned out to be musco/skeletal pains due to my breathing harder. Hope this helps!

[pollyjj]

It seems there are quite a variation of tests at different hospitals. When I was referred I had blood tests, CT scan, Spirometry and they took sputum samples, then I returned a couple of weeks later to see the consultant.

I would rather be diagnosed by a consultant than by a gp.

Hope all goes well for you and please try to stop that smoking that will help you more than anything.

polly xx

[mickymouse123 in reply to pollyjj]

thank you polly yes stopped smoking 58 hrs ago still trying, am going for many walks,lots of fruit ,trying to be positive many thanks

[richardcrossroads]

hi that is a good thing to go to hospital, while there take a list of questions and ask for blood test amatrypsin. if you smoke stop,

if only just a little short of breath now take note of all they say, and you can slow the progression down,

[PollyP]

My GP diagnosed me with COPD in quite a flippant manner and without any information, except an inhaler. After some reflection I asked for a referral to the consultant at the hospital who arranged a battery of investigations, scan, X-ray and lung function tests. After all that I was satisfied with the diagnosis and made a concerted effort to : exercise, eat well, take my medication, stay positive, look after myself and hey how well I feel 9 years after diagnosis

[Hidden in reply to PollyP]

hello polyp ive read your comment,you was told 9yr ago,what stage was you then and now many thanks,bernice

[PollyP in reply to Hidden]

Interesting question Bernice! I am not at all sure identifying the stages are helpful. Some people have severe COPD and achieve quite a lot and others with mild COPD find they are not able to function well. I stated out at severe and now would say I am mild to moderate. (Mild in the summer and moderate in the winter-but that is just me!) I have just below 50% lung function which has remained stable. The single most important thing to do is not to smoke cigs or be around cigarette smoke. I have not smoked for nearly 10 years :-)) in fact I am literately allergic to it. The second is take medication as prescribed. Over time you will find what really helps you and what doesn't. Let us know how you get on eh? Take care...

[PollyP]

You are on the right track Bernice. You should get an NHS flu jab every year now and a one of pneumonia jab

[PollyP]

Hi, the pneumonia vaccination is a one off, not repeated every year

[Hidden in reply to PollyP]

ok thank you,will this flu jab help me,bernice

[Hidden]

It's good you are going to hospital to see a Respiratory Consultant. This is the only way to get a true diagnosis of Emphysema. The Lung Function test you should have done is much more than just the Spirometry test you would get at a Dr's surgery. An X-ray also helps to confirm the diagnosis.

Good Luck for when you do go.

Therese

[Hidden]

Its good you have a referral to the hospital, I had many tests, bloods, scans and xrays before I was diagnosed, including cardiac scan and barium meal all were a process of elimination and to pin point precisely what was going on. It was the CT scan that revealed my lung damage. I think referral to the hospital means you will get a more accurate and precise diagnosis and therefore less likely to be mis diagnosed.

Congratulations on stopping smoking. You have done one of the very best things for yourself.

Good wishes for your forthcoming tests

Let us know how you get on

BC

[frank65]

the single most important thing for you to do stop smoking .you will tons better. i smoked for 50 years 40-60 a day and was diagnosed with copd a few years ago i stopped straight away never thought twice about it i just new it had to be done , i feel a whole lot better now . that is a few years ago and next year i shall be pushing 70 years young.