Finally a diagnosis

[karen6550]

Well saw the surgeon today re my gall stones for which i was admitted into hospital last month. Thought I was seeing him to discuss the removal of my gall bladder, but no, told me that I was suffering with severe emphysema and that the damage was done, and that although I had problems with my gall stones, the main reason for my admission was my chest, so have to see my GP now as for months have been saying I had COPD but with no acceptance of it.

As if I don't have enough already to deal with, having Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Bi Polar this is just something else to throw in the mix to deal with ....

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis Karen, I know it means you now have information to give your GP, but on top of everything else - it is the last thing you need. Sending hugs.

Kath xx

[karen6550]

Hey, it's life, have no one to blame but myself for smoking, but with a DVLA ordered driving assessment next week and then yet another pesky wheelchair assessment, to try to replace mine which is now 6 years old and worn out, looks like I might lose both my car and my chariot ..... thank god we still have some life choices that this terrible government has not yet taken from us .... getting pretty close to making mine now

[pergola1]

Sorry, Karen to hear about all your problems. Life can be a #### but you will get plenty of friendly support from us. Do let us know how you get on xxx

[tomc]

Life has a bad habit of kicking you when your down.

Don't let it get the better of you, fight hard and if you get low in spirit, there are plenty of friends here to give you some cheer and encouragement.

Tom.

[longlungs]

Gorden bennet Karen and you wernt even trying for the hat trick !!! Bit of a low blow eh But now you know the problem you can learn hows best for you to deal with this extra diagnosis to get the very best from your lungs,might take a little adjusting physically aswell as mentally but you can do it coming here is a very good thing coz there are loads of peeps wanting to help and support even make you laugh,keep your pecker up. Janexx

[karen6550]

Thank you all for your kindness, must admit it came as a shock today as was expecting to be discussing my going in for my gall bladder to be removed, not to be informed how bad my chest/breathing was, which I already knew but my GP continued to say was just continued chest infections .... finally I can say I told you so.

Don't really know how bad it really is, if you aren't expecting to be told this, you don;t do any research and know the questions to ask, but the Consultant said all the damage was visible on the CT Scan? .... had 3 scans so not sure what one shows it up. I know my chest is bad, always coughing severely and bruising my muscles, to the extent that I cant lay down in bed, cant turn on my waist without severe pains, and my arms/shoulders are nearly always hurting and find it so hard to sleep for long.

My energy levels are already low, having a bath or getting dressed is a major exercise and requires rest after and being in a chair rules most exercise out so the new regime I am going to be expected to follow is defeated before I even start .... although did change my diet a few days ago to try to lose weight, so that's handy I guess.

At the moment I am taking Ventolin, in one of those big chamber things, waste of time, also take Serotide 500 and more recently been put on a Tiotropium inhaler, with 6 x prednisolone and Amoxicillin 500 x 3, Mucodyne 375 x 6 none of which really helps a lot as still sped most of the time coughing and coughing and struggling for breath

Also have to take a lot of other meds, diazapam, amitripyline, tramadol, esomeprazole, baclofen, progynova, and whatever else they throw at me week to week so guessing a lot of that will have to change, as if I don't rattle enough already lol.

I guess I am fortunate in that I have care in the community via the ILF/LA but that is going through a major upheaval as UKBA are deporting my Carer of the last 4 years as he is a Filipino, so all new ahead sadly.

Not too sure of what to do at the moment, with PPMS, which is a very progressive form of MS, I have been thinking do I want to live with all this crap in my life, and the Bi Polar certainly makes you feel that way at times, maybe this will make me more determined one way or another, only time will tell although I think I would prefer a stage 4 diagnosis rather than one that is going to drag on for years, being single with no family it's an easy decision for me.

Time for a serious chat with my GP tomorrow I guess