newbie

[flydog]

Hi everybody, just thought I'd say hello, I was confirmed with COPD 12 yrs ago, although I used to smoke, I also worked on the coal face for 30yrs and was told this had nothing to do with COPD, has anyone got any thoughts on this subject!!!

[knitter]

I came from a mining family in Wales and many of my relatives suffered with their chests. I now live in an ex mining town in England and I know one of the breathe easy members was a miner.

I think it depends on the type of coal mined as well, anthracite was blamed when I was younger as it was so hard.

Have any of your old work mates got breathing difficulties?

[flydog in reply to knitter]

Hi Knitter, Thanks for your reply, the authorities at the time said that coal dust had a barb and once in the lungs it attached itself to the linings and would not come out!!!

[cofdrop-UK]

A very warm welcome to you flydog

cx

[hufferpuffer]

Hello Flydog, welcome to the site, I was diagnosed ten years ago but didn't find out till last year I have Alpha1, a genetic type of Emphysema. I am pretty sure Emphysema was called 'coal-miners lung disease' years ago! I think you might be able to get some kind of compo, but don't know for sure!

[Hidden]

I wonder how many COPD cases are blamed on smoking without looking into any other cause I believe your right doing the same as the treatment would vary should the doctors take a closer investigation..

Ali

ps welcome flydog think you will like it here.

[Toci]

Many ex-miners have lung diseases, though not all of them. Perhaps you need to do further research? Welcome to the site.

[flydog in reply to Toci]

Hi Toci, thanks for the reply, I am under the hostpital for COPD, my consultant was one of the examiners for british coal unfortunatly.

[EVEREST]

Hi Flydog, I don't write much but read the page almost daily. I smoked in my teens and twenties but gave up 40 years ago. Since then I have run a few marathons umpteen half marathons, but now can't run 100 yards. I was diagnosed with COPD about 6 years ago. I worked in engineering and also in the mining industry at the wokshops repairing mining machines. I have spoken with my doctor about the possibility of it being work related but he po poed the idea. I think that some of you guys maybe right it being work related and the resulting payouts.

[flydog in reply to EVEREST]

Hi Everest, thanks for the reply,could not agree more, I did get a pay out which was equavalent to 4wks work.

[EVEREST in reply to flydog]

Hi Flydog not much for all the disability that we have to endure now is it.

Kind regards

Everest

[flydog]

Hi Stitch, thanks for the reply, and I could not agree more.

[Hidden]

Welcome flydog

Coal dust and smoking definitely do not go together, but many other things and smoking do not go either. I think its an accumulation of gradual lung damage from different sources /toxins that can tip us over into Chronic.

Take good care and enjoy the site.

[flydog in reply to Hidden]

Hi BlakleyC, thanks for your reply, got to agree with you , thanks for the welcome.

[katieoxo60]

Hi flydog and welcome to the site, COPD can be a result of coal mining for many years as emphysema is part of COPD as is bronchitis. COPD is just the modern abbreviation for these lung diseases. Of course cigarettes have similar disease causing components as coal dust I believe. That's my thoughts on the topic enjoy your day

[flydog in reply to katieoxo60]

Hi Katieoxo, It's chronic bronchitis what I suffer from, we all have our scars to bear for working all our lives, and in some cases for a pittence, thanks for the welcome.

[katieoxo60 in reply to flydog]

You are welcome hope to talk again in the future, it's true it is a pittance after years of working life for many of us, and bronchitis does not get better, they used to call it the English disease as the numbers were so high for such a small island. Have a good night.

[onamission]

Hi Flydog welcome to this site I also suffer with COPD when I was at school the arm base near by went up in flames and asbestos was spread for miles I went to see a lung specialist he asked if I had worked with asbestos I told him about the army base and it went straight over his head it is much easer to blame smoking

[flydog in reply to onamission]

Hi onamission, true what you say, blame someone else and no one pays COMPENSATION.

[onamission]

or it could be they don't know what they are on about I paid private to see this guy I had started to feel very dizzy when breathless he said he was going to run tests but I think he has forgotten and as a result of me being dizzy I have a nice black eye from cracking my on a solid oak dinning chair

[Steamtrain1958]

Welcome to fly dog and oscars.

[flydog in reply to Steamtrain1958]

thanks for the welcome steamtraim

[jimmyw123]

hi flydog, welcome to the forum. ,,,,google in "working at the coal face for 40 years",,,,, yes this can cause copd, many of my close friends past and present, were miners, many had copd or other lung probs, whoever told you that your job had nothing to do with copd, obviosly had never even seen a coal face,,,,, it all boils down to money, claims etc,,,the old, old story, i was brought up in an old fashioned mining village, and know what the miners went through.

anyway, all the very best flydog, hope you keep well,,,jw

[flydog in reply to jimmyw123]

Hi Jimmy, thanks for the welcome