im very new to this site so not really sure if i am writing this in the right place ........ i need a little advice / reassurance ....... about 3 years ago i had a chest x-ray that came back " abnormal " and after asking " why " was told that it is due to " tissue damage " due to my excessive coughing , ( i suffer emphysema ) i accepted this explanation and thought very little more about it ......... then last Nov i was rushed into A&E with breathing problems and again the x-ray came back abnormal , but my worry is this , in the last 6 months i have lost in excess of two stone , i have not been on any kind of diet apart from becoming a vegetarian..... but for the past few months or so i keep getting a pain in my chest/shoulder on the right side , the pain is always the same and it comes and goes .... i want to ask my doctor to send me for a CT scan but am worried i will make myself look an over-reacting fool ...any advise please ??
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Denizebell
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Hullo, Denisebell, you were right to come to this forum. You have lots of unanswered questions and need to consult your GP. I would jot your concerns in a list and show to the GP. Or better still, ring the BLF nurse. Dont worry about overreacting - it is the GPs job to help you with health concerns. I wouldn't hang around - all the best X
Thank you Pergola , lol the fear of the doctor does'nt help ..... but i will make an appointment and see if he agrees ..... x
Hello and welcome to the forum, I care for my husband who has severe COPD. I just wondered if you had been to your GP? Are you on any medications for your breathing problems?
Perhaps it would be a good idea to telephone the helpline and ask their advise - You can call the helpline on 03000 030 555 Lines are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
Hiya Tad , yes i use a steroid ( seritide 500 ) and i also use Spiriva & ventolin ... i use a home nebuliser when i need to ..... i have had Emphysema for a few years now , but my cough feels different although i cant really explain myself there i just feels a little more " hoarse " and my wheezing also seems to be more troublesome ......its the weight loss that is the worry as i have been 14 . 1/2 stone for many years but am now just at 12 stone ...... i worry that i should accept what i have been told ( tissue damage ) but there is an under laying problem that has been missed .... thank you for taking the time to reply x
hi just go to your gp and explain your symptoms and your fears, and they should investigate, you shouldn't need to ask for a scan, the should be referring you especially after you having an xray and being abnormal they should do a scan for more detail.
Sounds like the loss of weight and the pain is enough reason to get back to your GP. You will have to put aside any fear of the doc or the fear of his/her opinion re overreacting. Nothing will happen to you because of GP's opinion. You clearly need to know what is going on. Be assertive and go.
Every decent GP would be concerned about weight loss without being on a diet.
You really must overcome your fear of docs and seek an appointment ASAP.
Unfortunately we have to be proactive in our care and monitoring. Long gone are the days when our docs would seek us out to check up on us or give us results to tests. It's really up to us.
GPs are public servants paid for out of our taxes - it's your turn now Denizebell. Do it for your loved ones, in fact, take one with you for support.
Please go soon & let us know how you get on.
You've 90 minutes left to catch the helpline today, they are experts.
Thank you Peege , i have made a GP appointment for Monday evening ...... fingers crossed all will be ok ...... i will be back to let all you very kind/sweet people know what happens ....
The thing about lung problems is that it is better to be safe than sorry. My doctor said to me that if I think there is a problem then it is better to get it checked out and it is nothing than not to go and it is something. Hopefully all doctors think like that.
You need to take your lungs very seriously and forget all this stiff upper lip, it doesn't apply when we have a serious illness. Don't forget you have copd and any infecton can further damage your lungs which you have to try and avoid at all costs. x
" A Big Warm welcome to you from me too Denizebel...You couldn't be on a better and more helpful site than this one.. I can only reiterate... what others have already said to you...thinking of you though and I am going to light you a candle to give you the confidence to ask your Dr..... all these very important questions... hoping that you have a healthy weekend...Megan."
Hi Denizebell and welcome. I am like you I am always worrying what people (doctors in this case ) will think of me...its a hard lesson to learn but you REALLY cannot worry about that. Ask your doctor for a referral to a lung consultant, and when you go to see him ask him for a CT scan. I would , hopefully you will be worrying unnecessarily, but better safe than sorry.
I wish I had been more assertive and not worried so much about what people thought YEARS ago. It really doesn't pay. You are not asking for anything which is not your right to have, and if you present GP won't help you move to another practice.
To be honest my GP is lovely , i just hate wasting he's time .... to be fair i think it is " fear " that is holding me back ....... every thing points to my fears of lung cancer , but im worried about looking like a fool .... but you are ALL right , i will go and ask him for a CT scan ..... Have a good weekend Sohara & thanks again x
If it is cancer Denizebell then the quicker you find out the better. But it does seem to me unlikely its cancer . Your lung x ray has been looked at twice before by doctors and neither of them felt the need to investigate further. The only thing that is worrying in the cancer respect is your large weight loss. But I have many friends with lung cancer , both as primary cancers and secondary cancers, and none of them lost a lot of weight . ALL of them were picked up after an x-ray at first , then of course further tests biopsy's etc
We all worry about cancer, but its not the death sentence it once was, several people on this site have lung cancers.
Ease your mind, get your CT scan done , then they will know what if anything is going on in your lungs
Welcome to your copd family Denizebell ! I am most interested to learn the cause of the pain you describe as it sounds like mine and I am thinking wind trapped? I mentioned it to the Resp.nurse and she said I'd probably strained a muscle .....
Be best to put your mind at rest, I would want to know about the weight loss as that is a lot to lose and I don't think it has anything to do with being a veggie.
Hiya Huff , thanks for taking the time to reply to this post .......... the pain is 100% not trapped wind , it is always the same pain , always in the same place and it does respond to painkillers , it is like a dull/heavy pain and at times it makes my right arm feel heavy .. it is more an uncomfortable pain than an excruciating one , and it does'nt stick around for a major amount of time ( a couple of hours or so ) ...... the weight loss is a worry , but in all fairness i have been on the bathroom scales every day for the past 10 days and the weight dropping has slowed down in fact it has'nt changed even by an ounce in the past week , so maybe im worrying for nothing , i did think its was because i have dropped all meat from my diet .... its lots of little things all clubbed together that concern me i think ..... i have just returned from Florida and i can honestly say i felt great on holiday but not so great now im back lol.. ........ things just feel different and i cant explain that statement , i just know my cough sounds and feels different , my wheezing is more noticeable ( to me ) and by early evening im feeling totally shattered ..... my hope is that i just need a tonic of some kind but as you say , i need to check it out ..... thanks again for your input , have a lovely week-end too .... Dee xx
You absolutely are not over reacting and the massive weight loss is enough in itself it must be investigated . Your gp is a person just like you do not feel intimidated and insist on seeing another gp if he does not help you then report him x
Thank you Bagpus , i am seeing my GP on monday evening .... but maybe just maybe the weight loss is the fact i have cut meat from my diet as it has slowed down / stopped now ...... i will be back to let all you sweet / caring people know as and when i know ...... thanks again bagpus .....have a lovely weekend x
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We are a very friendly bunch and between us we know everything about lung problems and more than most doctors 
I am most interested to learn the cause of the pain you describe as it sounds like mine and I am thinking wind trapped? I mentioned it to the Resp.nurse and she said I'd probably strained a muscle ..... 
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