Mild small airway disease with hyperinflation. Mild, mild, mild. Why don't I feel mild?

[patrickd72]

Got a hold of my Pulms note. He said of my PFT's the above. So if anyone on here has been dx with something similar I am all ears. Or what you know about small airways disease.

Best,

Patrick

[Hidden]

Can say hyperinflation sucks & low Co2 defo know how ya feel ... My doc said am breathing in to long and really I should be breathing out longer than a do in

I thought low co2 in blood was good but no it's as bad as high co2 in blood THEN it gets confusing with hyperventilation and co2 business

He went on about pursed lip breathing Breathing in threw nose then Out threw pursed lips SMASHING I thought BUT then I duly not Julie pointed out that's all very good and daddy like I have never thought of that VENTING like a old boiler BUT what do you do if you have blocked nose constantly I said

What can I say I was left to ponder that as I was discharged with no advice really apart from breath out more than a breath in

[knitter in reply to Hidden]

Hi daz.....there is one tip for trying to unblock your nose......breathe in gently, breathe out gently( not deeply).....hold your nose for a few seconds....let go and try and breathe gently in through your nose....repeat a few times.

DONT try if you have a transplant, or heart problems or CO2 retainer as this trick boosts CO2 levels.

Gentle, belly breathing with a relaxed diaphragm helps too, and relaxed meditation exercises.....try and reduce the volume of air that you take in.

Take care.

[Katinka46]

Morning Patrick

Yes, I do know a bit about small airways disease (SAD). To start it's small airways not small disease. i.e. it is worse than it sounds. I know that appears to be unhelpful but as someone who has symptoms that are worse than the test results suggest I know exactly how you feel.

1. SAD has to be quite advanced before it show much on PFTs.

2. There is more knowledge about SAD now and it is understood that SAD is a category of several diseases that are distinct from COPD or asthma. (But can also co-exist with them, to make it complicated.)

3. They are all bronchiolitis in some form.

4. Some bronchiolitic conditions respond to corticosteroids and antibiotics, i.e. if there is infection or inflammation. One is chronic and fibrotic. Unfortunately in that case there is little treatment.

5. Have you got the details of the PFTs?

6. Have you had a High Resolution CT scan performed with full inspiration and full forced expiration? This is usually considered the gold standard for diagnosis of bronchiolitis.

I do not at all want to undermine your confidence in your pulmonologist. I think she/he is onto your case. Mild or not it is still a disease and should not be dismissed, I don't think your pulm is dismissing it. For instance I have mild chronic thromboembolic disease but I still need to be on Warfarin and to be monitored for any changes.

Please contact me if you want to continue this discussion.

All the best and let us know how things go.

K xxxx

[Katinka46]

Hello again, Patrick.

I was sure that I had posted replies to you before but I couldn't immediately find them. It all seemed familiar. You said that you would check out Obliterative Bronchiolitis. The other thing that I had noticed was that although your pulm has written mild SAD he hasn't written mild hyperinflation. And from what I remember of your PFTs the hyperinflation is not mild.

Do let us know how things go

K xxx

[lejaya]

I had some lung function tests which showed small airways disease and hyperinflation then a CT scan showed air trapping, I I also have asthma, and am under investigation for bronchiectasis.

[Katinka46 in reply to lejaya]

Hi Lejaya, as you will see from my responses to Parrick I am very interested in SAD and its manifestations. I too have asthma. I have seen your posts before and will check them out later, but please keep in touch. As I said in a message to Patrick those of us with unusual conditions and odd combinations of diseases need to share our understanding and knowledge.

All the best

Look after yourself and let us know how things go.

Love Kate xx