I went to my gp as I noticed a change in my nails. An xray shows a shadow on my lung I'm now booked in for a ct scan. I don't seem to have any other symptoms but more than 10 year's ago was diagnosed with copd which hasn't really affected me. Obviously I'm very worried.
I'm just wondering if has similar problems.
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car882
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I'm sure most will understand your fear and worrie. It's great that you're going to have a ct scan, it will show everything. It's really interesting too so make sure you get a look.
There's little point in my saying don't worry is there. I just hope you know that there are many other reasons there could be a shadow on the lungs & not necessarily the reason you're thinking of.
Wishing you all the best & good luck. Thinking of you, Peege
Hi, it's great to hear you've had Copd so long without it troubling you.
I agree with Peege, try not to worry until you get the results of the scan. It won't help and it's not forced to be anything bad.
Good luck and I hope you continue in good health. xx
I hope you get your scan very soon, and that the results will put your worries to rest.
You don't say what the change in your nails could indicate but I am sure there could be many causes. You have done really well having no problems with your copd all this time.
I wish you well and please keep in touch - we are all here for you.
When they see a shadow on an xray the medics have a duty of care to get it checked thoroughly and it shows you have a good GP if they have sent you for a ct scan.
A resp con has arranged this for me when I had 2 shadows - they turned out to be remnants of infection from an exacerbation of my bronchiectasis.
I hope things go well for you. Please let us know how you get on.
I had the same a year or so ago. Shadow on the lung of course u think the worst . Had a ct scan and it was a lung nodule, then just to be sure I had a pet scan as well which ended up not being cancerous. I'm a ex smoker I have severe copd and have been monitored with ct sans to keep a check on the lung nodule. This year I have been discharged as my lung nodule has reduced in size so they say no more ct scans. If needed I'm under a copd consultant and he will keep a check if I have any changes.
So please try not to worry it could just be a non cancerous lung nodule.
One of the first things the consultant did when I was diagnosed as having IPF was to check my nails. Now, after him doing that I do have what they call clubbing, it is t bad but can be one of the diagnostic tools used for lungs apparently as it shows there is a lack of oxygen getting to places ( sorry I can't be more specific).
My husband had a shadow and it turned out to be scarring from previous lung infections.
I worked for 10 years with asbestos and mdf for longer. I have Fibrosis and RLD with emphysema along with a full failure and some bad pneumonia over the years. So they see all sorts including shadows but nothing of what really worries me/us/them.
When I was cutting this up it was mainly from the USA which did in the end ban for a time as the formaldehyde was of a dangerous level but they now bind at a different level. But this was still sold in the UK until it got better regulations.
I was cutting this and asbestos with no guards or venting and without any face masks!
I have Bronchiectasis, COPD and Asthma and started to notice a change in my nails about 4 years ago. I have what is called clubbing, the nails start to become bulbous and curve downwards once the nails grow past the nail bed, quite often the main nail area can look bluish and the cuticle (the whitish moon area) becomes extended and instead of a kind rounded shape becomes extended and appears more pointed towards the middle off the nail. Not all my nails have the same distortion and it has started to happen to my toe nails now.
As far as I understand to is to do with lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, as am on ambutory oxygen now for when my 02 levels drop below 88.
Can't recommend any particular web sites to look up but if you do a search for nail clubbing that should get you loads of results, don't be scared by some of the pictures they put the worst pictures they can find, my nails don't look like most of them and the change does happen very slowly. I won't loose my nails they will just look different.
My consultant said it was one of the results of lung disease but it looks like not everybody gets it.
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