Hi everyone
Had some shocking news (to me) and hopefully somebody could make things clearer and if I need a second opinion.
For three weeks, I have had an annoying cough and as the TV advert says, I went to my GP to see what it was. I was refered to the hospital for a chest xray and I got the results this morning.
I have been told that I have a partially collapsed lung on my left side. I do not get out of breath as such as I have a pretty active job and I think there may be one or two deliveries where I feel only a little out of breath but nothing where I would have to stop and get my breath back.
A bit of my history
I quit smoking 9 years ago after 15 years of smoking. 21 years of age when I started, 36 when I quit and I am 45 now. I had a chest xray in 2013 when I had palpertation and that came back clear and it showed nothing. My recent xray showed a slight partially collapsed lung on my left side. This time last year I was involved in a road traffic accident and damaged a rib. No xray was taken as they only do them if the spleen or lung had been punctured. Dont laugh, but is it at all possible I have just had a "slow puncture" from the accident or could this be something else?
Whilst at the GP I blew in to a peak flow and got a 700 and the GP more or less ruled out COPD. I have been given steroids and antibiotics. If it clears after a week, then I have to wait 6 weeks to have a spirometer test. if not, I have to go back to the GP.
Any ideas on what it could be? Could it be something from my road traffic accident this time last year?
Thanks for any help
Andy