Good day all. Really nice weather here in Kent. Felt really rough last week and ended up being sent to hospital by my doctor. Apart from emphysema I also suffer from blood clots, not regularly, thank goodness. I was really breathless which has happened in the past when I have had a blood clot. I spent Thursday being scanned and various other tests. They decided to keep me in overnight under observation. I was told by the consultant on Friday morning that the Emphysema is the same as it was 2 years ago (nice one) and I did not have a blood clot (nice one) I did not have pneumonia (nice one) but I did have a chest infection (bad one). He said he would give me some antibiotics, which should clear it up. When I came out on Friday early afternoon with the tablets, I have got 5 100mg capsules of Doxycycline of which I have to take 1 per day. It say's on the box "Protect your skin from sunlight, even on a bright but cloudy day". I love my garden and playing bowls. I now have had to cancel my gardening and bowls for at least 5/6 days, and they forecast really nice sunny weather here. Still a small price to pay for your health. I know I have gone on a bit, but if anybody out there would like to dish out some sympathy, thank you. I know there are a lot of people on here worse off than me. Happy days to you all, keep your chins up. Best wishes. Roy.
Felt poorly, result chest infection. - Lung Conditions C...
Felt poorly, result chest infection.
Roy if you feel up to your usual pursuits just slap on some sunscreen protection and wear a hat as i believe you don't have to hibernate and just have to avoid direct sunlight,i may be totally wrong but what the hell we only live once,get well soon.
Ski's and Scruff's.
Cheers to u both. I will c how it goes. 👍🤓
Get out while you can thunderstorms due next week weather warning n place next week. Just booked fr the gardner to doyhe hedges as well. Will have to take each day as it comes
Hello Spacecat1. I did my garden last week. Just as well really as I haven’t felt up to much. Just hoping we miss the thunderstorms it tends to flatten the plants. The weather is one thing we can’t control, still never mind. Thank u for replying. 👍🤓
Hi I got a course of 2 weeks of doxycycline last year (due to ear/sinus problems) two days before our holiday to the sun in Algarve. A bit of a downer! But I put spf 30-50 and a har on, stayed in the shade in the middle of the day otherwise swimming, walking, jumping in the wave with no problem. Good luck with sun & getting better!
Hello Rattle. It makes me laugh sometimes as to where and why people get there names from. I’ve given the bowls a miss for a couple of weeks. Most of the time at home and playing bowls I where shorts, I feel more at ease in them. Thank u for ur good wishes and the same goes from this end. 👍🤓
Would you believe it's now raining the cats have decided to sit outside in the rain watching the birds eating their dinner.
I think we r all going to get some wet stuff this week. The cat knows if he doesn’t get wet u give him some more food later. 😂👍🤓😹
Why do you have to cancel just wear sun cream or cover up.
Hi Roy. I know how you love your garden, we’ve been missing the photos! I’ve been on oxytetracycline for decades at high and low doses, and it comes with the same warning about sunlight. It either affects you or it doesn’t, fortunately fine for me. Stick one toe out and if all ok, go for it. As others say, wear a hat and cover as lightly as necessary . Don’t think cream guards against this one, but I may be wrong.
Glad all your hospital checks came out as good as it gets for those of us with dodgy lungs.
Enjoy your weekend ☀️ sunny in Cheshire too!
Cheers Yatzy, kind of u to reply. I might try that just the one toe. Hopefully all will b ok. It’s only 5 days anyway, but when u can normally walk in and out as u please it comes a bit hard. I haven’t posted any pictures for a bit as I have found when I try they won’t post. Will try again. Watch this space. Cheers. 👍🤓
Stay Well Hun, You have come through with Flying Colours. Look Forward to seeing your Blooms this Summer, I am out in the garden, under The parasol, I love the sun, but I'm being Sensible. Just Bought a Gazebo so I can do my Exercises on Bike and Tread Mill under Cover and still see all my Flowers.....After I finish this Vino or 2. LOL. Love n Hugs xxxx
Cheers Hacienda. I can’t afford a gazebo 😂 have to make do with a parasol ☂️. It’s nice (I find) looking at the flowers. Don’t go to mad on that bike. Enjoy. 👍🤓
Hey Roysieboy, good news about everything except the infection. I hope you start to feel better soon. My dad was on a medication that said to avoid any sunlight. Sunblock was not OK in this situation. But he bought white cotton gloves recommended by the doctor and wore a wide brimmed hat as well as long sleeves etc. Probably for five days it's not worth you investing in these things, but it must be so frustrating for you having to avoid the sunshine when finally it's sunny! Lots of sympathy heading your way, and I hope you get back out in your garden soon.
Cheers mate. 5 days doesn’t seem a long time normally but it will soon pass. Thanks for replying. Best wishes. 👍🤓
Thank u RedSox. 👍🤓
Hope you are better soon. Take care.
Maybe emphysema is different. For bronchiectasis, infections should be given longer courses than that - based on my own experience and on British Thoracic Society guidelines for doctors.
"In general, antibiotic courses for 14 days are standard and should always be used in patients infected with P. aeruginosa. Shorter courses may suffice in patients with mild bronchiectasis."
By shorter I reckon they are thinking 10 (or maybe 7 in those who respond quickly or have a relatively easy infection history and a relatively quick to respond bug).
Sorry - not trying to be a party pooper!
Dude, I am a life long ginger so have been sensitive to sunlight all my life. As folk here have said, long sleeve light shirt, cover your noddle with a lovely hat and put some shades on then you can keep playing bowls and look cooler than everyone else.
Never got on, me and the sun. My distant red headed Celtic ancestors presumably didn’t see much of it and it took me about 50 years to accept that.
But as for sympathy; ‘ahhh, poor you’ 😁👍
But seriously, hope you feel better. Not usually sunny long anyway thank goodness. Think of all the poor Gingers like me....well more strawberry blonde now. With grey coming on...,
Sorry to hear that hope you get better soon x
Hi Roy, 3 out of 4 isnt bad and just think in 5 days time you will be back to normal, whatever that may be. Seriously I hope the tablets kick in quickly and help to make you feel better soon x
Cheers Izb1. It’s always nice when people reply to ur posts even though they have problems of their own. Thank u. Have a good day.🤓👍
Hello Roysieboy, sorry to hear about your troubles lately.
I also have moderate emphysema, though it feels much worse in this hot weather. I also live in Kent and must say the sunny, humid weather is a struggle. Infections are easily treated now, with hospital antibiotics, they are quite strong. I hope you can get back to your gardening soon, and the bowls.
HI - JOIN THE CLUB ROYSIEBOY !....- SORRY YOU'VE BEEN A BIT POORLY - WE ALL HAVE GOOD AND BAD DAYS ! , BUT I OFTEN THINK , EVEN IF WE DID NOT HAVE THIS DAM, LUNG DISEASE , AGE ITSELF WOULD BRING THEM ALONG ! , LIKE CARS ETC , OUR BODIES START TO WEAR OUT , BUT WE KEEP GOING - I'VE HAD TO GO INTO HOSPITAL 32 TIMES IN TEN YEARS , I 'VE GOT TO KNOW THE " BOYS AND THE GIRLS , AS I CALL THEM ! , AT THE MIGHTY "ROYAL FREE " HOSPITAL IN LONDON - ITS GOT TO THE STAGE, WHENEVER THEY " WHEEL ME " IN , SOMEONE SAYS _ " HI VITTORIO - YOUR ROOMS READY ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR " !! ...GOOD TO HEAR YOU IMPROVED AFTER YOUR VISIT , AS I SAY ....... " HERE'S TO THE NEXT TIME " ! - - REMEMBER THAT OLD SIGNATURE TUNE /SONG OF HENRY HALL ? .( YES - I'ME THAT OLD !! ) ...... GOOD LUCK ........
Hi Roy
I just came off steroids and antibiotics after 2 weeks of chest infection, so look after yourself
Hope you are out and about soon Roy playing bowls and in your garden. As skis says slap on some factor 50 sun protection and a hat. Dismal indoors when outside is so lovely. good news about your other ailments.
Thank u for that. I have given the bowls a miss for a couple of weeks but will still b pottering around in the garden. Was plywothe other results. Thank u for taking the time to reply. Best wishes. 👍🤓
Always happy to give a “ bit of sympathy” Roysieboy.
That was another tough battle to fight so glad you are back at home and hopefully we’ll on your way to feeling really good very soon.
With any luck they will be wrong about the forecast as so often happens.
Hope you can at least sit by the window( not too close) and see your garden, with a good book and that the time flies by for you.
Or you could invite the bowls team to have a “ short” game on your front lawn😅
Best wishes
Hello Whitechinchilla and thank u for replying. I feel better than I did. I keep looking out of the window, can’t wait to get out there. The problem with inviting that lot round is 1. They would eat me out of house and home 2. I haven’t got a front lawn as when I was diagnosed with emphysema we had it all paved and a few pot plants out there. I now concentrate on my back garden. That’s got a lawn😂 Anyway it’s nice to hear from u. Best wishes. 👍🤓
I understand, I guess we have to be practical to make the best for our health.
I live next to a park and played bowls there for a few years, but was absolutely hopeless and I could not get over the graciousness of the other players towards me. Any other sport I would have been given a life long red card. They only kept me on to help with the teas🙃
They are a special breed bowls players.
Might just wander across this afternoon to watch. Hopefully they will allow that😂
Do you play indoors in the winter? The nearest indoor club to me was out of my budget not that they would have let me in😂😂
That’s amazing that you still garden and play bowls. Long may that continue😉
good wishes back.
With bowls I think we judge ourselves as to whether we r good or bad. It’s when the other players start judging us. U meet a lot of nice people playing bowls but we will never get on with everyone. I like watching especially on a nice summer day. I don’t play for an indoor club as I am out a lot in the summer. My wife is not interested in bowls so I try to keep the peace by having roll ups indoors twice a week. I must b doing something right as we have been married 56yrs on 3rd July this year. It’s nice to speak to you and hope things go well for u. Best wishes.👍🤓
Hi Roysieboy
Hope you feel better soon. I am just getting over a bad chesty cough yucky, not good for us people with challenged lungs. I so understand.
I am on chemo for life in tablet form to shut off my immune system as it is attacking my lungs and has done for years. I have to stay protected from sunlight, i use a hat, sunscreens and sunglasses and don’t let it stop me doing anything outside that I want to do. We just take care. I live life to the full with my Pulmonary fibrosis, Pulmonary hypertension and CREST syndrome.
You take care
Karen
Hello Karen. There’s me thinking I’m hard done by having to stay out of the sun for 5 days. It really puts my plight into perspective. Hope things go well for u. Thank u for replying. Best wishes. 👍🤓
Lol, reading the posts on this site always helps you to get things into perspective as there is always people out there worse off than you. It’s lovely that no matter what you need to vent about at the time you can get support on here, even if it seems trivial. Fab bunch of people who don’t judge you, they just want to help. I am a mega positive polly, and always look on the bright side. But if I get bad news I have this site to help me cope. Enjoy outdoors and take care 😁
Hello Polly or should I say Karen. You r exactly right in what u wrote on ur post. Nice to b positive, I think it was when I was diagnosed that I got more positive. Nice to hear from u. Best wishes. 🤓👍
I went out in sun & take Doxy regularly. Just take a little extra care. The gardening is good for body & soul & we need happy things to keep us going. Hope infection clears up Asap 😊
I forgot about the sun I now look like a boiled tomato 😂 I’ve had numerous amounts of doxycycline and Steroids just don’t seem to be able to get shot of this Good Luck keep out of sun Xx
I will take ur advice and keep out of the sun. Thank u for replying. 👍🤓
Keep going mate your doing great x
Get in the garden and enjoy yourself.......Wear a big hat and slap on the factor 50, oh and enjoy a cold beer to cool down xx
Hello Skatergirl1. As of today I have only got 2 more capsules to take to finish the course, so I will make the most of it. At the moment it is raining hard here in Kent. I don’t think I would have been going out there yet a while. As for the beer 🍺 I don’t really drink. Miserable chap aren’t I. Anyway thank u for replying and it’s nice to converse with u. Best wishes. 🤓👍
Hope you feel better soon. All best wishes x
Chest Infection
Repeated Chest infections 
Chest Infection
Hemoglobin iron count.
Chest infection recovery 
