I am not doing well at all here.. I am mentally exhausted, extremely anxious and totally lost.
Last week I was referred for a CT scan to find out the reason of my constricted breathing amongst other symptoms. My GP believes that the mild emphysema diagnosed after the scan doesn't explain these symptoms so I am a bit lost. in fact, I find even difficult how to explain them ,but something is not right. Even the GP is not sure of what to do next. ENT referral?
Even now, as I am writing this, when I breathe through my mouth, I feel like something in the windpipe is constricting the air. My stomach is constantly bloating and very tense and my chest very tight.
I haven't done the spirometer test but I was wondering if it is possible to have lower readings than the scan. ie, is is possible to have a moderate emphysema readings but a mild one in the CT scan?
Not sure what else to do..
Apologies for the long post.. it actually helps me to relax.
Peace & Love everybody,
M
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MiFerna
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7 Replies
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Try breathing through your nose, mouth breathing can cause bloated feeling.
Chest infection is another but really your CT scan would have picked that up, the CT scan is very accurate.
Anxiety also causes these symptoms, did your doctor not suggest that?
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I'd love to breath through my nose but it is blocked most of the time.
Yep, yesterday I was also diagnosed with health anxiety disorder so I am starting a CBT treatment but I am quite certain that this constricted, burning feeling when breathing is pretty real.
it is not good at all.. it is 24/7 ...
I am having a chat with my GP tomorrow to plan next step.
Definitely go for ENT referral then if your nose is blocked constantly, infections in the nose can result in lung infections as well so you need to get that cleared up.
Sterimar nasal spray but your doctor can prescribe something else for specific symptoms.
Burning sensation can also be the result of acid reflux so discuss that with your doctor too.
Good luck for tomorrow. Hope you get things resolved soon.
Has your breathing pattern been observed by a nurse or doctor, both when you are at rest and when you are talking .
My breathing pattern was checked as was my breathless friends . I was breathing just into the top of my lungs, my friends breathing changed when she was talking about a difficult subject .
We were encouraged to relax , breathe gently and slowly.
Try gentle gentle breathing with a relaxed diaphragm and belly.
I was always a mouth breather....now I can manage nose breathing which warms and filters the air, and to help prevent hyperventilating.
Hmmm...... I would continue to pursue answers. Reason being, I have Bronchiolitis Obliterans. My CT scan showed nothing remarkable. Yet my spirometry results were extremely worrying. My disease does not show up on scans. I had a single transplant so I still have my native left lung. It is very severely diseased but in the CT scan I had yesterday it looks like a healthy lung as the damage is too minute to pick up on a CT scan. In fact it wasn't until they dissected my right lung post transplant and put it under a microscope that they could see the extensive damage. So please keep persuing treatment and tests, like a six minute walk test to see if you desaturate when you walk. Lungs are very complicated organs. Find a doctor who will work with you if you can.
The CT scan and a spirometry test measure different things. The CT gives a 3D picture of the (type of) damage in your lungs, while the spirometry measures functionality which gives the actual stage of the copd condition. I find it odd if you have not been referred for a lung function test which would give more information. I think you may have seen your GP today so I hope that was useful.
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Primrose 123
COPD Emphysema 
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