I was on here a few years ago because I was so sure I had COPD I had something wrong with my chest. However after several test and trips to the doctor it turned out I had a really bad lung infection which eventually cleared up.
Fast forward 4 years I have recently split with my girlfriend and have a 3 year old beautiful little girl, I was 50 yesterday 13 March. Anyway the last few months I started having trouble with my chest again I use Ventolin because I have mild asthma and since that lung infection I have been using Simbicort as a preventer. I noticed a few months ago I was using my inhalers more than before, I kinda left it for a bit because I did sometimes use them more often. But a few weeks ago I started getting a pain in the top right hand side of my chest. I left it for a couple of weeks but as it didn’t get better I went to the doctor. I had an X-ray and last week got the results. She said I have a infection in the bottom of my left lung, I thought that’s ok then she said you might have a little bit of COPD. As soon as she said that I totally lost what else she was saying. I asked so I have COPD, she said it’s hard to say for definite because of the infection is making it hard to clearly see the X-ray. She give me some antibiotics which I’ve just finished and she wants me to have another X-ray in 6 weeks. I do get tight chested now n then but I’ve always been like that because of my asthma, I have no cough and no mucus. I wonder if the infection is in the bottom of my left lung why is the top of my right lung hurting. The pain has got better, it’s usually there for the first couple of hours in the morning when I wake up. I think I must have COPD otherwise they wouldn’t say it, I mean they must have seen it but just won’t say for sure till the infection clears up. I have smoked on and off for years but never heavy, back in the day I smoked a bit of weed and stuff like that. The last 10 years I have got myself really fit, took up kickboxing and generally stay fit even now I train or exercise about 4 times a week. I can can skip for like 10 to 20 minutes at a time as well as circuit training. I think I would not be able to do that if I had even mild COPD. I’m really worried now because it’s going to be like another 5 or 6 weeks before I have another X-ray and get the results.
Thank you to anyone who reads this I’m truly grateful..
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Randall1990
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Hey, yeah that’s a good idea though over the last few weeks there have been no new symptoms. I’m not using my inhalers nowhere near as much, like yesterday I used the Simbicort twice in the morning like I’m meant too then one puff later yesterday evening and twice before bed like I’m meant too. The pain in my chest is usually there but not as apparent as before then fads after a couple of hours, exercise actually helps it move on quicker. I sleep really well most nights too.
It’s so strange and yes I am worried in fact I’m petrified and the fact I have to wait another 6 weeks does not help for the next X-ray.
From reading your previous posts, I totally understand you! Also winter time can affect you, because of the cold air!But don't get yourself in a frenzie okay!
Just make a list!
Actually I think you could read your previous posts again and compare!
We can tend to get paranoid at times!
Just take each day as it comes and refer back to your doctor if your symptoms get worse Ran! God bless 🙏
Actually if you can perform kickboxing, can exercise, can run , can jump, can go for swimming, little by little with increasing orders, then definitely you are fine and doing well. So don’t worry too much, keep moving, enjoy your life, and RELAX.
Hey. Yes I would like to think like that but I’m wondering why is it showing I might have COPD in the X-ray and why do I have this pain still, though it has got better, in the top of my right lung if the infection was/is in the bottom of my left. I haven’t trained since she told me this last Monday because I know you shouldn’t train with any kind of lung infection so again I’m waiting to see if that has cleared before going back to it.
Hi Ran , please don’t concentrate of your diseases, rather love and follow your body requirements, heart requirements, mind demand and enjoy your life. Everybody we have certain limitations but enjoying life is the number one priority. Take care and enjoy !!!
Hi Ran, copd is properly diagnosed through lung function tests. Please ask your doctor, when the infection has properly cleared, to refer you for these. The results will show if you have copd, and they can distinguish between copd and asthma. Spirometry is the particular test with the LFTs which shows whether or what stage copd is. It helps to show your doctor that you have information - they tend to treat your more seriously in my experience.
Copd should not be diagnosed purely from an xray.
Btw, I was dxd at moderate stage copd when I was 55, probably had it for years. Im still going strong at 75. I hope your results come back normal but just in case, please dont panic. You are doing so well keeping yourself fit and that will work hugely in your favour. Take care and good luck.
COPD is just a name given to a selection of diseases that affect the lungs and breathing. You need to get a diagnosis for a specific disease before it is referred to as COPD. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two common ones. I have chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and emphysema my consultant refers to them individually by name, my GP refers to them as COPD. Managing the breathlessness caused by both these conditions is similar but the actual treatment is completely different
Hi if it us the case I think at the moment it’s to early to tell what it is, like I said it’s just something that sort of showed on the X-ray but because of the infection it was hard to say if it’s anything or even just my asthma which can be confusing apparently.
Hi if you are told you might have a little bit of copd then you should be very mild. I was diagnosed mild 4 years older than you and the doctor told me not to worry as old age would get me first. It is a chronic condition but like any other it can be managed.
I have always been under the impression COPD cannot be diagnosed solely from an X-Ray and a CT scan gives a far more accurate image. Certainly when I was diagnosed with Emphysema the diagnosis was confirmed by having a spirometry test and CT scan. Also whenever I've had subsequent chest infections a CT scan is done and on a couple of occasions I've been injected with contrast dye during the procedure.
Hello ran_do_ll, sorry to hear of your delay in waiting for X-ray but it can take a while for an infection to clear, try to stay calm, easier said than done, Think of the future with your daughter. Stay warm, keep safe , the doctors reply is reassuring that it is not COVID19. On going treatment cannot continue without another X-ray to determine what is truly wrong when the infection clears. Sometimes a scan is needed to see if it is COPD. You need a clear definite diagnosis if it is not infection only. Take care and hope the improvements you talk about continue and it is only a pesky winter infection. Stay positive as already suggested.
Even if you found out is COPD is not a death sentence, with the right medication you will be fine. Good luck
Hi thank you I’m hoping it’s not but if it is I’m so worried, I have a little girl and I want to be able to do things with her as she grows. I’m usually so active I’m worried I won’t be able to do any of the things I do now.
Hi. Regardless of whether you have asthma and/or copd (in the uk copd is emphysema or chronic bronchitis only) an infection is an infection which needs to be treated with proper antibiotics. Adding the asthma &/or copd you should take a good antibiotic for 7 days even then it may not clear so you'll need another week, sometimes steroids for a few days too.The stress of a recent split can lower your immune system, lowered further by a stubborn infection and the antibiotics. If you weren't so fit the asthma or copd would probably be worse so well done you for keeping as fit as you can (and hopefully quitting the cigarette for good). Dont forget there are quite a few athletes & Olympians who are asthmatic.
Most of us lungies here would insist on a medic listening to our lungs. They can tell so much from what they hear through a stethoscope. Please contact yr GP, it all needs to be in your medical record.
My mild asthma took a downturn in my 50s leading to repeated chronic infections, 5 x pneumonia and years of very poor lung health. Much improved now though. Good luck, P
Hi yes that’s what she wants to do before anything else is clear the infection up. I had a 5 day course of antibiotics and it helped, I’m still tight chested and the pain in my chest is still there a little bit in the mornings but both have got better. I was using my inhalers loads, today and yesterday for example I had two puffs of Simbicort in the morning and before bed like I’m meant to and two puffs of Ventolin, one afternoon and one evening and that’s it I felt ok before bed and slept really well. Yes stopped smoking tobacco and weed a few years ago.
A doctor that doesn't know that to diagnose COPD you require a spirometry test is rather worrying although not unexpected. Just goes to show that this wonderful 5 year plan by the NHS to improve lung health has got a very long way to go when the primary medical contact ( GP) hasn't got a clue about the procedure to diagnose what is increasingly a very common condition.
Hi. I think she does realise that, she was just telling me what was on the report that come with the X-ray. She wants me to have another X-ray in a couple of weeks to see if the infection has gone then get a clearer image before going for a spirometry if need be. I’m still getting a little tight chested but not as much so I’m using my inhalers less, I think the antibiotics have helped.
Copd is not definitely diagnosed by x-ray. You have to have Venus gas blood drawn and a PFT. A CT or MRI of chest/lungs would help better if you are determined to have it after the other tests are accomplished. But an X-ray is not a good way of diagnoses of COPD.
Hi the doctor was just reading the notes from the X-ray, I don’t think it was her report. Yes I know about spirometry testing, I asked for one but she has said again to wait to see if the infection has cleared up on the next X-ray before going for one she didn’t mention they were not available at the moment.
Randall, why do you have to wait so long to have another x-ray? I've had COPD for 10 years now. I've never had a pain in the top of either lung. I had a severe pain in my back, and I thought I had a kidney infection, and it was a pneumonia. I don't know why the Doctor doesn't do a CT scan to find the problem with your right upper lung. I had a lung infection one time, and it took them forever to find out it was an infection. I can't cough anything up for them. My Doctor gave me a little container and asked me to try hard to cough up something. I took the container home and gagged myself to cough up a little sputum. I took it to the lab, the Doctor called 3 days later, and said go to the hospital you need to be admitted. The reason I rarely cough is my Cilia ( tiny hairs) are frozen. When your Cilia is frozen you can't cough up the mucus ( it's great when you can, because your sweeping out all the bad stuff that you have inhaled in. I'm not sure why you don't cough or cough up Mucus, this is the reason I don't. Do you see a Pulmonologist? If you do, ask them to do a blood oxygen level test on you. They take blood from your wrist (the inside) and this is how they find out your Carbon Dioxide level in your lungs. That will tell them a lot. If the medication you're on isn't a round inhaler, ask you Dr to prescribe you a spacer. The spacer helps your medication get deeper in to your lungs. Good luck to you. Pam
Hi, the reason I was told, is because of the infection, they wanted it to clear up first before doing another X-ray. Anyway I had the second X-ray about 5 weeks ago then got the results 10 days later. It come back clear, lung shape and heart shape all normal. I went for an ecg and blood test on my heart, the doctor said they come back absolutely fine. She said she thinks the pain is musculoskeletal because she done a few test where she asked me to put my arms in different positions and she pulled and pushed on them and this made the pain in my chest kick in a little bit, which was possibly activated by my training. So my doctor advised to not lift anything heavy and stay clear of strength training on my top half and to use ibuprofen gel on the area that hurts. So now up to date, the pain has got better but it’s not better totally and sometimes I get a another kind of pressure moving towards my throat it’s really hard to explain, I’m talking to her again Friday. I did ask for a CT scan but she said it’s not something she wants to do at the moment because she’s adamant the pain is musculoskeletal and the tightness in my chest which has got a lot better is not COPD because of how active I am and the training I do, she’s sure I wouldn’t be able to do it even with mild COPD. However they have put me forward for a spirometry test, at the surgery after I asked her about 5 times. I do have to wait until they open properly though because they haven’t been doing them while on lockdown so hopefully I’ll have one in the next few weeks..
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