hi, new to the forum and looking for some help if possible?
I had a recent lung function test as I’d been suffering with breathlessness. I had a letter today saying the results showed I had Severe Lung Disease which was weight related. What does this mean? If I look online I can’t seem to find a definitive explanation.
hi, you should try and speak with your health care provider for their correct interpretation of that statement, but a possibility could be that if you are over weight, you could be putting more of a strain on your heart and lungs or if you are underweight, you could be using more calories to breath. Best speak to your gp 😊
That's incredibly vague. I would definitely be making an appointment with the GP to discuss it.
Skatergirl1 is right, you’ll have to speak to your gp. I’ve never heard of lung disease being put down to weight before! Although if you’re very overweight it could make breathing worse
Hi Stonyd. Being over weight particularly fatty tissue around the abdomen and in some cases in the lungs themselves, can restrict the movement of our diaphragm and this causes the lungs to have difficulty inflating properly which can reduce lung capacity. Also the muscles surrounding the lungs become weakened very much like patients who suffer from COPD. Sleep apnea is one common issue to be concerned about as well. The prevalence of asthma is high in individuals with a higher BMI. GERD is common, which can cause aspirations where the stomach contents flow into the lungs which can lead to pneumonia. These are just a few potential examples.
Of course I have no idea what your doctor thinks, but yes being overweight can cause various complications. Please see your doctor as soon as possible. I hope you will update us if you feel up to it. Best wishes....
Cas 🤗
As Caspiana says. Being overweight can cause a restrictive pattern on a spirometry test. You still need to get clarification from yr GP though as yr still suffering with breathlessness. Take care 🦊x
I have COPD and I was told weight can contribute to the functions of the lungs,even though I have lost over 5st I was tody lose more
Hello . Hope you don't mind me asking. How did you manage to loose so much weight. Brian
Bariatric surgery but I have been left with many problems, reactive hypoglacima,coeliac desease and I am lactose intolerance as well and my bowel does not function properly either so my advice is to anyone don't go through bariatric surgery It took my life away I can't even drive now it's been over 7 yrs as I have blackouts too.
So sorry to hear you have been left with so many problems since the weight loss operation. My aunt had the same operation and never fully recovered afterwards. Brian
It's definitely a balance in what they want and they have guidelines which they move on a regular basis even for minor operations also on the bmi scale,welcome to the site stonyd
Severe lung disease doesn’t tell you anything, a lung function test shows how your lung performance is performing against your last test or a national average for your age and build. Being under or over weight can cause breathlessness, ideally you should be getting X-rays, CT scan and broncoscopy to identify what is going on in your lungs.
Welcome to the forum.do get an appointment with gp to discuss treatment + advice in managing/improving yr condition .let us know how u get on x
Lots of good advice there from the others, so just to say good luck with getting an explanation and the necessary help to improve your health. x
That sounds like a very uninformative letter to me if that is all it said. "Severe Lung Disease" is not a proper clinical diagnosis as far as I know. Does the letter contain any information for the GP? Or is there some further information on the NHS app?
Clearly they think you should lose weight and that will likely help you with all manner of things. But lung disease needs to be addressed with interventions other than weight loss, I would have thought.
I would suggest you schedule an appointment with the GP to discuss where you go from here, and insist on a copy of the lung function test results. Even if they do not tell you all that much you can find a lot of information online and I am sure people here will be able to help you with working out what the lung function test results are telling you.
Hi and welcome to this group. you are at risk of asthma if you are overweight and other lung/breathing problems as well. I’m sorry you haven’t been given proper info and help so you must contact your GP to find out more and discuss a proper health plan for you. Many people with weight issues do have shortness of breath etc. if you are overweight perhaps you could see what changes you can make with your diet? Don’t despair as it sounds like your problem can be sorted out.
Welcome to the forum. You've had some helpful replies, which I hope will be of use to you.
thank you to everyone for the kind replies. I spoke to the consultant today who gave me more of an explanation. Essentially he said due to my weight that fat around my lungs is restricting my lungs capacity and as such causing my breathlessness. I discussed weight loss drugs but as I’m Type 1 diabetic these new drugs aren’t an option for me. I’ve scheduled a GP appt for early Jan to discuss what treatment plan I can look at. I’ve a BMI of 50 and unfortunately due to suffering Septic shock back in 2018 and ARDS, I have restricted mobility so exercise is not possible either. I’m afraid I’m heading for the knackers yard! 😁
means you are fat and the fat is pressing against things and restricting your breathing. Me too. Lose weight is the solution/cure. How is the question? First - why are you fat? Me - ice cream and cake. Stopped eating ice cream and cake but didn’t lose weight. I dieted and lost 7 pounds. Stopped dieting and quickly gained 4 back.
“Doctor now tells me I’m not moving around enough and I need to walk a couple of miles a day. I have begun dieting again without increasing daily exercise. Lost 1 pound overnight. I know I need to listen to my doctor. How about you? Do you have enough discipline to eat better and exercise more. Sounds so easy doesn’t it?
Hello again Stonyd. I still think it’s odd of the consultant to describe your breathing problems as “lung disease”. It doesn’t seem that there’s anything wrong with your lungs, except for the fat. Get rid of that, and bingo, easy breathing! Or have I got this wrong? Anyway, did you know there’s a weight loss group on HU? I think so anyway.
Something you might find useful is a mini pedal exerciser. You can use it whilst sitting so it might help you get going with a bit of exercise. I bought one recently as I’m no longer able to use my treadmill. You can use it for your arms too. Also, on the ALUK website there are exercises you can do whilst sitting. I think, if you combine exercise with a sensible diet (no extremes in either, because then you won’t stick to it) the weight will fall off 😊
I have a few ailments that contribute to my weight. I’ve problems with my kidneys and heart causing fluid overload, I lack mobility as I had Sepsis 6 years ago and had to be put on an ECMO machine and suffered with ARDS and Kidney failure as well as nerve damage so walking is difficult. Unfortunately before I had Sepsis I carried a lot of weight due to lifestyle. The letter came from a Dr who isn’t in the Lung dept which may be causing the lack of detail on what “Severe Lung Disease” is. I suspect it is a combination of my weight and maybe the damage caused from when I had ARDS?
Hello and welcome to you. I can't really add to all the great advice, but just to wish you well xx
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