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emphysema

12 years ago•17 Replies

HI I was diagnosed last year with emphysema, should I avoid deodorants and air fresheners and what other things should I avoid will be very grateful for a reply.

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maggiegirl

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17 Replies

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elian12 years ago

Roll on deodorants are fine maggiegirl, it's the aerosols that are best to avoid. Some perfumes are too strong for me too

I can't do dusting either unless I use a damp cloth to dust with

yellow9012 years ago

With COPD we are all different, No two people have quite the same Emphysema/Bronchitis/Gas transfer /Fev1, and different people react to the same stimulus differently. For me strong perfume is like Kryptonite, but I'm OK during cold weather. Hot weather or cooking steam make me struggle. Others will be the complete opposite. All you can do is see how YOU react and adapt your environment to suit you. In my house none of my daughters are allowed to use hairspray if I'm around. They know this so go out of my way if they want to use it.

MarkTurtle12 years ago

My wife has had to give up her perfumes

maggiegirl12 years ago

Thank you all very much it will be trial and error thank you.

tyran5712 years ago

hi maggiegirl, i was told not to use aerosols of any description, perfumes, burn candles or incense sticks (both of which i love) i use alot of air freshner aswell ive found one that is a natural spray ive also made my own with oils. Somethings affect me more than others so it is a case of trial and error !! sandra

12 years ago

Emphysema sounds old fashioned now when young doctors are calling it COPD same thing only nobody has heard of it.

copdliving12 years ago

You can use whatever you like until you discover it bothers you. I know certain soaps and scented candles bother me.

kay140012 years ago

I cant do with perfumes and my grandson had a deodarant on and i felt i couldnt breathe right.Sometimes i could be stood next to someone who has alot of perfume on and feel sick with it.You cant avoid it sometimes its hard work telling people around you (family)that it effeects you they look at you daft

Eviex12 years ago

I have to be careful with deodorants, perfumes and such.. As soon as someone sprays anything I go into an attack of coughing which kicks in my asthma.. I now use roll ons..

Wiggins12 years ago

Apart from smoke I'm finding I have to avoid strong deoderants, spray aftershaves (I use roll ons and splash ons now), certain cleaning products (Tesco enviro freindly stuff I use now), cold weather, air conditioning in cars is terrible, certain pollen especially Oil Seed Rape (but only when I have the window down in a vehicle).

maggiegirl12 years ago

Thank you all so much this is a big help.

dinnyrayner12 years ago

Hi Maggie ,

I have emphysema , bronchiectasis and asthma so i am not sure which substance affects which condition but it might help you to be cautious around these until you define your particular triggers ..... aerosols of any kind as i think the gas used in the spray can trigger you off ( i have used roll on deodorant all my life ) , dust , i am terrible if net curtains are changed and hoovering is difficult , paint fumes (mostly gloss but emulsion is ok ) , smoking and fire smoke (including chimneys ) , car fumes and worse still deisel fumes , perfume if it is strong , going from cold weather into a warm house , cooking steam , also the shower steam , some pollens (undefined as yet ). I hope all works out well for you and you find a workable lifestyle xxx

carolg1• in reply todinnyrayner12 years ago

Hi I was sort of relieved to see your post, that sounds awful I know, you don,t say your age I just wondered if you have any comment on the following, I too have the same as you and have had for the past 8 years, I am now 57 yrs old and the past 18months has been hell,, I am sort of vomiting by force loads of mucus and each week of late it is worse, I am under two consultants, one stomach one lungs, they both seem to scratch their heads a bit, I only cough after I have sucked/vomited bucket loads of clear thisck mucus out and only then do I clear little amounts of phlegm up, I know this is an awful conversation but it is as it is, have you heard if anything like this it is a now twice daily occurance and last sometimes for a couple of hours, if I dont do it I can hardly breath, then once done I can breath a lot easier and py diaphragm doesnt ache as much, any help would be appreciated I am so scared.

Thanks in advance, if you can,t help I understand x

maggiegirl12 years ago

Thank you dinnyrayner

carolg112 years ago

Thanks in advance, if you can,t help I understand

maggiegirl12 years ago

Sorry to hear that carolg1 no I haven't heard anything like that, I was only diagnosed last year and I have problems getting any phlegm up at all, I feel it lodged in my chest and can't for the life of me get it up which makes me panic when I can't breath. Perhaps someone else may be able to help you on this subject Good Luck xx

dinnyrayner12 years ago

Hi Maggie and Carol , I don't have the same vomiting and production of phlegm anymore but i did years ago . I too am 57 Carol , I had double viral pneumonia aged nearly 3 yrs (nearly died ) and it left me with bronchiectasis , i aquired emphysema somewhere along the way and asthma after a year working in a furniture manufacturers ???? i think that caused the asthma but doctor at royal brompton thought not , even though i didn't get properly tested . I went through a stage of producing lots of phlegm and a stage of not being able to clear it and feeling tight chested but not always an infection . after 54 years of coping with this condition and only the last 20 years of getting any proper treatment (was just treated for asthma for years ) i get the feeling that bronchiectasis is a bit like cystic fibrosis in that the phlegm is thick and sticky so needs regular daily clearance (or however regularly doc says ) or it can build up and get thicker or infected . There is a range of carbocisteines available which liquify the phlegm and make it much easier to clear . I suspect that the high production of phlegm ius caused by the newness of the condition and the body fighting it as i had that earlier in (in childhood ) and it has settled down now , but i could be wrong , best to run it by the doc . Do either of you get sinus problems too ? another thing is reflux caused by the inhalers and you can get tablets for that too .

Carol , you say you are 57 , did you have a bad chest infection in the winter of 57/58 ? there was a flu pandemic that winter , my gran died in autumn 1957 of flu and i got the viral pneumonia in march the result being SWYER JAMES or MCLEODS SYNDROME , which is clubbing and hypoplasia of parts of the lung causing bronchiectasis and possibly emphysema . might be worth asking your doc for a ct scan to see . Hope you both get sorted out and if i can help just let me know xx . xxxx Dinny xxxx

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