help advice needed please copd, emphyesma, asmha

[candys]

im new here i wouid like some advice please iv suffered from copd empheysma asmha for 8yrs now, which has severley deteriorated, i struggle to breathe daily that i do panic alot not being able struggling to breathe, im 50yrs old. i do smoke alot more than i used to, due to the death of my husband after being together 35yrs, he died due to lung, also brain cancers, only 1yr ago, i know my health is poorly, i saw my dad just collapse and die due to this disease, is anyone else suffering in the same way as i am, id be so grateful for any help or advice.xxxx thankyous in advane xxx.

[davidbryn]

yes number one , is stop smoking, you will get worse quicker. give yourself a chance to rid you system of that stupid habit. i just stopped smoking 43 years ago when my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. it frightened me into packing up immediatly ,never touched another one since. its been known for years smoking is bad for your health, stop now its easier than you think. regards brian

[hufferpuffer]

You could make an appointment to see your G.P.and get nicotine patches ( mid-strength) give yourself a good pep talk! you will feel much better,food will taste better,you will be able to breath much easier and you will be treated with more respect by the medical people you meet,but mostly do it for you,you have to think about your own health and quality of life in the future, smoking is just a habit you can quit and think of the money you will save! I am so sorry for your losses,I know how hard it can be coming to terms with losing loved ones,now you must think of you and making the best of life and living.I hope you can be strong and I wish you well,sending hugs,Carol x

[stan5 in reply to hufferpuffer]

well said-not a lecture but sound advice.

[pollyjj]

Please try and stop smoking it will help you more than anything. There is lots of different help out there, go and see your doc. Lots of us on here know how hard it is to give up but you just have to keep trying, you will do it in the end.

Good Luck

polly

[mskpjb]

I know exactly how you feel. I lost my son, my brother and my husband within 8 months just a year ago. I have lost so much weight, smoke too much and suffer from copd and asthma like you. We all know you should stop smoking, I`ve tried all the things on offer. But one bit of advice, buy yourself a little hand fan to carry with you round the house and use it when you get breathless. I kid myself it`s like the oxygen I get in hospital. I know only too well that the incentive to do what`s necessary to get a bit better is lacking when your heart`s breaking. mskpjb

[candys in reply to mskpjb]

im so deeply sorry to hear of your losses, my worild fell apart the day i lost my soulmate whom i first met when i was 15yrs old iv also lost 6 stone in weight my hearts broken theres no cure for a broken heart please keep in touch takecare xxxx

[mskpjb in reply to candys]

So glad I found this site. It helps to know that others really do understand what it feels like, both with the grief and the illness. Am in the middle of yet another exacerbation so it`s the dreaded steroids, antibiotics and carbocisteine. But not carted off to hosp with pneumonia yet as I usually am twice a year. And the coming home to an empty house with no-one to make you a cup of tea.Our loved ones are free of pain now and we wouldn`t wish them back to suffer so we`ve got to plough on even when we want to scream because they`re still loving us. God bless candys, mskpjb (call me Sheila)xx

[candys in reply to mskpjb]

oh sheila no one knows just how it feels to waik into an empty house, my own family dont even understand they think that a year has gone i shouid be enjoying my life to the max by going out to pubs etc, sheila iv lost the love of my life my soulmate, nor do i know what the future holds for me how nice it is to speak to you whom is also going through the same as me, god bless you please call me liz xxx

[mskpjb in reply to candys]

Liz just be kind to yourself. I don`t go very far at all-too many memories everywhere yet.It`s a year on the 19th since I lost John. The only ones I feel I must stay alive for are the two little cats my son worried about during his dying 10 months. I promised to look after them so I will. Family don`t understand, I hope they never will, they just want you to be happy. But it`s too soon. Let yourself grieve in your own way.Let the future just unfold and know that I`m thinking of you.

Message me anytime. Take care, Sheila xx

[candys in reply to mskpjb]

im so deeply sorry to hear of your losses, my worild fell apart the day i lost my soulmate whom i first met when i was 15yrs old iv also lost 6 stone in weight my hearts broken theres no cure for a broken heart please keep in touch takecare xxxx

[helen19]

hi candys..

im same as you ,im 52 tho and i to still smoke and i have had helpfull replys and as u will hear stopsmokeing in most of the replys , like i have but l have had all the treatment out here to stop from tablets from the doc to patches and gum and what ever eles is on market to help u stop ... but none worked for me ,my nurse made the most sence whe she said ,she couldent see me giveing up because im to scared to stop but if i cut down to 10 aday then when ever i felt like it to cut one a day out from thier and see where i go .i got down to ten then back up to 20 a day but i used to be on 40 aday but iv no gone back to that and 20 last me day and hslf ,i found it better this way , and i try and block out to people who say it easy as its not for some of us xxgood luck to you and sorry for your loss xxgod bless do it your way in the end xxhelen

[Hidden]

After 8 years and knowing your circumstances I suspect you know what to do it is the support to be able to do the things you must that is what would help you most, stay with this group they are so helpful and supportive.

[baxter1]

i have the same health probs you do im 48 just managing to stay in work at mo nursed my mum throu this same thing for 5yrs before she passed away 3yrs on boxing day i packed in smoking for 14mths but for some mad reason started again 6mths ago everyone is different in how they can get themselves to stop you no yourself best but i think you no you have to pack up ive stopped again now for 2weeks and am doing pr at which is good one thing i will say thou is never stop giving up one day it may just work for you good luck in whatever you try

[Tubing_Annie]

Yes Candys, I have severe COPD, I'm afriad you need to go and talk to your Doctor and let him/her know you are panicking, you are very young and i am sorry to say you need to try and give up smoking.

I had to 12 years ago, or i would not be writing this to you, I panic, am breathless, but much better since i gave up smoking, i know its easier said than done, but, i know from my own experience it will help you. the Doctors do patches for smoking, perhaps that might help. I wish you all the best in all you do.

[katieoxo60]

Hello Candys, Sorry to hear you are recently widowed as a widow myself I do understand it is not easy to stop smoking while greiving, but try your best you will feel better for it. The NHS has a quit smoking programme in most areas, which supplies free patches and support with other quitters. I gave up smoking one year after my husband passed away, and to spite the illness on good days I can do quite a lot Good luck I'm sure you'll get there you already took the first step by asking for help.

[terrzy]

i have copd and asbestosis.i am 71and on oxygen at home. ismoked 60 rolled cigs every.2 months ago i was admitted to hospital with respritary failure.the consultant told me if im lucky to go home this time ,icertainley wont next time.when ineed a cig isniff my tobbacco from the tin IT best wishes

HELPS.inow smoke 6 a day i dont think iwll ever compleatly stop , my objective is 4 aday try to prolong your first gig in the mornings hope this helps

[Hidden]

I stopped smoking around 1997. It was difficult but not impossible. I decided not to smoke for one day and then assess how I felt. Then I tried another day and so. Now the thought and smell of smoke scares me with the lungs I have. And the cost of smoking too! Trying to make sense of Terrzy message above. Sorry

[candys]

thankyou to each everyone whom repliyed to my question im deeply grateful to all of yous but since im deeply greiveing the loss of my husband my soulmate life for me at the moment is deeply grim nor is the same anymore for me, thankyous so much lots of love god bless all of yous xxx from liz xxx anyone here from fife scotland xx ??

[ivyleaf]

Hello Candys so sorry for your loss, I lost my own husband in 2005 he was admitted to hospital with pneumonia he started to recover from that but his heart had other ideas.

12 months later i ended up in the same ward and thats when i was diagnosed with Copd, i think id had it for quite a while before that so i went home on 16hr oxygen . I gave up smoking the year my husband died with the help of patches. please give them a try, id been smoking for 50years and didnt think id ever be able to quit. I moved here to my little one bed flat the year i was in hospital and everything was fine for about 6months then i became very depressed one evening, to the point of thinking i.ll go to the pub just up the road and buysome cigarettes ! I had to fight that like mad then remembered my smoking councillor had given me some nicotinel lozenges "just in case" she said. life savers , took me a while to find them but i did and never went to buy those cigarettes.!

trouble is i still use the lozenges!! I started worrying about that some time ago and mentioned it to my Gp and Dr at hospital but they dont seem fussed. you,re only supposed to use them for about 9 months.!

So do try again if I can do it anyone can,!!! And good luck I hope you feel much better soon, it does get a bit better with time. try to get out if you can if only a stroll for half an hour. took me a while to even do that. good luckxxx