I have at long last feel a bit better l had to increase my steroids l have what Tanyamarie dad has which is very difficult to treat, an x- ray revealed a crack rib because of the constant coughing so l am in pain and having to hold my side to do anything, but one bonus l managed to get some shopping without struggling to much, only struggled to the car so breathless. l'm trying to hold off getting a wheelchair until l am really bad.
Feeling a little better: I have at long... - Lung Conditions C...
Feeling a little better
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buddygirl
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17 Replies
•
Are they treating you for madness too ? 
Carrying shopping to the car with a cracked rib cannot be a sensible thing to do, especially when you say that you are in pain.
Seriously, please avoid things that are going to make you worse. Obviously, I don't know your personal situation and it may well be that you have to fend for yourself in these situations, but if at all possible, get some help rather than struggle.
Why put off getting a wheelchair "until l am really bad" ? Anything that's going to help you must be a plus, not a negative move.
Far too many of us are vain enough to think that we can 'manage' when it's clear that we cannot. Several members of this site have commented on not wanting to be seen in a wheelchair or to be using any aids.
Members of my own family were chuckling when I revealed my folding walking stick, but they now agree that it is beneficial as I can use that for a little confidence in crossing a road, rather than pausing to look for suitable things to grab hold of on the other side before stepping off the kerb.
Sorry if I seem a little harsh but that was the shock effect I had when I read the message.
Hi Gordon,
Thanks for your reply l wouldn't be so silly to carry shopping l had my husband with me, what l meant in struggling is walking and breathing, l do have a mobility scooter but my husband drops me off so l only have a short walk, l have Pulmonary Fibrosis so it's any incline that gets to me, your right about the wheelchair though must gets cracking on it, not sure what type to go for, it's not lIke the shops stock many to choose and the Internet is a bit of a gamble. Take care
Omg getting a cracked rib must be really painful! Didn't know you could get that from coughing.....I cough a lot too - oh dear.
Really hope it mends soon love.
Bev xx
Ah - an invisible husband, or at least no mention of him in the original message 
You can see why I responded as I did, I was worried you were doing yourself damage.
My mum put off any sort of aid to help her to get about. Sadly, by the time she realised she could not walk anywhere without, she was in hospital having Chemotherapy and soon wasn't able to go anywhere without her walking frame or wheelchair. For some reason, she thought the frame had 4 wheels and said it was dangerous without a brake on... Maybe she needed her specs on as well.
I'm thankful that I live where I do. There is a big mobility shop just a mile from here, quite a choice of chairs and chariots in their showroom. I just found a picture - clarkandpartners.co.uk/imag...
Although I have difficulty walking too far, a manual wheelchair would not be much use for me as it is the exertion of moving myself that gets me SOB. I can't afford an electric scooter so that's out for now.
Inclines seem to be an issue for lung sufferers of all types. I can really struggle in our local transport interchange as it's one long incline. I always try to enter from the top end to walk down. Going shopping has been an issue too, the supermarket car park is on a slope but I can now park close to the door since I got the blue badge. A bit too late for me really as I dare not go and walk round the place any more, I just stay in the car until the wife comes back.
Yahoo have groups as you probably know may be teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but there is a freecycle group in most areas (sometimes called freegle) and sometimes someone offers a mobility scooter, when it comes to shopping in supermarket I find leaning on a trolley is like using a rollator which helps and you have frequent stops, to look at things!!
• in reply toGordon57
Electric scooters come in a vast range of prices, Gordon, but men appear to prefer the bigger ones. It is a suggestion that you look out for a good second hand one. The scooter that I have was second hand but had never been used. Very nippy for me. I have a TGA eclipse. I do all the shopping for the two of us, and online shopping once in a while
Buddygirl, Oh how I feel for you, I know exactly what you are going thro I have done the same myself and you start to feel better and some one cracks a joke and your back to square one again. Hope you feel better soon . Take care.xxx
buddygirl• in reply to
Hi berwick,
Gosh it's painful isn't it, l did in the summer l. coughed and tried to sit up so as not to pull my back, and l am sure that I cracked the rib then I went to a osteopath but it did'nt help, Then blow me it has happened again it now makes me wonder if it's not caused by my osteoporosis I have tried so many tablets for osteoporosis all with awful side effects. It's lovely to talk to you, I'm glad your feeling better.
• in reply tobuddygirl
Any time buddygirl, was feeling better until another trip to hospital today. Nearly took the top off my thumb using a stanley knife with a new blade . They managed to put the flap back and 6 steri stripes and well bandaged up. Cannot finish the carpet for a few days now.Wife if happy, apart from me forgetting her birthday after 40 years you would thinkk I would remember. Got brownee points made dinner with one hand LOL, xx
So sorry you're having a rough time, Buddygirl. I think that there's all kind of psychological rubbish that goes on in our heads around use of mobility aids etc in public. However they can be of such help that really improve the quality of life and are therefore liberating.
If you have a medical need then wheelchair should be provided by the NHS, but if you decide to get one yourself then go to a proper mobility shop. They'll make sure you get the right size but may have other ideas of things that might help. I've recently started to use a rollator which helps me get some exercise but has a handy seat for when I get tired.
Good luck with it all - I hope things improve for you.
Beth x
So pleased you are feeling better, it does feel great after being cooped up.
But as Beth has said be careful of just buying a wheelchair,, my doctor put the request in for me, you have to be assessed for weight ect.ect. I wanted a self-propelling one,,,but they said because of my back problem (five discs one in the neck, plus a vertebra slipped causing wide spread neuropathic pain) I can only have an assisted chair,, but I wanted some control.
We bought a very light self-propelled one, it was much easier for my hubby to lift in and out of the car,,
unfortunately that led to me getting a frozen shoulder, first in the right followed quickly by the left!, that was three years ago,, I have limitations in both shoulders now. I still use it although only with my husband, but it is so light you can turn on a sixpence and great for getting to the clothes dept, to look,,my hubby often goes too fast and I can't see with the G-force keeping me fixed!!!
My advice is try before you buy, or wait to be assessed. You can do your self damage.
B.
buddygirl• in reply to
Thanks for your advice it's a bit of a mine field it's not like buying a pack of sausages we have a local mobility shop with not much in but further afield I will seek their advice, my hubby will have to push me we want one that can fold into the car, I use a scooter as I am only 2 minuets from the shops. but a scooter can't go every where.
I Have Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and wouldnt be able to go anywhere without my mobility scooter, I don't know if i would want a wheelchair as well as my scooter. I like to be in control. The only time I walk is about 15 yards from the car into the hairdressing salon and I have to use 6LPM oxygen to enable me to do it. Even then I am really SOB when i get inside and it takes me a while to get my breath back. Please be careful and DON'T take anything for granted, its easy to break a rib with coughing and that in itself is dangerous because of the danger of puncturing a lung.
Hi Maureenv,
Your my first contact with IPF. Well to be truthful I have a stressed husband who isn't handling my IPF very well, I use a scooter to get shopping daily I have a large bag on the back and hubby comes with me to do the main shop. but my scooter folds up and goes in the car he finds it stressful being with me in case I run someone over maybe I don't know. Do you drive or does someone take you. I would love to know more a about you how long have you had IPF what treatments you have tried. I have increased my steroids and the coughing has eased I was bringing up so much watery fluid my consultant said I have wet IPF not dry. There is no one at our GP surgery with this disease and I came upon this website by chance. My husband idea is that when we visit my daughter and shop with them it's easier to go inside shops.
Lovely to here from to you.
Hi buddygirl i've just sent you a personal message
Pete has cracked a rib through coughing and has had terrible bruising too (no, I did not hit him!) It is easily done but hopefully not too often. Hope you get all the help you need and you will get good advice on here. Take care. xxxx
Thanks sassy sick as a dog last night the pain got worse during the day now pins and needles down one side don't whether I had picked up a bug there around now, my hubby is keeping a watch to see how things go, I think it takes about 8 weeks to heal all because I choked on a dam crunchie bar, teach me to leave the chocs alone.
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