Lung issues

[LauraNJ]

Smoked for many years and didn't have the strength to overcome it until wonderful Chantix. I take a lot of blame for my addiction. However, in at least three decades, my 40's 50's and 60's, not one of at least 4 "primary" (family) doctors ever insisted and sent me to a lung doctor where I would have received a spirometry test which would at least have told me how much lung volume I was losing. No way of knowing what mental effect that may have had on me. But it may have driven me to try "the patch" and gotten onto the patch and off the smoke. And just maybe, I wouldn't be deteriorating as I am now, lower than 50%, just started Pulmicort Flexhaler, and am trying to remember to do breathing exercises. Someone needs to school primary doctors to be more diligent in getting patients to be more responsible for their health.......and GIVE THEM DIRECTION. They have all the knowledge, we don't!!

[megannell]

" Hello.... And welcome to this friendly forum LauraNJ.....Yes i totally agree with your comments with regards to Dr's having as big part to play in our health, as we do ourselves and as such..."one hand can wash the other"....I was diagnosed last Year....COPD...Stage 4.Fev1 27%...Yet!! yet only two year's earlier i had two x rays due to lose of weight. But!.. the Dr told me my lungs where clear and healthy..Makes me often ask myself...How did i mange to be Stage 4 lung capacity only 27%..from a couple years earlier to having healthy lungs.....Doctors have a lot to answer for at times.....Good luck to you with your medication..as your Dr suggested Pulmonary rehab to you...That is a must to being in charge this horrible and cruel disease ...keep well and nice deep breaths........Megan"

[LauraNJ in reply to megannell]

Hi Megan.....thanks for responding. I don't understand much about this COPD stuff but at your 28%, can I ask if you require any oxygen? I keep wondering when that will happen to me at the rate I'm dropping. Laura

[ck101 in reply to LauraNJ]

Biggest drops are in the early stages. There is evidence it burns it self out,

If you don't smoke. Well done on stopping smoking.

I can't comment other than this other than to say you are correct about Doctors not being vocal enough with Patients. I went first complained about being SOB when I was 25, the practice nurse told me she smoked as well and it's nothing to get worked up about.

At 32 I went to a Pulmo who put me on Symbicort and more or less sent me on my way. I continued to smoke for another year or so to the point the Symbicort was no longer as effective.

I took it for granted if you smoked you had phlegm and a cough. Even pointing out how abnormal this is might have got me to quit.

Instead I was told I was normal and hadn't harmed myself from smoking. That great I thought as I put a few more years in.

[LauraNJ in reply to ck101]

Gee ck.......they really messed you up too! I do believe that many of us would not be here if doctors had done their job. Exactly what do they think their job is? Maybe they expect us to do all the thinking........about what?......they have the knowledge!!......and they are not sharing it with us! Maybe it's just me, but if I were one of them, I'd want to do the very best I could think to do for my patients. And if my patient wouldn't follow my directions, then that is another matter. But I was never given directions and neither were you. I think some of them get robotic about their job and stop thinking

[FarmerD]

It has been common knowledge for over twenty years that smoking is bad for you.Surly we have to accept some responsibility for what we put into our own bodies.Tobacco companies are allowed to spend vast amounts of money persuading us to use their products.They are legal so it is our choice.I stopped smoking after 50 years,three years ago when I was diagnosed.I have very severe emphysema,Fev1 is 20%. My doctors have been very good under increasingly difficult circumstances.

D.

[LauraNJ in reply to FarmerD]

Thanks D. Can I ask if you need oxygen?

[FarmerD in reply to LauraNJ]

I need oxygen just like everybody else but Don,t have to lug about an extra supply as yet.My problem is clearing my lungs.Most people think the lungs are designed for breathing IN.This is not the case ,air pressure takes care of that.The muscles in the lungs are to push the used air out.The mantra of pulmonary rehab physio,s is "if in doubt,breathe out"

D.

[1968]

Keep well FarmerD, yep we do have to take responsibility for our actions pitty it has to be as bad as this though. The government should be done with CORPORATE man slaughter for condoning the sell and distribution of tobacco products. They know the dangers to.

[LauraNJ]

We clearly are not doing enough about all these evils to health!

[FarmerD in reply to LauraNJ]

This is the problem with so called " Free Trade " .We all pay for the greed of others,one way or another!D.