Asbestosis

[cory43]

Hi , Iv'e had some chest pain for some time, been to see a chest consultant and was asked if i ever worked with asbestos, She could see something on my ex-ray ! well iv'e worked with and around asbestos most of my life,been for another chest scan just now, so must wait to see what they find ,must admit i'm afraid to see the doc next time, I can't sleep through worry. Feel like my life is over !

[stone-UK]

Hi

Difficult to ask you not worry, only more testing will give you proper diagnosis

One common condition found using x-rays is plural plaques.

pleuralplaques.org.uk

Which is less of a concern than other Asbestos related conditions.

[cory43 in reply to stone-UK]

Thanks stone, just been told it's plural thickening !

[cory43 in reply to stone-UK]

just been told its plural thickening due to asbestos, When i bend down its like my lung sticks to my ribs at the back, and can't breath, The pain is terrible.

[Hidden]

I sympathise with you, but try not to worry.

I was diagnosed with Asbestosis, and Plural Plaques that were collecting/solidifying at the bottom of my lungs. I was concerned of how quickly the disease progress's, but didn't get an answer. That was in 2010, I have since been diagnosed with Bronchiectasis also. But the Asbestosis side of things hasn't progressed to much, and If it wasn't for my severe debilitating cough and my other disabilities I would have been able to carry on a relatively normal existence.

Fingers crossed for you that if it is Asbestosis, that's all it is. Good Luck.

[cory43 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks , just found out its plurel thickening due to asbestos, Told to apply for industrial injuries benifit , but why do they want to know if iv'e started a claim with a law firm ?

[stone-UK in reply to cory43]

Hi

Claims are no longer available for compensation,

Unless a claim had already been put in place.

Further information.

pleuralplaques.org.uk/pleur...

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

I know its easy for me to say,but please try not to worryxxx

[sassy59]

It is a worry but your life is not over, it has changed though. See what the scan reveals. Sending good wishes to you and please do let us know the outcome. Xxxxx

[Hidden]

Good morning woody,

I can well understand your anxiety. This is the trouble, once some anomaly has been found, waiting for further tests only increases the worries and tension in your mind. Please don't think your life is over....don't count your chickens........... it may change but whatever the outcome, help is at hand from all directions. While you are waiting for results, come to us for support. There are so many of us with lung disease, all on borrowed time, but aren't we all in the long run? I will keep everything crossed for you. Information provided by stone is worth it's weight in gold, so do read.

Please keep in touch with us.

[cory43 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Jennifer,

[dandysmum]

Oh don't give up woody. I have a cousin who has the disease and they have been treating him for it since 2009 and he is doing amazingly well with the help of good meds and he would certainly tell you not to think it's over because he is still teaching a few classes at school but needs more rest now. I hope they have something to give you that works for you too. Keep us informed. love xoxo

[cory43 in reply to dandysmum]

Thank you, you mentioned school, so i take it he/ she is a teacher, did you know that because the old schools were full of asbestos there are 17 teachers diagnosed with asbestosis every month !

[dandysmum in reply to cory43]

His dad used to work in a plant in Mass. and at that time there was no knowledge of the dangers of asbestos so he would wear the same clothes home and my cousin, just a little lad then, would climb all over him and when he had open heart surgery in 1994--the surgeon made him aware of the asbestos fibers on his lungs and warned him there would be problems down the road and it started really bothering him in 2009 but I must remind him about the problem they have had in schools too. It just might be a bad place for him to work!!

[cofdrop-UK]

Wishing you the very best for a positive consultaton. It is better to know exactly what you are dealing with.

Please let us know how you get on.

love cx

[cory43 in reply to cofdrop-UK]

Just been told i've got plural thickening , waiting to see another consultant !

[Offcut]

I worked with and cut asbestos without any mask or venting in the 1970's/1980's but was told it was not the dangerous blue asbestos. Ended up in ICU in 2008 with lung failure and was asked all the time did I work with asbestos and told them it was not asbestos but an alternative. I found out in 2012 that I was in fact using brown asbestos! But since then I have had a barrier thrown up untill recently where they agree I do have asbestos related damage due to ground glass effect on the xrays.

From what I have experienced and researched it can be controlled/slowed down but as Stone mentioned it has a chance that there is just came due to a 1001 things not asbestos related. Find a GP that knows how to deal with the lungs and it's issues. PMA

Be well

[cory43 in reply to Offcut]

Cheers thank you,

[SecondLife]

my hubby was diagnosed with asbestosis 8 years ago now, our first reaction was fear and 'let us put our affairs in order', but here we are all these years later and still going strong. Not going to lie and say it hasn't been a struggle because at times it has, we had to move because of the air quality, we have looked at our diet and eat specific things, I have become a Sgt Major and make him do exercise daily even if it is walk around the supermarket and I personally have learnt so much about his medication. If you are asking then yes we have been through the avenue of making a claim, it was a long drawn out affair but we won in the end and it was worth it. I think the moral of this story is that you can have a reasonable life if you make adjustments and help yourself as far as possible. If I can help with any questions please let me know.

[cory43 in reply to SecondLife]

Thank you so much, I feel better already, but still dreading the news from my CT scan yesterday, Good luck to you both.

[SecondLife in reply to cory43]

good luck, get them to refer you to pulmonary rehab and also enquire if your surgery has a Respiratory Nurse if not I would recommend changing your surgery if possible as they can be a real help

[cory43 in reply to SecondLife]

Hi thank you, Is it true that you get ripped off when putting a claim in !

[SecondLife in reply to cory43]

not sure what you mean, we took advice from our friend who is a partner in a law firm and eventually settled with one of the no win, no fee firms. We had to go for lots of private medicals for our side and then the other side wanted their own medicals, there was lots of evidence taken and from one particular individual it became pretty nasty and upsetting. Do we feel that we were ripped off, well I am sure that the legal firm earned more than we received but in the end we were happy as it has enabled us to purchase things that make his life easier such as the electric bed and also helped with our removal costs.

[cory43 in reply to SecondLife]

Thank you, just found out its plural thickening caused by asbestos !

[SecondLife in reply to cory43]

don't forget you can also claim Industrial Injuries, a weekly payment from the Government

[Offcut in reply to SecondLife]

Did that happen becuase you won the case or was it a separate claim? I have found it very difficult to get hard evidence. They do now mention I have asbestos exposure for over 10 years, since the new asbestos compensations act came out it is as if they have closed all my doors that were open when I thought I was not working with asbestos?

[cory43 in reply to SecondLife]

Thank you, just applied for that , got a supporting letter of my consultant if thats any good !

[SecondLife in reply to cory43]

good luck, I know we had to go for a medical, then another 2 years later to see if there were any changes and then we received a letter to say that we no longer had to attend medicals and the payment level would stay the same for life

[cory43 in reply to SecondLife]

Thank you.