Emphysema mild: Hiya all I had a chest... - Lung Conditions C...

Lung Conditions Community Forum

55,053 members65,843 posts

Emphysema mild

Jadex1986 profile image
7 Replies

Hiya all I had a chest xray 6 weeks ago and was called onto my docs yesturday where he said I have a little damage to my lungs and it's mild emphysema. I've googled a lot since then and it all looks very gloomy. Does anyone have or have any advice for me. I'm only 32 have previously smoked and have a family history of COPD but come from a line of bricklayers on my dad's side. I feel I've not been given any solide advice the doc kind of pushed me out the door xxxx

Written by
Jadex1986 profile image
Jadex1986
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
7 Replies
stone-UK profile image
stone-UK

Hi

Best advice you have already taken give up smoking, without being paranoid keep away from secondhand smoke, smoke filled environment, bonfires bbq etc. Beware of any toxic fumes which can cause irritation, if it makes you gasp or takes your breath away it may be or become a trigger.

Exercise and sensible diet will slow down the progression tremendously.

Being mild with common sense you can lead a near normal life Don’t google to much it can be to scary and unfounded.

Jadex1986 profile image
Jadex1986 in reply to stone-UK

Thankyou I've just gone to my docs to get a print off of my results and it says "both lungs appear emphysematous so assuming this means emphysema??

corriena profile image
corriena

You have done the hardest part to looking after your health long term by giving up smoking well done. Plenty of exercise and a good diet are your next steps. Then probably awareness. Chest infections can cause damage to your lungs so try and look after your immune system as defence is the best way to stop any progression of your empacemia. I was diagnosed as sever when i was mid 30s im still sever early 50 but i am better now than i was then by following the advice from my specialists and from the very knolageabl people on hear.

Shancock profile image
Shancock

It's odd that they diagnosed with an X-ray as an X-ray really shows very little. You should see a COPD nurse at the very least. But I suggest you ask (insist) for a referral to a respiratory specialist who can arrange for you to have a spirometry test, to look at how well your lungs function. If there's doubt they'll do a CT scan as that shows a real picture of the lungs and is the real way to diagnose this type of condition.

Jadex1986 profile image
Jadex1986

This is what I was told too. To be honest my doctor really should have explained more to me. I've had to book my own tests even though it states on my results further investigation required. I've googled and it does say an xray won't give me an dianoises. When I spoke to a nurse from this website yesturday she also said with a chest infection your lungs can expand and also they should have organised a follow up 8 weeks after a infection too. I'm just lost with it all . Thankyou for replying xxx

Ergendl profile image
Ergendl

I joined this site when I was diagnosed with moderate COPD in 2015, and tried out all the good suggestions others posted. From what people said, I've worked out I've got emphysema rather than chronic bronchitis because I don't have a lot of phlegm. I do a lot of singing and run some weekly singing groups. I also increased the number of steps I do daily from an average of 2500 in 2015 to regularly doing 10,000 this year. The result of that is that at my last chest clinic review I had improved from moderate lung function to the low end of normal function, with just the dip in the curve to show I've still got a restrictive lung condition. I've never felt fitter for a long long time.

So my advice is, take your diagnosis as a wake-up call and make some changes. It's okay to make them gradually so that you can cope with them on a daily basis and work to improve them. Just keep working to get healthier, and as a member on here once advised, don't commit suicide by sofa.

adapting profile image
adapting in reply to Ergendl

Thank you, this is so motivating!

You may also like...

Emphysema

spirometry test last Tuesday 13th results are 23percent lung function I know that's very severe but...

Emphysema

did I have mild, moderate or severe copd. He said, let me google it !! Oh it's mild he said. I have...

Emphysema

I have emphysema that has got a lot worse in the last three months. I hammered my emergncy packs...

Emphysema

alot where people have given up smoking then 20, 30 years later they have emphysema so how is this...

Emphysema

Had spirometer test then told I didn't have COPD. A similar thing happened the following year. Put...