At the end of april I went into hospital for a minor op to remove a lump from my finger, luckily it was benign.
When I entered the hospital ( a private one I had visited before for two serious ops, disc replacements) and went up the stairs I was guided to the day ward. I had not been in this part before. Immediately I could smell paint and started wheezing. I always use low odour paint at home. A lady who was waiting with her husband asked me if I needed to use an inhaler, I rooted mine out of my bag ( had not used it for a while). By the time I entered my room I was really hot and having breathing difficulties. When the anethastist saw me he said he was struggling too with the paint.
I had the op, under general, with no problems and was discharged at 6pm that night. I went to bed around 10.30pm and awoke around 2am unable to breathe. I was hanging out of the bedroom window fighting for breath. I went downstairs and sat in my office chair for about 3 hours. At 8am the following morning, I rang my GP got an appointment. He perscribed anti biotics. A week later I was no better, coughing up disgusting stuff ( looked like it was from a nuclear power station ) He perscribed different anti biotics and a new inhaler, my inhaler was out of date ( I had not used it for years). A week later still no better, different anti biotics.
The following week, a month after my op, I was having severe breathing problems and my husband called an ambulance. I was rushed to hospital, kept in for 4 hours and then discharged with a different inhaler and different anti biotics
I have forgotten to say that I am allergic to steroids, they send me totally loopy !!
Things seemed to have calmed down,, I took the anti biotics (which were light sensitive) and seemed a little better.
The following week I went away on holiday... what a mistake.... the heat and the stairs totally knocked me for six. I could only climb about 12 and then it was a rest and a few puffs. I had to hit the other anti biotics I had taken away...
I came back from holiday, visited the doctor, got my x ray results, totally clear, yet I was still coughing and bringing up phlegm. One more week of anti biotics and also something to break down the mucus.
I am now 2 weeks clear of anti biotics, still coughing but it is a little clearer, waiting for a spirometry test which cannot be done till I am 4 weeks clear, waking up every 3 hours and coughing up.... and struggling in the heat...
Any ideas....
Thanks
Written by
soobroo
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You have had a really rough time, sorry to hear. My first thoughts are to think you have had a reaction to the paint but that could be a red herring if you know what I mean. Sometimes we need to have a "reason" for being ill and we look at what we can see, touch etc. It maybe that the paint fumes triggered a reaction in your lungs, something that was maybe underlying from before.
Hopefully if you stay well enough then you can have more tests done. Unfortunately, when it comes to matters of th lungs it is often a case of ruling this out, ruling that out and seeing what is left. It is a lengthy process getting a right diagnosis and often a frustrating one. But you may not have anything serious to worry about, it could simply be a reaction to the paint or something in it.
hope you are feeling better soon and can have the tests done. Sounds like it was the paint that set you off, the heat is a trigger too, so the both have probably not done you any good. When it is very humid, i sleep with a fan on in my room to keep it cool and i also have one of the electronic vapour inhaler too that i have by my bed. I also find rubbing a small amount of vick or other vapour rub into my chest helps, or a massage bar from lush which has a warming effect (must contain a menthol), that rubbed on my back has helped me in the past too. Hasnt cleared it, but it has helped me to breathe easier and get me through the nights.
Hi Soo , I had a similar encounter with paint fumes when i was at work and they were painting the offices over the weekend. I had to go home and by the time i got there i could barely put one foot in front of the other and called the doctor , he sent me to hospital and it turned out i had pneumonia , i spent 6 weeks in hospital and was eventually medically retired from work . With hindsight i shoulkd probably have pushed for compensation as my life has totally changed for the worse since and my condition is now severe , I do sometimes wonder what was in the paint and wether industrial paint has stronger ingredients ???. Hope you feel better soon xx
Personally I don't think that the anaesthetist should have put you out while you were having breathing problems. Anything could have happened to you.
Thanks everyone for your input. I have written to the first hospital stating how ill I have been and asking why they were painting a day ward in a hospital during the day... surely they should have realised that people could be affected.
Today my chest has been very tight, its been very humid but my cough has turned to a dry raspy one....
My GP has totally written COPD out as I have never smoked and no members of my immediate family have ? !
No it was not a panic attack, I was coughing so much and bringing up mucus, it closed down my airways according to the doctor and it was an asthma attack
Well today back on the anti biotics... as last night had a really bad night, fever and bringing up the disgusting stuff again..... Going to get my GP to refer me tomorrow, found out my private cover is valid till end of this month, thought it had expired in June !! I am so fed up with myself... from running 2 miles a day or cycling 12 to not being able to walk upstairs with the washing basket ... over night !!!
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