Comment from: snapperlou, 65-74 Male (Patient)Published: September 02
I've had emphysema for four years. I am taking Spiriva and Advair. I started with oxygen at night, now all day long. Nothing seems to help. The minute I start to walk around the breathing gets bad. Even the oxygen doesn't seem to help.
Comment from: 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: September 02
I had a quadruple bypass 3 years ago. To make a long story short my cardiologist told me that I had the early signs of emphysema and that my heart was also slightly enlarged. I continued to smoke, but found myself increasingly fatigued. Simple things like walking down the street were very difficult. I have finally stopped smoking with help from the patch. I have not had a smoke for 14 days now and immediately felt the benefits of not smoking. It's not easy but I am determined to succeed. I want to feel good, and alive and energetic besides, I have a 10 month old grandson and I want to watch him grow up.
Comment from: sally, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: August 18
I am 63 years of age and was diagnosed with emphysema just over 2 years ago. I went on the patches the day after I found out and managed to quit the habit, despite finding out that my husband had been cheating on me for 5 years. It was really difficult to keep off the cigarettes because I was so stressed at finding out about my husband's affair. However, after smoking 45 - 50 a day, I'm still off them and although my condition has not improved I'm very proud of my efforts. If I can do it, anyone can.
Comment from: Ben, 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: August 18
I was told in I I was told in I had COPD Emphysema; I was a heavy smoker, Fire fighter, mechanic and a rough life style. I smoked 4 packs a day. When I was in the hospital, I would leave my room in a wheelchair and go outside to smoke. Doctors get mad when you do that! After a near death episode, my pulmonary doctor told me about Chantix. After a couple of months I quit smoking and have no desire to. So check into it! My hardest adjustment is not being able to do minor things without I want to enjoy life with my children, wife and grand kids!
Comment from: Martha, 65-74 Female (Patient)Published: August 17
Two and a half years ago I suffered a pulmonary embolism in both lungs that was so severe that doctors could not believe I was alive. Pulmonary hypertension developed as a result, I just had test that said I have emphysema. My symptoms of labored breathing walking a flight of steps, and other exertion took me to the doctor. At that time, my oxygen level was 89 that sent me to hospital. Scan and stress test and echo showed no damage to my heart, just emphysema. I don't know which diagnosis would be worse. Anyway, I will enjoy my life, going back to school, college, and go next week for a breathing test. Hope this dialogue will help some others.
Comment from: barbara 4, 45-54 Female (Patient)Published: August 06
I was diagnosed with emphysema two years ago. I took another year and a half to quit smoking. Last week I had to be flown out to another hosp for resp failure. After a week of kicking myself for not quitting sooner my new doctor informed me that I had a rare form of genetic emphysema and would have gotten it anyway. He thought that the information would make things better and maybe it should, but now all I think about is that my kids now have this to look out for as well. I had a heart attack at 39 and found out about genetic heart disease then. Wish I could just say to the kids that I messed up and to learn from my mistakes. What is to learn? They all are dealing with this in their own ways but I have to agree with my oldest
Comment from: Jkm, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: July 20
I was just diagnosed with emphysema at 57 and have been smoking for almost 40 years. I was in a state of shock. I am female, and trying to quit isn't easy. I have allergies to the adhesive in the patch, so it's been difficult with this reminder itching away. My insurance won't pay for smoking cessation and I called the quit line, only to wait for three weeks to get any information. I am still waiting for their patches to arrive. I have a co-worker who is on Chantix and is slowly quitting, so there is support. I am on two inhalers.
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Pneumonia is inflammation of one or both lungs with consolidation. Pneumonia is frequently but not always due to infection. The infection may be bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough with sputum production, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Treatment of chronic cough is dependant upon the cause.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions, chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and emphysema. Symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, shortness of breath, frequent respiratory infections, wheezing, morning headaches, and pulmonary hypertension. Treatment of COPD is focused on the related condition(s).
Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) causes are either primary (aquired or genetic mutations) or secondary (diseases, conditions, high altitude). Treatment of polycythemia depends on the cause.
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are premature heartbeats originating from the ventricles of the heart. PVCs are premature because they occur before the regular heartbeat. There are many causes of premature ventricular contractions to include: heart attack, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, hypokalemia, hypoxia, medications, excess caffeine, drug abuse, and myocarditis.
Marfan syndrome is hereditary condition affecting connective tissue. A person with Marfan syndrome may exhibit the following symptoms and characteristics: dislocation of one or both lenses of the eye; a protruding or indented breastbone; scoliosis; flat feet; aortic dilatation; dural ectasia; stretch marks; hernia; and lung collapse. Though there is no cure for Marfan syndrome, there are treatments that can minimize and sometimes prevent some complications.
Pulmonary hypertension is an abnormal elevation of the pressure in the pulmonary circulation caused by the constriction of the blood vessels that supply blood to the lungs. Shortness of breath and dizziness are symptoms of pulmonary hypertension. Treatment involves diuretics, blood thinners, calcium channel blockers, and using supplemental oxygen to increase blood oxygen levels.
Chronic bronchitis is a cough that occurs daily with production of sputum that lasts for at least three months, two years in a row. Causes of chronic bronchitis include cigarette smoking, inhaled irritants, and underlying disease processes (such as asthma, or congestive heart failure). Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing. Treatments include bronchodilators and steroids. Complications of chronic bronchitis include COPD and emphysema.
Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also harm family members, coworkers, and others around smokers. There are a number of techniques available to assist people who want to quit smoking.
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are genetic disorders that include symptoms such as loose joints, tissue weakness, easy bruising, and skin that stretches easily. There are seven types of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes: Classical type, Hypermobility type, Vascular type, Kyphoscoliosis type, Arthrochalsia type, Dermatosparaxis type, and Tenascin-X Deficient type. Treatment for Ehlers-Danlos syndromes depends on which symptoms are present.
Smoker's lung photo essay is a collection of pictures and microscopic slides of lung disease caused by cigarette smoking. Smoker's lung refers to the diseases and structural abnormalities in the lung caused by cigarette smoking.
Bronchiectasis is a condition in which the bronchial tubes of the lung become damaged. Inflammation from infection or other causes destroys the smooth muscles of the bronchial tubes. Bronchiectasis is a form of COPD (which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis). There are three primary types of bronchiectasis: 1) cylindrical bronchiectasis; 2) saccular bronchiectasis; and 3) cystic bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis may also be acquired or congenital. The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis are recurrent cough and sputum production. There is no cure for bronchiectasis. Treatment is often geared toward controlling the symptoms of bronchiectasis.
There are many unusual symptoms of asthma, including sighing, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, chronic cough, recurrent walking pneumonia, and rapid breathing. These symptoms may vary from individual to individual. These asthma complexities make it difficult to accurately diagnose and treat asthma.
Heart failure is caused by many conditions including coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, and conditions that overwork the heart. Symptoms of heart failure include congested lungs, fluid and water retention, dizziness, fatigue and weakness, and rapid or irregular heartbeats.
Chagas disease is an infection caused by the T. cruzi parasite. Symptoms of Chagas disease include rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and the Romaña sign. An ELISA test is used to diagnose Chagas disease. Treatment depends upon the phase of the disease and the patient's age.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is an inherited disorder that may cause liver and lung disease in adults. Signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, wheezing, weight loss, respiratory infections, fatigue, vision abnormalities. Advanced lung disease from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency include emphysema. Liver damage from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency causes a swollen abdomen, swollen legs or feet, and jaundice.
Nicotine is delivered to the brain through smoking, chewing, or sniffing tobacco. Nicotine is an addictive agent. Common names for nicotine products include smokes, cigs, butts, chew, dip, spit, or snuff. Habitual nicotine use leads to many debilitating medical conditions.
The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood is important, because as it builds up in the blood, headaches, drowsiness, coma, and eventually death may occur. The air we breathe in (inhalation) is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and the lungs.
If you have a COPD such as emphysema, avoiding chronic bronchitis and colds is important to avoid a more severe respiratory infection such as pneumonia. Avoiding cigarette smoking, practice good hygeine, stay away from crowds, and alerting your healthcare provider if you have a sinus infection or cold or cough that becomes worse. Treatment options depend upon the severity of the emphysema, bronchitis, or cold combination.
Secondhand smoke can cause illness and disease in nonsmokers. Some of these conditions include lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses such as asthma, SIDS, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Learn how you can protect yourself and your family from secondhand smoke exposure in the home environment and workplace.
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are a group of disorders which share common
features including easy bruising, joint hypermobility (loose joints),
skin that stretches easily (skin hyperelasticity or laxity), and weakness of tissues.
The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are inherited in the genes that are passed from parents to offspring. They are
categorized according to the form of genetic transmission into different types with many
features differing between patients in any given type. The fragile skin and loose joints is often a result of abnormal genes that produce abnormal proteins that
confer an inherited frailty of collagen (the normal protein "glue" of our tissues).
In 2001, researchers discovered a new form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome that is caused by an inherited abnormality in a protein other than collagen that also normally
plays a role in binding together the cells of our tissues (including the skin, tendons, muscle...
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I've had emphysema for four years. I am taking Spiriva and Advair. I started with oxygen at night, now all day long. Nothing seems to help. The minute I start to walk around the breathing gets bad. Even the oxygen doesn't seem to help.
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