Anyone know about Emphysema

[arceye]

Ok chaps, funny forum for this I know but........you never know, some may have experience / knolwedge of this.

As one or two of you are aware I've had a few health problems over the last year, having got threats of heart bypasses etc out of the way and blood pressure under control with pills I've been going through tests looking for throat and lung cancer , fortunately all clear

So, according to a letter from the chest clinic over a recent CT scan I'm not too bad but apparently have "minor emphysema", now I know what emphysema is as my grandad had it bad, but does anyone know what they mean when they say minor, I'll no doubt be under pain of death to give up the smokes but would it just be normal for a 40 odd year old smoker who's spent the large part of his working life exposed to welding, burning, diesel fumes etc to have this, or does it mean I have to consider all aspects of what I do, such as welding / spraying..... our car hobbies in general?

I appreciate its a strange question but I can't get to see the doc for over a week and it's driving me nuts, so if anyone has knolwedge do share it please, its the "minor" I don't really understand though I obviously know its not as bad as having it bad, but is it just the beginning or something more benign.

Again I appreciate peoples experience of this may be somewhat limited, but you never know as I know I won't be the only one out there, and google aint too helpful with the grading. Not really liking the possible thought that the Riley will maybe have to be the last one I do, even though I threaten that everytime I fetch a lame car home

[rich.]

bad luck mate, i know a chap who has it. he was always short of breath. i suggest you start looking after yourself before it gets any worse..
here is what wiki has to say

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emphysema

[arceye]

Cheers Rich, I'm hoping a few lifestyle changes will cover it, the smoking days are deffo numbered, what is annoying is I've been being a good lad for a while now, more walking, less smokes and wearing masks for the nasty stuff, but hopefully that means I'm part way there already.

I'm hoping that being "minor" as they put it means it's not going to be a big problem if I take note and heed the warnings. I smoke less than 10 a day nowadays but coupled to other stuff that may have been a bit late coming, E cig now ordered, hope I can take to it. I'm kind of hoping they would expect to see some signs of it in someone with my history of smoking / work, and that its more of a wake up call, time will tell.

[Martin Evans]

My mother had pneumonia as a child and required a lung operation aged twelve (She is now 75). The chest hospital was on the coast for a reason and indeed (Even in cold weather) the windows were often left open (The patients did have plenty of blankets). Living where you do is probably a good thing in terms of sea air. Damp climates (Like the South Wales Valleys) are bad for chest complaints (My parents live in the Usk valley, that runs north of the industrial valleys or more accurately former industrial valleys and where they are isn’t quite as cold and damp as the Heads of the Valleys). Combining this with inactivity can be lethal. My next door neighbour had an accident about ten years ago (Lost one leg below the knee) and has become inactive (Due in part to problems with his false leg) and combined with an underlying chest problem, he is now wheelchair bound and on oxygen. I am sure he would be better if he lived by the sea.

My late grandfather (Who lived until he was 93) had to undertake some first aid training as part of his job as a fireman (Or a pit deputy as it became known) in the pit . As part of this he had read a book called “Life is movement” and was always going on about it . Looking back I can see that he was right; it is important to keep active and to get into a regime of taking a daily walk or bike ride. I have seen too many people, who once they become inactive (Sometimes it’s admittedly unavoidable), go downhill fast. Indeed when my grandfather became less mobile (He was still walking a mile each way to the shops until 90) he died within about eighteen months. In essence I think he just caught a “Cold” and as he was weak, it turned to pneumonia and it was all over in two days. My late Aunt suffered a minor stroke in mid 2008 and became hospitalised. She died within six months and I think it was inactivity (Or the consequences of it) as much as anything else that killed her.

I hope I haven’t depressed you and I hope the prognosis is good. It maybe a good idea to wear a carbon mask when you are doing messy or fumy jobs (And quit smoking).

[rich.]

definately quit smoking, the patches work a treat.. as a long suffering husband i went grey when wifey quit.. i didnt want to go home at one point until she started with the patches...

good luck

[hobby]

From my experience I'm not sure what would help... My Dad was a smoker for decades after getting the habit in the RAF during the war, he gave up altogether in his early sixties, retired at 65 and got emphysema at around 71/2 and died at 76. It was tragic the way he went especially as I was 150 miles away and only had Mum's phone calls about him being in and out of hospital...

All I can say is to do whatever your Doctors tell you, it's not nice so anything that will keep it at bay, or at best delay it, you should do...

[arceye]

Cheers chaps, I've certainly been getting more excercise lately like Martin suggests, I had slowed down a bit in the last five years or so as the wife has got less mobile due to disability which has a knock on effect both to the things we used to do together and my free time for looking after myself.

Fortunately though up until then I'd been pushing wheelbarrows and lumping heavy gear around the railways and liked nothing better than to follow that with a walk up a bloody big hill, only trouble is I liked my smoke when I got to the top. Even up til a year or so ago I'd take the dogs miles up a beach most mornings but as fuel gets more expensive its harder to justify pleasure runs. That said I'm getting the dogs out down our lane everyday again now and I think its doing me the world of good.

Dreading trying to quit the smokes, must be ten years since the last try though I cut them back a lot not too long since so hopefully that will make it easier.

As hobby says its a nasty thing if it progresses, my Grandad was a sixty a day man and took it bad, but in the past I always imagined these things getting some bugger else, the naievety of youth I suppose. I suppose at least knowing early on gives me some chance of trying to offset it instead of finding out later when things have progressed.

We'll see what the doc says, but I'm hoping as long as I'm sensible, try to stop the smokes and use proper masks for working on stuff it won't change things too much....fingers crossed anyway.

[Richard Moss]

For almost every illness thre are benefits to be had from quitting smoking. With your condition, it's surely going to be essential.

[Xantia-nut]

Ay up!

As I understand it, emphysema is caused by a powdery coating on the inner surface of the lungs.

Quit smoking - a good thing even if you don't have the Big E. Gentle exercise is good - not too strenuous as this can set it off. Try car mechanics? Watch your diet and, until you have it well under control KEEP WARM AND DRY.

Best of luck!