COPD-Fear of the unknown.....................
 

I don't have copd but have known people who do. The below link actually says it all. I don't know what stage you are in, but if you didn't even know you had it perhaps it is in the early stages.

If you have lots of stress I am sure that your doctor could help you with a program to quit smoking. It is hard to quit and you mail fail many times before you suceed. Good Luck

http://www.e-copd.com/COPD_Stages.html

THANKS! I've been researching it a lot!
 

I'm So Sick, I Can't Sleep!
 

Sorry,i'm Back......................
 

Hi
 

Not trying to sound funny here,but are you sure what you are feeling right now is the COPD?

It sound a bit like a flu virus or something. Also you said you are in pain from the COPD, what is it you feel exactly?

How was it diagnosed,and what symptoms did you have prior?

What does the doctor say?

Justice. It sounds like you are going through the exact same thing I went through that started last September. It lasted for 5 months. It was Horrible. I too am a long time smoker and I HAD to quit the 2nd month I was sick. I just couldn't smoke. When I did the coughing and choking were debilitating. I had no problem quitting when the motivation was there to stop. I had never had such a lung infection as this one was. It was diagnosed as Legionaire's Disease and it took 3 courses of antibiotics to get it to go away. The Magic one was Clindamycin. Once I started taking it I felt a dramatic improvement on about the 3rd or 4th day. But the total time I was sick was a little over 5 months. I thought in the 2nd month I wasn't going to live through it and my voicebox, larynx, is damaged from all the violent coughing. I have problems now and use a store brand inhaler which I used throughout the illness. Doc did give me a couple of albuterol inhalers during the worst of it but wouldn't give me any refills so I do the best I can with these now.

If you'd like to talk about this in detail you can PM me. I usually come in here at least a few times a day.

copd
 

Hi justice
I am sorry to hear you are not feeling the best at the moment,my mother has copd and she has had it for around 25 years she is in the bad stages but she copes, what you discribe does not sound like what she has got,it sounds like you have got an infection and need to be on antbiotics plus inhalers to help,she get I might be wrong hear but l would go and get a second opinion here as it doesn't sound right.
hope you are feeling better soon.

I can't imagine having it after only smoking 6 years. That just doesn't sound right J. I know if I don't drink enough water and my allergies act up I cough up alot of stuff and sometimes it gets stuck and I start wheezing. But once I cough it up I'm ok. I seem to be allergic to alot of things. Maybe you don't have COPD. I was told I have it and emphysema. But I tend not to believe alot of what doctors say. I have been misdiagnosed before in the past and know other people who have been too.

How I was Diagnosed and My Dr.s Opinion!.........
 

I don't think anyone understands!
 

J, you NEED to calm down. Your getting yourself ALL worked up over there.

Let's just TRY to figure this out, ok?

You say you have a fever, well, maybe you DO. If that's the case then you have caught something. Are you drinking plenty of OJ? Eating oranges?? Lots of Water?? Eating fruit?? Can you sit in the sun at all??
Direct sunlight is so healing.

I had an infected fingertip once, went to the doc about it. She said "Oh, put neoSporin on it and keep it covered." I did what she said it it wasn't getting any better, for MONTHS!! OK< so I figured out HER advice wasn't working. So I sat in an open window since this was in the winter, with the glass up and just the screen so the sunlight could get directly on it. Within a week the infection cleared up. The UV rays of the sun kill bacteria. I KNOW this yet I listened to the Doc. She was telling me just the Opposite of what I had to do.

OK, your chest is bothering you? Well, if you are anxious that can be the cause and you certainly do sound anxious. Can you take a long, hot shower and do some stretches in there?? Take your time, spread your arms back and let the hot water hit right on your chest, it will help to relax the tense muscles. When you get out, put some nice music on that is Calm and soothing. Not HeadBanging hard rock, that will NOT be beneficial. Lay on the floor in the sun if you can NAKED and try to slow your breathing down. But take long, deep breaths and exhale slowly. Stay down for a while and just relax, go to your HAPPY PLACE, you know, the BEACH.

TRY TO CALM DOWN AND RELAX, WILL YA??? ;) :wink: :winky: :hug:

Justice

sure hoping you managed to get some rest and are feeling better

Let us know how you are ok
:hug:

I Wish I could do those things........................
 

Oh man. :o Well, Cool yourself down then. I once broke out in a rash from the sun but it was from some antibiotic I was taking at the time. Are you drinking lots of ICE Water?? If you are dehydrated that can make you sick to your stomach. Your fever seems to be raising hell with you. :hug: You should be resting then.

When I had Legionaire's Disease last Winter I had the same symptoms you are describing. I threw up alot too and had the big "D". And stomach cramps and fever and chest congestion and overall aches and pains. It was just horrible.

You should go read about it. I may have a link saved, hold on a minute............

OK, here is one link I Know I have read before:

http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz...es_disease.jsp

But there is another one that gives Symptoms. I'll look for that one now. :winky:

OK, here is that one:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...6.htm#Symptoms

Hi Justice
 

This doesn't sound like COPD. This sounds like allergies,something autoimmune going on, even infectious. Can you go see a partner of his, maybe a female GP? here in Australia we have GP centres. That is 6-10 doctors practicing in the same building. Your records will be there. You need some treatments and some help.

Maybe if you go to a hospital, and tell them that you are having trouble breathing, and so forth. They have to take that seriously, and maybe even admit you?

I just don't feel that your GP is giving you proper care,and that's a bit stressful. You are not going to die,so stop thinking like that. There is no actual proof that you even have COPD, only his opinion??

Please relax,and seek some help fast, and not by this jerk.

Also just to add, my husband is an ex smoker and he was hospitalised with pneumonia, one of his lungs collapsed with fluid. This was in 2005. His GP at the time told us that he had a mild upper respitory infection and gave him 3 rounds of antibiotics, all which did nothing. I saw him spitting blood in bathroom basin, and forced him to go to hosptal where I demanded he be admitted, he wasn't breathing, he was dizzy with fever and lastly horrific cough with blood. I refused to take him home. He was admitted, and he had to saty for 10 days because after they finally did their testing as they should have had in the first place,he was in very bad shape. The GP almost killed him, as he refused to beleive that he needed hopital care. But once again I'd like to emphasise that the hospital kept him for 10 days!! His oxygen saturation was incredibly low.

I have the feeling J that you are obsessed with the idea that you have COPD. You are blaming all your current problems on that. But if you ARE 34, I have serious doubts that you have it. If you do then I would be very surprized.

From what I understand COPD is usually a condition found in much older people who have smoked for a very, long time. But then again, like I said in another thread, Why is Everything suddenly a disease? Just being dehydrated can cause the secretions in your lungs to get very thick and make you cough when they do make their way up. Many times I get sort of congested and start wheezing myself but if I TRY to drink a lot of water that day then usually I can cough it up in one session and everything is clear for quite a while after that.

But too J, you MAY very well have SOME form of Pneumonia. People get it and are walking around miserable for a very, long time AND, I don't want to scare you now but did you know that more people die from pneumonia each year than from diabetes? I think that some form of pneumonia will probably kill me. I am not too good at handling any sort of lung infection. I DID nearly die last November. I had to go to ER 4 times for breathing treatments which helped a little. I think if I had got any worse or stayed sick much longer it would have killed me for sure.

Most doctors don't test for Legionaire's. I SPECIFICALLY DEMANDED IT. I even brought a friend with me who is a Nurse Practioner to explain to the doctor my concerns. I felt it gave my suspicion MORE credibility and it worked. Like I said before, I felt a dramatic improvement in my condition on about the 3rd or 4th day into taking Clindamycin. and I had been sick almost 4 months by then. I did give me terrible diarrhea but it was worth it getting rid of that nasty bacteria. I HOPE you read the links I posted about the symptoms, it was the 2nd one I posted.

J, PLEASE try to calm down. :hug: You seem to be in Panic Mode.

I am only saying these things to you becasue I have been where your at myself. We can work ourselves up into a lather and Freak Out over things, I understand that, especially when you think there IS something terribly wrong with you and no one will believe you.

Anxiety can REALLY do a number on us. :o

Just think about how many complexities there are in the human body. If we are negative we worry and fret over how many things can go wrong. If we are Positive and optimistic we marvel at the wonder of it all and try to take care of ourselves. I spend so much time TRYING to do what will be good for my body. Exercise, eat healthy, get outside in the sun, take a good Multi-Vitamin, TRY not to dwell on bad things going on around me, rest and relax when I need to, take a walk just to clear my head sometimes.

You sound like you are lost in a world of turmoil and negativity. You NEED to calm down. Is there ANY chance at all you can do something NEW? Something you have never done before? Something you've always wanted to TRY or do but never got the chance? If you ADD something NEW to your life, something POSITIVE AND UPLIFTING you MIGHT start to feel better. If all your days and nights you are worrying about your health and what MIGHT happen 20 or 30 years from now then you are really wasting time you COULD be spending doing something you enjoy.

Is there some nice park somewhere close where you could go? Take a sandwich and maybe some fruit and something to drink. Bring a blanket and go have a picnic with your puppy. Get outside in the sun. Enjoy the birds singing. Look at the sky. ;)

You may need to think about what I'm saying for a while until it sinks in. But the more negativity AROUND you the worse you feel.

I find that hanging around doctors all the time just keeps a person upset and worried about their health. Doctors are in the business of making people believe they are sick. That's how they earn their money.

Try to relax, Please. :hug:

Oh,no worries,I'm not panicing right now.I'm actually pretty calm right now for a change.I'm actually feeling a little better today,I think part of my panicing problem is cabin fever from not being able to get out and have fun hardly ever.My friend I went out with,yeah she's a Doctor but she's different than most doctors,she's cool,and when you see her in her normal clothes,you would'nt even guess that she's a Doctor.We had so much fun,she took me on a small shopping spree at Wally-World (Wal-mart),we call it wally-world,because when we go together we just have the most fun,and laugh our asses off the whole time,and goof off in there! I wasn't expecting the pain attack to hit while we were there,but I didn't let it ruin our fun! And she got the cutest little tank top for my puppy! It's so cute on him,I'll switch my avatar to the photo I took of him wearing it! lol.................;) [/COLOR]

Well that's certainly good to hear. I really hate to hear of people who let their emotions and fears take over their lives. And if you let it, it will.

I know there are times when I start to feel a bit scared and start to worry and obsess over the future. I have 30 years on you J so I think I understand how you feel. For 7 years, during my second marriage I was agoraphobic. I forced myself to go out once a week to go food shopping but no where else. No fun, no movies, no dancing, no beach, no church, no socializing, no family gatherings, NO NOTHING!! It took me a long time to get better and during that time I too obsessed about my health. Panic attacks were almost daily. Until I got SO sick of it I decided to TRY to venture out a little at a time. When I would start to feel something coming on I would retreat and go back home. But over time I would go a little futher and stay there a little longer. It took me a few years to get over it. But by then I had burned a lot of bridges. People thought I was anti social or I didn't like them, then the gossip started and many people who were once in my life were no longer there. I never told anyone what really was wrong.

What goes on in your head can affect your body. Even now when I get in a bad way in my head I have to force myself to DO SOMETHING. Anything that will get me off my bad and disturbing thoughts. Usually a long, hot shower, getting dressed, going out for a while, someplace that I enjoy, usually the lake or I look for rummage sales or I go to a thrift store and just look around. Usually I find some little thing that will brighten my day and lift my spirits a bit.

Funny thing about our minds J. They can only have One Thought at a time. If that thought is distressing it can make you upset and sick physically. So go do something else to get yourself out of it. If you do this enough it becomes second nature and you'll feel better more often. :winky: :hug:

Gee Whiz J. Maybe you NEED to find a Walking Buddy.

Watch out your window and see if you ever see another person just walking by FREQUENTLY. Not just anyone who is walking by. You MAY have to make this a QUEST for a while. OR just sit outside. Do you have a lawn chair? Just go sit out there, in the sun everyday for a while. Maybe there IS someone you don't even know yet who talks walks around where you live that you could strike up a conversation with. Don't just YELL "Hey, you want to walk with me?" You'll scare them off. Take it slow and don't chatter so much. Let THEM get a word in. :winky: :hug:

Well, I got into that "Mode" for a while. Running everywhere, falling down, smashing and breaking toes, scrapes, bruises all over me. I had to "SLOW DOWN"!!. I know you have a racing mind but if you don't slow your body down you hurt yourself. Doing everything fast, as fast as you're thinking, will get you no where. Slow it down J. Your breathing. TRY to focus on One thing at a Time and not the 20 things that need doing. I am doing this right now. Slowing down my thinking to ONE thing at a time. Sometimes I have to make a real effort to do this. I am focusing right now on going swimming. I will be leaving shortly and I am going to walk slower, take my time, I have 4 hours I can swim, there is no need to rush. Slow it down J. :winky: :hug:

It sounds as if
 

the pain spells that you have may be soleely related to gallbladder issues? They seemt o hit you and then you have side pain. Maybe you don't have any pain from COPD. I beleive that shortness of breath can be a symptom of a number of illnesses unrelated to lungs.

Also the mormons thing is too funny. I tell you, you gave me a real good laugh! i would also consider taking up a mormon walking buddy despite the (mormonism), as a walking buddy is the primary thing you may be needing.

Hi Justice
 

How have you been going? How were the results of your tests?
Are you a student?

Hi Justice, I have a son that's 30. We found out about six months ago, he has Crohn's Disease. The Dr. said he's had it for about five years. We thought he was a healthy 30 year old. It is so bad he my need to have part of his large intestant removed. The Dr. said, he needs to quite smoking. He has smoked for twelve years. The Dr. gave him a proscription called, Chantix. He said instead of putting nicotine in his system it goes to the part of the brain where he has cravings and ,stops them. He said there has been a lot of success. My son took it for just over two weeks and said the craving had been stopped for several days. Maybe you could give it a try. Good luck

Just read this whole thread and wondering myself how it is going.

I had my gallbladder removed a couple of years ago and it was 100% packed with stones. My symptoms were varied, but sure didn't include spitting up blood so that obviously still needs to be addressed.

The symptoms can vary with gallstones, but mine felt like I was having heart attacks. When it got to the point that my chest hurt pretty much every day for about 5 days, I went to the hospital and they admitted me. Thankfully, my GP told them to include an ultrasound of my guts in addition to all of the heart tests.

The ultrasound turned up the packed gallbladder. The doc said that women often present with chest pain like a heart attack which is not the most common side effect. I did have other symptoms like diarrhea, upset stomach and who knows what else in the years preceding that! Gallstones don't form overnight.

So Justice, did you have the ultrasound? Are you getting someone to address your fevers and coughing up of blood?

I at one stage was having severe anxiety and
 

I could have easily passed out. It finally abated on it's own, but anxiety can be instinctual. You are unwell, you know you are unwell, you have not received relief or treatment, you worry...you pass out.

The esophagal bleeding can very well be the old problems you had with esophagas. I don't know your medical history, but I know bulemia can cause blood in vomit, due to constant irritation from vomiting.

Your fever can be a number of things,and antibiotics is a reasonable step. You may feel alot better soon with the antibiotics. You may have an infection, unresolved bacteria. Just keep an eye on it.

Relax as much as you can. there is definately something acute going on that needs to be resolved first. Then the COPD can be adressed, if that is even correct. From reading thread, there does not appear to be enough medical testing done to confirm diagnosis. What testing was done? Who diagnosed you?

The Diagnoses story......
 

That doesn't mean you have COPD.
 

Many people have chronic bronchitis. It's probably not even as chronic as you think. My kid has chronic coughing,bronchitis,asthma, and I assure you there is no COPD.

Those symptoms are more common than you think,especially in people with asthma. I think you need to get yourself properly evaluated by a pulmonologist in relation to all this. I also think you should not smoke anymore, and stay away from 2nd hand smoke too.

I don't beleive this doctor has evaluated you nor tested you in order to hand down this diagnosis. And worst off he was irresponsible because he is not treating you or managing your care. Why would he assume you have this illness and not speak to you about it? Very responsible of him!!:mad:

Please go see a specialist.