Just Diagnosed Emphysema

I will. This helps a lot. Much thanks. Wishing you well.

singular has helped me a lot and also xyzal when i go to bed. I get up breathing easier and able to hack up any mucus easily

@irenec, you mention the medications montelukast (Singulair) and levocetirizine (Xyzal). I thought you might appreciate this Q&A from Mayo Clinic News Network.

- Asthma and COPD May Require Multiple Treatments https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/asthma-and-copd-may-require-multiple-treatments/

Hello Jeanette. I have just become a mentor and have felt many of the things that you have. I do have mild emphysema, COPD and PTSD from lung cancer. I also am not a stranger to anxiety. I don't know anyone who has been told that they have cancer and not been anxious, for a long time. I can't imagine how you are coping with the loss of your daughter. I can't imagine the grief and anxiety on top of your health problems. Now that a year has gone by, however, it's time to take care of yourself. This doesn't mean forgetting your daughter or not being upset. It means that your health may be at risk now, according to your symptoms. I recommend a stop smoking group. I smoked for 35 years and quit the week before my first lung cancer. That was 21 years ago and I haven't smoked since. Yes it was very tough, and I told myself that if I wanted to live I had to stop. That actually became my mantra. I'm sure that you can find a group near you or a hotline. Did you know that sometimes the contrast for CT scans can cause an allergic reaction? I will try to answer your posts in a more timely manner and I'm sorry that any of us caused you more sorrow.

Hi, I can relate to your feelings of sadness and feeling guilty about smoking. I also have anxiety like you along with depression and PTSD. I do have small cell lung cancer also.When I was first diagnosed I knew I could beat the cancer, now I am feeling trepidatious. It is the emphesyma that scares me. Please be very assertive when dealing with medical personnel. I have learned to be, but fortunately I go to Mayo for my cancer and have the BEST team there. I absolutely love them. Do you go to a pulmonologist? I think that would be a good start. I look at credentials, opinions, to fine the best I can. And when you consider quitting smoking. Know that it is hard. ANddddd it is doable. I was physically and mentally addicted. I took it minute by minute, till it was hour by hour, then on and on. Now it is 16 years. Yes, I still would like a cigarette. But, for a million reasons, I will never do that. I am so, so sorry about your daughter. I cannot imagine your unbearable pain. You are so brave to even say the words. I admire your fortitude. Know that there is a lot that can be done for emphesyma. I do use inhalers and have gone to PT for it. Try to get into an exercise program. It was help with the anxiety and breathing. Will be thinking of you.

@olgamire- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/emphysema/symptoms-causes/syc-20355555

Hi I have had emphysema for 24 years. I am 77 now. Lost my husband of 57 years in 2016. I live alone now with 3 fur babies. I still do all the things that need to be done around the house accept for snow shoveling or grass cutting. I feel most of us smokers will get copd eventually as we get older because of smoking and all the dirty air we came in contact with over the years. Coal dust, asbestos, gas fumes. Emphysema is slow progression. Try not to get anxious or stressed because it makes things feel worse. Find a Pulmonary Doctor and he will help you figure it out. Carol

Welcome to connect @carolannz. I'd like to bring olgamarie into this discussion. Emphysema is caused by damage to your lung sacs, and is progressive. As long as you continue to smoke Carol your emphysema will continue to progress very quickly. When I was diagnosed with NSCLC it took me about a month to quit smoking after 35 years of inhaling one of the strongest cigarettes available.
Here are some links that Carol might be interested in.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/emphysema/symptoms-causes/syc-20355555
For small cell lung cancer olgamarie have you met anyone in the small cell lung cancer group? @lady1lake and @margot please welcome @olgamarie Olgamarie when is your next CT scan?

Is this a scam at $450.00 for 15 days???

Mayo Clinic Connect
Reply by @nomfundozulu on Mon, Jul 15
I was diagnosed of Emphysema (COPD) in 2017 and I have tried all possible means to get cured, i even visited pulmonologist but all to no avail, until i saw a post in a health forum about a herbal doctor from Africa who prepare herbal medicine to cure all kind of diseases including Emphysema, at first i doubted if it was real but decided to give it a try, when i contacted this herbal doctor via his email he sent me the Emphysema herbal medicine through courier service, when i received this herbal medicine, he gave me step by instructions on how to apply it, when i applied it as instructed i was totally cured of this deadly disease within 12-14 days of usage, if you are suffering of this diseases you can as well

NOTE FROM THE COMMUNITY DIRECTOR
The above message was deleted from the Connect forum. Further investigation has revealed that this is a hoax. Be careful when reading about claims of a cure on the Internet. Be diligent. Do your research. Ask questions as you have done here. Thank you.

Yes it is....just think if it were true ever major medical center in the US would be offering it. Or maybe Big Pharma has it buried so they can sell us inhalers at .$500 each usually requiring 2 + per month and has no interest in a cure. How can we find out how many have tried this and been cured. My gut tells me its not but given state of medicine and 100's of billions at stake you never know what they are capable of.