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Just Diagnosed Emphysema
Hello...I am a 66 year old female just diagnosed with "predominant upper lobe emphysema" yesterday via CT chest scan (done on 10/17/2018). I was having a year follow-up scan for a perifissural lung nodule (which hasn't changed in 2 years so no more follow-ups). On the last scan there was no mention of emphysema. Right now (and when I had the scan on 10/17/2018) I have an allergic flare-up. Nasal passages completely closed, throat hurts and congestion in right upper lung. This started about 2 months ago when I sneezed all night and then my nose started pouring. Then it totally closed up.Lung congestion apeared about a day later. I only had a cough for the first couple of days then it went away. The nasal and lung congestion are still present. Phlegm in upper throat as well. Since there is no cough I have to hack up the phlegm from my lung. I have made my self pretty sore doing this.The sinus issues are almost overwhelming. I went to my primary care physician on 9/28/2018 and my temp was fine at 97/9, O2 saturation at 99%. Blood pressure 121/70. She listened to my lungs and said she didn't hear anything. I just had blood work done right before that visit that showed my eosinophil % at 6.1. She said that was a little high and to take regular Zyrtec because I had allergies to something. I cannot take decongestants because I have paroxymal AFib. It has done me no good. I cannot get air through my nostrils. The AFib makes it hard to take anything to clear this up. The only thing that seems to help a little is store brand Mucinex. Could these issues have caused it to look like I have emphysema? I am so scared. I am a super anxious person diagnosed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder so you can imagine what seeing this on the test results has done to me!! I will admit that I still smoke...a few a day. I feel so guilty and horrible that I may have hurt myself like this. But my daughter died a year ago (10/21/201) and trying to quit would have been so hard. I am still in horrendous grief and sadness at her loss.
According to the scan it looks as if I have no other lung issues. Could this illness (allergy) have caused some kind of misreading? Maybe asthma?
I would like to not here that I have never had a smoker's cough. Smoked a lot of years, though.
Thanks so much for reading my story and whatever insight you can give.
Jeanette52
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Hi @djallan @bb729, yes. The claim by Solution Health Herbal Clinic is a scam. That is why we removed the post and blocked the user who posted about the claim to cure emphysema through a herbal doctor in Africa.
In order to protect members from the scam, I have also edited your post where you copied and pasted the contact information.
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2 ReactionsI just wanted to make sure it was deleted! Thank you.
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1 Reaction@djallan, @bb729- As Colleen stated if it seems too good to be true, it isn't! I also have emphysema, a subset of COPD, and it is not curable as yet. I avoid all things that say, ever, forever, cure, miracle, etc. They always seem to be scams.
Hi Jeanette,
I saw your post from 2018. I know it's been a couple years, but how are you doing? I am writing because I had a similar situation happen to me this week. I also had a nodule followed a few years ago (which also had not grown in 2 years), but on a CT scan that I had done last week for another issue, the radiologist commented that the nodule was unchanged but "emphysematous lungs." He did not specify type, areas affected, or if it had changed from the CT scan done a few years prior? There was no mention on the prior CT scans of this finding. I have no symptoms except for maybe a tight chest on exertion, which I attributed to being "out of shape." I am a lifelong nonsmoker, BMI 23, and age 48. I get pulmonary function tests done tomorrow. I even considered the notion that maybe the radiation from the three CTs I had done following the nodule caused the lung changes? I don't believe there are any studies to suggest that this would be possible, but I can't understand how my lungs were supposedly completely normal when it comes to emphysema a few years ago and now they are not? I was curious about how you are doing, your health status, and if you were able to find out any more information regarding your imaging studies? Any info would be very helpful, thanks!
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2 ReactionsHi @emily10, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm tagging @jeanette52 in the hopes that that will help her see that you've addressed your questions to her.
That must've felt like a betrayal to hear "emphysematous lungs" although you were being monitored diligently. How was the pulmonary function testing today? Did you learn more about the development of your condition?
@emily10- I'd also like to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. Most people think that emphysema is caused by smoking. Most of the time it is unless it isn't. There are other causes, like pollution, genetic factors, chemicals and a lot of THC, or maybe second-hand smoke. It can creep up on you very slowly too and all of a sudden you are short of breath. I am a 22+ year lung cancer patient and have had hundreds of CT scans and Xrays. My emphysema is caused by 35 years of smoking. I have had many lung functions tests and hopefully, yours will tell your story. My thinking is that I question everything, even why didn't you tell me scenarios. I have made my doctors angry but they then understood that I don't read minds and need to be told everything! Will you hear soon?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/emphysema/symptoms-causes/syc-20355555
Hi Colleen. Thank you for tagging Jeanette and thank you for your response. I think my PFTs went well. I never felt short of breath nor did I find it difficult to perform any of the breathing. My follow-up is scheduled for September, but the respiratory tech told me that if they are abnormal he will call me to come in sooner. I haven't heard anything so far, so I am hoping they were okay. I am thinking about getting all of my CTs together and paying for an online radiology service for a second opinion. I just haven't had time yet to research and see if they let you ask for specific information of interest. I'll update my post when I find out more. Thanks again! 🙂
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1 ReactionThanks Merry. They asked me about second-hand smoke, and both my parents were nonsmokers and my husband of 29 years is also a nonsmoker. I've never used THC or any type of chemical. I have always used perfumes and things like hairspray - not too excessive, but probably a few times a week. I also have used a lot of cleaning products and smell-good air fresheners, etc. I do want to mention that my mother (who is alive and healthy at 87), was told at the age of 60 that she had emphysematous changes on a plain chest x-ray. I am not sure what all they can see on a chest x-ray, and it worried her for a while - but til this day she has never had any respiratory symptoms?My PFTs went pretty good. My follow-up is scheduled in three months, but the office will call me sooner if abnormal. Thanks again for the information and support, and I will post when I find out any updates! 🙂
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2 Reactions@emily10- I'm glad that your test went well and I'm also hoping that you can wait until September. I honestly believe that this might be genetic since your mom has emphysema and hasn't smoked. In the following videos, you will see explanations of why and how emphysema can be picked up on X rays as well as CTs.
Yes me too, and thank you! This video was very informative and helpful.
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