Just Diagnosed Emphysema

Posted by jeanette52 @jeanette52, Oct 19, 2018

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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thomasejohnson | @thomasejohnson | Jul 14, 2023

In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @jeanette52, welcome to Connect. I'd like to introduce to other members on Connect talking about..." + (show)

Try old school. Vicks nasal inhalers. I'm on oxygen 24/7 and it helps when I'm congested

kathleenshank68 | @kathleenshank68 | Jul 14, 2023

Jeanette, I was not diagnosed until I went to a Pulmonologist. I had always had bronchitis and pneumonia growing up, and still started smoking at 19!! At age 70, I finally had 3 sleep studies and results were sleep apnea and Emphysema. I also retain CO2. I had been on “ANORO” inhaler. Because both were so severe, I am on the Trilogy Sleep System. Which is set to “kick in” when I stop breathing, and “Pulls the CO2 off.” I quit smoking cold turkey, too late, but the damage as been done to my lungs. My original Pulmonologist was not concerned about me, But I have a new Pulmonologist, who put me on the Trilogy. My COPD is so severe that a CPap, or a ByPap(spelling) will not pull the CO2 off.
I wish I never, started smoking, but the damage has been done. So far I don’t cough, just occasionally, not spit up phlegm. I use a nebulizer 5 times a day, and the Trilogy at night, and if I take a nap. And I have an Albuterol Sulfate HFA, to use if I get too short of breath.
My Pulmonary Dr. Diagnosed me , as in the end stage of COPD, but I am a fighter, I don’t give up.

robinann | @robinann | Sep 1, 2023

Yes Jeanette you can have a false reading. I recently had a constant cough and a subsequent x-ray with an Emphysema diagnosis. I am normally the opposite of anxious, but this freaked me out, even more so after reading the 'Dummies' book on the topic. My GP sent me to a respiratory specialist who did a lung capacity test during the surgery (just breathing hard into a gadget). This showed a 115% capacity and he told me I did not have Emphysema at all. The cough was caused by a particular brand of blood pressure medication. So....who can you trust? Good luck. Robin