Emphasema/COPD

[senalarose]

Been breathless since january 9th ( smoked crack for a night, over 20 inhales. I have done this maybe 30 times in my life but haven't in 6 years) Breathless at rest and moving, chest pain also and phlegm but not alot of phlegm. Plus a cough.

I had a ct scan last year and was told I had asthma, dr says no cancer and said nothing else. Just told me my lungs are sensitive. I am 28 years old construction worked (have had exposures to substances before)

My question is, could I have emphysema or copd from that rough night? Or could this just be a really long cold (i am from Canada and it has been hot and cold all winter) All this help will be nice thanks all and sorry. I am not a drug dooer anymore just had a slip up and a loss of 100$....

[CeeCeeCee]

Hi, this sounds more like it could be congestion, maybe sinus related or post nasal drip, if you are not having wheezing or a heavy cough then it might just be that. Your asthma could also be making you feel breathless and have chest pain. hope you feel better soon.

[Gary A]

Perhaps your asthma is being triggered by exposure to dust at your job. If you have asthma you'll get coughs and such more often than the average person, cold weather and exposure to other substances like dust or smoke will agitate your lungs.

You could also have a chest infection, not uncommon at this time of year. If it carries on then see your doctor again, but I seriously doubt you have either COPD or emphysema.

[Fishmanpa]

My question is, could I have emphysema or copd from that rough night?

Short answer "No". Those ailments take years and years and years to develop.

Positive thoughts

[senalarose]

everything you guys are doing is very helpful, i guess im just worried cause i smoked and did stupid things for 5 years of my life (daily) meaning cigarettes , marijuana,and other items. So my ct being ok last year would also rule out the chances of getting any of those issues COPD or emphysema right?

I was told last year after the ct that I have asthma but no copd/emphysema just fragile lungs as they put it. So am I getting out of this scary situation with just a cold and possibly angry asthma? My dr wont do anymore scans, he gave me a x-ray in jan and said my lungs were fine.


Did the substance Jan 9th


*I really hope more people comment* Would my xray have shown an issue if that smoking the substance did damage? That is what led to this breathless for 2.5 months

[senalarose]

just so darn stressed and worrie for this one mistake I made in years. Was really down in the dumps. Now ive killed myself... Lungs hurt when I cough too ugh even sitting causes the "feeling " of being breathless and pressure

[Fishmanpa]

Selena,

My stepmother recently passed from COPD and Emphysema. She was in her 70's and smoked probably 50 years of her life!

I don't know what anyone else can say that will help. One doesn't develop such things in the short time you were exposing yourself and scientific medical tests prove you don't have this.

I hope you feel better soon.

Positive thoughts

[xBettyBoopx]

The chances of you having emphysema or COPD at 28 years old are about 1 in 100 million!!

Let me tell you from experience that you KNOW you have it!

Feel better soon.

xx

[senalarose]

just scary this whole breathing problem since jan, but every time I read more re assurance it really helps. I am a wreck from 2 years of chronic stress. I just get scared. I keep saying "great I had a great ct scan last april and than boom I go a year later and mess it all up." Was afraid of copd and emphysema last year but it was all ruled out. Just concerned being Ive been sick since jan and the medicine didnt work


Thanks everyone for trying to help re assure me .I can take deep breaths and i can push it out, just hurts.

[senalarose]

spoke to my dr on the phone, told me to take pulmicort puffer until next thursday. If I am not better than he is sending me to a resp. Now I am constantly thinking I might have it and have only a year or 2 left. Why the heck did I do this

Looked on "Doc Response and 71% could be COPD ugh man why did i make that one mistake that might ruin my whole life... Now im a dead one

[senalarose]

i had a ct last year april a double one and didnt have it and then I go and smoke a gram of crack.... didnt smoke that crap in 7 years.... ugh why am I so stupid... I ruled it out once now i need another ct I guess to find out...


**Saw a article that states it takes years to develop them, like you guys said. So question is can it logically be caused from one night of smoking a drug and nothing up to then since the ct?
I was told my ct was "fine" It was to look for copd and emphysema last year on april or march. Just asking, not sure if any of us can accurately figure that out.**

[senalarose]

any opinions?

[Xtrastrongbint]

No - you cannot have it from one night of smoking. Do you have therapy or meds for your health anxiety?

[senalarose]

clonazapam, i just am freaked out. I get hotflashes just from simple exertion also. Its just when I lay down it is not as bad but once I move im in trouble.

[senalarose]

So copd/emphasema doesn't appear from a bad night 12hours) of being stupid if my ct was good othe than asthma last March? I am thankful and will never drink and smoke crack again I'm terrified at 28 finally moving forward.

And meds. My Dr is bad on meds he is referring me to a phyc 1 yr wait so 12 months from jan

[xBettyBoopx]

COPD/emphysema comes on after many many years of smoking!

Ask your doc for a full lung function test or at least a spirometry test to put the matter to bed once and for all.

I'm sorry that you are feeling so bad and I know how scary it is when you're feeling that there's something really wrong :hugs:

Els

[senalarose]

Was really worried, I had a ct last march for this same issue. I had a colourful past for 5 years plus worked demolition young with improper protection {was young and unaware of the rules and safety issues} and been around smoking growing up with my parents for 20 years. Top it off had smoking for 8 or 7 years but quit now 5 years.

I had a respirologist last year also in march and he said I had adult asthma and ordered the ct and said the lungs were fine.

**Just was concerned that one stupid night would destroy the great ct and haunt
me.

I am on a good path now {behaving since 5 years ago had a bad experience that changed my life for the better I hope. Sobriety lead to all this anxiety and I am trying to cope without help but after 5 years now agree, it is time for a medical item to help me.

**I appreciate these constant replies, As more and more insist that it is impossible I feel much better. My dr is ordering for a respirologist to talk to me again but that can take months {drs dont have the test in office in canada}

[glassgirlw]

I started smoking Marijuana and meth at age 16. Quit at age 19. Started smoking cigarettes at 14. Am almost 37 and still smoke them. I have had chest x-rays because of bronchial infections I get every now and then. No COPD or Emphysema here. If you just had an x-ray last march, one night of smoking Crack will not give you these diseases. You're good, it's your anxiety talking. Face it head on and repeat "this is just anxiety....it is uncomfortable but cannot hurt me". I know it sounds cheesy...but the more you tackle it head on the easier it will be for you to move on and conquer your anxiety. ☺

That being said....stay away from narcotic substances. In my experience....they make panic worse every time!

[senalarose]

thank you again. I tried it in the past but not so much all at once just here and there a hit while drinking my my days for 5 yrs. Ive dont stupid things but I cleaned up 5 years back and I slipped up just once, t definitely doesnt feel the same anymore. Scared the crap out of me. Thank you for telling me your experiences also it helps alot. I will not be drinking anymore, led to a stupid choice

I had a x-ray this feb they said there was no signs of sickness, but my chest hurts and breathless with hot flashes.

I am accepting medical help once I get that chance {1yr, but I cannot wait to feel relief}

My lungs are fragile is what I was told in the past like a appointment with my dr. He says the same as you. Just trying to belive that im not that one unique person who got copd after having great scans and tests a year before.

[senalarose]

you guys are really helping, the more knowledge I gain the better I feel. I just don;t know why my chest hurts, and they did a breath out hard test and listened, I have some noise. They say im fine and its probably asthma from the substance. Its just I read about that crack, they say holding it in long and such burns my aveoli and then im done and have lung disease. I know i helped in about 20 breaths with it..

I just wish I never did this, I was in the wrong mind set you know. I found lyrica today and am going to ask my dr about it.

[Elen]

Have a look at the symptoms of anxiety on the main page, what you are describing is very common

[senalarose]

I will read that for tonight for sure and see

I just exerted myself and cant breath tho,and pheglm i think fron the lung not sure if its that or throat

Just read it, was verry knowlegeable. I wish I would have read it last year lol that is how I felt for 2 years and thought I was dead.


It just now my breathing and chest tightness are different, also it hurts to cough and my lungs wheeze I was told. I jsut cant help but think this one time thing for a whole night could have burnt and destroyed my lungs.

[Fishmanpa]

It just now my breathing and chest tightness are different....

Ok... you didn't damage your lungs.You just didn't! And I truly believe you are feeling symptoms and indeed they may "feel" different, but it's because of anxiety, not a sinister physical reason. You're spiraling and IMO, it's more about feeling really guilty for a lapse in reason than it is a real physical result of falling off the wagon for one night. You're back on and now you have to get back to where you were. One doesn't expect to travel that distance in a few days.

Wish there were more words to offer but reassurance obviously isn't working. Either you take on board what people are saying or you don't. Stop beating yourself up and I bet the symptoms will fade ;)

Hope you feel better soon.

Positive thoughts

[senalarose]

I have some thoughts that I may have caused just a massive flare up cause I didnt take my asthma meds for the past year, was feeling well. Symbicort is hard on ya. But I think I should stay on it long term. Not feeling better yet but only been taking for 4 days.

Was on that last year for 2 months and then started breathing.

Also was told that it doesn't hit you this hard all at once by my wife and that you don't get ups and downs with a progressive lung disease.

Atleast im trying the whole tell me what it most likely is plus the added anxiety and also what it cant be because symptoms don't just tear you apart within 2 months and make u breathless in copd or ehmphaseyma
.

Makes sense right?

[senalarose]

just let me know whatcha all think about that logic for me to be assuming

[senalarose]

I hope I have not aggravated everyone im sorry, just when i move it feels breathless when i lay still i feel ok ish but not better

[senalarose]

waiting on the appointment with resp dr, very worried, stairs are hard, im breathless sitting standing walking anything. My pufffer symbicort does not seem to do much of anything. I really am starting to think i f*d up bad


*ct had non cancerous nodules a year ago and a big paragraph of stuff but dr says it was ok that was a yr ago, now i feel bad and all i had was a xray and cbc

[senalarose]

darn medical system, i was taking symbicort and didnt know it had lactose in it (cant have that) was making me almost die after a week. Ive been off it for a day now. Still breathless and phlegm with occasional pains but not darn well almost dying.

Still nervous but the wheels are turning to get me tested.
I am close to believing you guys that it is impossible to be copd because I didn't have it last year and if I am correct COPD doesnt come hit you all at once. I also read that my being breathless while sitting would make it sever copd wich is impossible being I had no copd last year. And if I did have it now than it would have shown up in a ct last year for developing slowly right/?

Im waiting on a breathing test but last year I had a ct and the lungs they didnt say had a concern in march/april, this year I had a x ray after I started feeling breathless and they saw nothing. I had asthma last year and im i guess just hoping it is that cause copd seems deadly :( Biggest regrets for what I did ugh thanks again guys for bearing with me on this scare

[ItsNick]

I can't give you a definitive yes or no but I'm really thinking that you don't have what you're thinking you do. And stay off of Google and don't be searching the Internet about it. Maybe change a few things with your lifestyle and move on from this tiny glitch!

[senalarose]

also taking anxiety meds now since last week (diazapam/lorazapams) I had a rough past and alot of dusty jobs (28 but scared this is my turn to sign off)

Phlegm/breathless and a cough

Anyone know the life expectancy? Ugh

[senalarose]

test is on the 21rst for lungs scared, i feel my breathing is a big issue, i ran for 10 min but was out of breath for a hour. When sitting im breathless and moving , they gave me a new puffer I really hope this isnt something deadly. I know nobody with this scary issue. Wish me luck guys my life was coming together finally

[Nzxt27]

I hope everything is ok.

[senalarose]

Thank you very much. I'm just hoping I flared up my asthma. Copd isn't technically supposed to show up a yr after a ct n was good other than 2 benign nodules. I don't understand asthma so I dono if it does this. Only had a asthma issue last year for the first time during these months

[senalarose]

I dont know much about asthma, was diagnosed last year but once it went away I stopped with puffers, Just curious, can asthma symptoms by daily and constantly for breathless? I was never explained about this sickness

[senalarose]

you guys are amazing for help, So they told me at the hospital that I am to go see a resp. I did the hand held spit and was at 700 made it to the end. He said that if its asthma it did not react to the puffer. Also that if it was copd that it also did not act to the puffer (no changes with and without puffer.) x ray was fine also so on the road to the resp soon enough. But I am hoping for the news to stay great. T breather thing reads L/min
ATS

Says maybe a acute bronchitis or irritation from the inhalation. Will find out more soon enough. Really hope its nothing of huge concern. Not alot of money for these dang puffers.

[senalarose]

So I had a pulmitory test and xray, Ray was fine and pft was good I think but this breathless is very serious.*Cant swim more than 5 min and stairs are almost impossible, in jan i was running up them
*Chest pain/tightness
*Dry cough
*breathless at rest and exertion (in jan it was breathless on exertion)
*mucous at back of throat
*feeling of warmth when exerting




Pretty sure this is one of the deadly ones that comes from crack. One damn mistake let this be a lesson to anyone who ever thinks of doing this. They guy must have laced it... Thats what I get for making one mistake in a sober life..


Im thinking a form of interstitial lung disease
TEST**


PRE#1
FVC 6.69
FEV1 4.74
FEV1/FVC% 70.9
FEV6 6.56
FEV1/FEV6% 72.3
PEF (L/s) 12.04
FEF2575 (L/s) 3.45

My %Pred
FVC 136%
FEV1 114%
FEV1/FVC 86%
FEV6 133%
FEV1/FEV6 85%
PEF 125%
FEF2575 70%

Pred.(average results of other people)
FVC 4.92
FEV1 4.17
FEV1/FVC 82%
FEV6 4.92
FEV1/FEV6 84%
PEF (L/s) 9.61
FEF2575 (L/s) 4.9

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Senalrose it too killed my mum but most of that was due to being a Heavy smoker, and she had bad Emphasema form it. What is likely to do you more harm is the Crack mate, I know you havent had a lot of it,
and yes it's your lungs and body, think about knocking that one on the head as even unlaced crack is no good for you mate:) Good luck with the pulmicort puffer, and no you aint dieing!! Those figures you have posted I cant tell you anything about them, so don't know wether they are good or bad results Take care :) Cheers

[senalarose]

Hi bigboyuk,

Everything is fine with his lungs. He asked me to post for him as he wants to avoid triggers (health anxiety). He was having a really bad flare up of asthma.

[Bigboyuk]

Hi bigboyuk,

Everything is fine with his lungs. He asked me to post for him as he wants to avoid triggers (health anxiety). He was having a really bad flare up of asthma. Hi Senalarose That's a huge relief for both of you :) I am so glad and how kind of you to help post for him! Please say Hi From me and give him a hug too and your self as well thank you for the update :hugs: