One year ago I was told I have beginning stages of emphysema. I have been feeling good and haven't seemed to advanced at all. How long can that last, I have checked many sites but don't find that kind of answer. Can this disease really just go into remission? Any info. on this would be appreciated. I don't even take any medicine like I did at the beginning. Just one puff of advair each night. If you have this disease maybe you can give me some tips.
2006-11-09 10:11:24 · 8 answers · asked by lightalma 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Respiratory Diseases
sorry love, it doesn't go away, it will get worse, much worse, i also have it, for many years now, was in denial for most of them, but i did give up smoking an if you smoke, you should also try giving them up, in the end it will kill you, there is no cure, has your doctor not explained all this to you?? you really should talk to him/her and get all the answers you want. good luck to you an God Bless!!
2006-11-11 08:07:10 · answer #1 · answered by snookieoo3 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your doctor can arrange "lung function tests" for you that can give him a baseline to track the progression of your disease. Generally, it is a smoking related disease, but rarely, other causative agents are involved, and genetics do play a part. It is unreversible, but good symptom control and prevention of progression are the hallmarks of treatment. The best guide to your disease progression will be your exercise tolerance. Keep a track of how far you can walk on the flat, or if you have no problem with this, how many flights of stairs you can climb without stopping. You'll then notice if your emphysema (also known as COPD or COAD in UK) gets worse over time. If your problems do stem from smoking, the best thing you can do is stop, otherwise your disease will get worse.
2006-11-09 18:59:19 · answer #2 · answered by Ferdy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With emphysema the air sacs in your lungs loose their elasticity. The more air sacs involved and more elasticity loss the worse the emphysema.
Depending on what caused your emphysema, you can slow down and halt the process. However you cannot reverse the damage already done.
I have had early emphysema for years now. I have never smoked and have never lived with anyone who has smoked. I am much more verbal about asking people not to smoke around me and I stay away from any areas where there is smoking as much as I possibly can.
2006-11-09 18:19:46 · answer #3 · answered by Calina 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Emphysema usually partakes in the lungs of a smoker. It is not curable but can be stopped from worsening when a smoker stops smoking. Though, much depends on the person and their genetic composition. With the increase of air pollution and other airborne agents such as asbestos, emphysema and other lung diseases can worsen even when a person stops smoking and in rarer cases, to a non smoker. But a smoker is only increases their chance of having lung problems as they age.
I suggest you do a search in Google for "emphysema". You will learn more.
2006-11-09 18:19:43 · answer #4 · answered by S H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't have emphysema, but my mother does, she came home 7 months ago with 3 months to live, she is now at final stages, it is a very painful thing to watch her go through, she has known for years that she had it and smoked cigarettes up until 7 months ago, i would suggest that you go to your Dr. and get whatever tests are needed to find out where you are at with this decease.
2006-11-09 18:20:10 · answer #5 · answered by Cynthia B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The quote is taken from the site below
"Some persons never reach a stage of incapacity and go through life with relatively litte inconvenience, while in others, the disease worsens until final degeneration of the ability to breath occurs."
2006-11-09 18:13:49 · answer #6 · answered by huggz 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It would depend on the causative agent. Emphysema doesn't just happen.
2006-11-09 18:13:46 · answer #7 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Make sure that you don't smoke!!! God Bless.
2006-11-09 18:19:34 · answer #8 · answered by momcat 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋