Thanks, I'm from New Jersey.
in all seriousness, that may well be related to your illness.. have you lived there long/all your life?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Really, really bad news :(
- Thread starter njmac
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
in all seriousness, that may well be related to your illness.. have you lived there long/all your life?
sorry to hear about that njmac
Sounds like it won't be too big of an issue though. When I was reading your post I was afraid you'd say it was lung cancer, or HIV, etc. So, I was even a little bit relieved at first. But everything'll be okay.
*big hug*
e
Thanks
You're right, it could've been much worse. It is just so unexpected.all the best luck
thanks
I have lived here all of my life but you really don't hear of young people around here having emphysema. I know that in certain places, like the Bronx, where the apartment buildings are on or above the highways, that the children and adults of the area have asthma and other lung problems. I rarely hear of problems out here in the suburbs.
Could be though, I am no expert on lung diseases and I'm not ruling anything out.
well she is in Jersey.
Seriously tho, as long as you don't smoke and stay healthy it is treatable. It is the people that still smoke 5 packs a day and are on oxygen that suffer the serious side effects.
well she is in Jersey.
Seriously tho, as long as you don't smoke and stay healthy it is treatable. It is the people that still smoke 5 packs a day and are on oxygen that suffer the serious side effects.
hahaha
I am in a nice part of JerseyView attachment 63273
well there's that, and then there's the fact that nearly all of new jersey is quite close to all sorts of chemical manufacturing facilities. it's interesting that the plants that create medicine to treat illness often cause a great deal of sickness with the stuff they spit out.
hahaha
i'm serious when i say that i'm not sure that exists, and i'm not just making dirty jersey stereotypes... i won't ask specifically where you live, but i really don't think there's a nice part, in terms of pollution
good luck with your treatment and hopefully everything goes smoothly!
I can only vaguely imagine the shock this must have been to you, njmac. I value your posts and wish you good health as you learn to manage the disease.
I live up by the NY state border, bordering on a state park, among farmland and woods.
View attachment 63273
View attachment 63273
Sorry to hear about your problems...hang in there and keep a positive attitude. It (along with medical treatments) can work wonders!
My best friend from college is from Franklin...you do live in a gorgeous part of the state!
Thanks, I had my x-ray taken in Franklin! It is very pretty around here, you would never know it was NJ!
the reason I asked about the landfill is because my parents' business is right next to a landfill and lots of people within 5 miles of it have respiratory problems. Lots more asthma, lung cancer, etc. than other parts of town.
Sounds like you're too far away for that to be the issue.
e
Sounds like you're too far away for that to be the issue.
e
I have serious-ish asthma and know how much lung issues can stink. hang in there and try to be as positive as you are now. a positive attitude kept my grandma healthy though cancer a couple years back.
so sorry to hear the news, though
so sorry to hear the news, though
Good luck with your treatments. Not to make any assumptions about the causes of your symptoms, but I live near the Bronx, and it's a crime that our poor air quality has led to so many pulmonary diseases. I find no noticeable difference in the air quality even in rural Jersey or Rockland County.
I'm sorry you can't just get up and move elsewhere - breathing in fresh, unpolluted air really makes a difference. My asthma is considerably better when I'm away from New York.
I'm sorry you can't just get up and move elsewhere - breathing in fresh, unpolluted air really makes a difference. My asthma is considerably better when I'm away from New York.
Just best of wishes, of course.
You know we'll always be here to support you. That might sound cheesy coming from an online community, but even though I don't post here near as much as I should, I always feel the sense of community... as I'm sure you do.
Always remember we'll all be here for you.
You know we'll always be here to support you. That might sound cheesy coming from an online community, but even though I don't post here near as much as I should, I always feel the sense of community... as I'm sure you do.
Always remember we'll all be here for you.
I'm going to hate myself for saying this... but you're mother still smoked knowing (or maybe not, if the case may be) that a smoking (or just lung?) related death happened in the family?
Anyways. All the best luck to you. And thanks to people on this thread, I never knew that second hand smoke could be that bad.
Anyways. All the best luck to you. And thanks to people on this thread, I never knew that second hand smoke could be that bad.
Thank you everyone for the support
Soooooo, I went to a pulmonologist who said he thought it was crazy to tell a patient they had emphysema from an x-ray. He did lung function tests on me which all turned out normal. He said my lung x-ray showed a little touch of hyper-inflation which is consistant with emphysema, but he said that is not significant at all, and he really wouln't even consider it hyper-inflated. If it were emphysema or asthma or any COPD, it would have shown up on the lung function test.
He said its most likely a post-bronchial cough just inflamed by post nasal drip. He gave me a nasal inhaler to use for a week and said that should clear things up nicely.
All that worry for nothing (thankfully!)
Soooooo, I went to a pulmonologist who said he thought it was crazy to tell a patient they had emphysema from an x-ray. He did lung function tests on me which all turned out normal. He said my lung x-ray showed a little touch of hyper-inflation which is consistant with emphysema, but he said that is not significant at all, and he really wouln't even consider it hyper-inflated. If it were emphysema or asthma or any COPD, it would have shown up on the lung function test.
He said its most likely a post-bronchial cough just inflamed by post nasal drip. He gave me a nasal inhaler to use for a week and said that should clear things up nicely.
All that worry for nothing
(thankfully!)
Great news. It must be a great weight-off. I remeber when I was about 17 I had cramp in my left leg a lot so I went to see the doctor and he thought I has thrombosis so he sent me for a blood test. As you can imagine as a 17 thinking you had thrombosis it puts the brown and smelly stuff up you.
I got a phone call three days later saying that they had lost the blood test but not to bother comming in for another one as the doctor was sure it was nothing serious! Thankfully it wasnt but sometimes I do think doctors jump the gun a bit, maybe they get a sick rush out of it, any doctors here?
I got a phone call three days later saying that they had lost the blood test but not to bother comming in for another one as the doctor was sure it was nothing serious! Thankfully it wasnt but sometimes I do think doctors jump the gun a bit, maybe they get a sick rush out of it, any doctors here?
That's great news njmac. Now you're armed with that information and you're in a positive state of mind it's easier to recover from the ailment you actually do have.
Have a speedy recovery!
Have a speedy recovery!
Now, when I pass through the bronx, I notice a big difference in air quality. I'm guessing if someone from Montana were visiting me, they would find our our quality poor. When most people from other parts of NJ visit me, they usually comment on the fresh air, and smell of the local farm manure
I know, I know.... my mother is really wonderful but she cannot or will not kick this smoking habit. There is just no upside to smoking and I hated her smoking when I was a kid, and I hate it now.
Thanks, and I'm glad your cramp was nothing serious!
I'm not really saying that it couldn't have been pollution if I did end up with emphysema, but I have never heard of anyone who was diagnosed with emphysema at a young age (or even cancer) around here. My dad has lived in NJ all his life - he's 66, and he is extremely healthy. My friends, school mates, neighbors, etc are the same. Even my mom, who lives in Jersey and smokes has no lung problems (yet
) If I really thought where I lived would cause something deadly, I would move for the safety of my family.
I'm glad things are looking less serious with your follow-up visit! Your continued good health is in my thoughts!
Your continued good health is in my thoughts!
This is so true.
I firmly believe that a positive attitude can really affect one's situation.
njmac I wish you the best. Please see PM.
BTW, good news about the misdiagnosis. Glad to hear that you are doing okay.