Really worried about my health - what could this be?? Any medical people around please???

[worriedaboutmyhealth]

Hi, am reg but name changed for this.
I have smoked for half my life now (16 years) and despite desperately wanting to stop I haven't managed it yet. (BTW we NEVER smoke in the house/car etc cos of kids)
Anyway for the last year I have felt on and off that my left lung has diminished capacity compared to my right. Last year whenever I got a cold or illness my chest would feel wheezy and GP diagnosed me as asthmatic. I was sent for chest xray as well and that was clear. I have recently had a chest infection which started with a pain on the left side of my chest. That has gone now but still all the time I am aware that my left lung is not taking in as much air as the right and feels "dull". I use becotide and ventolin. GP can offer no explanation for this but said that it's rare for someone under 40 to have lung cancer - which I suppose is my WORST fear. It seems strange to me that it should only be on one side.
Please give me some advise as to what this could be and what I should do, thanks x

teaching you to suck eggs I know, but give up smoking! After the initial 'cleaning out stage' my lungs felt 100% better after giving up. I barely ever know I have athsma now for a start and have far fewer chest infections. I'd give up the fags and see how your chest feels then.

How did you do it FAL? Have read Allen Carr's book years ago and it worked for a while but started again, I think I'm now worried that it won't "work". I find it hard because dh smokes too.

Lung cancer is NOT the biggest killer of smokers. Heart disease is. Smoking causes plague to build up in the heart's vessels. It also causes the heart's blood vessels to lose elasticity and harden at an accelerated rate.

Smoking is also a risk factor in the development of Type II diabetes and hypertension, two conditions which also put a person at greater risk for developing heart disease.

If you're having trouble with your left side, please get to the doc and have your heart checked out, too.

Th Gp listened to my heart expat and said it sounded fine. I am aware that smoking doesn't just cause lung problems but in my case I think that's what it is. When I breathe in I can feel that more air goes into my right side than left and they feel different. Surely that must mean something is restricting it??

I think a healthcare professional is best to advise you about this, not a net forum.

Heart disease can occur with no symptoms and/or different symptoms besides those considered 'classic', particularly in women.

See a doctor as soon as you can.

Sheer determination, nicorrette gum and the thought of having to give up again if I ever started again has been what helped motivate me. Also the statistics about disease/illness when you are a smoker where discussed in college and it horrified me beyond belief. Its been 5 years now. Still fancy one from time to time.

thanks expat. This has been going on for over a year on and off. GP's seem to be giving me no answers although I have booked an appt for next week. I jusy wondered if any health profs were around what they thought could be possible causes.

I had the easy way out. Got pregnant and started nonstop vomitting mere days after conception.

My pack/day habit went out the window.

Good for you expat, I did stop while preg but started again after mainly because dh smokes. I hate myself for it esp as it's obviously affecting my health now. Are you medical?

I am a nurse but I can't tell you what it is! All I know is if there is a problem there smoking isn't going to make it any better - in all liklehood much worse.

Thanks FAL, I know I must stop.

Could possibly be a pneumothorax.Some info here

but that would have been spotted on an xray surely.

easy to say but quit now. All it took for my dh was a visit to the smoking room when I was in hospital years ago. He gave up there and then it was such a shock to see.

I am not loking for a diagnosis just maybe some possibilities of what it sounds like!!

Took Zyban + the patch for DH to finally quit.

This link mentions assymetry being more the norm than not for our bodies. To be honest my first thought when I read your post was that you sound like me and you're obsessing a bit about a 'symptom' and therefore noticing it more and more. Maybe a tiny bit of health anxiety?

wtf!! Are you saying that this is imaginary? Or that I am over reacting? I can assure you that I am not a hyperchondriac and I am actually a sensible person. Worried about my health yes.

I got pneumonia and was told by the doctors that if I continued to smoke I'd likely end up with a serious breathing problem, possibly life threaenting or life limiting

I had a child.
Was easy to give up to be honest given those facts.

You make a decision for the sake of your health and family.

You get good NHS support to stop now.
You read and re read Alan Carr (RIP) and you stop.

Go do it, it'll be the best thing you'll do for yourself ever.

OMG Piffle is Allen Carr dead?
Thanks, I know what I have to do, it's all there in my head nagging away at me. I think it's a filthy discusting habit and it makes me ashamed.
Will go dig out the book and get reading..

Hypochondria is a bit different from health anxiety, and health anxiety is very common - everyone has it to some extent or other. It's nothing to do with imagining things or overreacting. It's more a case of getting into a sort of feedback cycle where you worry (as in one worries) about something and then,completely without being aware of this cycle, notice it more. That's all I was suggesting might be going on (personally I actually find it eases my mind when I work out that a feedback cycle like that could be going on with something I'm worrying about). And the point made in the link is that asymmetry in itself is not necessarily something to worry about. So please don't be offended.

Sorry F am not offended, I know what you mean - I think