Sunday, November 20, 2011

Stop playing

So, last week, I was beginning to get a little tiny bit hopeful. Once I started the long term anti biotics, I was coughing less and my peak flows remained steady for a few days, and then began to rise. The only change was the meds and so I began to feel a little bit hopeful thinking at last my body is playing along.

But, less than two weeks after starting them, I am once again coughing and my peak flows have nose dived once again.

I think numbers on peak flow dont really mean much in terms of how things effect me, so this kinda makes more sense. I should have a peak flow of about 450. I have no idea what that is like, my best is about 300 (right after surgery)

At 300, I am amazed, I can walk any speed and even on a mild incline without getting breathless. I can get to the top of a flight of steps and carry on walking at the top.

At 250 I notice only a tiny amount of breathlessness, usually when on an incline so I slow, or I notice at the top of a flight of steps that I am panting.

At 200, I have to slow a lot for an incline and still get breathless, I begin to slow down my pace and I have to stop to catch my breath at the top of a flight of stairs.

At 150, any walking has to be slow and I still pant. I generally stop half way up a flight of stairs and again at the top, where it takes about 4 minutes for my breathing to settle. I also generally switch to mainly whispering when I talk as it is not as exhausting. At this point, coughing fits become a lot harder as I struggle to get the air in after a cough. I can often be seen, standing with my legs crossed and an arm over my abdo to support it whilst leaning over to cough. This supports the area where my hernias are,to try to prevent reputure, but also means, I can generally catch myself.

At 120, All of the above, but with the added joy of headaches kicking in. If I ignore the headaches and keep pushing on, My limbs generally start to feel heavy and I have difficulty moving.

Right now, I am averaging between 130 and 160. But today, I had a major coughing fit whilst out. I leaned over the shopping trolley for support, but I could feel myself gasping to get the air in inbetween. I honestly thought I was going to black out.

My lungs are sore, well not really, I have pains in my chest, but I know the lungs have no nerves so its not the lungs,yet it dosnt feel muscular. There is still good air entry, it just feels kinda heavy and sore.

I think, I may build up the courage for a GP appointment soonish. Im going to ask about trying the inhaler form of one of my nebs, to see if it will help during a coughing fit. I dont know what else to do and I am not due in London till the end of January. I can probably make it till then, but it will mean a lot of sitting around and not much doing anything. You see the bad side of having a doctor so far away, is that I never actually get to talk to him. In the two years I have been under him, I have only been to 3 clinics and theaters are not the ideal place to set up plans.

This too shall pass, just wish my body would react normally, isntead of playing along for two weeks.

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