What's wrong with my mother?

[Alittleacorn]

Since September, she's been having somethig up with her chest. She keeps coughing up mucus, has shortness of breathe and her right lung has been playing her up so bad she can't take a deep breath now. Her faces gets puffy sometimes too, and she sometimes gets pains on her right side of her ribs

Recently she's said the mucus has been coming up with a disgusting taste, and it's such an effort out walking now when we're going up a hill or pushing herself she has to stop for a moment.

What do the doctors say? Complete garbage! They don't do anything! It's only now since she's saying she'd pay private they've bother to take notice and started sucking up to her, meanwhile any other time she's said about wanting a chest x-ray they haven't referred her for anything, or just accused her of being overweight or depressed.

It's a friggin joke, you don't know how many times we've gone up A&E and come home with nothing resolved, and if to make things more pain, the doctor from our clinic [the one who does NOTHING] is up at A&E now. Great luck we're having.

You'd think with all these visits something would come out of it, but it doesn't, and I'm scared, I'm scared she's going to drop dead one of these days, because her lung just keeps getting worse, but they say it's clear, so what is it? Mum thinks it's some fungus she got after going to the barn near that time and wants to get tests for it, but I'm worried it's a blood clog in her lung from Pulmonary Embolism since she mentioned having swelling in her ankle at one point months back and has had a few ops too. But I'm not an expert, I don't know what's wrong for sure.

Please, does anyone have any ideas what up with her? I just want her to get better, but the doctors are a bunch of frauds. They'd leave her to die for all they care, and it's killing us not getting any decent answers.

Please, someone help.

 

[V]

I don't reckon a forum is the place to ask, you need a medical professional to answer this with tests

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

I'm sorry to hear that both your mother and you are having such a rough time. I'm not sure what's wrong with her, but it could be any number of things.

It could be a slight bronchial infection (some forms of bronchitis are temporary and non-fatal), or she may very well have pneumonia.

However, some of the other symptoms (like swelling of her ankles) I'm not too clear on.

I've had pneumonia once that I know of, but I don't recall swelling. I do recall my body hurting everywhere, puking up bile (usually early in the morning and late at night) and winding up with an air pocket in my sternum (due to the bile burning a hole through it).

Has she been puking anything up, unable to stomach foods she'd normally love-anything that might be greasy or too acidic?

If you can, maybe you should get her to go to a doctor or a hospital out of town; they may be more help than your local M.D.s are being.

 

[Alittleacorn]

I'm sorry to hear that both your mother and you are having such a rough time. I'm not sure what's wrong with her, but it could be any number of things.

It could be a slight bronchial infection (some forms of bronchitis are temporary and non-fatal), or she may very well have pneumonia.

However, some of the other symptoms (like swelling of her ankles) I'm not too clear on.

I've had pneumonia once that I know of, but I don't recall swelling. I do recall my body hurting everywhere, puking up bile (usually early in the morning and late at night) and winding up with an air pocket in my sternum (due to the bile burning a hole through it).

Has she been puking anything up, unable to stomach foods she'd normally love-anything that might be greasy or too acidic?

If you can, maybe you should get her to go to a doctor or a hospital out of town; they may be more help than your local M.D.s are being.

I have been wondering if it might be pneumonia too. It's in the cold it really plays her up too, and her right lung has always been weak during this time of year, along with the low immunity. And when I checked up some of her symptoms the breathing and pain ones matched up.

And she's making an appointment with some private guy, although she should've done it sooner and listened to me.

How did your pneumonia get treated?

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

I have been wondering if it might be pneumonia too. It's in the cold it really plays her up too, and her right lung has always been weak during this time of year, along with the low immunity. And when I checked up some of her symptoms the breathing and pain ones matched up.

And she's making an appointment with some private guy, although she should've done it sooner and listened to me.

How did your pneumonia get treated?

Ironically, it didn't. I didn't realize I'd had it until it was already gone. When I was having pain in the right side of my sternum, I got X-rays done. They put me on some sort of potent Zantac knock-off to keep me from throwing up anymore (and thus, preventing anymore damage from being done to my sternum). 2 months later, I got another X-ray done. Shortly after when the results came in, they called me at home, told me the air pocket had healed, and that my pneumonia had cleared up.

I was like, "Whoa, wait a second; I had pneumonia?" The doctor on the other end was surprised that the previous doctors hadn't told me. Unfortunately, many doctors back where I lived had a bad tendency of keeping information from the patients. So in short...sorry, I have no idea how it gets treated. I guess my immune system started working over-time, or something.

I'm glad to hear she's going to finally get it checked out properly. if you ever need to talk, feel free to inbox me.

 

[Alittleacorn]

Ironically, it didn't. I didn't realize I'd had it until it was already gone. When I was having pain in the right side of my sternum, I got X-rays done. They put me on some sort of potent Zantac knock-off to keep me from throwing up anymore (and thus, preventing anymore damage from being done to my sternum). 2 months later, I got another X-ray done. Shortly after when the results came in, they called me at home, told me the air pocket had healed, and that my pneumonia had cleared up.

I was like, "Whoa, wait a second; I had pneumonia?" The doctor on the other end was surprised that the previous doctors hadn't told me. Unfortunately, many doctors back where I lived had a bad tendency of keeping information from the patients. So in short...sorry, I have no idea how it gets treated. I guess my immune system started working over-time, or something.

I'm glad to hear she's going to finally get it checked out properly. if you ever need to talk, feel free to inbox me.

Well she's not vomiting, so that's a good thing. I guess the best she can do for now is just keep wrapped up and not go out when it's too cold until she sees someone. But she's definitely agreed she isn't going to that stupid doctor from before anymore. Seriously I wouldn't trust that moron with my life @_@

And thanks for the talking offer, it's appreciate likewise back if you ever need it too.

Btw, what's an airpocket? o.o Is that what you got in your lung?

 

[EllDawn]

I'm wondering if it's some sort of infection, since she said the mucus is tasting worse. A lot of her symptoms sound like what my mom had/still has. She went to a doctor for it once, didn't get any answers and never went back.

I hope it's not going to go the route my mom's lungs took. She did get a pulmonary embolism and it's cut her lung capacity to 50% or below (I don't know exactly). She also had a history of blood clots.

The swelling could easily be something else, like water. Again, my mom gets the same thing. She could see about getting a pro-time blood test. It tests how long it takes for a person's blood to clot. It's supposed to be from 2.0 to 3.0. Above, I think, means the blood is too thin. Below, it's too thick.

It could be pneumonia. When I had it, it was treated with an inhaler. Maybe something else, but I also had the flu so it's hard to tell.

You could have her sit next to a vaporizer. That should help loosen the mucus in her lung. And a wet, warm cloth is helpful. In other words wet heat.

I hope everything goes well.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

she should take a pulmonry function test its painless and takes maybe twenty seconds it checks the breathing the lungs the asophegus etc and can be done at a gp i had one done a few years back after i punctured a lung in a motorbike accident failing that have an endoscope into the stomach hope she gets sorted and is okay

 

[Rebel Dynasty]

Well she's not vomiting, so that's a good thing. I guess the best she can do for now is just keep wrapped up and not go out when it's too cold until she sees someone. But she's definitely agreed she isn't going to that stupid doctor from before anymore. Seriously I wouldn't trust that moron with my life @_@

And thanks for the talking offer, it's appreciate likewise back if you ever need it too.

Btw, what's an airpocket? o.o Is that what you got in your lung?

Not a problem. ^_^

And nope, I imagine they can form in other areas of the body, but the air pocket formed in my sternum because the bile burned a hole in it. I'm guessing it didn't burn all the way through, and may have left a thin membrane of skin over top, while trapping air within. I was seventeen at the time, so it was pretty unexpected. O_O

I never really figured out if the vomiting was due to the pneumonia, or due to the stress I'd been going through at the time; I think they kind of worked together in messing with my health. I probably became vulnerable to the pneumonia due to the stress, though. Still unsure.

Yeah, definitely urge her to take it easy, and to keep as warm as possible; at least until she finds out for sure what's wrong.

 

[Jak]

could just be an infection. viral pneumonia is a possibility. i haad it and coughed up mucus and had extreme shortness of breath. maybe it could be a cyst that formed in the lung. request an x-ray from a doctor. plus, its just that time of the year. things are passed on and such. but i would strongly suggest that you get an x-ray. hope she feels better soon.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

snip

I can't contribute more to what it might be, but you do suspect it's pneumonia, check her fingernails often. If they start going blue or purple, it means she's not getting enough oxygen. We had a case like that not too long ago here where they noted the lady had shortness of breath and her nails were tainted blue. She went to bed and they found her dead the next morning because she'd suffocated from lack of oxygen. Just keep a close eye on your mum.

 

[Alittleacorn]

I can't contribute more to what it might be, but you do suspect it's pneumonia, check her fingernails often. If they start going blue or purple, it means she's not getting enough oxygen. We had a case like that not too long ago here where they noted the lady had shortness of breath and her nails were tainted blue. She went to bed and they found her dead the next morning because she'd suffocated from lack of oxygen. Just keep a close eye on your mum.

Thanks, although her nails don't change that I know of. It's just the things i've mentioned :S

 

[EllDawn]

How is she doing now?

 

[Alittleacorn]

How is she doing now?

The same. She's got an appointment in a few days time with someone decent, finally.

 

[EllDawn]

The same. She's got an appointment in a few days time with someone decent, finally.

I'm glad to hear she finally has an appointment with a good doctor. I hope the doctor doesn't find anything too serious.

 

[Damien]

Very Sorry to hear about your mother.. have you tried using medical websites to try and get an idea.
Though this probably isnt the best place to air this sort of info.