30 with lung problems - emphysema/lung cancer?

[kt424]

I have suffered with lung problems for the last 2 and a half months. I have been a heavy smoker for 12 years (from age 18 - 30), although have now quit and despise tobacco. 2 and a half months ago (and notably after smoking heavily) my lungs felt horrendous and really frightened me. I had no fever but lots of mucus and severe shortness of breath. The doc tried me with a blue inhaler which didn't help. I have since had spirometry which showed no asthma but also couldn't tell me the lung function results because my lungs were worse at the time. I am now on a steroid inhaler for 6 weeks, before I go back to repeat the test. In the meantime, I am getting incredibly worried about this. The steroids have helped but my breathing just does not feel right. I intrinsically feel that they wont ever again. Please tell me what you think this is? I have suffered mild shortness of breath intermittently for years. Do you think I have developed moderate emphysema? In which case, what's the prognosis for a 30 year old with this? Aslo, I have a lot of shoulder, back and chest pains. I'd SO appreciate your response! Advice on this site appears very professional! Thanks!!

[kt424]

Hi,

Thanks ever so much for your replys! Sorry it's been so long but things have gone relatively well for a while. Unfortunately, it was not to last. I had spirometry which did not indicate asthma or COPD. However, my lungs have got worse. It's been going on for 10 months now. I feel as though I'm drowning in a film of mucus much of the time and the rest as though a part of my lungs have died and I just can't get enough oxygen around my body. Had an xray months ago which came back ok. I'm currently using beclomethasone and serevent (which gives me a tremor), and even these don't help anymore. Please help! Does anyone have any idea what this could be?? I feel as though I'm dying and am constantly afraid. To answer previous questions, no history of allergies but lung problems/cancer on both sides. I also used to chain smoke socially (which was most of the time for years) but amounts varied considerably.

[fary5833]

u didnt get any chest x ray done?
history of any sort of allergy in family?

[ChelseaK85]

Congratulations for quitting! That really is so huge, you have no idea how much that will probably help you in the long run. I've been fighting early onset emphysema for almost a year now, and have still been struggeling to quit my smoking addiction that landed me here.

Im obviously not a medical professional, but the fact that you are seeing a doctor, and on a steroid inhaler, and have already quit smoking leads me to believe that you could have a great chance of managing to live with emphysema for 10 years or more! Depending on your overall health, it could be even better, but its hard to know for sure, because everyone is different. The heavy mucus and severe shortness of breath is familiar, and not a good sign, but if the steroid inhaler is helping then thats great.

Just wondering did you get the results of your lung capacity test back yet, if so, how are they? That will be a good indicator of how you may fare. Also, how heavily did you smoke? Some folks think a pack a day makes them a heavy smoker, whereas others think it has to be more than two packs a day, or three packs a day before its serious - Most of the other people under 40 who Ive come across who had either COPD or emphysema smoked at least two packs a day or more, and many of them like me are unable to quit smoking, so the fact that you have quit is tremendous.

Hope your treatment is going well!