Tuesday, 9 November 2010
Do Positive People Live Longer?
An interesting article that shows how people can benefit by having a positive attitude.http://copdnewsoftheday.com/?p=4304&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+CopdNewsOfTheDay+(COPD+News+Of+The+Day)
Live For Now!
When you have a long term serious illness like Pulmonary hypertension you know in the back of your mind that the future is going to be tough, that you will get worse as time goes on and probably not live as long as you would like to.They may not be very optimistic thoughts but they are facts and there is no point ignoring them or believing that they are not true as that is just deluding yourself and I don`t think that does anyone any good.
I think that the trick to surviving and being happy is to live for today.Treat every minute as your last, enjoy life and let the future take care of itself.A cure may be found who knows but its pointless spending time worrying about what might be you just have to get on and enjoy what is and make the most of your life.The happier you are and the more content you are the better you will feel physically as well. The mind is a powerful organ and it can help us overcome and cope with many things so use it to help yourself feel better.
There is no better saying than don`t worry about the things you can`t change only those you can!
I think that the trick to surviving and being happy is to live for today.Treat every minute as your last, enjoy life and let the future take care of itself.A cure may be found who knows but its pointless spending time worrying about what might be you just have to get on and enjoy what is and make the most of your life.The happier you are and the more content you are the better you will feel physically as well. The mind is a powerful organ and it can help us overcome and cope with many things so use it to help yourself feel better.
There is no better saying than don`t worry about the things you can`t change only those you can!
Insomnia!
I have always had trouble sleeping for as long as I can remember but since I become ill it has become worse and is a real problem for me.As I have sleep apena I have to wear a CPAP mask at night which doesn`t make sleeping easier.I have tried all sorts of things to help me, reading a book, hot drink last thing at night, staying off tea and coffee in the evening and none of them work.
You get so despearate for sleep sometimes you would like to take sleeping tablets, something I have never wanted to as I hate the thought of being out of control of my body but unfortunately or fortunately I don`t know I can`t take them anyway because of the Pulmonary hypertension.
This is a post without advice or a happy, optimistic ending as I have no answer to the problem.I just hope that one day I will hit that pillow and go to sleep straight away instead of the constant tossing and turning for hours on end I go through now.
You get so despearate for sleep sometimes you would like to take sleeping tablets, something I have never wanted to as I hate the thought of being out of control of my body but unfortunately or fortunately I don`t know I can`t take them anyway because of the Pulmonary hypertension.
This is a post without advice or a happy, optimistic ending as I have no answer to the problem.I just hope that one day I will hit that pillow and go to sleep straight away instead of the constant tossing and turning for hours on end I go through now.
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Get Set For The Winter Cold Season!
Some good advice here about how those of us with long term health issues can stay well through the winter!http://copdnewsoftheday.com/?p=4281&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CopdNewsOfTheDay+%28COPD+News+Of+The+Day%29
Seeing Through The Clouds!
I was diagnosed with COPD, Pulmonary hypertension and heart failure when I was forty nine years old.Got very ill over a three week period and was taken into accident and emergency, admitted and then diagnosed by my consultant after a series of tests.Looking back I can see now the warning signs of illness but I had no idea at the time that I was becoming ill. I use to walk my dog regularly every day for a couple of hours and always thought of myself as being pretty fit and healthy.
Looking back I can now see those warning signs.Getting out of breath walking up stairs and hills, feeling tired and putting on a lot of weight which I now see was fluid retention rather than middle aged spread.When you reach middle age you think of these signs as those most get when they reach middle age not signs of serious illness. I suppose like everyone who had gone through life without any major illness you always think it can never happen to me!
I think my case is not unique and happens to many.Through lack of knowledge or a failure to see signs people often only seek help for illness when its very late and harder for doctors to treat then.Early diagnoses and treatment is the key to a successful outcome with all serious illness.
The question has to be asked how can we stop this sort of thing happening so often.The answer I believe lies in more screening and medical checks.There are many different types of screening that can be done now for many serious illnesses but many are not readily available on the NHS when they should be. I also think that everyone should be offered regular medical check ups to test blood pressure etc so any early warning signs can be picked up by doctors.
The NHS needs to put far more resources into preventing ill health than it does. This may mean that a lot of money may be needed to invest in new programmes and initiatives to prevent ill health but I think that investment would be money well spent and could actually save more than it would cost by preventing a lot of serios illness.
Looking back I can now see those warning signs.Getting out of breath walking up stairs and hills, feeling tired and putting on a lot of weight which I now see was fluid retention rather than middle aged spread.When you reach middle age you think of these signs as those most get when they reach middle age not signs of serious illness. I suppose like everyone who had gone through life without any major illness you always think it can never happen to me!
I think my case is not unique and happens to many.Through lack of knowledge or a failure to see signs people often only seek help for illness when its very late and harder for doctors to treat then.Early diagnoses and treatment is the key to a successful outcome with all serious illness.
The question has to be asked how can we stop this sort of thing happening so often.The answer I believe lies in more screening and medical checks.There are many different types of screening that can be done now for many serious illnesses but many are not readily available on the NHS when they should be. I also think that everyone should be offered regular medical check ups to test blood pressure etc so any early warning signs can be picked up by doctors.
The NHS needs to put far more resources into preventing ill health than it does. This may mean that a lot of money may be needed to invest in new programmes and initiatives to prevent ill health but I think that investment would be money well spent and could actually save more than it would cost by preventing a lot of serios illness.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Listening at Last!
Image via WikipediaFor the last eighteen months or so I have been suffering from a very rapid heart rate and total exhaustion.I have been telling the doctors that these symptoms have been getting me down but they just haven`t taken any notice. They seemed to think that they were just down to my heart and lung problems and were to be expected.Two months ago when I went to the hospital I saw a doctor who I hadn`t seen before and he did seem to take notice and started to think that the symptoms may be being made worse by other factors. He gave me a thyroid function test, tested me for diabetes and checked my liver and kidney functions.Last week I went back to the hospital and saw my consultant and he said that the tests had found that I have an over active thyroid gland.
Not great news as it will mean further tests and more drugs but it pleased me to think that at last they were taking things seriously and getting to the root of the problem.He has put me on beta blockers to slow my heart rate down and also increased my dosage off diuretics because I was also suffering more from fluid retention.
At last it was good to be listened to and taken seriously.As I have said previously on this blog doctors must treat the patient and not just a particular illness and be willing to think outside the comfort zone of their own speciality.They should not assume all the time that symptoms are connected with existing conditions.If they would just do that a lot of pain, discomfort and worry would be avoided by patients.
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