breathing in deeply - Lung & Respiratory Disorders / COPD Message Board

laughy42 · 12-17-2003, 10:15 AM

I had bronchitis about 31/2 yrs ago and ever since in the mornings if I breathe in deeply it hurts and makes me cough.It lasts for only about 3 to 5 minutes,but I have noticed that when I lay on my back any time of day after a few minutes it will cause the same problem.It is worse if I sleep on my back.I do smoke,and like I said this started while I had Bronchitis.Thanks for any help.

mnemosyne · 12-17-2003, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laughy42

I had bronchitis about 31/2 yrs ago and ever since in the mornings if I breathe in deeply it hurts and makes me cough.It lasts for only about 3 to 5 minutes,but I have noticed that when I lay on my back any time of day after a few minutes it will cause the same problem.It is worse if I sleep on my back.I do smoke,and like I said this started while I had Bronchitis.Thanks for any help.

laughy42,

It sounds like the beginning of chronic bronchitis, a component of COPD. Cigarette smoking irritates the bronchial tubes, which causes them to become inflamed and to increased mucus secretion. Now, your bronchial tubes are a breeding ground for all those nasty little bacterial, which increases your chance of developing infectious bronchitis, sinusitis, and all those URIs, etc. That bout of bronchitis you had 3.5 years ago would likely not have happened if you were a non-smoker. You have to keep telling yourself that. Avoiding the truth there is dangerous, even if easy. Believe me, I know the excuses, but I also know that you CAN quit smoking.

All that said, you should also go to your doctor for evaluation, particularly of the pain you are experiencing on inspiration (breathing in) in the morning. Just go to your regular family practitioner and describe your symptoms. He or she will probably order a chest X-ray, and may order a CT scan or a lung perfusion scan, or perhaps even pulmonary function studies. (S)he may also be able to prescribe medication to help you quit smoking, recommend a good program if you're interested in quitting, or help you wade through various choices regarding aids to quit.

You can do this and you will feel better. Good luck!

kini23 · 12-18-2003, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnemosyne

laughy42,

It sounds like the beginning of chronic bronchitis, a component of COPD. Cigarette smoking irritates the bronchial tubes, which causes them to become inflamed and to increased mucus secretion. Now, your bronchial tubes are a breeding ground for all those nasty little bacterial, which increases your chance of developing infectious bronchitis, sinusitis, and all those URIs, etc. That bout of bronchitis you had 3.5 years ago would likely not have happened if you were a non-smoker. You have to keep telling yourself that. Avoiding the truth there is dangerous, even if easy. Believe me, I know the excuses, but I also know that you CAN quit smoking.

All that said, you should also go to your doctor for evaluation, particularly of the pain you are experiencing on inspiration (breathing in) in the morning. Just go to your regular family practitioner and describe your symptoms. He or she will probably order a chest X-ray, and may order a CT scan or a lung perfusion scan, or perhaps even pulmonary function studies. (S)he may also be able to prescribe medication to help you quit smoking, recommend a good program if you're interested in quitting, or help you wade through various choices regarding aids to quit.

You can do this and you will feel better. Good luck!

I have been experiencing similar symptoms. I used to be a heavy smoker. I am 28 and pregnant and I am wondering if I have chronic bronchitis. I cant have any x-rays. I had been diagnosed with bronchitis a few months ago and was prescribed amoxocillin. My doc said she could give me something stronger if that didnt work. So if I have chronic bronchitis does that mean that I will have lung cancer or copd some day? I am scared. I just want the symptoms to go away so I can stop worrying all the time.

mnemosyne · 12-19-2003, 02:06 PM

kini23 -

You say that you used to be a heavy smoker. Does that mean you've quit? If not, quit altogether now, and end any exposure you have to second-hand smoke. Your chronic "smoker's cough" may very well go away if you stop now, and your lungs can start healing. If you stop now, you probably won't develop COPD (unless you already have mild COPD. It's rare in someone your age, but I don't believe it's unheard of. Even if you have mild COPD, it's not going to progress if you quit smoking now.) and you will lower your risk of lung cancer.

If you've already quit, don't worry too much, but keep track of your symptoms and follow-up with your PCP if they persist. Good luck.