I thought I'd canvas the intelligent people on this group for some ideas to
help my husband. He has trouble breathing, and doctors don't seem to be able
to help him. The breathing difficulty occurs with any exertion at all, and
also when he bends over as in to tie a shoelace. He's had x-rays of his lungs,
and the doctors have told him that he has Histoplasmosis -- but that that is
not causing his breathing difficulty. The doctors (pulmonologists) said that
basically what's wrong with his lungs is that they're 75 years old. I know a
lot of 75-year old people who have no trouble breathing, so that doesn't cut it
with me. They prescribed inhalation products for him, but they did not help.
Some background: he was a firefighter for thirty years, he was a very heavy
smoker for at least as long (but hasn't smoked in twenty-five years), and most
recently he ran two poultry growing houses for thirteen years. So his lungs
have had plenty of abuse. He is otherwise a healthy and stron
g individual, about ten lbs. overweight with a bit of a paunch but not a lot.
If his lungs aren't diseased, except for the Histoplasmosis, then what is
causing the breathing difficulties? If anyone has any ideas to share, we'd be
grateful. Oh -- one other thing -- his father died from emphysema. I don't
know if that disease is genetic or not, or if it predisposes him to lung
trouble. But he's not been diagnosed with emphysema -- or least no one has
told us so. TIA. MA
