Breathing heavy

[April2]

Hi, I wasn't sure where to post this but since my husband is a smoker I thought I'd post it here. He does smoke, but not even a pack a day, I think. He's cut down. It's hard for me to tell because he does take it outside but he doesn't seem to smoke as much as he used to in previous years. He's probably been a smoker for about 30 years. What I'm wondering is my daughter has noticed him breathing heavy once in awhile. I'm not sure I've noticed it but she's only noticed it maybe a couple of times. Yesterday evening at the dinner table I noticed her ask her dad if he was ok. He said yes and she said she noticed him breathing heavy. I was sitting across from the table and she was sitting next to him.
I'm just wondering about this because it's not like he just climbed a set of stairs or something. He was sitting down. The other time she noticed it was a week or so ago when she was sitting near him in the living room and I was doing something in the kitchen. Again I heard her ask her dad if he was ok and again I heard him say yes to her.
I know he doesn't exercise, either, so he probably isn't in the greatest shape.
Also the latest and newest thing we've noticed with him is his breath has gotten really bad. It's not just the smoker's breath anymore. I don't want to embarress him but I have told him I thought he should get that checked out. He admitted he hasn't seen a dentist in a long time. But he has been to the doctor this last year and checked out ok except his blood pressure was just up a little bit.

I just don't know what to think about any of this? And is there a different forum perhaps that I should ask these questions? I looked and couldn't find anything that quite fit. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[squirtatious]

April good to hear ur remaining on top of things hun...keep us posted when u find out anything and greatest blessings to u both!!:)

[Jade59]

Hey April, my husband won't make a dental or doctor appt...I have to make them for him.  Even though it's a little irritating he won't take care of himself, if it takes me making the appt then so be it because at least he'll go.  I just tell him where and when...working around his work hours, of course.

Dentists usually have one day a week when they work late hrs.  Possibly this will be the case with your dentist so if you just made the appt told your husband the appt was all set and all he had to do was just show up, would he go?  Same with a dr appt.  It's so important he sees a dr since he could be dealing with high blood pressure just to name one issue and it's also Very important he has his prostate checked once a yr, especially at the age our men are.  My husband is rarely sick either, but 4yrs ago, without any symptoms, he was dx'd with an enlarged prostate which needed to be monitered.  

Good luck, hon!

[April2]

He said he'd make a dentist appointment as soon as his work conferences are over and things settle down so we'll see. I doubt he'd go to a doctor. It's hard enough to get him to take a day off. I've been paying more attention to him and have not noticed a difference in his breathing so not sure if that was just a fluke or he was out of breath or what. I'll continue to watch and see. Thanks squirtatious.

[squirtatious]

This is as appropriate a forum as any to post in. *hugs* I would get him to a dr to get urb concerns checked out. I would suggest a dentist appt be made as well. Plz keep me informed as to what is wrong with him. Take care

[April2]

No weezing, coughing or weight change. He's also almost never sick so he hasn't had bronchitis or anything. He usually acts healthier than me because he's just never sick! I haven't even noticed anything unusual with his breathing at this point not even when he's sleeping. It's only been the last couple of weeks that my daughter noticed twice him breathing a little heavier.
And Jade, I know he had started drinking some again but he's quit that again too. I can almost always tell if he's been drinking so I don't think there's anything there.

His father got emphesyma when he was in this early 60's, I think, and his mother had lung cancer, also in her early 60's so he does have that in his family. And yes, they both were heavy smokers. You would think that would have scared him but apparently not. We've been trying to get him to quit for years but he's going to have to get to that point where he really wants to, for himself as well as his family, I guess.

I will check out the COPD forum. I don't even really know what that is! I guess I'd better start investigating and learning.

Getting him to a doctor is just about as hard as it is to get him to a dentist but I'll see what I can do! At least he's agreeing now that he probably should go see a dentist. We'll see what happens. Thanks guys!

[msniki412]

Could really be anything. Any other symptoms you have noticed? Weight change, coughing? Any wheezing when he breaths? I really do suggest for him to go the doctor and and make sure his lungs are ok. My grandmother was a smoker for...hmmm probably about 30 or 40 years too and sadly she is dying from Lung Cancer. Any breathing issues in a smoker (and non smoker) need to be checked out just to be on the safe side. Does your husband suffer from any persistent bronchitis or repeated respiratory infections? For COPD, most people who suffer from it have an ongoing cough or a cough that produces large amounts of mucus (often called "smoker's cough") and also the shortness of breath and sometimes a wheez. So like I said, if you notice more symptoms or it appears anything is getting worse, he needs to see a doctor pronto to avoid future problems.

Take care.

[beatingthis]

Sounds like COPD. He needs to see a doctor.

[Jade59]

Really hard to say, April.  Breathing hard at rest *could* be the beginning of emphysema or COPD.  Plus you've shared about your husbands "other" problem in your journal so it could be a matter of both addictions catching up with him in some way.  It would probably be best he see a pulmanologist. (sp?)

Bad breath can be periodontal disease, but can also be a sign of other illnesses.  

Try posting on the COPD forum.  

Good Luck!