I was diagnosed in 2005 and was handling it okay until july. Since then my condition deteriorated so fast that i'm on permanent oxygen. The last four weeks have been hell. Been in hospital twice and they can't do anything for me except a lung transplant. (If you can get lungs). i'm home now but on an oxygen machine 24/7. My sister passed away last year april with the same disease. She had it just over three years. I'm still lucky to be around. It is not very easy to cope with. Lost my work because of it and my daughter was diagnosed with bipolar a year ago. Been divorced for almost 16 years and nobody to support us. God has just been so good to us.

My aunty walked into her medical centre three weeks ago having trouble breathing. She was immediately admitted to hospital, and within days she was put into an induced coma, having been told she had fibrosis of the lungs. She was given months to live but died three weeks later when they turned her life support machine off.

my husband just had letter in the post saying he has to go for a ct scan as a chest x-ray has showed up fibrosis of the lungs.

To cowie (#18): I too, have gone through similar circumstances, and now I'm 40. These are my recommendations to avoid the complications I went through. Recently I had a CT scan done because the radiologist found something on a routine x ray. Turns out it's scarring from past bouts of pneumonia and other environmental factors. Now I'm actually able to breathe better than I have my whole life. I had tried countless combinations of meds (holistic and western), diets, etc. Nothing seemed to work too well. Anyway, I'm just sharing what I do now, because it seems to be the winning combo for me. Growing up, the advice I would get was never from someone who was actually experiencing the same difficulty I was. Maybe my combo will work for you and save you years of discomfort and infliction of more damage to your lungs. Lifestyle: Stop living with any pets (including fish). Use air purifiers in the home and especially bedroom (very important). Don't smoke anything. Re-learn the different methods of breathing (you'ld be surprised the things we forget after years of struggling). Walk 30-40 minutes/day other than what you normally do (it exercises the lungs). For me, a dry climate works best, humidity is brutal on my lungs. I live with a dehumidifier (hugely important). Diet: I cut out most dairy (though I love dairy, I found my lungs produced so much less mucus and I've had fewer lung infections since cutting it out). I've also was a pasta and breads junky. No more crazy carbs. Once a week I'll allow myself one of those. Antioxidants, get plenty of them, very important. Ease up on sugars. I take a daily multivitamin to make up for whatever deficiencies my meds may be causing, and I take 500mg of Siberian white Ginseng. When I played football and hockey, the white ginseng made a dramatic difference in whether I was having an asthma attack inside the first 10 minutes of playing and not having one at all! If you are athletic then this is your magic pill. If you are not athletic, this is still a magic pill. (Don't get me wrong, its not a replacement for your inhaler, it simply spaces out the consumption of your body's natural resources, in a way not allowing your body to over-exert/fatigue itself so soon, thus my lungs don't freak out with the exception). Do not use red ginseng, it will have the opposite effect of white. I know there is more science behind the diet and ginseng, but it's all hindsight. Meds: I still use symbicort (but I only take it every other day, though my doctor suggested more often. I did that and it didn't work and I'm not a fan of pumping myself with steroids, and the side effects). I have the Salbutamol inhaler, but what really worked best is Singulair. I highly recommend that med, though it's not cheap. Advair induced attacks for me so I stay away from it (plus, I read a study on an unusual occurrence of side effects including death on men of African descent, and I'm half-black). The Singulair and ventolin inhaler is the best med combo for me, without doubt. I don't remember ever being able to breathe this clear. Last week I had my eyes tested, I knew I needed glasses. The eye doc held up the type of lenses I'll be wearing and I was shocked with the Hi Def I've been missing. I had no idea the world wasn't normally as blurry as I've been seeing it. I liken my breathing to that. I had no idea what clear breathing *really* felt like. I'm starting to sound like an infomercial. Anyway, there will be those who disagree with what works for me. But I don't care because its what works for me, I'm done with listening to others tell me what *should* work. If this helps you then great! Its not necessarily an overnight remedy, but you should notice a big difference I imagine within weeks at most.

My father in law is currently in the hospital and is not expected to live. He has been undiagnosed for the past three years until admitted to the hospital five days ago. His most recent chest x-ray and CT and MRI three months ago were clear. Now his lungs are so bad and filled with scar tissue, there is nothing that can be done. This is a very ravaging disease.

My father passed away from pulmonary fibrosis on May 25, 2009. He was diagnosed in February and was told he had six months to live. He only made it three. Now my husband who is only 35 has been told he has some fibrosis in the bottom part of his lungs. Who says lightening doesn't strike twice? Not sure why this is happening and wishing this disease had a cure.

my husband has been told he has asbestos on his lungs, also fibrosis. thank you for your input. it has helped me to understand some.

im 51 year-old female. In april i had my chest x-ray done and was diagnosed as having lingular fibrosis but i have no symptoms. i'm a registered nurse. Can i still work?

I'm 17 years old, and I was diagnosed with asthma at age 4. There has never been a break where I wasn't out of control. Every day I take my meds and struggle through the day with shortness of breath. My doctor will not believe my asthma is this bad because she doesn't hear wheezing when she listens to my breathing. After going to the emergency room for my serve shortness of breathe I was referred to a specialist. After a lung function test it was shown that my lungs are very damaged and do not respond well (if at all) to the medication (salbutamol). After increasing the frequency that I take my Symbicort, not much improvement has been made. Heart burn is a regular occurance when I exceed 1000/6 dose that the doctor recommended when needed. Is fibrosis occuring in my lungs a possibilty? I'm giving up slowly on all my dreams to run comfortably and be active without consequence. I really need help and for someone to believe me when I say I'm struggling every day to breathe properly.

My father passed away 28/06/09 after suffering from it for 3 years. It was so quick within a month of have a chest infection he was gone. I got married 05/06/09 in Cyprus. Dad was there to give me away then he started slipping away.Sweet dreams dad you are the wind beneath my wings xx

I have just had a scan today and in the report it mentions a patchy shadowing within the right lower lobe suggesting fibrosis. I am a 44 yr old female and wonder what's next; does this mean I have the disease?

8 years back my friend was attacked with TB and cured. Now she is suffering with a cough for 10 days and inflammation of her lungs for 3 months. Is this lung fibrosis or TB?

anon190, that's what I would like to know too. I was told today the the bottom region of my lungs have fibrosis.

there's something quirky about it though. I have had breathing problems all my life. so now that they can't find out why, they are calling it fibrosis.

what do you think?

Try pranayama yoga. I know of a patient whose condition has improved with pranayama (breathing)

is there any affect of fibrosis patient on infants?

My dad was diagnosed with lung fibrosis in 2001. From October last year his health started to deteriorate quite fast. He's on a list now for a lung transplant, he's very weak and its not going well at all, his heart is also affected now. Its been 8 years now and the suffering is not worth it.

I am 78 years old and suffer from slight breathlessness on exertion. Chest X-ray shows fibrosis but lung function tests were normal. Might this be because I used to play the flute and had to pay careful attention to correct breathing?

CT scan pending. Like the previous correspondent, I should like to know if there are other diseases involving fibrosis. Thank you.

Recently, My brother was treated for cancer in stomach. He was treated with a medicine which had 1% risk in side effects. He was perfectly alright from cancer but he was affected by the medicine which he was treated by. Just before ten days of his expiry the doctor had told, he was affected by lung fibrosis. And the cause of the side effect of the medicine. We tried our lecel best to save him . But we couldn't. he passed away last week. We took his reports and inquired about it in australia, they said the dose was too high for that guy, thats the reason for his death.

my father passed away on september 30th from this terrible disease. he was diagnosed two years ago but this past two moths had been the hardest for him he was in the hospital for 5 weeks till the doctors talked to me and told there was really nothing they can do any more. they had done everything they could do.we took him off the medicines and the machine. they start it at 8:00am and he was gone by 4:15pm that same day. he last it one hour and 15 min on he's own..

My father in law had fibrosis for 5 yrs (we think) but we only recently found out in the last few months, as he was too proud to tell anyone. In the last few weeks he developed an infection and was hospitalised last Saturday... he was then on Oxygen until Wednesday when there was no further hope and support was removed. Suspected causes from history range from his history with the fire service to keeping birds and extreme exposure to passive smoke (although he did not smoke). The hospital said that this took a particularly aggressive form for the disease. My Sympathy to anyone with this condition, or their relatives & friends.

My mother 67 years of age is suffering from lung fibrosis disease since 4 years. is there any treatment for this? Any lung transplantation facility available in this world? I will be thankful for your advice.

My sister of age 60 is suffering of Fibrosis on lung, she has been told that a transplant is a possible way to cure,being diabetic for more than ten years will transplant be possible?

Is pulmonary fibrosis a communicable disease like TB?

Is it possible to have some fibrosis on your lungs without it being the full lung fibrosis disease. My boyfriend (35) has just found out he has some on his lungs and has beeen referred for more tests.