Bored bored bored

Hey guys, guess what? I'm bored.

So about a week and a half ago I came down with the most terrible sore throat, it was like razor blades in my throat and I thought I had tonsillitis again. Right now I actually wish I had tonsillitis, instead I've accumulated this horrible dry mucus cough (gross) that went too my chest pretty quickly and has resulted in endless sleepless night and being house bound. Oh and don't forget the blocked nose which doesn't help as I can't breath well enough already!

Yesterday, Mum managed to get me an emergency doctors appointment, which turn out to be the biggest pile of crap ever. We ended up discussing my disease for the majority of the appointment because they don't like too give you the same Doctor, and then when it came down to discussing this horrible cold, I was told that it will "soon go". Great advice, he clearly wasn't there for the 15 minute conversation we just had about my disease, and that it's very risky for me to have a cold because it can cause all sorts of problems. Mum then had to remind the doctor that because of the treatment I'm on, I can't take Beechams Cold and Flu capsules (and other medications like Ibruprofen, Nurofen etc) as they interact with my drugs and can cause heart problems. 

Anyway, they finally prescribed me some Antibiotics which I was told to take only if I get worse. Yeah, he clearly wasn't there for the whole entire conversation about my disease, where Mum also specifically highlighted the fact that I'm struggling already and if it gets worse I could end up in hospital.

Today is my first day on the antibiotics so hopefully I will start too feel a little better by tomorrow! At the moment I'm house bound and I'm trying my hardest to rest as much as I can. It's really weird actually because before I started work and my apprenticeship I was off a lot of the time at school and sixth form, and I don't even know how I managed it, especially when I was off for those four weeks.... I'm so so so bored!! 

I can't wait too feel better, I've completely forgotten what it feels like to not have a blocked up nose and to have a decent nights sleep. 

As always, thanks for reading!

Love, Erika

5th May World Pulmonary Hypertension Day

• What is Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) ?

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rapidly progressive disease which affects the lungs and heart. It is characterized by high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. There are 5 main types of PH which affect patients in different ways, all of which can lead to heart failure and death.

• What are the symptoms?

PH is a personal condition and symptoms can vary in each individual, common symptoms may include:

Breathlessness
Blue lips
Fatigue

Educating people to recognize the symptoms of PH could save lives.

• Treatment

A range of pharmaceutical treatments are available but they only treat 1 of the 5 types of PH, called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). There are currently 0 cures for 4 of the 5 forms of PH. The only potentially curative treatment available is surgery for 1 form of PH called thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH).

Some patients are eligible for lung or heart transplant, although this is not always possible due to lack of available organs, or patients not being suitable for surgery.

Accurate and early diagnosis and treatment followed by continuous treatment monitoring can mean the difference between life and death.

More research is needed to improve understanding of how all 5 types can be treated effectively.

• Who is affected?

It is thought that there are more than 25 million patients globally. One of the rare types of PH, called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) affects approximately 52 people per million.

People of all ages, including children, can develop PH although it is most likely to be diagnosed in people between 40-50 years of age.

• The impact of PH

50% of patients die within two years if not treated. The death rate for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), the most studied form of PH, is higher than both breast or colorectal cancers. PH can have a profound impact on many aspects of daily life such as having difficultly climbing stairs or simply getting dressed.

• Time matters for people with PH

Diagnosis of PH takes approximately 2 years due to delay. Symptoms are often non-specific meaning PH is frequently mistaken for asthma or other conditions. PH is a rapidly progressive disease and time lost in it's progression cannot be entirely regained. With earlier diagnosis and treatment, survival and quality of life could be significantly improved.

Thank you for reading and I hope this has given you an insight into PH. Love, Erika *All information has been from the PHA Europe Website* http://www.phaeurope.org/