Woman’s ‘anxiety’ was chronic lung disease
AYOUNG woman who believed she had ‘anxiety’ or ‘random panic attacks’ told of her shock at being diagnosed with a chronic lung condition which made her cough like a smoker three times her age.
Chantelle Francis, now 24, first sought medical help for chest pains as a teenager and was given an asthma pump.
But when the problems continued, Chantelle says she returned to the GP but was told they were likely down to anxiety.
The young woman felt ‘helpless’ but battled on and tried to focus on her education as she left her home in Stockport to study English Language and Literature at the University of Sheffield.
But, when her ill health began to take its toll on her social life, leaving her isolated, she was referred to a specialist and sent for a string of tests, including an MRI scan.
Shockingly, the results revealed she had actually been living with bronchiectasis, a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a fluid build-up.
Chantelle, now a GDPR supervisor, said: “My thoughts all along were proved – it wasn’t just anxiety, or some mild asthma – I had something seriously wrong. I didn’t know anything about the condition when the doctor told me, but he explained it was a condition usually seen in people over 70.”
Looking back, Chantelle believes her issues may have started when she was a baby and had asthma, followed by pneumonia and led to repeated hospital visits. However, once she recovered, she recalls no further health issues – until she hit her teenage years and would be prone to chest pangs and shortness of breath.
She added: “I thought they were down to random panic attacks, but they were painful, so I saw a doctor and was given an asthma pump. It felt like a quick diagnosis based on the fact I’d had asthma as a baby.”
Chantelle was vigilant, using her inhaler whenever she felt unwell. Although it made little difference, she tried not to panic.
Soon after securing a place at university she decided to revisit the doctor. She said: “I was assured once again that it was likely nothing to worry about – just my childhood asthma creeping up again, combined with anxiety symptoms. But it made no sense to me. I had nothing to feel anxious about.”
After starting at the University of Sheffield in 2012, things went from bad to worse for Chantelle.
She continued: “I was intensely coughing like a smoker, even worse than I was back at home and had no sleep because of it.
“I had chest spasms throughout the night which made me feel sick. Nobody seemed to believe me when I said it had to be something more than asthma and anxiety. I started questioning my sanity.”
But by her third year, in 2014, she’d reached the end of her tether, and visited the doctors once more, begging to be referred to a specialist.
During a visit to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, Chantelle was given tests as medics battled to determine the cause of her misery once and for all.
After a tortuous wait for results, she was eventually diagnosed with bronchiectasis in February 2015.
Doctors believe the trigger was scarring in her lung tissue caused by the pneumonia.
Describing the diagnosis as a “double-edged sword,” she said: “I was glad to know I wasn’t going crazy, but it also made me aware I could struggle more in the future.”
From there, Chantelle began having breathing sessions, where she learned techniques to perform at home to help bring up the mucus stuck in her chest, and control the coughing.
She also began physiotherapy, which she continues to this day, to strengthen the walls of her lungs.
Thankfully, her quality of life has improved greatly since her diagnosis.
She is able to sleep much better, uses the breathing exercises to help manage her symptoms and has a greater understanding of her condition and when to take a rest.
She has even gone on to complete a Masters degree in Public Humanity.
Now, she is urging the NHS to consider incorporating new technologies as part of the diagnosis process.
Chantelle said: “We’re part of the digital age now. We’re ready to communicate more and give over our data in order to get exactly what we need back. It’s about time we saw a change.
“My life has completely changed now – although I still cough and have some pains, my breathing is so much better and I’m able to finally look after myself how I should, which makes everything else easier to manage.”