Just been diagnosed with PF

[Guest guest]

My father and brother both died of lung cancer associated with asbestosis. I

have also been around the stuff so I made sure I had x-rays done every year or

so because of my concern to also develop lung cancer. My x-rays back in 2004

noted some slight scarring but nothing significant was noted in the write up.

In 2005 the x-ray write up mentioned nothing about my lungs. In 2007 the reader

of the x-ray noted the interstitial lung desease with little progression from

what was seen on the 2005 x-ray. (Now the 2005 write up mentioned nothing of a

lung desease.) In June 2008 again the x-ray write up mentioned the interstitial

lung desease with little growth from 2005 but could not compare to the 2007

because the x-ray was not in the jacket. Through all of this my primary care

physician mentioned nothing. Well, my primary care retired and I have been

having this dry cough for a year and the meds were not working. Therefore, I

had to find another primary care physician who immediately read my charts and

said he saw some fibrosis on the x-ray. He sends me for a CT Scan which the

results were pulmonary fibrosis in moderate stage. My breathing test was 64

percent. I am in the Norfolk, VA area and any experienced pulmonary doctor is

backlogged two to three months. I can see a new guy in a week. I have had

thoughts of maybe going to Duke's Interstitual Lung Desease Dept and bypassing

the local guys. I am new to all of this and had never hear of pulmonary

fibrosis. To say I am concerned is an understatement and really don't know if I

should just go to Duke which can see me in a couple weeks, see a new pulmonary

doctor locally next week, or wait two to three months and see a pulmonary doctor

with some years under his belt. Any help or input from this community would be

a blessing right now.