Biography

On a walk up Skiddaw in the Lake District I was having to stop every 10 paces to get my breath back. This was in August 2023. I went to see my Doctor and started with tests X-rays, eventually after little progress with a diagnosis I went private and after my consultant looking at my X-ray and spirometry tests have been told I probably have fibrosis. I should be having my first CT scan in the next few weeks

had the cat scan and spirometry tests in June 2024 and formally diagnosed with Ipf. Referred to Aintree University Hospital for treatment and put on Ofev Nintedanib . After elevated liver readings from blood tests after I had been ill with chest infections I have been in and off the medication twice. I am currently off the Nintedanib since mid December and have been undergoing scans and blood tests to determine if I have any NAFLD problems which would not allow me to take the Nintedanib. The results should be back in a week. Although we get this free on. the NHS in England the flip side is everything involves waiting quite a while.

My latest spirometry tests in Jan showed a reduction in FVC from 68% to 61% so I’m hoping a consistory period on Nintedanib will slow that down a lot because I’m definitely feeling a lot worse than this time last year .

Im off work at the moment as I adjust to this and the side effects from my medicine although they haven’t been really bad and tend to decrease after a few weeks but want to get back as soon as I can and get some normalcy back.

I am researching diet , exercise and other treatments that may help and hav3 made changes to my lifestyle as a consequence. I’ve also been in touch with Dr Duckworth at Exeter University who’s doctorate in the connection between telomere length and ipf is hopefully giving some avenues to investigate methods of testing the underlying causes of ipf symptoms. I will be joining the patient research group they have when I am sorted as it’s quite some distance from where I live.

other treatments I am trying are Finish Sauna to try to to encourage production of Heat Shock Proteins, I’m looking into purchasing an HBOT chamber, though this will only be financially viable when I retire. This can reduce imflamation and oxygenation and certain protocols may help with lengthening telomeres.