(NA) 1 Pack of Cigarettes vs. Lungs

[RyanB]

Healthier lives is a huge part of it, modern medicine has gone a long way as well. And the fact that lazy people (engineers) have invented tools that allow us to not work ourselves quite so much to death.

Good point.

 

[azure]

Healthier lives is a huge part of it, modern medicine has gone a long way as well. And the fact that lazy people (engineers) have invented tools that allow us to not work ourselves quite so much to death.

Yes, modern medicine is a BIG part of it. And probably the single biggest contributor to that component is the antibiotic revolution of the 1930s and '40s. All the more reason to worry about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. If all of the weapons in our arsenal against the microbes become useless, human longevity is going to take a significant hit as people start dying of previously treatable infections in their 40s, 30s, and even much earlier.

 

[Everskyward]

Yes, modern medicine is a BIG part of it. And probably the single biggest contributor to that component is the antibiotic revolution of the 1930s and '40s. All the more reason to worry about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. If all of the weapons in our arsenal against the microbes become useless, human longevity is going to take a significant hit as people start dying of previously treatable infections in their 40s, 30s, and even much earlier.

I was going to mention antibiotics too; also the decrease in infant and child mortality. Many people in the old days died as children, which kept the average life expectancy low.

 

[AKiss20]

I was going to mention antibiotics too; also the decrease in infant and child mortality. Many people in the old days died as children, which kept the average life expectancy low.

And now today we have idiot anti-vaxxers threatening all that by not vaccinating their kids because of a single completely disrepudiated study.

 

[steingar]

My now deceased friend Stan Falkow used today your microbes will get you in the end. The bad news is they'd eventually gain resistance to the new antibiotics if we had any. Fact of the matter is antibiotic research has lagged for some time. Wasn't "sexy" enough.

 

[Rushie]

Yes, modern medicine is a BIG part of it. And probably the single biggest contributor to that component is the antibiotic revolution of the 1930s and '40s. All the more reason to worry about the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. If all of the weapons in our arsenal against the microbes become useless, human longevity is going to take a significant hit as people start dying of previously treatable infections in their 40s, 30s, and even much earlier.

My now deceased friend Stan Falkow used today your microbes will get you in the end. The bad news is they'd eventually gain resistance to the new antibiotics if we had any. Fact of the matter is antibiotic research has lagged for some time. Wasn't "sexy" enough.

What timely quotes. I just got the message my Mom's been taken to Urgent Care with a "sore ankle". They're waiting on the lab report but they think it's cellulitis. Sister says the red has traveled up her leg just since they got there. They're talking about hospitalizing her and putting her on IV antibiotics. She's 91, this could turn nasty fast and might be what does her in.

 

[slacktide]

I've heard that if you quit smoking that the effects are almost 100% reversed after 10 years. I suspect that's not entirely true, but I suspect it's close enough. Probably about the only time that it's too late is once you're at the Stage 4 cancer realm, and even then it still can't hurt.

I'm gonna say no to 100% reversal after 10 years. A fixture in the Grumman community since the early 1970s, Ken Blackman was the owner of Air Mods NW, and a founder of the AYA. He was affectionately known as the Grumman Guru, and a dang good friend. He used to be a chain smoker, but quit cold turkey 25 years ago. This March he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. By April, he was wheezy after walking a hundred feet. By early May, he was tethered to an oxygen bottle and needed a 10 minute rest after walking 15 feet across his office. He passed on May 27.

http://www.grummanpilotsassociation.com/topic/technical-director-ken-guru-blackman/

 

[azure]

What timely quotes. I just got the message my Mom's been taken to Urgent Care with a "sore ankle". They're waiting on the lab report but they think it's cellulitis. Sister says the red has traveled up her leg just since they got there. They're talking about hospitalizing her and putting her on IV antibiotics. She's 91, this could turn nasty fast and might be what does her in.

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this! She will be in my thoughts, Agatha.

Stay hopeful! The pathogen may well respond to antibiotic therapy; most infections still do.

 

[timwinters]

However, there are two things from which you can't recover. The first I've mentioned, your pulmonary capacity never recovers, the damage is irreversible.

The other is cancer susceptibility.

The lung institute doesn't agree..they seem to agree more with what @Ted DuPuis stated:

Lung Health after Smoking Cessation
The human body is constantly fighting for a state of equilibrium. That is why our body fights infection and heals itself when we are injured. When smoke is introduced into the lungs, the body fights back. When smoke leaves the lungs, they start to heal immediately. Although the response is quick, the progress is incremental when it comes to lung improvement:

• First day – Your blood pressure will drop along with your heart rate. Carbon monoxide levels will also drop to the body’s normal levels.
• First month – Your lungs will become more efficient in the ability to process oxygen, causing your circulation to improve.
• First 9 months – The cilia in your lungs start to function properly again reducing the risk of lung infection. Also, coughing and shortness of breath should vastly decrease.
• Ten years later – Your risk of lung, mouth, throat, bladder, kidney and pancreas cancer drop dramatically.

But this may be another simple case of needing a medical study to contradict the last study that contradicted the study before that one.

 

[Rushie]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear this! She will be in my thoughts, Agatha.

Stay hopeful! The pathogen may well respond to antibiotic therapy; most infections still do.

Been a long day. They caught it really early and gave her an IV infusion of antibiotics right there at the doc in a box, then sent her home to continue on oral abx under my sister's supervision.

Really scary how fast it came on. She will probably be fine, had not even developed a fever yet just very fast swelling and red moving up her leg. I hate to think if my sister wasn't living with her to jump on stuff like this. Gave me a scare, was getting ready to pack a bag and look for flights.

 

[azure]

Been a long day. They caught it really early and gave her an IV infusion of antibiotics right there at the doc in a box, then sent her home to continue on oral abx under my sister's supervision.

Really scary how fast it came on. She will probably be fine, had not even developed a fever yet just very fast swelling and red moving up her leg. I hate to think if my sister wasn't living with her to jump on stuff like this. Gave me a scare, was getting ready to pack a bag and look for flights.

Yes these things are very scary, especially when someone is elderly. My Mom made it to 91, but we had many many scares in the years before she finally succumbed to COPD + pneumonia.

Glad to hear your Mom is recovering, and I hope she continues to make a full recovery.

 

[Rushie]

Yes these things are very scary, especially when someone is elderly. My Mom made it to 91, but we had many many scares in the years before she finally succumbed to COPD + pneumonia.

Glad to hear your Mom is recovering, and I hope she continues to make a full recovery.

Thanks! The message this morning is she is already much better and is walking again. Yesterday she went from walking fine at 1:00 no pain at all, to being unable to put any weight on it at all by 6:00. My sister had to half carry her into the house. Looks like the antibiotics and a good nights sleep has her on the mend.

Sorry your mom had to go through all that. My half brother's mom (we share the same dad) is about my mom's age and has COPD. She's had it many years and has been on and off oxygen tanks. She was able to get off by losing 100 pounds but is back on now. She never smoked as far as I know, I don't know the circumstances of her lung condition.