amy winehouse has emphysema

[Amby 490]

Singer Amy Winehouse has "traces" of the lung disease emphysema but is "responding brilliantly to treatment", her father has said.

Mitch Winehouse told BBC Radio 1 his daughter would recover "completely" as long as she stopped smoking.

The star has now been in hospital for a week, but her father said she would perform at the Glastonbury Festival and Nelson Mandela concert this weekend.

Emphysema is caused by lung damage and can start as mild breathlessness.

It eventually means the body does not get enough oxygen, leading to further breathing problems and possibly death.

"There's a small amount there which hasn't gone too far and it's completely repairable," Mr Winehouse said.

The 24-year-old fell ill last week after fainting at her London home.

"With patience, her lungs will recover completely and she's responding brilliantly to treatment - she's actually flourishing," Mr Winehouse said.

He added that doctors had given his daughter permission to perform at the weekend.

"She will be well enough - not could be - she's well enough to be at Glastonbury now," he said.

But Dr Keith Prowse, chairman of the British Lung Foundation, said emphysema was not curable.

"Once it's there, it's there - it is possible to have it and not be bothered by symptoms, but if you continued to smoke it would cause it to progress rapidly," he told the BBC.

"If Amy stops smoking, it's not going to interfere with her singing and she probably won't have any trouble from it."

But in the late stages of the disease, a singer would "struggle to find the breath to perform effectively", he said.

Emphysema kills 30,000 people in the UK every year and is caused by gradual damage to the structure of the lungs, which makes it harder to exhale.

It usually affects older people as it is due to cumulative damage over a long period, such as a lifetime of smoking.

Dr Prowse also said more young drug addicts were presenting with the condition.

"People are starting to use drugs much younger these days so it is present much earlier," he said.

"They are smoking cigarettes heavily anyway and we know some of the other things that damage the lungs - cannabis for example.

"But they're not eating a reasonable diet and have a lifestyle which predisposes damage."

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Mr Winehouse also called for his daughter's drug dealers and circle of drug addict pals to stay away from her.

"I'm saying to those drug dealers, and they know who they are, if they are supplying crack to Amy, then they've got to take responsibility," he said.

"I don't want her hanging out with her mates like Pete Doherty either. What hope does she have if people are taking drugs around her?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7468655.stm

[Peikko 1,575]

At her age? Wow, that's terrible. It maybe her own fault, but it's still terrible.

[Amby 490]

I was thinking it's probably her fault. I wasn't that surprised.

[Peikko 1,575]

Taking drugs and smoking while young isn't new though. Is there something more potent in the stuff these days? I mean, teens and 20 year olds, they make bad choices all the time. Most of them come through the other side and become normal, responsible people but to have a life altering disease like emphysema because of some bad choices...it's too bad really.

[*julez* 124]

Spokeswoman: Amy Winehouse doesn't have emphysema

8 hours ago

LONDON (AP) — A discrepancy regarding the health of Amy Winehouse arose after the Grammy-winning singer's father said she had early stage emphysema brought on by smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes.

A publicist for Winehouse later said he had misspoken "out of his concern for her."

"She is not diagnosed with full-blown emphysema, but instead has early signs of what could lead to emphysema," Tracey Miller, her U.S.-based representative, told The Associated Press on Monday.

In an interview published Sunday by the Daily Mail of London, Mitch Winehouse said that his daughter's crack and cigarette smoking had led to early-stage emphysema, and that the singer had an irregular heartbeat. He said she had been warned that she will have to wear an oxygen mask unless she stops smoking drugs.

"The doctors have told her if she goes back to smoking drugs, it won't just ruin her voice, it will kill her," Mitch Winehouse was quoted as saying. "There are nodules around the chest and dark marks. She has 70 percent lung capacity."

However, in an interview later with BBC Radio 1, he appeared to downplay his dire statements, and said: "Amy really hasn't got emphysema, there's traces of emphysema. Obviously, if she doesn't quit smoking, it's going to get worse, like everyone else ... with patience her lungs will recover completely."

He added that she was covered in nicotine patches and is "flourishing" in response to treatments.

Emphysema is a lung disease caused primarily by smoking. It takes years to develop and is mostly seen in people over 45.

The 24-year-old soul diva collapsed at her north London home Monday after signing autographs for a group of fans and was taken to a London hospital for tests. She remained there all week.

She is still scheduled to sing at a concert in London on Friday celebrating the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela and plans to take part in the Glastonbury music festival the following day.

Mitch Winehouse said it would be good for his daughter to perform.

"When she's been inactive work-wise then that's when the problems really start. The doctors have said that medically there isn't any reason why she can't do Glastonbury," the paper quoted him as saying.

He also pleaded with her drug-taking friends to stay away from her.

"What hope does she have if people are taking drugs around her," he said.

Miller said Winehouse still has hopes to perform at the Mandela concert.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5itjO64M...k5Cw1QD91GDKK80

[jundp 191]

Perhaps she should stop the crack cocaine smoking??!?!?!?

Yes it is very sad, but instead of being concerned that she may get emphysema, perhaps her family should be staging an intervention to get her off drugs?

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

Either way - smoking crack certainly doesn't make you look or feel any fitter!

[Alexandra_v 0]

Wow I feel so sorry for that girl! She is in terribly need of help!