TY - JOUR T1 - LAM: lymphangioleiomyomatosis JF - Breathe JO - Breathe SP - 331 LP - 332 DO - 10.1183/20734735.015514 VL - 10 IS - 4 A2 - , Y1 - 2014/12/01 UR - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/10/4/331.abstract N2 - Iris Bassi, President of LAM Italia and European LAM Federation, was diagnosed with LAM in 2007 I remember experiencing shortness of breath several months, or even years, before my lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) diagnosis. Then, in 2007, I started to have major symptoms, including dry cough, dyspnoea and a high fever, and I was hospitalised for X-rays and a CT scan. The doctors saw that my lungs were filled with cysts, and a bronchoscopy revealed LAM cells in my tissues. My LAM diagnosis was confirmed in September 2007 at Dr Harari's hospital in Milan. Before receiving my final diagnosis, I had a lot of panic attacks due to the fact that I did not know what was wrong with me. Doctors told me that my condition was stress-related and they did not understand that I had an illness, which made me feel very anxious. Finding out that I had LAM was frightening but, in a way, it was good to finally have an explanation for my symptoms. It surprised me, as I've always led a very active lifestyle and have never smoked. When I was told that my lungs were like those of someone who smokes 100 cigarettes a day, I was very shocked. I felt despair but tried to seek a solution. I told myself that, just because there is currently no cure for LAM, it does not mean that there will not be in the future. I founded LAM Italia and the European LAM Federation, through which I try to promote research and therapy for the disease. After … ER -