my husband has just been diagnosed with mild emphysema and all the stuff we have read (through google) has said that eventually this will

[sarahw81]

kill him i am so scared can somebody tell me honestly what to expect and timescales

[stone-UK]

Hi

Have a look at

blf.org.uk/Page/Recently-di...

As it as been said many times, it is not a death sentence , more of a change of lifestyle .

The single most beneficial thing any one can do is to stop smoking.

In doing so you will reduce the level of progression .

With further adjustments , you will lead a near normal life.

Further information can be found on the main BLF .org.uk web site.

I am 66 very severe and still here, at the moment on session ten of a Pulmonary Rehab course.

[doubledock in reply to stone-UK]

Hope you are going well still

[Puffthemagicdragon]

I'm 63. Very severe emphysema. I still do the part time job I had before I got diagnosed just over two years ago. Done the PR course. Definitely worth doing. You just have to plan things ahead. Apart from that I try to lead as normal a life as I can. I know it's a shock and you did what most of us did. Googled !

I hope we can allay your fears, There are some here who have had it for over 20 years and are still going strong.

[pettle in reply to Puffthemagicdragon]

Keep positive ... i have had cystic bronchiectasis for nearly 40 yrs ... i smile daily ..laugh... and have faith .. where theres breath, theres life ;] best wishes x

[sarahw81]

Thank you all so much i am already feeling a bit calmer reading your replies i will certainly use this forum for advice again xx

[medow]

Please please don't google, or if you do google go to Blf or Nhs sites, don't go on u tube either, there are people on here who have been living with the condition for years, friend of mine mum had her 84th birthday back in march, yes she gets breathless, and she can't dance, but a lot of us won't be able to dance at 84 ! She's had copd for years and years, please try not to worry x x x x

[Hidden]

Hello my husband has had Copd for ten years it is now termed severe BUT we still have a great quality of life. Now it is a bit slower and we have to plan. He is still working full time and we have three children.

I have just replied to a previous question with lots of advise. Please don't panic it's not a death sentence! But do find out all you can and this site is really good. Take good care lots of love TAD x x

[kimmy59]

Good advice as always. I have severe emphysema defiantly get your husband on a Pulmonary Rehab course it's brilliant, and as the others have said don't google.

Please try not to worry

Kim xxxxx

[Gidge]

Ditto everything Stone says - my Dad had emphysema back in the 80's, he ignored all advice, smoked heavily, ate badly, took no exercise, and lived another 15 years !

[medow in reply to Gidge]

Oh gidge, loved the story of your dad, sometimes I panic because I've eaton a burger and not had any fruit ! X x x x

[Hidden]

There are a lot of scaremongers out there. Listen to the advice here and contact BLF this will put your mind at rest.

[timber]

All good advice above ,do not go into any American sites ,talk about doom and gloom ,received a diagnosis of emphysema 13 years ago ,now aged 64 still doing some rock climbing and hill walking ,not as much or to the same level but still doing it ,very best wishes to you both.

[postscript]

Hi Sarah

Don't worry ,,,,, I felt exactly the same, after looking a various google sites ....they are nonsense, the statistics can be very very misleading, I could go about why but it would take ages and get a bit mathsy.

I was diagnosed three years ago with mild/moderate. I stopped smoking, keep my weight sensible eat well and exercise as best I can. My lung function is pretty much unchanged.

There are people on this site who were diagnosed 20 years ago.

I expect my breathing to get worse (hopefully slowly as it would anyway as I get older), will it kill me, well perhaps, if heart attack, cancer, rogue buses etc don't get me first. It is a shock to be diagnosed with an 'incurable' .... we all think we are immortal in our hearts until something like this happens,. COPD is essentially incurable but so is life and a healthy life style prolongs life with or without COPD.

Don't worry, let this help you both to be as healthy as you can and enjoy life

All the best

Beth

[dukes]

Sarah, I am 73 and was first diagnosed with COPD 10 years ago and probably had it for some time before too, I also have MRSA of the sputum (picked up 5 years ago in hospital) and I feel not a lot different now than from the start of it all.

We will all die eventually from something, even if it is 'natural causes' so I wouldn't worry yourself too much !

As long as he has stopped the stupid smoking that is, if not that is your job no matter how hard it is for him.

Good luck to you both,

Brian.

[foggisan]

Hi Sarahwh81, I am in the same boat, I have just been diagnosed with Emphysema after a period of wheeziness & shortness of breath followed by coughing blood. Still coughing the blood (4 weeks now). I have had loads of blood tests, a CT Scan, chest x-rays, etc, etc and I understand the confusion & fear you must be feeling. I went all over the internet after the diagnosis and it is confusing, some sites give timescales and others say it's not possible to predict. The best indicators I can find are sites like this where people share real life experience & you find people living 10+ years even with poor lungs. I am having a bronchoscopy on the 24th September so should know more by then. I apparently am unsuitable for a spirometry test due to coughing blood. I have some background in medicine having been a medic in the Army and my sister is a Physiotherapist so I will be badgering all and sundry for as much info as I can get and will share it here. Best wishes to you & your husband, Foggy.

[quickbiasgirl]

im 33, recently diagonosed with early emphysema. I am scared to death I won't get to live my life to the fullest, I am so young. I heard about stem cell therapy and have signed up with the lung institute here in the united states. I have also ordered the emphysema kit, which is pretty similar to stem cell therapy from biogetica.com I also take many natural supplements. I can still run a block, exercise, do chores etc... and the lady giving me the breathing test said she didn't even think it was copd because people wit copd usually have a deep curve and my curve wasn't curved it was straight, but the machine diagnosed it as emphysema because my diffusion was low and my volume was high. classic symptoms of emphysema. my thing is that my lungs seem to hurt, all the time and a good bit of the time I feel like something is sitting on my chest. I seem to get relief when I use the inhaler and take my supplements and the tightness in my chest goes away. but the pain still seems to remain. I go back to the dr on the 8th for confirmation of emphysema and perhaps even a prognosis...

[rileysmommy]

My husband is 30 and diagnosed yesterday. I'm very scared and don't truely understand.

[jenss in reply to rileysmommy]

Hi there and welcome to the site. I suggest you make your own post with some questions so members can see it. They will then respond with some helpful advice and tips. Click on the red balloon British Lung Foundation to get the phone number for BLF. They have very helpful nurses on hand at the helpline (they will ring you back) to help you understand, get tips on help and care etc. Best wishes to you allxxxx

[Biggd4355]

I had my lungs x-rayed 3 years ago and was told I had some calcification which was normal for a smoker. And was encouraged to quit. Well, I quit last year. I have had some sinus issues with drainage that I thought was going into my lungs causing irritation. So I had an x-ray taken and today was told I have mild emphysema. Funny how things like this happen after you quit. I will be waiting for instructions on what I should do next.

[Westwest]

What was your outcome? How are you

[lynnekay]

Do not take any notice of Google as it can be very scary. If your husband takes care of himself and does these 5 things it is likely that he will die with COPD not because of it.

1. Give up smoking 2. Get medications sorted 3. Exercise 4. Get referral to Pulmonary rehab 5. Eat a healthy diet

My COPD is severe, but I'm still living a full and active life 10 years after diagnosis