I have just buried my mother due to copd, I have just been told by my gp that I'm suffering from copd

[Maizeymoo]

I have never smoked but my mum was a heavy smoker, I'm at the moment on 80 mg prednisone a day and stronger antibiotics and inhaler but after ten days still very sick. Is it hereditary or did I passively smoke too much as a youngster ?

[123podmore]

do what i am doing fight it go to gym swimming ,sauna ,nothing to loose ,in about two to three weeks you will feel much better, i take antibiotics to, inhaler ......

[Offcut in reply to 123podmore]

I was told by my resp. nurse to stay well away from swimming because of my paralysed diaphragm and the chlorine. From what I understand secondary smoke and all sorts of rubbish in the air can bring it on.

PMA

[tigershay1]

Oh i am so sorry to hear about your mum x please hang in there get as much info from dr and here. Im same never smoked but parents did. Take care xxx judith

[123podmore]

the first thing you should do is stop smoking, the time i find i have COPD i stop stop smoking

[droo32 in reply to 123podmore]

Perhaps I missed something... did the original poster not explicitly state they had never smoked, but that their mom did (and thus the implication of secondhand exposure)? So... what are you talking about?

[longlungs]

Hi Maizeymoo so sorry to hear about the loss of your mum,Alpha 1 is the hereditary form of Emphysema I think?or can be.I also think of course you would have been passive smoking but i think we are slowly learning of so many other irritants within our enviroment which also impact on our lungs and because we are all so different it is impossible to say who will and who wont get lung diseases of course smoking is a big cause.You poor thing that is a high old dose of steroid I really hope you can see this infection off soon.Take care of yourself. Janexx

[peege]

Very sorry to hear about your Mum Maizeymoo.

The sad fact is that if she smoked so much in your presence you've been breathing in her exhaled smoke as well as the fresh stuff coming off the cigs. I feel for you, I'd be pretty peed off myself. Then again, other things can be a factor too ie asthma, childhood diseases like measles/whooping cough........

I think if you can manage it, a call to the BLF helpline for advice would be beneficial to you. 03000 030 555. They have nurses & trained counsellors on hand to point you in the right direction.

If your mum has been unwell for a while plus you're not well yourself then you'll be exhausted & worn out, your immune system will be depleted so you need to tackle that asap.

I wish you well and hope you get over this infection very soon. Kind regards, Peeg

ps the high dose of steroid may be making you feel ill, 80mg a day is an awful lot. I thought 40 a day was going to finish me off. I'm wondering if more investigation might be in order. Have you had tests under hospital? If not request a referal to one for the proper tests. xx

[cofdrop-UK]

Hello Maizeymoo

I am so very sorry to hear of your Mum's passing - what a very difficult time for you.

I know some folks who have never smoked and have copd. I also think if you had measles or whooping cough as a child you would more likely be left with bronchiectasis rather than copd. Think your best bet would be to 'phone BLF as Peeg suggested for help.

love cx

[O2Trees]

Sorry to hear you have lost your Mum. It must be scary to have been dx'd with the same condition.

Like has been said, passive smoking will definitely have affected your lungs, and its possible you may have inherited a genetic predisposition to getting copd. However you can't inherit the disease itself, that comes from smoking and/or environmental pollution (usually but certainly not always smoking).

As Peeg says, 80mg steroids is a MASSIVE amount. Ive never had more than 30mg a day, and was told by my doctor that as a thin person, taking 40mg wouldn't be a good idea as apparently it works by weight. (Only time i might have had more is when sick on holiday and i was in clinic in Minorca on a drip, no idea how much they put in it )

Sometimes GPs panic a bit when someone is not responding and keep upping the dose. I agree that you should try to get a consultant referral - you need clarification about what is going on. Also suggestion of pulmonary rehab classes is best idea - ask your GP for a referral when you get over being sick, in fact ask for the referral now as there will be a waiting list.

Hope things improve, take care

[peege in reply to O2Trees]

ah, O2Trees, I always wonder about the weight issue with drugs and how it can be right that someone of 8 stone should be on the same as a 15 stone person. It just doesn't weigh up (excuse pun, brain in hibernation).

It both makes me both sad and annoyed when people are just left floundering with out proper investigation & treatment.

Maizeymoo, I hope you're feeling stronger today. It's tough to be able to sort yourself out when you're feeling ill.

As you can see, we're worried about your high dose of steroid. Please call the BLF for advice. At that high a dose I believe you have to taper it down slowly before you come off it - though please speak to a medic wont you xx

[sukee52]

So sorry to hear about your sad loss, you must be feeling very vulnerable at the moment. Hopefully you will find lots of helpful tips and advice on this site. My specialist told me he thought that I had been born with Chronic Bronchitis, so I don't really understand how it is supposed to be non genetic. I have never smoked either, and lived with non smokers. Not sure anyone really knows for certain why some seem more prone to certain illnesses than others. I do hope you fell much better soon.

[peege in reply to sukee52]

it's a mystery isn't it. We all know that when a child is born there's a race to clear their airways. I wonder if stuff might get into the lungs then?

After reading how the amniotic fluid is sterile I was shocked to find that the waters of my 1st two was a ghastly mess. (I was abroad & only had a book on natural childbirth up to the births).

If some of that crap-doodle (that's what it was) got into their lungs?

Your reply above has prompted me to have a word with them about looking after themselves. My 3rd child had measles badly as a teenager. What's in store for them?

[Hidden]

Hi Mazieymoo, So sorry to hear about your Mum and how frightening for you to be dealing with your health issues. Firstly I would recommend as others have to ring the BLF helpline - they can give you some good advise and reassure you. Take care, TAD xx

[Catnip]

So sorry to hear of your mum's passing, Mazieymoo -- that will be tough to deal with in itself, let alone having to fight breathing problems on top.

Have you been checked out for the Alphaa-1 antitrypsin deficiency? That is hereditary, and you may well be a candidate. What it means is that you are missing an enzyme which protects your lungs; you'll also have breathed in a lot of secondary smoke along the way...

I agree that 80mg of pred is a lot: mostly it's 30mg a day. I think you should go back to your GP and ask for a referral to a respiratory clinic.

Keep going: remember to mourn your mum but work hard for yourself!

Best

Catnip

[O2Trees in reply to Catnip]

A1A - good thought Catnip - i forgot about that

[peege in reply to Catnip]

Thanks Catnip, I love this site. Today you've taught me what A1A is and I've realised I must speak to my chidren about their future lung health. xxx

[Hidden in reply to peege]

get tested - i did to make sure for the kids sake

[peege in reply to Hidden]

Hi Julie, what does the test involve?

[mattcass]

Hi maziemoo, So sorry to hear about your Mum my thoughts are with you, When things settle down you will have to talk to your Gp or Chest Consultant about the level of Steoids you are on 80mg is a very high level to be on, Good Luck Matt

[Steph57]

Hi maizemoo I feel for you right now and I agree that is a very high dose. I nursed my mum at home till she passed and I've ended up with the same condition plus. There's lots of factors to how you've developed the same illness but you need to look at getting you better at this time just be kind to yourself. Ask your G.P about the dosage. Chin up chick. Xx

[Hidden]

just a simple blood test ...easy peesy..... and that will help either way to know if it is hereditary or not,

[brooksju]

So sorry to hear about you losing your Mum, I believe copd can be genetic but smoking can bring it on sooner, my parents were both heavy smokers, my father was 53 when he passed away and my mother was 82, both had emphysema, I am 62, hope I've got a few more years yet, take care.

Judexx

[Maizeymoo]

Thanks you for all your kind words and advice and I am certainly going to follow them up tomorrow. I could never understand why I always got sick when I went to see my mum who lived in Holland, I mostly stayed about a week or two and always ended up not being able to breath, and being really sick so I thought maybe the room is dusty where I am sleeping so I washed the bedding and sanitised the whole room but still no better but now I see that every time I was there everybody who came in smoked inside including my mum, she would turn off her oxygen machine and have a cigarette. I was the only sibling who did not smoke I hated it, the smell just makes me feel sick. But as a guest there was not much I could do then go outside myself. To make things worse regarding excersizing I have recently had my neck fused at two levels and my lower back was fused some years ago, I often have numb hands and my left foot goes numb as well as paralysis in other regions and I'm waiting for a knee operation so things are not easy but my weight is fine I look out for what I eat and take daily vitamins as well as having B12 injections every three months and a yearly iron infusion. It makes me sad that I was the only non smoker, played sport at division level for many years brought up three kids and ended up with all of this. But when I saw mum every time I had nothing to complain about really. I miss her terrible and her biggest fear was dying from choking but she passed very peacefully and her breathing was so calm sadly I did not make it on time, she was fine in the morning, I live in the uk and got straight onto a ferry at three in the afternoon but she passed at 20.45 she is at peace now, no more pain but I miss her laughter and her stories she was 72. Thanks again all of you I really am very grateful as I know very little about it and the Alpha test is on my list of urgent things to do, Maizeymoo xxx

[socalgal in reply to Maizeymoo]

she passed away peacefully.....that's great. I must tell you my story...not unique. I was raised in a cloud of smoke, my mom, my aunts and my sis, smoked, it seems all the time. In my youth I had a few bouts of bronchiatus and in my later teens, the smog of Los Angeles made me feel like I had been swimming for many hours...it hurt to breathe. I had a old VW at 19 that leaked carbon monoxide, breathing that didn't help. So many years later, around 40 I was told I had late asthma and the doc said "not good". What's interesting to me is that copd is so vague...it's like the thingamajig in our sink...whatever. If we can't breathe well......then, period you have copd. I make some distinctions from observing my smoking family members. My mom smoked for 65 years...died at 92, her sis, smoked 65 yrs. died at 104, her other sis, smoked 70 yrs. died at 91.................go figure...i never did...........I blame no one for my health issues or any other stuff. Our bodies are meant to break down, unfortunately, and some with the help of bad genes passed down, nothing we can do about that. The thing I'd most like to mention..... one of my aunts had bronchiastes all the years that I can remember.....she woke up every morning hacking away...always snorting...hacking up stuff....she never took anything for it, she died at 91 of emphysema. The one thing all of these ladies had in common beside smoking; none of them took prescribed medications or otherwise until their late 80's, they kept active, ate only fresh foods (no package or processed foods), they kept their weight down and laughed a lot. Bizarre, huh. And so, I have copd....I must take it upon myself, to live life, do what I can do.....force myself if need be....because like all us we do not know the day/hour when we will journey out of this world (and this world is gett'in to be more weird, everyday)....not that I want to leave anytime soon....ttttteeeeehheeho. Well hope you can gleam something of value out of all this minusha.. meanwhile, sorry for your loss, hope you have a beautiful day. lovetheuks

[Maizeymoo]

Thanks I'm the only one that has lived a very healthy life, bad genes in my family I think my mother had 14 brothers and sisters all died either in their fourties if you passed that you would make early 70s my mums eldest sister is 76 that's a record in our family and sadly the majority through lung related problems. I'm 48 and I'm not going to let it break me I will continue my healthy lifestyle and do some walking to keep as fit as I can. Just explained every thing I have learnt on here to the kids. So thanks guys x

[Kad21]

Alpha 1 is hereditary, both my parents smoked and did my 2 elder sisters, consequently so did I. I was also a premature baby, have worked as a barmaid for 10 years prior to smoking bans and also worked in a dusty environment, i.e oat dust from processing whole grains. All the odds stacked against me and I lost ...... all contributing factors. My mother died of Emphysema and chronic bronchitis at the age of 54, I am 54 this year with severe emphysema, how spooky is that!

[Maizeymoo in reply to Kad21]

I worked in a workplace where every tea break the room was filled with smoke, never thought of that either, so you think your leading a healthy life but really my environment even cars etc are doing it.

[ssmith123]

so sorry to hear this. I have just buried my 58year old mother due to COPD. My biggest fear is being told I have it too as I am asthmatic already and have never smoked