COPD Stage 2 Whaaaat!! PS its a long one

[Huffnpuff73]

Hi there hope your all well today.

Ive been reading this forum for years on lung advice and I just wanted advice from all you experts😊👍

Im 42 ex smoker from 18-37 always had broncitis from a kid.

Just found out Ive got stage 2 Copd dust ragweed tree pollen gerd and lpr reflux gilberts syndrome oxygen 57-80. Decrease from 69-80 from 2014.

I had the usual spirometry tests last yeat told I dont have it had x ray,ct scan,broncoscopy nothing showed up apparently.

Went to another specialist last month and this shown up.

But deep down I knew something was up four years ago when my ipper chest and arm muscle began to deteroarate even though then I was swimming 4-5miles a week.

How I have the usual loads of sputum get lots of infections (3 so far this year) and reflux doesnt help my diet even though i eat healthly

Ibe read all the medical advice when to go out or not etc get plenty of sleep etc.

But at the moment on clarithomycin and predisilone thats hard as I also het anxiety on them

So anyway ramble over. I read the advice for winter season avoid people and dont go out basically.

This is inposssible as I have hostpital appointments,docs meet friends etc. I cant ring the hosp docs and friends and screen them before I go lol

Also I look after a disabled partner in wheelchair and a disabled daughter ashtma epilepsy cerebral palsy. Its inpossible to stay away from people at einter with infections especially at this time I cant kick them all out and not go out or see anyone at christmas if there ill lol

Also I tried avamys and symbicort but both made my reflux terrible from them and was on montelukast in summer forallergies two years ago when I got pnemonia and had 10 infections fro oct-mar 2014. I also cant have anti histamine even though I am allergic to histamines lol as then thicken the mucus.

Does anyone out there have severe reflux as the les is weaked over the years from the steroid meds as I would love to find meds that I can manage. Also Ive had a chest rattle this week for left lung which has been on and off since christmas when can I excercise etc as there is so much conflicting info!!

I even get paranoid when Im sat down as I should be doing walking and excercise etc. I even get exaberations from certain excercise lots of spitum wheeze on treadmill and excercise bike. Was doing 2 miles ia day till last week my dad got a cold and bam rattle. I dont know when to stop if its too much as my chest can reflux from excercise even though I am on high meds

So now tight chest at 4am every night and not getting much sleep but still plodding on 😊

Anyway rant over moderators feel free to edit my lengthy post as Ive just re read it and its like the ramblings of a madman heh.

Thanks for hopefully listening unless you nodded off and all take care. 👍🏻

[Huffnpuff73]

Oh and I think ive had asthma from a kid (12) but my peak flow is 450 when bad 500-550 on good days and was around second hand smoke from granfather in the 70s which is when I had my first ashtma attack which I now think was COPD as the fev test last week results didnt improve with nebuliser.

Ok Im done now lol promise

[Hidden in reply to Huffnpuff73]

Hi Wartonk nice to meet you and welcome to the site. I am not sure I am reading all your post correctly but it was very unlikely you had copd when so young. The normal age for diagnosis is around mid 40's onwards with the majority over 50. If anyone has it under around 40 then it is possible that there is a genetic link and you need to be given a simple blood test to test for ALPHA1 Deficiency. Do you have any close relatives with it?

I have asthma and copd and you are right that ashma is generally completely reversible with the right meds, but copd is not. Copd is progressive but you can do a lot to hold it stable for many years by living a healthy lifestyle, not smoking, eating well and exercising.

I am 62 but even at your age I could only blow around 350 on the peak and flow, so you sound pretty normal for your age. Common symptoms of asthma are wheezing, coughing and tightness of chest, but copd can also cause this as can other lung diseases.

You need to ask for a referral to PR (Pulmunory Rehabilation) which is a 8-12 week course where you learn exercises suitable for your condition. There is also a respiratory nurse there to answer any questions and give talks.

It is impossible to avoid people entirely and neither should you unless you are severe and infections can threaten your life. Try and do the 1 metre rules which medics follow. If you are in the company of colds etc. then be sure not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth and wash your hands at the earliest opportunity.

The main thing is to gain the knowledge you need to stay as well as possible then get on with enjoying life. Remember copd with an 'e' in it is COPED. x

[Huffnpuff73 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you coughalot2 😊

I dont think anyone in my family had this deficinacy. I was a prem and had a lot of broncitis and jaundice from birth so will ask specislist this week

My dad has same symptoms worse when raining cold and getting infections and bad in warm weather and he only smoked for a few years.

Always wash wash handss dont touch mouth eyes nose etc.

Will ask for PR.

Sorry to sound a bit stupid bit whats the 1 metre rule?

Many thanks again.

[Hidden in reply to Huffnpuff73]

I am the same I am the only one in my family that has a lung condition

[knitter]

Hi wartonk...I can relate to so much...first I was told I had asthma , then COPD and now asthma / COPD and I have three adult asthmatic daughters who are allergic to pollen, dust , animals, nuts , some cosmetics...etc.

I have been on long term steroids and they do give me reflux...I find the red coated gastric resistant pills much better but I guess they are more expensive so I don't often get prescribed them. I have to eat something before taking them too.

I have found the best thing for reflux is Gaviscon Advance which I get on prescription, but you mustn't take it at the same time as ABs and pred . Lying down makes it worse so I have a lot of pillows.

It sounds that you have an extremely busy life but is it possible to find ten minutes by yourself for relaxation exercises or meditation ...I find it helps slow my breathing.

There will be other replies so I hope you get some ideas to help you...take care

[Huffnpuff73 in reply to knitter]

Many thanks knitter!

I luckily have had the gastro resistant predisilone as had a few high burst doses this year. And yep I give at least two hours after pred or antis for peptac. I also have a mountain of pillows lol!!

Just the conflicting medical advice on do this dont do this is mind boggling lol

Again many thanks 👍🏻

[Toci in reply to Huffnpuff73]

Peptac didn't work for me and it was replaced by Gaviscon Advance , costs more but works so much better.

[Huffnpuff73 in reply to Toci]

Thanks Toci will ask doc if he will change it 👍😊

[seyre]

I find lansaprazole is good for the reflux. As already mentioned pulmonary rehab is really important and helpful. Sue

[corazzon]

Hello All,

It seems we are all struggling along..update with me...still very ill,needing nurses out over weekend to check on me.Respiratory physio today..have had awful indigestion most off the day ..taking laprazol. I have had to call out several paramedics this week, as wheeze is not under control. Finished docycillin today..still green phlegm. .continuing on with carbocisteine to thin mucus which I'm producing without coughing as well as when I am!..They not admitting me to hospital as worried about secondary infection...Doc is referring me for CT scan..I hope it's not too long.Several health professionals have mentioned copd and the research I have done ,I would say is concurrent with every thing I'm experiencing.😕 have had asthma for 35 yrs ..but past 15 yrsxit has become much worse..frequent chest infections and been unwell since last October ..that's a long time!!..although I know some of you have experienced the same through winter months....last spirometry showed

a slight obstruction left lung..but that was over 3 yes ago!...latest x ray 3 weeks ago stated Mild peribronchial thickening in both lung lobes without consolidation...any thoughts gratefully received please peeps. .thankyou. .😕

[barbs47]

Rant away wartonk it does you good to get it off your chest. x

[Huffnpuff73]

Thanks for all your comments and I hope your all ok today 😊. The thing that really is annoying me is though I had a x ray ct scan and bronc(and a spirometry which they lost the results for) last year and nothing showed up very strange. anyway self obsessed selfish rant over. Take care all and thanks again 😊

[Huffnpuff73]

Just realised I just repeated what I typed yesterday doh 🙄 Take care all.