Been diagnosed with copd. Lung function about 50%. 41 years old. I have serious coughing bouts usually with severe chest pains followed by bad head pains. Get out of breath regularly. Was told my lungs are that of a 110 year old man. Was a shock at first. My partner is just getting used to it was a time where I woke up early to cough like crazy and was told to go off downstairs. Lol. I have tried to stop smoking with e-cigs and vapes but seem to cough more and more. I have cut down now but started smoking when I was 12/13 years old am now 41 and I find when I haven't smoked in a while and am doing something I get sharp pains in my chest not at all plesent. Now I have found this site and reading other peoples experiences hopefully I can reduce the damage I am doing soon.
Rich from Leicester : Been diagnosed... - Lung Conditions C...
Rich from Leicester
Awww welcome Rich ...give up the cigs asap ...exercise regular eat a good diet and take your meds as prescribed..its difficult to begin with but you get used to things .Get your GP to refer you to a pulmonary rehabilitation class in your area this gives you the right type of exercise and educates you on breathing techniques that can certainly help you xxx Angie
Rich ,quit smoking .. save your life .. copd won't go away but your health will get better .. you only live once do it right ..
Glad you're here. We will be with you on this journey. Smoking indeed increases our pain during this trip. We should know that pretty well. Such an addiction like none other. I started at 12/13 and kept on till 58. Coughing the layers of junk out takes time. Finally scraping off what we kept sealing over with more tar. Coughing will increase for a few months till the crud is out, and it will cause pains, but always check with the doc to make sure its not something else. It will stop. Hang tough and keep in touch with us. We are indeed all family.
when i give up smoking it made so ill with all the things you have said.
the shock of been diagnosed with cronic illnesses brought about from smoking was enough for me to end my smoking on that frist day of diagnosis. and that was after more then 50 years of smoking.
if you carry on smoking there be no point in getting treatment for your illness as you will be undoing any good it will do for you with the next ciggarrete you put in your mouth...but the doctors still have to treat you.
if you stop smoking theres every chance that your fev1% will go up and you can with a little bit of effect have a long and happy life.
3 years ago my fev1was 54%, 2 months after stoping smoking it went up to 73%....
am 67 years old now and am not going anywhere untill am an old man.
Hi Rich,
Well done! You've got a diagnosis, know what needs doing and you're talking to people ... what a great start!
When Mo Farah and Usain Bolt started running they didn't always win - they practiced and each time they didn't win made them more determined to win the next time. Stopping smoking takes practice and perseverance and sometimes you don't win every race BUT, keep practicing and you can win! So, try stopping, if it doesn't work then try again - great thing is that there's no rule book that says you can only have one go! AND each try is actually FREE!! (so try as many times as you like!)
After such a good start and with a bit of determination you can make the rest of your (long) life quite a decent sort of life by spending some time adjusting how you live (eating, smoking, drinking, exercise etc) - nothing too radical buy little changes made often will have such a benefit.
Well done on a great start - keep us updated on how it's all going and welcome to a great community that offers real support (well, that's always been my experience of the people here)
Take care!
Everybody has told you, now it's my turn !! Give up smoking, quit now and give yourself the best possible chance. Sadly, there is no better way. Good luck and keep trying.
You obviously can't do it on your own so go back to the GP and ask for help. They might have a Quit Clinic at the practice. There's also a medication, Champix some people stop with.
Good luck, you know you're worth it.
Hi rich I live in leicester to I suppose you would be under Dr range at the Glenfield hospital they are very good I have only got 1 lung after having cancer twice and it removed in 2 sessions over a 10 year period I also have bronciexis as well that gives you the cough so it might be worth asking next time if ypu havr it as well I know it's difficult too try to stop smoking but as I ask people how many cigarettes to you smoke during the sleep time of its none it's a habit you are not addicted or you would be waking up pining for I. I gave him a thing to try like if you have the first one at say 7 am and the last at11pm get up don't have it till 8 am then make your last one 10 pm try this for a month then cut it down again morning and evening it takes a while but over time you will meet yourself in the middle I have helped loads of my mates to stop so I know it works for your cough get some diflam spray from the chemists it's very good but not cheap that's all for now keep your chin up it will happen and you will wonder why you never done it before and how rich you will become ha ha mickmm
Hello Richp76, with good management of your illness and no smoking you should have a good long quality of life. The BLF has lots of helpful details about lung diseases and we the suffers can give you many tips or ways to cope with symptoms. And support with giving up smoking when the going gets tough. Every best wish.
Recovering from pnuemonia 
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blood in Sputum
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