Confused with numbers

[Healthy24680]

Hi,

I just got my first numbers two days ago and to be honest I’m sad and scared. All my numbers were good except for FEV1/VC I scored around 69 , FEV1 95 . Doctor said I have mild COPD and he already expected that before getting the speedometer result. I asked if this can get better , he gave me two types of inhalers and to visit after a month to repeat just the FEV1 test , he was hopeful it can go up again. To be honest the night before the test I didn’t rest at all was up worried till 5 am and was smoking a lot and I didn’t feel good in the morning I was tired almost to call and reschedule the test. I’m almost 42 now smoked for around 18 years and quit 3 years ago when I was 38 then smoked little bit here and there in between . Now i stopped since the moment I saw the result. I already feel much better , the caugh almost disappeared I don’t get it as before , still phlegm coming but much less .. I read that ur number can really fluctuate from time to time , and also the the GOLD fixed 70 is not the best method and it should be reconsidered to use the value of Lower normal range which is for me around 0.695 and I’m around 0.69 , I’m hoping to get some opinions for you , I’ll have another test in one month and really hopeful. Thank you all

[2greys]

Hi, welcome to the forum. You will soon get many saying the same as I am about to.

Firstly, in a way, you are really lucky that this has been detected at such an early stage. A change of lifestyle is now in order for you.

Very important, stop smoking! smoking will accelerate the progression of the disease. Eat a healthy diet and get to have a healthy BMI. Exercise to the point of being moderately breathless, regularly. Take your meds as prescribed. Do all of that and you will die from old age not the disease itself and remain at stage one (mild). Stop worrying, it will not help, anxiety only makes your breathing worse.

I, and many others here, would give their right arm for your numbers. I was diagnosed with an FEV1 of 37%, stage 3 (severe) two years ago and I am still working full-time and living a normal(ish) life to the full. Your results are really mild, almost normal in fact. You will probably never feel the impact of it, if you change your lifestyle now, you really do not want to find out just how awful it can be.

[Healthy24680 in reply to 2greys]

Hi 2greys,

Reading your message made my heart jump in my chest of hope. Thank you very much

Forgot to mention I’m male and I’m very active physically for almost 10 years .. I do daily around 45 min strength training and 40 cardio, and some days only cardio , I run 8-13 km daily sometime that was around couple of years ago. I still today do my excersise and never felt out of breath in fact I come down from threadmill after 40 min with almost normal slightly faster breath . That’s why I was very surprised . I don’t have emphysema the doctor said. I eat very healthy , I don’t eat sugars and my diet is full of veg and seafood. That’s for many years till today. I lead very healthy life except for that I worry a lot and I can do better with sleeping

I hope you will get better and healthier.

Now I have hope to continue living as I used to think before I read the test results !

[2greys in reply to Healthy24680]

I am male, a little older than you, 68 this year. Not as fit as you perhaps, I push myself very hard given other health issues. You will do fine, but those cigarettes???? you really must quit! COPD is a chronic disease, there is no cure (yet) the damage to your lungs is permanent, any further damage will also be permanent.

Now I will really frighten you! FACT one cigarette will paralyse the cillia in your airways for one hour. Cillia are like tiny hairs that waft mucus (with trapped pollutants) up your airways where it is disposed of safely by swallowing it. So all that yuck stays down in your lungs and causes an infection. That infection cause yet more permanent damage!

....and that is before any mention of lung cancer risk, but that's a different story.

[Healthy24680]

Sorry for confusion , it’s my fault. I quit nicotine around 3 years ago , few puffs every now and then but I don’t really smoke. And even those puffs I quit for good but when I mentioned I was smoking I was talking medical marijuana I take it for anxiety and sleeping. But that too I quit cuz I won’t take risks. I don’t even know if it’s harmful or helpful but I will start taking CBD oil I heard it helps relaxing the bronchi

[2greys in reply to Healthy24680]

Good, no smoking means, no smoking, not even breathing smoke from a bonfire/barbecue. No smoking ANYTHING. Consuming the oil is not smoking.

The only things that should go into your lungs are your inhalers and fresh air, that's it.

[Susan1200 in reply to 2greys]

Wow good on you 2greys,i like you ,your straight to the point.😀

[O2Trees in reply to Healthy24680]

Putting any form of smoke into your lungs is damaging Healthy, please note what 2Greys says.

It's the THC component of the plant which acts as a bronchodilator and can have a positive impact on lung function. CBD - which is the most commonly recognised form of medical marijuana - works for pain and may well relax you but it is unlikely to help your lungs. THC as you probably know is what will give you the high and, assuming you can get hold of it - don't know where you live - it can be taken in ways which avoid the high and is said to help dilate the airways. edited by moderator

[Healthy24680 in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks for the information , I have decided and acted on it , never smoking anything or be around smoke. I’ll be taking edibles to help anxiety and I just learned from you that it helps lung function (is there a research on it?) which is great news :))

[O2Trees in reply to Healthy24680]

Ive only replied that THC "is said" to have dilating effect, Healthy. Im just giving you bits and pieces I have picked up but I have no real informed position on this though I would certainly like to try it.

Most research has been done on mice models which don't necessarily equate to humans. Trials are very expensive and the problem is that since there would currently be no profit for developing meds from marijuana there is no incentive for the big pharma companies to do the necessary trials on humans. Normally they recoup their development expenses from the fees for supplying the meds after the research is complete and the drug in question approved.

Israel has done a lot of research work but I don't have details.

If you search for marijuana in the forum search box you'll come up with various previous posts. Forum member Swerv has used it for some time and says he has had quite an improvement with his fev1. You could search Swerv and see what comes up.

[Healthy24680 in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks a lot for your help and for the time and effort you’ve put to write this

[Healthy24680]

Will I be in inhalers always ? My doctor didn’t tell me much

[Caspiana]

Hello Healthy24680 .

2greys has just about said it all. And yes, it is likely you will be on inhalers, but please believe me, that's not the worst thing that can happen to you.

You are still young, and have many, many years ahead. 😊

Sending warm wishes.

Cas xx 🌞🌷

[Healthy24680 in reply to Caspiana]

Thanks Caspiana :)) we are around the same age , I hope we get to live enjoyable healthy long life :))

[Healthy24680]

Is it true that FEV1 decline will be similar to healthy lungs FEV1 if a person keeps exercising , take medication , and quit smoking

And if you compare the decline line with healthy lungs it will be parallel line expect it will be lower because of the damage that is already done ? Have you read some research on that ? I found this information here on this site

Thanks

[Healthy24680]

I have read this info in many articles , tbh I don’t remember if it’s fletcher chart.

[Healthy24680]

Maybe hopefully thank you so much for your replies

[donut43]

Good for you to stop smoking ,already you feel better , with everything less . Now work on it with the excellent tips from BLF. Keep close tabs on your GP to monitor and improve as much as you can.

Dan