Yesterday breathless mucus made me realise..I can't win this..Dec after being hospitalised I fought to GET BETTER!! Yesterday whilst full of mucus well unable to move the mucus and the sudden breathlessness. I realise I CANT GET BETTRR AS THIS DISESSE GETS WORSE NOT BETTER. Sorry for the capital's just shouting it out loud. I went on here going backwards and forwards to try and get advise. Which thank you I got..I did however notice some people saying it gets worse and if yesterday is anything to go by ..I am moderate with asthma. If I am struggling now ..what future do I truly have. Little mucusy not too bad and already I feel it will get worse as the day goes on. Not breathless yet..but feel i will be..and it Progresses. I think I was in denial as I really believed until yesterday I WOULD get better but the fact is I won't..I needed to write this out aloud. Can't speak to family as they believe I will improve but let's face it I won't.
Sorry to be on a downer but facts are facts. I know I am not the only one who feels like this..what really is the point is how I feel right now ...don't know if I had a flare as have only been use to treating my asthma.
Thank you in advance for letting me express myself
Dear Emily, So Sorry for how your Feeling. You must be more Positive as you have been recently, you made us all feel so much Better in ourselves knowing you were getting on top of this. I know it's easy with Words and most of us have been were you are now. Look outside, The Sun is Shining(here anyway) and Spring is almost on us, It's a Beautiful World when your anxiety is at bay. Please Make Today your First Positive Day for the Start of the Week, Do your Mucus Breathing Technique to Clear & Cough it up. You know you can come back from this depression Hun. Thinking of you Chic. Love n Hugs. xxxx
Are you still seeing your consultant on 25 Feb? I hope that this is a consultant who specialises in copd and not just asthma. Tell them how hopeless you feel and ask them to explain to you how you can manage it so that you can move forward and enjoy your life.
All of us on here have conditions which are not going to be cured. Some of us have battled all of our lives with copious mucus which we have to work very hard to get of every day or we end up with very nasty infections. It also wakes us up at night, every night.
We manage it for what it is and most of us have,and continue to live, very rich lives.
Everybody copes with their condition and its needs so that they have a full life and also support each other through the bad days.
This condition did not suddenly appear. You have been living with it very well for some time but suddenly have a label to scare yourself with. You need to get past this so that you can get organised with your self management and get back to living your life in an enjoyable and productive way.
BTW. Weekends are the worst because the normal rhythm of life stops and we are left alone with it and our thoughts. If we live alone like me, and I don’t know if you do, it becomes easy to dwell on whatever is troubling us. To keep the gremlins away I volunteer on Sundays, have done for many years and it keeps my spirits up.
You will cope, you just have to let yourself.
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I don't feel I will I appreciate what you are saying but as it gets worse I really have had no real mucus apart from when I was ill December it appeared to clear now it back at the back of my throat it's not waking me yet only once but I know once it Progresses it will. Don't know who consultant is copd specialist as this is first appointment. Never had a hospital admissions until December. Just thought I was dealing with asthma now asthma/moderate copd. I understand what you are saying I am just saying how I feel. It's the getting worse that scares me..I was doing well but think that's because I thought I could beat this. But I actually can't
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It isn’t the condition that you need to beat but your reaction to it’s diagnosis.
Emily I agree with littlepom. It is always a shock adjusting to a diagnosis, but maintaining a positive attitude will be your strongest defence. Yes it is a progressive disease but it doesnt progress overnight. You could stay as you are for months, years even without any significant change in your illness. You are still the person you were the day before your diagnosis. You need to try to stop researching every aspect online and start making the most of the good days. Everyone's condition is different. I suspect that at the minute you may well be aggravating your health by reading up on every possible scenario, this will naturally cause you to become overanxious and in turn will affect your breathing. You need time to adjust to your situation at the moment it is all still very new to you. Wait until after you have spoken to your consultant later this month. Hopefully then you will have a much clearer idea of the extent of your copy and will have a treatment plan implemented.
It might be just a cold that you have .....I notice at the moment that I have mucus only in my throat, warm drinks and sips of cold water help me. Fruit pastilles too.
Are you using a spacer device with your preventer inhaler, this can help the medication get into your lungs not stay in your throat. Also rinse and gargle with plain water after your preventer , this helped my cough.
Think of today as a blip, tomorrow could be better.
I was diagnosed with asthma after double pneumonia twenty five years ago, then COPD/ asthma ......coughed and coughed with a constant wheeze for years after. As did my three poor cats which was very strange.
But my chesty cough has actually improved lately.....no chesty wheeze .....just the throat mucus and stuffy sinuses, no gunk from my lungs. The GP said my lungs were relatively clear, so there has been an improvement . Many courses of antibiotics, plus my regular dose of homemade soup made with lots of different veg, and my fruit smoothies.
Don't give up hope....' Tomorrow is another day' as that famous film said.
Can I ask how long have you had ashma/COPD..I haven't got a cough just trying to cough up mucus scared it will stay on my chest and I will get a chest infection. Still don't know a lot about my condition. What is asthma and copd
Hi Emily, no you don't get better with copd but you do learn to cope with it by accessing all the help available. You can still improve your health a lot through the right meds, PR, and leading a healthy lifestyle. You have to learn to adapt that's all but we do and still have good lives.
Copd stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis and sometimes chronic asthma under the umbrella. This is because the treatments are much the same. Most people diagnosed with copd have primarily one with a bit of the other, but you can have just emphysema according to my respiratory nurse.
Some of the mucus could be due to packing in smoking so give yourself time and things will settle down. Never lose hope. x
I am going to PR taking my meds trying to eat well doing everything advised ....I am still scared..BLS nurse said my condition should progress like everyone else now I have stopped smoking didn't understand that just dipped since yesterday and unable to pull it back. Back to fear and tears
It takes time to turn things around a bit so have a bit of patience Emily. Getting anxious will not help your breathing. Your diagnosis is still very new and it does take time to get your head round it.
As we have said before it doesn't usually progress much if you do all the right things so you still have many years ahead of you yet. Good years too.
I saw a great quote - If you live in the past you live with regret, the future you live with anxiety. However if you live in the present you live with balance. x
The reason I am confused is if it does not progress much why are people stsge 3 stage 4 if it doesn't progress much...I really am lost and I am trying to stay motivated but I can't as I do not understand that at all
Many of these people weren't diagnosed until the later stages that's why. There is not an inevitable progression from mild/moderate to severe. Some will reach that level but many never will.
You appear to think that everyone starts off mild, then goes to moderate, then severe etc. over a period of a few years. In truth the progression is so slow in relative terms that old age often gets you first!
Lets see now. I am mild and was diagnosed in my mid 50's. 10 years later I am still mild. Now I might progress to the moderate stages but by that time I will probably be in my 70's or even 80's. So unless you expect to live until you are 120 you will probably never reach the later stages.
There are no guarantees of course as some progress faster than others (those with a genetic link might), or with other health problems, but the odds are well in your favour. x
I think I did myself no favours as I tried to research asthma and copd and what I read states it makes it worse can't remember where I read it...and so I don't just have copd I have asthma as well and what I read is what is freaking me out..as that is another health issue surely..I am so scared after reading it and my mucus and breathlessness. I know there are no guarantees. Just scared.
Hi, Emily. I have COPD and asthma. When I was diagnosed my FEV1 was 69%, in the moderate range. After three years of following all the good suggestions made by other people on this site and doing a lot of singing, my last FEV1 was 82%, in the normal range.
Follow the suggestions others have made on here, have faith in them, and start living life again. As one poster warned me early on, stop committing suicide by sofa.
Please explain the FEV1 please I do not understand please just explain it to me...tried to find a local singing group not got back to me...I do not understand...I smoked though so doubt mine will improve
The FEV1 figure is one of the figures produced in a respiratory test for lung diseases. I have a check up every year with the Respiratory Nurse at our surgery and blow into a tube three times to produce the figures. Recently I bought a small machine which enables me to test my breathing myself, which told me before my last test that my breathing had improved. When you do a respiratory test, ask the person doing the test for a copy of your results.
As for smoking, I smoked from the age of 14 to 30. I was brought up in the era of the London smogs. I used coal fires and solid fuel stoves much of my adult life for cooking and heating, and breathed in a lot of dust cleaning them out. My previous husband smoked heavily long after I'd stopped smoking, and I lived with his secondary smoke for years. So if I can improve my lung function, there's a good chance you can too.
If you can't find a singing group near you, look up singing exercises on YouTube. Singing can improve your mood as well as you breathing, so do give it a go. You need to learn to sing from the stomach using your diaphragm, rather than just the top of your lungs. That will help to clear any mucus - I find any mucus I have shifts after about 10 to 15 minutes (though mucus is not a real problem to me).
Thank you thank thank.will look for singing group again..what is the other figure please you have just helped to kick start me thank you so are you still moderate copd...I don't understand how it works...sorry about yesterday.
No, my COPD has improved over the last three years. My breathing is now in the normal range for a woman of my age and height. I still get annual check ups though because when I blow down the tube the curve that's produced shows there's still a slight obstruction there.
Ok thank you for explaining...I found 2 singing groups one who has this evening returned my call 45 minute drive..the one I would prefer is 12 minutes away has not returned my call...so will give it until end of the week..looks like it's the 45 minute drive. I am confused how does copd improve...physio at pulmonary rehabilitation class today said I may have an improvement in my spirometry next..I am just going to try...can not do more than that..hope I don't get knock back when I see consultant
Your COPD can improve by learning to breathe more deeply from the diaphragm rather than shallow breathing from the top of the lungs only. So more air is getting in which gives your lungs a better chance of absorbing more oxygen. Couple this with increasing exercise gradually. The fitter you become, the less oxygen your muscles use, so the oxygen you breathe in goes further. If you then add eating more healthily and reducing any abdominal fat which may press on the lungs, that can improve your readings even more. All the best.
Thank you bit congested this morning peak flow first thing before inhalers 300 sometimes it's 350 going to take it again half hour after my inhaler see what I get it to..physiotherapy did a risk gold classification of airflow limitation said as I had 2 chest infection in last 12 months ..and based on COPD assessment test I was low risk as my condition does not affect my day to day living skills...that actually help me to put things into perspective a bit more..she did the categories did question it..as she said over 80 normal 60-80 mild so I fall into mild and 50 is moderate..Dr said I was moderate to severe..respiratory nurses said I was moderate, after inhaler just below mild...Will discuss that with consultant next week..not long to go..I said I wasn't sure what copd I had and she said COPD is a term my COPD is due to not well controlled asthma, again will wait to see consultant..she said the plan is to keep my condition stabilised so I will do my best to do that even if I have a low period like now.. I actually find the breathing devicethat you have to try and suck 3 balls up helps open my airways as does salt pipe helps with the mucus
My FEV1 went from 29% up to 34% which is up from very serious to serious. I have been getting away with two exacerbations a year, Usually November and January. Last year I had one in August as well, I think I over did it in the v hot weather. Never been hospitalized I get on my treadmill for at least 20 mins every day and take Vit C, Magnesium, Iron and NAC. If I feel a bit congested I get on the Nebuliser with 0.9% saline and stick to a good diet. I get depressed sometimes and very tired but I am pretty sure I am improving since diagnosis rather than progressing to worse. We are all different and every day is different. I am 68 and I am determined to improve. Good luck with your COPD journey.
Oh and get yourself on the quit smoking site and list your symptoms and you will discover there are quite a few things which can happen when you stop smoking! They are not all down to your disease.
emily IHave been like you for 3years now seen consultant last week asked him if i could live another 20years he said yes feel like i cant breathe right anymore nobody understands my daughter says its anxiety because i am scared of this illness
It is a bit of fear but it's also real my husband said I have to accept I have copd and get on with it..I just don't know how..how long have you been diagnosed.
3 years i am scared all thetime my husband says the same as yours accept it and move on with my life but to me it is real IFeel like i am smothering all the time
I just want to have my fears validated by my husband..what treatment are you having..see I just know I have moderate copd and asthma. Did your consultant explain everything..I only had x-ray
now have for 2weeks should never have kept smoking after i got told what i had but it was because I was that stressed I kept on smoking now i am listening to them as i have a chance to live a long time with this if smoking is stopped
I forget to say Idid stop smoking for 6 weeks last year and did feel a lot better but thought 1wouldnt. hurt and went back on them trimbew is a steriod inhaler
I have but don't know Dr just said 62% then 77% after inhaler think that's air I blow out he said asthma and moderate copd all new doing my best but just had enough what was your results
mine is 67 per cent 3 year ago I was 68 hope it goes up with not smoking think i am now accepting it after all this time before i took sick i was running about all the time it came on that quick i had the flu and felt like i couldnt breathe
I was running around as well hospitalised in December last year got diagnose a few weeks ago already know I had asthma but the got asthma and copd moderate don't know I know I was in denial till yesterday realised that yesterday and can't get back to how I felt
Try and look on the positive side of things which I know can be difficult. You can drive, a big plus,I had to give up after driving for 30+ years. You have a husband, yes I know they can be a pain sometimes! You have support here another plus.
My brothers (twins) both have COPD so they sensibly gave up smoking, they both have various inhalers. It doesn’t stop them enjoying a full life, and yes they can be a pain too!!
Up until last year I had no problems with my heart and lungs despite smoking for years. Well, after having severe pneumonia
Oops pressed wrong button! Several times my heart and lungs are both knackered. My left lung is almost useless and at stage 4 heart failure. At 59 this is the last thing I expected but we have to learn to live with things which is so so difficult. I made a choice not to have any radical treatment, I’ve had a good life, 3 husbands, one son, and met some amazing people. My fault after smoking for umpteen years and don’t expect any one else to pick up the pieces. This doesn’t mean I’ve given up, cruise in June to amongst other places Russia, another tick off my bucket list. I am a glass half full sort of person and still have places to go, people to see, I’m determined to make the most of what little time I have on this planet. Remember, Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day!
Love your Positivity Judes, Much Like Myself, Done most of the Bucket list, Having a Good Life and Planning my next Trip ...Yes, My Glass is half FULL, always. Have a Great Life Hun. XXXXX
Why some people get worse quicker than others even doing the same things is a bit of a mystery, but people whose COPD was triggered by smoking, if they can manage to stay smoke-free, often get better, or at least no worse. Some people on here will have been diagnosed at a later stage, or not have been able to stay smoke-free (including vaping). They may live around people who smoke, or work in an environment which makes things worse: some people have COPD because of their occupation. There are also people who have COPD for other reasons, such as Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, or autoimmune conditions.
Of course staying smoke-free is the best thing you can do for yourself, but the other crucial thing is to stay on top of your asthma. It can be hard to determine whether it’s your asthma or your COPD playing up at any one time but if your asthma isn’t controlled, that can worsen your COPD over time. It’s important to find a good lung doctor who understands this and will prioritise controlling your asthma!
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Hi thank you for that ..I have mucus at back of my throat which is now dark green..had Dr appointment but because I had more than one complaint Dr would not discuss this ailment it's the first time it's become very dark green it's been white or yellow what do I do as I don't want a chest infection I was doing fairly ok now worried sick
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Thank you I have so much to learn...I don't know what I am doing ..so please forgive me
Our condition does get worse in time ,I have had emphysema for at least. 8 years I am stage 4,I have had a lung reduction and that helped a great deal but as I didn't rest enough I had a collapsed lung two months later,but my children have thought for years that I can get better,now they are suddenly realising that no ,but they seem to block it out still,I am still recovering from my collapsed lung infarct I have a bubble of air in my right lung(same lung as my op and collapse, so I just don't know what will happen but I am looking after myself now,were as before not so.
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