A bit concerned about diagnosis.

[Chad01]

Hi everyone,

I’d be very grateful if someone on here with a bit of knowledge can offer their thoughts.

I’m a bit confused (and concerned) about whether I have COPD and if so what that means for my life. I know not to Google this too much because it always throws up the worst case scenarios.

I’m 46 years old and an ex smoker. Stopped totally about 3 years ago but didn’t consider myself a heavy smoker.

During a health 360 a year back they found an issue with my breathing I wasn’t aware of.

The nurse at my GP surgery did some tests and my GP told me I had mild COPD. Which was a shock.

I then asked to see a respiratory specialist. Went to the hospital and saw one. He did some tests and said not COPD, possibly mild asthma. He gave me a blue inhaler.

At the beginning of the year I started having terrible nasal drip and mucus that kept me awake and a tiny bit of wheeziness now and again.

Went back to specialist this May and he did the same tests at the hospital. He said the results were lower but not alarm bells. He gave me a brown preventer inhaler to use every day and some more nasal steroids.

The diagnoses on his letter was mild asthma and possible allergic rhinitis.

My lung function results in May this year were “FEV1 75% predicted. FVC 105%. FEV1/FVC ratio 58%. Transfer coefficient 97% and 102%. Lung functions do show evidence of airway obstruction. Chest clear to auscultation”

My previous results 6 months before in Dec 2018 were: “FEV1 81% FVC 107% FEV1/VC ration 61% Transfer factor and co efficient 99% and 98. Lung functions do show, if at all, very mild airflow obstruction. Perhaps mild asthma. He does not have COPD.”

I’ve been a bit more wheezy for the last couple of months (wondered if I’d picked up an infection my wife had) however this last week in the hot weather I’ve had a couple of days where it’s felt like my airways are really constricted for the first time and it’s been a bit alarming. My blue inhaler hasn’t helped.

Is it possible that this is just asthma? Or is it COPD as my GP initially thought?

Looking at my results online they’ve deteriorated pretty drastically in 6 months. This would now give me moderate or stage 2 COPD. Which sounds really alarming? Especially at the speed it’s progressing!

I guess I’m just hoping for some reassurance as I’m getting a bit worried tbh

I know this is all pretty trivial compared to what some of you are going through so please accept my apologies for that (and for the super long post)

Any thoughts would be appreciated, although I know you’re not doctors.

Thanks for reading.

C

[Superzob]

You don't appear to have had a reversibility test for asthma; that involves spirometry before and after using Ventolin. Consequently, you won't be able to tell whether you have asthma, COPD or both. I think you need to go back to your consultant for an explanation.

[Chad01 in reply to Superzob]

Thanks for replying Superzob.

Yep, I did wonder about that when I read up on it. Don’t know what his reasoning would be for that since it does seem to be the obvious thing to do. I’ve got blue and brownish inhalers but they don’t really seem to do much.

Thanks for getting back to me.

Best wishes,

C

[Superzob in reply to Chad01]

You'd be surprised. I thought Ventolin made no difference until I did the reversibility test. If you've got a peak flow meter, test the flow before the Ventolin, then 20 minutes after; if there's an improvement, then it suggests an asthma component, which would be worth treating on its own because, as I understand it, untreated asthma can lead to the sort of irreversible damage which I also have.

[Chad01 in reply to Superzob]

Thanks Superzob. That’s really helpful I’ll definitely pursue that. Been a bit of a whirlwind couple of years health wise but that’s great advice. Oddly enough, been feeling really constricted with breathing again today and thought I’d have a few blasts on the blue inhaler and even though it didn’t feel like much help I then blew the best peak flow I’ve ever done. Of course I guess it would have been helpful if I’d checked it before but anyway....

Thanks again, hope you’re coping ok with the heat.

[Jollj]

Agree with zob, I'm a non smoker, no breathing problems but had consecutive chest infections,did the reverse test with no difference so was diagnosed mild COPD, after stopping work and sitting in a chair all day i soon deteriorated to moderate,morbidly obese, diabetes type 2 , started swimming, health kick diet etc, lost four stones, now back in pre diabetes range and back to mild COPD, have respimat inhaler once a day, they put my problem down to industrial working conditions, sometimes it's not good to look at results, they are just numbers, people lead relatively active lives with poor numbers.

Good luck and take care.

Bobby J.

[Chad01 in reply to Jollj]

Thanks Bobby.

Really appreciate that. It’s really reassuring to hear comments like that. A lot of the time the doctors do tend to leave you with a bunch of figures, unanswered questions and a sense of impending dread about what’s going to happen to you and your family. So that’s good to hear you’re story.

Will try and follow up with the specialist. Part of me wonders if he thinks it’s a kindness not to give the label. But who knows.

Thanks again. Hope things keep steady for you.

C

[PurpleAlf]

My doctor said that everyone with allergies are really suffering this year because of the weather. She gave me an anti-histamine yesterday and it is like a little miracle pill. My sinuses have cleared, I can breathe, my eyes don’t hurt and I haven’t had to use my Salamol inhaler. I also have some energy for the first time in weeks! I have also been diagnosed with mild copd recently. Perhaps you should go back to GP, don’t suffer in silence 😀

[Chad01 in reply to PurpleAlf]

Thanks Alf, that’s interesting to hear.

Yep, I’ve been putting off going to my GP as much as possible because I’ve been in and out so much over the last year or so but it might come down to that.

It’s been good to get on here and look at some posts. It’s always a bit nerve wracking when you look at these things on line and instantly start thinking the worst.

Glad to hear you’re on top of things at the moment.

Thanks again,

C

[Offcut]

One thing I can say is we are all so different! Even when we're at different levels even if the test results look the same. The cold facts are at the moment there is no cure but with the right attitude and medication it can be a livable condition. Never feel that you cannot question your doctor or ask anything that is niggling you. Put it on a piece of paper and ask when you next see someone. I have multi conditions and it has been so easy for them to blame another condition for my issues. It has been a battle but we now have joined up thinking.

Do not let it control your life!

Be Well

[Chad01 in reply to Offcut]

Thanks Offcut and sorry for the slow reply. Yes, you’re right I probably need to flag this up with my gp. It’s the first time I’ve felt my breathing constricted like this for any period and seems to last for most of the day at the mo. I’m assuming that the ridiculous weather is some kind of trigger but couple of puffs on blue inhaler doesn’t do much at the mo.

Anyway, you’re right I just need to get on top of it and then manage it best I can. Been a bit tricky recently as have a few different conditions and it’s a bit exhausting having to chase people on each.

Anyway, onwards.

Thank you again for your positive words and encouragement. Hope you have a good weekend.

C