Early days with COPD

[HelenAlora]

a little mucus, a bit out of breath, and bang - its COPD!! seeing a specialist tomorrow who will advise on the extent of the damage. i stopped smoking 15 years ago - and i keep very active. is there anyone else in a similar situation who hasn't seen their COPD worsen a great deal? I am really hopeful that I can maintain current levels of health for a long time yet

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Hello hope all goes well when you see your consultant, ask about being referred to pulmonary rehab it really does help. Please let us know how you get on. Have a good day and take care of yourself 😊 Bernadette xx

[HelenAlora in reply to Damon1864]

thanks very much - at the moment i think this diagnosis has just made me feel scared - got to get that under control - so many people are really suffering - i am just feeling shocked right now. got to get a grip!!

[Thinkhealthy in reply to Damon1864]

Hi Bernadette -and everyone else who was kind enough to offer such support - I was rather in a panic! I saw the lung doc yesterday and my lung function test was good. My COPD is not severe enough to warrant treatment. Just have to maintain the breathing exercises , and all the usual precautions re irritants. And will have regular checks.. So I was bowled over given the report on the CAT scan and my blood results - which weren’t good. I expected much worse. So I am feeling very very grateful this morning. I wish everyone a bit of the good luck I have just had. X

[Damon1864 Volunteer in reply to Thinkhealthy]

I'm so pleased things went really well for you, it's nice when someone gets good news. Keep doing whatever it is you are doing it seems to be working, have a lovely day and take care of yourself 😊 Bernadette xx

[O2Trees]

Hi and welcome! Like you I was always very active and was diagnosed 15 years after I quit smoking. It should have been earlier but I had asthma and that disguised the copd for some time. So I was dxd at mid-moderate stage when I was 55 and nearly 20 years later I am at the lower end of the severe stage but still very active - reduced from formerly of course!

The main impact on my life is having to constantly check and dodge things that could make me worse, e.g. pollutants like car fumes, cleaning chemicals etc and most importantly germy people.

To minimise progression you do need to try to avoid infection as far as humanly possible - when I mentioned that as a patient rep at a copd educational event a GP in the audience sneered at the idea but you really can do a lot - avoid touching your eyes and nose when you're out, - they are the main route of infection into your body - always wash hands coming back home, go to the supermarket when it's least crowded, make sure your friends and relatives know not to come near you if they have any viruses. Get your yearly flu jab and a pneumonia jab as soon as possible. Get a referral to PR as Bernadette has suggested - it is by far the most evidenced thing you can do to help yourself stay well.

Good diet, regular exercise and adaptive lifestyle changes work wonders. Others here will have more tips Im sure. Good luck and make sure you ask anything you're wondering about. Some people here have lived with copd for 30 years - its certainly not a death sentence just something you have to adjust to. Good luck and keep warm!

[HelenAlora in reply to O2Trees]

thank you also for such a positive response - just what i need to hear right now. I am pretty good already at the hand washing thing - we live in a rural area and aren't exposed in the way we were in London - public transport etc. I do periodically get 'mini bugs ' that probably aren't bugs - just a few days feeling utterly utterly exhausted - flu symptoms but not really flu - no one ever catches it from me. am beginning to think these have been little copd flare ups - doctors have been confused as always identical symptoms, could be any month of the year, and they hit with a couple of hours notice. Does this sound like its copd related to you? Anyway, I am going to get my head round this. have already started doing morning yoga exercises, and determined to lose a bit of weight and ensure regular exercise and find that optimistic frame of mind.

Its really reassuring to have a forum to turn to, so thank you very much

[O2Trees in reply to HelenAlora]

You're wecome!

[Thinkhealthy in reply to O2Trees]

Hello and thank you again for such kind support . My lung function test was way better than i expected given blood and cat scan results. So I feel extremely fortunate and so incredibly grateful this morning - all those years of breathing in smoke ! So I have no treatment plan, just to continue with breathing exercises and will be monitored. I wish I could share this luck around, Hope you stay well and thank you again. X Helen

[Spacecat1]

I was diagnosed in 2007 very mild copd consultant put me on inhaler like you gave up smoking. I'm not to bad at the moment I have up and down days at the moment weather affecting me, but keeping active. I dont produce mucus or cough. They keep giving me bottles just in case I produce any. Seem to be collecting bottles lol. I did leave it a long time before I went to the doctors to be diagnosed which was a bit silly thing to do. But I just put it down to being a bit chesty and nothing to worry about. But saying that I do feel good at the moment so for me fingers crossed I stay as I am. Take care

[Doubledown in reply to Spacecat1]

After 13 years what stage are you at now? Are you still mild?

[Spacecat1 in reply to Doubledown]

I'm on oxygen all day I'm classed as serve respiratory failure. But still getting out and about. My consultant says I'm doing well. More exercise and the 6 minute walk to do again and he will put me through for lung reduction. So I'm determined to do it .

[Thinkhealthy in reply to Spacecat1]

Hi Spacecat - thank you again for such support . I am one very lucky person and so grateful. My lung function test was good - big lungs from all the swimming in my youth - so even though cat scan and blood results weren’t good I am not to have any treatment as yet - just to continue the breathing exercises. How lucky am I. I wish I could spread that luck around . Hope you stay well and active . X Helen

[HelenAlora]

thank you so much - another really positive reply and it is just this first few days after diagnosis that i have been really in a bit of panic. My mum - bless her she wouldnt stop smoking - suffered really badly with copd and i can't shift the images of her from my mind. My common sense tells me I have excellent chance of avoiding what she went through - just need to work on convincing myself. I know so many friends of mine currently with much worse problems than me - and they are coping. So I must up my game !!

[hypercat54]

Hi it sounds like you are in the early stages of copd. I was diagnosed 11 years ago at 54 in stage 1 and have progressed very little. We are all different of course, but the doctor told me not to worry about it as old age will get me first. x

[Thinkhealthy in reply to hypercat54]

We hard great 👍and hopefully I will be On the same path

[hypercat54 in reply to Thinkhealthy]

No reason why not x

[Lemon7]

I was diagnosed earlier this year mild copd. Quit smoking 20+ years ago. Too early to say about change in condition, but like you, I'm hoping I stay this way as long as possible. Get prompt treatment for chest infections etc because soldiering on will worsen your condition. Wishing you well.

[HelenAlora in reply to Lemon7]

Thank you so much, and its so good to hear that people are doing so well and managing this. I am not exactly looking forward to tomorrow's session, but am getting my positive frame of mind in order. you are all examples of how to approach this. thank you

[Thinkhealthy in reply to Lemon7]

Hello and so relieved to say my lung function was good and my level of COPD is mild and no treatment plan as yet - just to maintain breathing exercises etc. feeling incredibly fortunate this morning . Stay well xxxx

[Lemon7 in reply to Thinkhealthy]

Good to hear. Look after yourself.

[garshe]

I was diagnosed severe COPD 10yrs ago. With my Positive thinking and gave up smoking 10yrs ago I am still here and still Severe. I still do everything all be it a little slower. We all deteriorate as we get older anyway. Just remember COPD is not terminal its progressive and that depends on how you look after yourself.be Positive and keep active. xxSheila

[HelenAlora in reply to garshe]

thats brilliant to hear, and thank you for your feedback. Everyone is helping with such positive supportive comments.

[Ergendl]

I was diagnosed in 2015 with moderate COPD. I followed the suggestions of others on this site, and also set up and still run a weekly singing for lung health group. After Pulmonary Rehab I also increased my daily steps gradually from 2500 to 10,000 per day. At my last two annual assessments, my COPD had improved to the lower end of normal.