Covid or copd

[Sandie59]

Just joined this site,At the end of Feb I was admitted to hospital with a raging temperature,shortness of breath and a cough,Not a lot was heard of regarding covid 19at that time,I spent 3 days on nasal oxygen,had steroids and antibiotics,spent 8days in hospital,On my discharge day a doctor informed me I had copd,I was in shock as in 60 years I have never had a cough,a chest infection or any breathing issues,In hindsight I strongly believe I had covid 19,My respiratory nurse does not agree with me ,I do have breathless days still but then read covid patients can be breathless for a long time after.Any advice on this?

[HungryHufflepuff]

Hello and welcome 😊

How were you diagnosed with COPD? It requires various tests to determine that. Can you ask for a proper diagnosis? And also some support, not just being sent away with no advice or information. Wishing you all the best.

[Sandie59 in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

The doctor diagnosed me with no testing done,2 days after discharge I went to my local nurse who done a spirometry test and then she diagnosed me too,,however I was then told by an ex nurse that the spirometry should not have been done so soon after discharge and the fact I was still on steroids and antibiotics and unwell wouldn't even shown a poor reading ,I still to this day have no cough or sputum though I do have breathless days .

[Sandie59 in reply to Sandie59]

Also my chest X ray on admittance to hospital was clear

[Kristicats]

You need to have had to blow into a spirometer 3 times or have had a CT scan ?to diagnose COPD. Normal x ray rarely shows copd unless it’s very severe. So in order to find out if it’s copd you could ask your respiratory nurse for a spirometry test. Otherwise I guess the only way to find out if it was Covid would be by having a Covid antibody test.

[2greys]

A very bad chest infection is all it can take to tip you over the edge, from perceiving that you are normal and healthy to wondering what is wrong. I happened to me. You probably already had mild/moderate COPD and suddenly taken into the moderate/severe territory by the infection. Each time you get a chest infection your lungs can get damaged more, so from now on you must try not to get any further infections. Avoid people who have coughs and flu, try not to use public transport. Continue with washing your hands regularly. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, plain walking is good.

[Sandie59 in reply to 2greys]

As we were then put into lockdown I haven't been able to see a doctor or nurse,our health centre isn't open still today!Talking on the telephone is no good at all as far as I'm concerned.Just to add I also have a hiatus hernia and gerd which I'm wondering could be contributing to my breathlessness?I am awaiting on a procedure to help my gerd but according to my gastro consultant they do not operate on hernias as general procedure nowadays?

[2greys in reply to Sandie59]

Gerd and Copd can go hand in hand, Gerd can also cause damage to your lungs. You really need a spirometry test and a CT Scan for a proper diagnosis, although hyper-inflated lungs can show up via an X-Ray, which also gave me a preliminary diagnosis of Emphysema, which along with Chronic Bronchitis are both COPD. Of course the Spirometry test, a blow test, is difficult to be given with Covid-19 around.

[Sandie59 in reply to 2greys]

Thank you for your advice,As soon as I am able I will request a scan and another spirometry test.

[Hidden in reply to Sandie59]

In addition to CT scan request and another spirometry test, if your breathing difficulties persist and you have a diagnosis of ~COPD you should be prescribed inhalers (bronchodilaters), have an annual flu shot and request you are referred to pulmonary rehabilitation where you will learn more about managing the condition.

[Sandie59 in reply to Hidden]

I have been given bricanyl inhaler but I can honestly say it has not helped my breathlessness when I get it,I did have 5 days of steroid tablets a few weeks ago and felt better on them.

[Hidden in reply to Sandie59]

Really sounds like you should be having this discussion again with your Doctor.

[2greys]

I can understand your reluctance to accept a diagnosis of COPD, it is not something I would wish upon anyone. But if it is confirmed, you really must accept it, so you can embrace how to manage this horrible chronic disease. With COPD so much of the treatment is self management, a half hearted approach will do you no favours at all.

[beech]

One more question, Sandie - did you used to smoke? You don’t have to answer, of course! It seems that an admission of a past history (or currently active) smoking leads directly to a diagnosis of COPD, however few tests may have been done. Yes, a generalisation that comes from a very small survey, but it seems to cause a very quick diagnosis!

[Sandie59 in reply to beech]

Yes I was a smoker for a long time,but had never suffered any chest or smoking related problems before this episode.

[Penpet]

I had the same hospitalized 4 days and told I have copd by a lung specialized I visited after being discharged. No exams on me but a spirometry I passed.

[Sandie59 in reply to Penpet]

If you passed the spirometry isn't it questionable that you have copd? I am new to all this though I have lost a couple friends over the years to this condition.