I’ve been suffering from breathing problems - short of breath sometimes - with a tight feeling around my ribs, like I need to undo my bra. I’m having tests on my heart but all seems ok so far, just waiting to have an angiogram in a couple of months. I’m an ex smoker, gave up in April, so I’m convinced I have COPD and not a heart problem due to smoking for 50 years. I think my breathing had changed over the past year which is why I stopped smoking. But I had a bad couple of days with shortness of breath in May which is when I saw my GP who thought I may have angina.
Question is, do my symptoms fit COPD? I’m driving myself mad with worry that it’s COPD as I don’t know much about it. I don’t have any inhalers. Thank you.
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Yoga2011
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Increased shortness of breath, cough, increased mucus production, smoking history, can be some of symptoms of COPD but you need to discuss with the respiratory nurse at your drs surgery and get a lung function test (spirometry), most surgeries do them without a hosp referral. Stopping smoking is best thing you could do especially if it is copd. It won’t make it better but can stop or really slow down disease progression. Get to see ur dr or resp nurse. Take care 🦊x
Hi Yoga2011 Good advice from Bingofox to take your question back to Gp surgery and their respiratatory nurse if they have one. The specialist nurses are brilliant. I have had COPD for 40 years and am still only slightly less active than most 70 yr olds. If it is your diagnosis this forum can point you in the right direction for good advice. Just avoid Dr Google!
Could also be Pulmonary Fibrosis. My late husband was initially diagnosed with COPD because of shortness of breath coughing etc only to be told 3 years later after a CT scan that it was Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. So please get checked properly. A lot of GPs haven't a clue about Pulmonary Fibrosis and just say it's COPD. Good luck and take care of yourself.
Hi. Yoga2011. I was diagnosed with moderate COPD in 2015, and took it to be a wake-up call to get fitter. Since then, I have lost a bit of weight, improved my diet, increased my physical activity gradually to an average of 10,000 steps a day, avoid triggers and getting chest infections, and run a weekly singing for lung health group. At my last lung check before covid struck, my results were at the bottom end of normal, so I'm now classed as having mild COPD. With the right care, COPD can be something you live with, not die of.
Try not to worry. COPD can be controlled and heart problems can be controlled too-I hope so- I 'm not the only one on this site with both lung and heart problems. I do Pilates; you do Yoga- both good.🤞🤞👍
I had very similar feelings to you regarding bra strap etc.
Advice above is very good, but it could also be your lungs still clearing from years of smoking. Worth getting it checked out, but you've already done the best thing you can by giving up smoking. Anxiety an also cause that tightness around the ribs/back that you are feeling.
Hi. When you stop smoking, especially for such a long time, it is very common to have a bad cough for up to 6 months or so as it's your lungs clearing themselves.
Also smoking can suppress other issues which come to the fore once you stop.
There is a very good site on here which is for those who wish to stop and the majority who already have. I suggest you have a look at it healthunlocked.com/quitsupport
you’ve had some good advice and I totally agree with Ergendl -Copd managed properly is something you live with not necessarily die from and also Anng18 who said your symptoms may well be due to your lungs still clearing after giving up smoking . One thing I would add is that whatever the cause of your breathlessness stress and worry will definitely make the symptoms much worse . The more you concentrate on the breathlessness the worse it will be , my husband had Copd and the biggest hurdle was overcoming the panic Try to stay calm, busy and distracted and remember whatever the outcome it can be managed 😊 x
thank you everyone, your comments and advice are so appreciated. I don’t have a cough, don’t wheeze, don’t have mucus, just short of breath sometimes with tightness/pressure around the front of my ribs. I think the next time it feels quite uncomfortable I’ll use my gt spray and if I feel better then it would probably be angina although the hospital said my symptoms weren’t like angina. If I don’t feel better I’ll see gp about inhalers perhaps. I’ll ask if they have a respiratory nurse as well. I’ll try not to worry too much as whatever it is I’ll put my big girls pants on and deal with it. Thank you all again x
You must pursue matters in order to get a correct diagnosis sooner rather than later. Only then can treatment be prescribed, Not to worry as copd is not a death sentence, we usually die with it ,not from it.
COPD is a generic name used for Emphysema and chronic bronchitis, other lung conditions also could fit under the COPD umbrella but I don’t think there is an official definition yet, Diagnosis requires x-rays, CT scan and lung function tests, I asked my consultant why am I so breathless he said that with aspergillosis, emphysema leaky heart valve and lung scarring all of which can cause breathlessness add them all together and you get chronic breathlessness. It’s a pain as I can’t walk more than a few yards without having to stop because I’m too breathless, but I have adapted and use a mobility scooter so I can still get out and about.
Glad it was asthma and not heart problems for you. Thank you for advice, I’ll have a word with my surgery. But I don’t cough, don’t wheeze so not sure it’s asthma?
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