I have been diagnosed with mild copd.Could someone advice me please if I should be worried.

[grettal]

What does mild copd mean

[Hopeful1]

Hi Grettal. Were you given any helpful pointers when diagnosed? A trustworthy source of information is Asthma and Lung Uk if you google them they have lots of helpful info on line and in booklets. However avoid Dr Google!I have lived with mild COPD for decades with very slow progression to now borderline mild/ moderate and lead a pretty normal independent life. Just a bit slower walking if weather or hills against me.

This site is great for specific questions and general support but remember that the vast majority with mild COPD have no need of it so here there are folk with a variety of lung problems.

As far as I know the golden rules are

a

Use you inhalers as perscribed.

If you smoke Quit Gp should belp with that probably the most important thing you can do to help yourself

Excercise A little breathlessnes on excercise is good for Copd

As healthy a diet as you can manage and keep warm

Cover mouth and nose with scarf in cold weather to warm the air you breathe.

And don't worry. Mild COPD properly managed should not be a big problem.

[CDPO16 in reply to Hopeful1]

Great reply from Hopeful. I would add grettal, get any suspected chest infections treated promptly and you may find a pulmonary rehab course helpful if your GP will refer you. You are fortunate to be diagnosed at an early stage and as Hopeful said, can maintain that with helthy living.

[Nornirishsteve in reply to Hopeful1]

Hi Hopeful, I want to thank you for your encouraging post, I read it over and over when I'm at my lowest, like now. I've been diagnosed with emphysema last month age 53 but subsequently found out from my hospital notes from a lung op for pneumonia complications that I had this disease 10 years ago. I'm still fit now, run regularly, no cough, just crackling in my lungs and fatigue. My FEV was %98 and %87 for the other important reading (can't remember the name) I'm afraid I've already used up one decade and worry what the next will bring. Will I still be able to work, cut the hedge, play with any future grand kids, I know it's all specific to each individual but is it possible for me to reach three score and ten still relatively fit?

[Hopeful1 in reply to Nornirishsteve]

Yes indeed. I am 71, started from a less fit baseline than you 20 years ago, am slower than I was 20 yrs ago, but so is everyone. I still garden, play with grandchildren, live independently do some voluntary work and intend to keep going for many years yet.

As others have said, Pulmonary Rehab is brilliantly educative, but you are possibly too fit to be referred. However much of the information given is available from Asthma and Lung UK , either on their website,

Also I hope you were given a Rescue pack when diagnosed for if you develop an infection Important to avoid chest infections and get them dealt with rapidly. Have flu and covid jabs.

And there are new treatments being researched. A new diagnosis is always a shock, but you sound in great shape . Perhaps ringing Asthma and Lung UK helpline might give you further reassurane. Knowledge is our friend.

[Nornirishsteve in reply to Hopeful1]

Thank you so much for your reply. I haven't been given a rescue pack or any vaccines, just an inhaler and reassurance from my doctor that bcos I stopped smoking 11 years ago that there's no more damage being done, I think he just wants me to stop worrying.Is it the GP who gives you a rescue package or the hospital as I'm waiting on an appointment with the respiratory dept but the state of our NHS waiting lists at the minute is dire. Also I've had no word of vaccinations, maybe I should phone tomorrow and book them.

[Hopeful1 in reply to Nornirishsteve]

Hi again . I am glad you have a hospital appointment. You can discuss your fears fully with them. COPD has very slow progression especially while you are as fit and active as you are. Decades not years.

Many chemists offer flu vaccines for £10 or £20 pounds. Covid is only offerred on age or compromised immunity now.

I really urge you to ring Asthma and Lung uk. 0300 222 5800. They are the major uk charity in the field and have more knowledge than me.

Best wishes

Hopeful

[Yendo]

Hi Grettal,

You’ve been diagnosed with mild COPD. So was I 20 years ago. You should know that there is no cure for COPD and that over time it will gradually get worse. Those are the facts. But there are things you can do to delay the progression of the disease, that’s the good part, but it means you taking responsibility for your health. The most important to do if you have not already done it is to stop smoking. Next is to exercise, try something you enjoy doing, like walking or swimming or aerobics, etc. As I said I was diagnosed 20 years ago with mild COPD and now my condition is classed as moderate. There are four stages of COPD, mild, moderate, severe, and terminal. It’s very good for you that your condition has been diagnosed while in the early stages of this disease. This means you can take action to delay the progression of the disease. I’m 87 Grettal and still doing ok. Good luck to you!

[katieoxo60]

I was diagnosed with mild COPD over ten years ago , it is managible with inhalers but can't be cured like many other things to do with health. Try to avoid respiratory bugs like flu & colds and treat immediately with paracetamol.Eat a well balanced diet and try to keep wait down, Some exercise is beneficial but don,t overdo it. The walking is the hardest, I had a knee replacement for arthritis which has reduced my mobility further and as others say gradually how far you can walk will reduce as will the ability to lift etc. Bending is another thing that effects the breathing in copd. Try to keep as fit as possible which usually keeps the COPD at bay.

[Timberman]

You should not be worried but take good advice; give up smoking; get plenty of exercise; maintain a good weight.

It is hard to tell what stage you are at since COPD is not a disease but a name for a group, including emphysema, asthma, bronchiectasis and a few others. 'Mild' suggests it is very early and catching it early means it will be easier to manage. I was not caught until I was 65 but had been at mildly affected from much earlier when a dodgy GP failed me.

I was diagnosed with emphysema and bronchiectasis 15 years ago. As I understand it, these are not diagnoses that can be routinely confirmed by a GP. However your symptoms will inform him that you do have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD.

I have been under the excellent care of first the Norfolk COPD team and now the Essex COPD team. These are specialised nurses and clinic specialists who deliver highly informed and focused care for he mane sufferers of these essentially smoking caused diseases (although other environmental and occupational factors plus genetics play a part).

Your GP surgery should have a respiratory nurse specialist to help. And you should be put in touch or get in touch with your local COPD team.

The medicines are quite specialist too.

There are many web sites to help you:

asthmaandlung.org.uk/condit...

nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-o...

[Superzob]

It's a very understandable question, but possibly the wrong one! I suspect most of us have hidden conditions which never come to light and which never bother us because we have few symptoms. The purpose of a diagnosis is to obtain the right treatment to cure a condition, or stop it getting worse; it doesn't affect the fact that we already had that condition, just that we are now aware of it (and it's that awareness which causes the anxiety).

However, if the condition is mild (as in your case), then the right treatment will probably keep it that way. You can't cure COPD because everyone's lungs deteriorate over time; the diagnosis simply means that your FEV1/FVC is less than 70%, but it's mild because the FEV1 is >80%. This is based on the so-called 95 percentile range of people of your height, age and gender; 5% of people will have perfectly healthy lungs even though they're outside the range, and you might only just be inside it.

The most important thing is how you feel. I had very few symptoms before I was diagnosed with moderate/severe COPD - that didn't change how I felt, but the treatment has improved some of the symptoms and stabilised the condition. I was surprised to learn that I only had 53% lung function as it never affected my daily activity. I will never run a marathon with effectively only one lung, but then I never did and have no desire to do so! So, hopefully, you will also find it won't affect your daily life and at least you now have the option of treatment to stabilise the condition.

[PW_R]

Don’t get sick! In my opinion it’s as detrimental if not more so than continuing to smoke. Chest infections have rapidly increased my disease burden.