Could it be COPD

[Yumz199725]

I'm having a really rough time at the moment breathing has got so bad and feel exhausted all the time 💔. I have been coughing up weird bubbles of phlegm I will attach a picture so you can see what I mean! I think it could be COPD because at first thought it was heart related because I have heart disease and asthma but I spoke to my heart consultant today well a nurse specialist and she says from heart point of view everything is fine but still dosent add up could be gastro because of the bloating and painful abdomin but I get out of breathe soooo much and I'm getting swollen legs, feet and ankles now aswell so there's obviously something not right. How was everyone else diagnosed with COPD and what symptoms did you have???

[Biker88]

My COPD emphysema was diagnosed by CT scan and broncoscopy, spirometry tests gave an indication of lung function but on their own are not a diagnosis of COPD. COPD is either emphysema or chronic bronchitis but there are other conditions that can cause breathing issues. Mine are down to Aspergillosis, emphysema, leaky heart valve, lung scarring and age

[Dancer789]

I was diagnosed with COPD recently.. I had had strange symptoms for a couple of years - chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling of ankles, chest pain, 'panic attacks' in the night. I thought it was long Covid but then last year I started to get lung infections (3x bronchiolitis, 1x pleurisy). Got a referral to the Respiratory clinic last June and they said the queues were a year or more. At Christmas, I got a very bad lung infection, ended up in the A&E because my oxygen levels were 89%. I had been coughing day and night for 10 days at that point. They gave me antibiotics and a rescue inhaler. My referral was sped up because of what happened. I got diagnosed with COPD in February and got an inhaler. The first one was Incruse but it wasn't effective enough so it was changed to Relvar. They say the x-rays show I have scarring in my lungs and it's likely that it's been caused by Covid. I've never smoked, but I was exposed to second hand smoke at home when I was young. So this may have been a factor as well. The thing is - nearly all of the symptoms have now disappeared after starting the medication. Even the 'panic attacks', which I now think were just my brain waking me up when I couldn't breath properly...

[Ergendl]

I was diagnosed after taking a cable car to the top of mount Teide in Tenerife and feeling very unwell when I got out. Took the next cable car down and felt better immediately. Enjoyed the rest of my holiday. Saw my GP on my return, who got my heart checked out as the cable car had warnings for people with heart problems not to take it. Heart proved OK except for a slightly enlarged upper right chamber indicating lung issues. Diagnosed with spirometry as moderate COPD by the GP's respiratory nurse as I had had enough of visiting the hospital.

My previous husband Bob was diagnosed with COPD because he had been breathless for a long time. He had been a long time smoker and didn't stay stopped with me when I gave it up. He also developed food intolerances which we identified during a holiday on Rhodes. While there he lost a lot of weight and felt so much fitter than usual. We found out bleached white flour made him more breathless, and cows milk products made him swell up like a football. In Rhodes at that time, the bread was golden brown (unbleached) and milk came from sheep and goats. One of the reasons why I trained to be a dietitian later.

[Welshcatlady in reply to Ergendl]

Sorry to hear that you have COPD. That mount Teide is quite high, we went up to the top in the cable car quite a few years ago, before I was diagnosed with COPD, and I was quite SOB up there. Luckily I had time to take in the views before coming back down.

[Nula2]

Hi Yumz, I suffer from breathlessness, swollen feet & legs and my tummy aches most of the time. I have Bronchiectasis but like you I'm not sure if tummy ache and swelling relates to that or something else is going on! Hope you find a solution 🤞xxx

[Yumz199725 in reply to Nula2]

Thanks that's really helpful xx ❤️

[Souielouie]

bless you I hope you get some answers & help very soon 🥰🤗

[Patk1]

See Yr gp x

[Karenanne61]

Hi! I was diagnosed after lung function tests, cts, pet scans, xrays etc. They followed on from being on life support in a coma due to type 2 respiratory collapse. I think it's probably best if you see a gp and go from there

[AsthmaandLung Administrator]

Hello Yumz199725

I am sorry to read you are having such a hard time with your breathing. As the members have advised, see your GP as soon as possible for a review, you may need further investigations or medication if you are feeling breathless. If you would like to chat to one of our Clinical Team for advice and questions to ask your Doctor- give us a call at the helpline.

asthmaandlung.org.uk/helpline

Take care

Helpline Team

[Yumz199725 in reply to AsthmaandLung]

Thank you 😊

[murphy53]

Best thing is to have it checked...Don't think it's suddenly copd ....

[Yumz199725 in reply to murphy53]

No I am getting it checked on Tuesday x

[JHutton1994]

Could it be? Yes. Is it likely to be in a 26 year old non smoker? No. Wouldn't be likely even if you spent the past 10 years smoking. Hope they can tell you what it is or refer you in a timely manner to someone who can. Wouldn't worry about COPD.

[Yumz199725 in reply to JHutton1994]

I'm out of breathe alot now and when I lie flat I can't breathe and it wakes me up I have been told by my heart team that my heart is fine x so it can only be my lungs? What else could it be besides asthma and COPD? I don't get it 💔

[JHutton1994 in reply to Yumz199725]

GORD can cause phlegm and breathing difficulties which is digestive, there's also over 200 lung diseases. Hopefully they will give you a spirometry and a chest CT to rule out or in lung disease.

[Yumz199725 in reply to JHutton1994]

Thank you x I will definitely go to my GP I need for them to look into this for me so fed up.

[Biker88 in reply to Yumz199725]

Struggling to breath when laying flat is common with most lung conditions, I have to sleep propped up. There are a whole list of potential lung conditions that cause breathing issues. Some bacterial/viral infections can linger for years and be hard to detect, fungal infection again rare and normally overlooked. I had a version pneumonia which went undetected for 9 months. Have you had a CT scan and broncoscopy as these tend to show up most problems.

[Yumz199725 in reply to Biker88]

Oh wow that's helpful thanks I'm definitely gona bring this up with my GP x I'm still bringing up foamy white phlegm most days???