Hi I am new here I have just been told I have COPD and what a scare that was, what can I expect to suffer in the long run, My name is Julia

[darceynjo]

[elian]

Hello Julia and welcome to the BLF. I'm sure you will learn a lot here, and believe me when I say there is nothing to be afraid of A lot of my fellow COPD'ers refuse to say that we 'suffer from COPD'. We prefer to say that we 'live with COPD'.

If you take good care of yourself, through diet and regular exercise you won't have to suffer at all, except perhaps the shortness of breath and a propensity for chest infection as our immune system's defences are lower.

Of course, a lot depends on which stage of COPD you've been diagnosed with. I believe there are either 3 or 4 stages. Mild, moderate, severe and end stage. My own COPD is severe, but I still manage to lead a good life. I'm on oxygen at home 16 hours daily (8 or 9 of which are used whilst I'm asleep and I have a portable oxygen concentrator for the other 8 hours which means I'm free to go out and about if I wish).

Hopefully, your health professionals will guide you toward a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Course (they are brilliant!) and you'll already have been given the appropriate medication. Make sure you are using it correctly

If you have any specific questions you need answers to then you can't do better than ring the BLF Helpline - it's a Freephone number. I understand from other members here that the staff on the other end are really sympathetic and helpful.

[darceynjo in reply to elian]

Hi Elien and thankyou for that information, my COPD nurse has been telling me about loads of things that will help, but it is so much to take in all at once. I am sure I will get there, I have been referred for a Rehab course just a case of waiting for a place now. Thankyou once again. x

[valm]

Hello and welcome Val

[darceynjo in reply to valm]

Hello Val and thankyou

[tanyamarie]

welcome to the site, hope you find it useful. Go back thru most of the blogs and questions on here, you be surprised what you will pick up.

[darceynjo in reply to tanyamarie]

Thankyou I am sure I will find the site useful x

[darceynjo]

Hi Sancho that is going to be one of the hard things to do, stop smoking but my chest is telling me to do it, so it has to be x

[Hidden]

Make sure you get the right medications for you. Spiriva helped me when I asked for extra help. Also, I find I need 2 lots of antibiotics sometimes ....and that took some bad times that taught me to go back to doc if they hadn't resolved the problem. Key points, ask for and make sure you get the info and the help that is available. .. I have found I need to be proactive to get what I need.

[darceynjo in reply to Hidden]

Hi Juliakkay, I will take you advice on board thankyou x

[Hidden]

Hiya Julia nice to meet you. I am at same stage as you - not long been diagnosed with copd and still smoking. I have been prescribed salbutomel inhaler, symbicort and recently spiriva. I find these really help. I also have a COPD check up every 6 months with a nurse. They check bloods regularly to make sure you are otherwise healthy. I also have a spirometry test from time to time as well. So you should make sure you are offered these. I have also just been referred to a pulmonary rehab clinic for supervised excercise so you can ask about that as well. Apart from the odd chest infections - for which i now need steriods and a strong antibiotic to clear Im ok. You should make sure you get the flu jab and the pnemonia jab too. good luck and let me know how you get on with the giving up smoking - I need to stop as well. x

[Hidden]

Oh one other thing Julia - i find sometimes that when i get chest infections now I dont always get the obvious symptons ie phelgm colour etc. I had a spell where these were not present so I didnt go to dr. My symptons were not being able to take a deep breath, having to walk slowly and coughing fits. A friend got fed up with me prevaricating whether i should go and made me book appointment! Glad she did - i had chest infection needed steriods antibiotics and a nebuliser! Oh the relief of being able to breathe again lol x

[darceynjo]

Hi Hyercat, I am on the same inhalers that you take, and have also emergency meds eg antibiotics and steriods. Trying to get a appointment at our GPs you have to be ill a week before. My husband has been seriously ill so I just put my own health on the back burner (he is 18yrs older than me, I am 53) and what happened I ended up in A & E. As for the smoking this is really hard to do when you have been smoking for 40yrs. I dont cough any phelgm up and this doesnt help, so I cant say what colour mine is. Thanks x

[Davybaby]

Please, please stop smoking, with our disease it's probably the worst thing you can be doing, it's not difficult to stop honestly.

[Gary1969]

Hi Julie,if you do read this then your reading from the biggest coward going hate going doctors let alone hospitals, i didn't do anything for 3 years i now have 3 stage copd i smoked from the age of 12 im now 43 but i listened to the great people on here got plenty of advice packed up smoking went back to my doctors told him every concern i had and he answered all of them.

I had to finish work as it was to labour intensified for me cant run up scaffolding with doors on my back anymore.

If like me you find that your medicine does not seem to help go back get them to show you how to use it correctly the difference between the correct way and wrong way is amazing i feel so much better now all because im using it correctly .

SMOKING if you do smoke stop .I loved a good smoke i enjoyed it i miss it a nice pint and a smoke bliss BUT you must go back to your doctors get patches ,champix, the plastic fag inhaler ask to go on a smoking cessation course i did and i havent touched one or felt like one in over a month.

And finally read some of the older questions on here, i promise it will put your mind at rest they are a good honest bunch of lads and lasses and what your going through somebody else has gone through already so they know how you feel .

[darceynjo in reply to Gary1969]

Hi gary, you are not the only coward its easy for people to say stop smoking but hard to do it, I know it will help me but I am under a lot of stress, what with my husband (he has just had major stomach surgery and is 18yrs older than me I am 53) and to add to my problems I now have money worries, I am sorry if I seen as if I am moaning x

[Gary1969 in reply to darceynjo]

Julie in time you will stop smoking,i know ive tried many many times im hoping i can keep off them this time if i dont then i will try again things at the moment don't seem good they will get better.

Money worries if you can get in-touch with the c.a.b they will make sure you are claiming everything you can, the only advice i can give is talk to your creditors make a offer that you can afford to clear off what you owe they would rather have that than nothing at all.

And Julie you're not moaning x