what do i do now i have it will it get worse do i change my life style im very confused.
my chest doctor has told me i have mo... - Lung Conditions C...
my chest doctor has told me i have moderate copd. i do get out of breath quite quickly i gave up smoking 3 months ago.
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scrappy
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Moderate copd is not like any other moderate illness its more serious than that i sometimes wish there was another word that could be used because some people including my practice nurse think moderate well that's not so bad then , you have taken the first step to keeping yourself moderate by giving up smoking , try to exercise by walking i know it's hard when your breathless but it really will do you good , ask about the pulmonary rehab in your area and have a go, copd is progressive im sorry to say but if you keep of the cigs and exercise you will feel better , they are many people on here with years of experience who will give you some great advice , the idea now is to stay moderate for as long as you can .
xx Gill .
thanks for that gill its just scary i suffer with gad as well so anxiety is a big part of my life guess i have to accept and do the best i can x
Hi---I also have moderate copd, I think-- have close to 55 percent of my lung capacity left--live in Denver, Colorado, USA and also have sob--- especially in higher altitudes and with bad air days! I exercise a lot---treadmill 40 minutes a day, do breathing exercises and try not to panic when I am sob!---also developed chronic bronchitis---actually picked it up in pulmonary rehab 7 mos ago--- possibly a coincidence---aerobic exercise is crucial to our lung functioning---as important as the lung meds--and you can avoid a lot of them by regular daily aerobic exercise!
I am 74 and one half and was diagnosed in August of 2008---have had pneumonia twice in past three years and developed bronchopneumonia 9/08 while on a river cruise in Russia ! Have learned to be very careful in crowds and try to avoid being around people with colds--
can get depressed and/or anxious with this disease--- Try to keep a sense of humor and stay active---and these sites are helpful --just joined one in the States
penelope, a/k/a chort--- which means "devil" in Russian
ha soz lol specialist
Hello scrappy 
and welcome !
I'm at the severe stage with only 28% lung capacity, but believe I still have a long and fulfilling life ahead of me, even at 64 years old ! If you start taking good care of yourself now there is no reason why you shouldn't have the same chance.
Get as much of the information and help that's on offer as you can and best wishes for a bright future
Hi Scrappy, I am exactly the same as elian, 64 yrs old and 28% lung capacity. Yes I struggle some days, but I am positive in attitude. Learning to manage your illness and understand it is the way to go. Ask your gp about pulmonary rehab, and learm how to go about it the right way. If you get chest infections, dont let them take hold, get a gp appointment fast. The first sign is usually a taste or a sputum colour change. Any questions, just ask, there is always someone around to answer. Best wishes.
I think Gordon it's fair to say there is no cure for COPD it is not reversible there is No specific life expectancy no one can say you are going to die next year or in the next ten years , we can of course manage this disease and although we cant get better and banish COPD we can make ourselves feel better by exercise diet and not smoking, anyone who says you will get better one day when you have COPD is in my opinion being economical with the truth im afraid , i know that one day i will die we all do but i know that COPD will play a major part in my death, sorry to sound harsh but it's the truth .
All we really can do is manage our symptoms. The main benefit to quitting smoking is that you do not get worse as fast. And can make the deterioration much slower. Sorry guys as Gordon, straight talking. This is chronic and we will get worse. I was diagnosed in 1989 and as I have not got run over by a bus or anything else got me yet, am now much worse and am in the very server range with lung capacity of 25%. But I am still active even though I do at times now use a mobility scooter. There is no doubt each year it gets worse. But we can make our lives longer and better by staying active, learning how to manage our copd, I for instance have just managed an exacerbation and quickly banished it. So important else each time you get a bad one, it damages your lungs further. I could still live for many years, if I don't get run over by a bus, or something else gets me. But it probably is going to be the case that respiratory failure is going on my death certificate. Am I frightened? No. We all are going to die. Of something someday. We just do everything in our power to ensure the reaper waits as long as possible. Oh and back to the smoking. I sat and thought about it some years ago after coughing and passing out because of lack of oxygen getting to my brain during an exacerbation. I knew I was getting worse quickly. And reasoned I would be dead in at most two years if I did not quit. Then thought about the grief that would cause my close family. I knew I could avoid that and save them that grief by quitting. So I did. Nine years ago now. If you smoke, don't do it for yourself, do it for those that matter, those that love and need you
hi derrylynne, are you saying you packed smoking up 14 years after you were told you had COPD or am i reading this wrong.
The reason it has got worse Gordon is your diseases is progressing , i well recall being diagnosed ten years ago i felt ok not bad at all then 4 years ago WHAM im losing my voice im SOB i can't walk 20 yards without being SOB i ended up at my GPs she put me straight onto a nebuiliser what a God send that was, but i had got a whole lot worse and don't forget i gave up smoking on being diagnosed .
It is the way it is im afraid Gordon what your experiencing right now is what a lot of us on here have and are going through , you are now at a certain stage and its can't be reversed , please help yourself by exercise it will get the fluids up from your lungs you will feel ten times better once that happens i promise, i take Q10 for energy and find it very helpfull , good luck Gordon .
xx Gill
Hi Gordon
Please can you tell me what Montelukast is for ?
looks like you are set to make those differences with diet and exercise. Best wishes and sure it will help you feel better. even just a few more steps when you can add up. see some utube exercises too e.g. youtube.com/watch?v=iIrAUL_... and there are many on more exercises as in pulmonary rehab.
thanks
I agree with the others. You need to be a fit as you can be and maintain a healthy weight. You have also given up smoking which is good. Try and keep a positive attitude to life. But COPD is a progressive disease all you can do is try to hold it back as much as possible. x
hi i have been told i have moderate copd over a week ago and i hav,nt smoked for 30 years and they told me it could be smokeing or my job i was a industrial cleaner and told me it was.nt that bad didnt tell me it would get worst it is scary , it is good there is a site like this where you can get advice thanks to you all
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