I don't post much on this site although I read much of what is posted by others. As I have very mild COPD and only been diagnosed 5 months I don't really feel I can have a lot of input so I jump in once in a while with something like this or a question I want to ask.
I was 50 on Saturday and went to York to celebrate. Yes I did get slightly drunk but not so that I couldn't remember the day and I was in bed for 11.30 pm. This morning I got up at 9 and finished up doing an 8.25 mile walk, though not all in one go I hasten to add. I bought myself a stepometer a month or so ago and with all of the walking I do through the day I'm averaging at least 5 miles per day. I wear it around my neck every day so I can keep a record.
On Friday evening my cough started to get worse, the back of my throat was tickling all of the time and even while asleep I was aware that I was coughing. At 3 a.m. I had to use the toilet and it was then that I started bring a lot of phlegm up, it was white/clear but unusual in that I usually only bring it up for the first hour of a morning not the middle of the night. Saturday I was fine though I was coughing more and I have been today too but without bringing anything up. Don't know if I should go to the docs or not.
Next Saturday for a birthday present my brother and his family have paid for us all to go to the Wye Valley canoeing. This is worrying me, I'm frightened of getting wet and catching cold, whether its from rain or falling in the river. I know I'll enjoy it providing I stay dry. Now they say the weather is set to turn cool/cold and I'm dreading that too!
I start on an Expert Patients Programme tomorrow which I'm looking forward to doing and on Wednesday I have an interview for an internal promotion at work. Can't see me getting that but there's no harm trying is there?
I'm really glad this site is here. I've saved a lot of links to my favourites so I can re-read them when I want to. When you're first diagnosed docs don't seem to tell us much about it and I felt really alone and scared and thats when I started floundering about looking for things and reading any rubbish about it, then I got scared even more. Once I found this site and the BLF I didn't feel so isolated. Everyone should be proud of what's been achieved here.
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Wiggins
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I was diagnsed in March 2011 with Boullis Emphysema, doc wasnt up or down about it, I wasn't sent for a breathing test until July this year that's whern I was diagnosed with mild Emphysema.
I am not on any meds and don't show any breathing problems, I stopped smoking in 2010.
I get a bit wheezzee and out of breath when I over do things.
A bit of a dry cough in the morning and bring up clear stuff.
Just now I have sore ears-throat and runny burny nose, feels like a bit of a head cold comming on.
Going for flu jab this month, but using common sence is all we can do I think.
Have you had the sprimority breathing test and if so what was the fev fev1 result.
I had a spiroemtry test and an X-Ray. The X-Ray didn't show anything. They told me I had very mild COPD in my case Chronic Bronchitis and Asthma. We do have asthmatics in the family but I've never had it until now. Didn't get any fev result. When I was told what I had I was a bit stunned and didn't ask anything. I went back a week later with questions including what my lung capacity was but I was told the nurse had lost my readings so they couldn't tell me. I've now been told that unless I'm ill they don't need to see me while next Spring when they'll do another spirometry test and give me a check up.
I get wheezy when its cold until I use the inhaler then it stops. I have days when I really forget that I have this but most of the time I know it. As I say I walk for miles and generally only struggle a bit when I'm going up hills or fairly steep slopes or walk faster than I'm able to if you know what I mean. Though I do sometimes get slightly sob when I wash up!
Sometimes in the morning I'll bring a dollop of light green up then it turns white/clear and after about an hour I'm generally clear of that for the day. In Winter it was different and thats why I'm not looking forward to it.
I've just booked my flu jab but I won't get it till the end of October. I went for my Pneumonia Jab only to be told by the nurse that I already had it back in 1999. I'm diabetic that'll be why I had it but I can't remember.
Happy belated 50th! You had a good time and thats the important thing. Majority of lung diseases means coping with the production of phlegm or trying to produce it as in my dads case. As long as it is clear that is the main thing, but you get paranoid I think that what may be a normal cough in any other person and they don't give it a second thought, when you have COPD you think every cough or sneeze could be something more than just that. Does that make sense?
You know if something isn't right for you and if in doubt, check it out.
As for the canoe trip I think it sounds terrific and you would have a great laugh I am sure. You said you are early stage COPD so you got 2 choices. Take the bull by the horns and go for it as you are well and able to right now. You can look back in many years to come and say "I'm glad I did that". Or you can be cautious and not take part. Nothing wrong with that at all and you should not feel guilty about it. I am sure your brother would understand if you spoke to him about your fears.
Good luck for the interview.......................be positive or they will sense your negativity. Go for it!
I would say to go and enjoy your canoeing experience. Despite the old wives tales, you cannot catch a cold, flu, pneumonia or similar by being cold or wet, they are viruses. If you do get wet, common sense says to dry yourself as soon as you are able to.
From what you say you have a long way to go yet, just like someone without COPD. You've been diagnosed and it's a warning to look after yourself, which non COPD sufferers will not get - chances are that you could last longer than they would...!
When first diagnosed we all go reading far too much about the condition, above and beyond what we really should - we get on to the scary information, where it's claimed that some magic potion is the miracle cure or where we're told that we must eat poison roots or something. We get worried easily, we think we're going to pop off within a few months. Don't get stressed by it all, use your meds as advised and enjoy yourself.
Someone mentioned coughing stuff up a while ago and I said that my GP has never asked for a sputum sample. I was with the rehab nurse last week, she's given me a tube and the Pathology bag/slip for next time I produce something. Rather than go through my GP, taking the sample down there, I'll take it direct to the hospital.
If anything nasty is being coughed up then it may help to take a sample to your GP. If they get it tested they can tell just what bug is bothering you and give you an appropriate course of treatment. Quite often, GPs' are content to give repeat prescriptions for the same general anti-biotics month after month. Sometimes it clears the problem, for a while.
If you're walking 5 miles a day then you're doing well, it's when you have stop after 50 yards that you should worry.
Lets hope the promotion comes through for you too.
Ahh thank you for your lovely comments wiggins. Happy birthday and I am glad you had good time. I can only say what others had said but I do think you should go to the doctor if the cough persists. It is possible you have an infection even if it is clear.
For someone with COPD it is better to be safe than sorry.
Bev xx
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Don't things just get better .. Seen GP today 
Coughing day and night
Rattling, Crackling Chest - Help!
I posted a month ago about exercise, things have improved.
