'COPD'..... Why do GP's and consultants like to use the term? Just a thought!

[HeatherS-UK]

I have been puzzled by this and have just found a curious co-incidence..... All the conditions that come under the umbrella term are all mainly caused by smoking! Mmmm

[Puffthemagicdragon]

To try and scare smokers maybe ? The trouble there is that most smokers have never heard of it until they've got it !

[Pepsicoley in reply to Puffthemagicdragon]

Hello Puff

I HAD heard of COPD before I was told I probably had it and I am ashamed to say that I did not understand how awful it was.

I'm ashamed because my father (who died aged 87 years in 2009) suffered from it and I was not aware of the severity of it. I must have seen Dad only when he wasn't too bad so I didn't think too much about it.

In my defence I must say that I didn't see Dad very often. He lived just over the river from Edinburgh and I live in Cornwall. I would go up to see him or he would come down to see me.

To cut a long story short, I began to feel breathless in 2008 and after having two operations for cancer (the first in 2009) I have been told that I probably now have COPD. I have not yet had the necessary spirometry test and whatever else is necessary so it hasn't been confirmed.

I do feel so terrible about thinking that "it can't be that bad". It most definitely is really bad.

Kind regards

Annec

[HeatherS-UK]

Well it could be but I think the real names are more scary.... Although I feel there seems to be a divide in classifying disease for a useful way of separating smoking from non smoking related diseases for a good for the funding as they have to prioritising treatment! That's my thought.... What do you think?

[Hidden]

Acording to DWP or IIDB is so your condition don't sound as bad as its proper medical names

[HeatherS-UK in reply to Hidden]

Yes it is to lighten the importance or severity of self inflicted conditions...

[Hidden in reply to HeatherS-UK]

You may have something there.

[Hidden]

Hello all. According to the BLF, only emphysema and chronic bronchitis come under the term copd (see below), I don't think I'm wrong in stating that the majority of copd sufferers on this forum have been smokers at some time in their lives but there are also sufferers here who have never smoked. I also don't think I'm wrong in stating the the NHS do not prioritise health care for patients who have never smoked, otherwise smokers would never be given lung transplants or other lung surgery, when there are many other lung diseases they could deem to be more deserving of new lungs. Similarly with other "self inflicted" diseases and conditions, i.e. illnesses caused by overweight, alcohol and drug addiction, people who harm themselves during extreme (or not so extreme!) sporting activities.

"Mark_BLFHelpline BLF Hi Everyone

Please take this post as what it is meant to be - to clarify some info about COPD - if you like "sorting the wheat from the chaffe (?)"

COPD is the occurrence of chronic bronchitis or emphysema - a pair of commonly co-existing diseases of the lungs which causes the airways to narrow over time. This causes shortness of breath.

COPD is defined by it's characteristically low air flow - spirometry used to measure the airflow - the low air flow is not reversible and gets worse over time. Whereas with asthma the restriction/low air flow is reversible.

Asthma and COPD are two different conditions - some people with COPD also have some asthmatic compenent - but people with asthma do not have COPD. Someone with asthma for many years can find that the reversible aspect of their asthma becomes less and less, and the damage to the airways more permanent - and this permanent damage is very similar to that found in COPD - which is why some people with asthma are told they have progressed to COPD, when perhaps the more accurate term is fixed airways disease.

The treatment of copd tends to be similar regardless of whether someone has more or less emphysema than bronchitis and vice versa. People with emphysema tend to need oxygen. Alpha 1 can affect other organs other than the lungs, so anyone with Alpha 1 may have more "complicated" treatment - but the treatment of their copd will not be any different from someone who has copd due to another cause.

COPD affects everyone differently - everyone manages their condition differently - the treatments are generally the same across the board regardless of how your COPD started.

Bronchiectasis (a separate condition to copd) is a permanent abnormal widening in one or more of the airways. Extra mucous tends to collect in those parts of the airway that are widened. The widened airways with mucous are prone to infection. The cause of bronchiectasis is not clear, some conditions that affect or damage the airways can cause bronchiectasis e.g. whooping cough, pneumonia, measles etc. It is possible to have both bronchiectasis and another condition.

Thanks

Mark "

George.

[RichardAT]

Not all smoking related diseases come under the umbrella of COPD. The main COPD conditions were in the past known under different terminologies depending on whom you were talking to, at least this way only one is used. Take care, Richard.

[Hidden]

A think in my own experiance ... COPD is a crock of s""" term .. As i have all of above and or including ipf .... Yet becouse my FEV etc lung function test where all normal my doctors thought there was nothing wrong with me and said i only had miled COPD with componant of stress

If only that was the case when i had my CT-Scan ... You would not beleve the trouble i had getting referd ... If it was up to my own doctoer he would be still saying a was fine

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Daz,

You've just made me curious saying that your spirometry tests were, dare I use the word 'normal' as this is the case with my husband but he suffers from breathing difficulties - not always but at times, especially when he is tired. It is not asthmatic in nature as he can still blow a normal volume both FVC and FEV1.

He has never touched a cigarette in his life but has had multiple strokes which have affected his speech/partially paralysed vocal cords and just you saying that is now making me wonder if his paralysis went further down than his vocal cords and into his bronchial tubes/lungs?

This is probably more of a question for the BLF helpline but thanks for sparking the thought my friend.

Yours (as always) <3

Lorraine

xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sounds Like It Is Condition Of Is Stroke ... Have Read About Eating Swallowing Problems With Automatic Breathing When At Rest

Is He Paralysed Down One Side As A Stroke Can Effect Any Musculus In The Body And When You Breath You Have Various Chest Musculus Both Sides Of Chest ... And One Across Front Of Stomach That Causes Us With Big Bellies Problems

A Basic Crude Check I Assume Would Be To See With Your Eyes Are Both Sides Of Your Fellas Chest Is Moving

youtube.com/watch?v=BHpsOW9...(Not working as expected?)

If Its As Video Describes Both Lungs Are Working .... And It Must Be Other Problem

But Yes Gif BLF A Call Or See Your GP If Worried

[O2Trees]

When i was first diagnosed I used to call it "Come On People Dance". There was no possibility of my doing so, so i danced in my head and at least it cheered me up.

[Hidden]

I have COPD and I have NEVER smoked.

[kujude]

Hi exblonde i 2 have copd and never smoked .