How can something that is labeled as Chronic (COPD) be classed as being mild.

[silkx]

Just wondering what you think, as when people ask me whats wrong with me (usually when I'm coughing my brains out and going bright red with tears streaming down my face) once I'm breathing again i usually answer with copd and the usual reply i get is "whats that when its out" so i then give them the full name of it and tell them they cant catch it (before they run off screaming) of course the C stands for chronic so how can something so chronic be classed as mild (believe me mine is chronic when I'm having a good laugh and forget to breathe) perhaps it should be mopd or lsopd ... and just for the record mine is CWCOPD

Cursed with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

[Gordon57]

I explained to someone that I had COPD, he said "how do you spell that" ! He thought it was a long-worded-medical-term, not initials. Then you have to explain what the initials stand for.

Wikipedia says "A chronic condition is a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects. The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the disease lasts for more than three months."

It's people who have taken the word to mean 'serious' or even 'fatal', at worst we should assume Chronic to mean incurable, when applied to COPD.

[silkx in reply to Gordon57]

Nice answer Gordon ... so now I can just tell people I've got an incurable breathing disease (and if I don't like them I can tell them its catching eh! ) thankyou.

[stone-UK]

Hi

Chronic means long term.

COPD is gauged in , mild, moderate , severe ,and very server.

If you are mild , and have stopped smoking the condition will progress at a slower rate.

Good diet and plenty of exercise, will keep you in good shape,

[ptliverpool]

Hi. How slow is slow? I am trying to be optamistic.

[Hidden]

I usually just tell people I have 'problems with my lungs' if/when they comment. That seems to satisfy them and we move on from why I am breathless. I wish I had a £1 for every time someone asked me if I'd been running when I've only walked from one office to another.

[silkx in reply to Hidden]

Think youve just invented a new way to collect for charity, tell them youve just finished a marathon and would they sponsor you for a £1, Im breathless just getting up the stairs to my office ..

[Hidden]

Chronic only means long lasting, nothing to worry about. If you have any type of illness that last for a long time it will be called chronic.

My husband is a chronic pain in the backside.

[silkx in reply to Hidden]

@sweetthing12 Lol mine is too.

[Hidden]

I was chatting to an old guy on the bus the other day. I said I had COPD and he said 'snap'. He said his was severe. I told him about this site too.

Bev x