I have just been diagnosed with early... - Lung Conditions C...
I have just been diagnosed with early stage emphysema. what is my life expectancy? I am male, 54 years old.
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Very Good A Would Say .... Fancy Swaping Conditions .... 
Every website i have looked at concerning emphysema (over 20 websites now) all say life expectancy is 2 to 5 years.
That is a load of rollocks,,,give the helpine a ph 2morr for some solid advice
my husband lived 1 years .so no one can really say. just take things easy, don't worry too much listen to your doc advice
Hi KillingJoke
Welcome to the forum.
To try to put your mind at rest there isn't a specific life expectancy for people with COPD - the information you are referring to on the internet has been there for a while but we do not consider it to be reliable. Early stage/mild COPD sometimes has no symptoms and medication may not even be needed, being diagnosed at this early point is good (i know it dosen't feel good) as the right lifestyle and (if needed) the right medication can be given to help either slow down or halt the progression of the condition. I have spoken to people who have had COPD for many many years. The important thing is not to smoke, exercise, eat healthily and look after yourself. Learn to recognise what triggers any symptoms you may have and try to avoid them, for example, people whos symptoms are triggered by cold weather are advised not to go outside if the temp is below 5c - also taking a reliever inhaler approximately 10 minutes before going out can help to keep the airways open. Having flu jabs and pneumonia vaccine is also vital as having a lung condition can mean any colds/flu are more likely to go onto your chest and cause an infection.
We have a very good COPD pack we can send out to you - we also have respiratory nurses and welfare benefit advisers - to access all of this you can call us on 03000 030 555.
I know it is eassy for me to say, but ty not to worry too much as stress and worry can also affect your breathing.
Cheers
Jo
hi ma'am jo! good day! my name is mark. im 35 yrs old. 3 yrs ago i had pneumothorax(collapsed lung) and my doctor told me that i have emphsyema. like everyone else here, i am also very much concerned abt life expectancy when u have this kind of disease. i get chest pains most of the time and have anxiety attacks. last week was my first time to try spirometry. i would like to ask if the fev1 is different from the fev1/fvc? thank u
my fev1/fvc is 76%. dont know where to locate my fev1. im not sure if this is the one it says pre-rx %pred 94. thank u
Thank you for tat info...positivity is a great medicine..you have brought that .
Those websites are talking crap, I have had Emphysema for 10 years now, my lungs are only transferring 25% of the oxygen into the blood stream and I still work 27 hours a week on shifts. It is a case of use it or lose it, I know I am lucky compared to a lot on this site but if you get offered a Pulmonary Rehab course take it, they are fantastic things and you will learn a great deal about your condition.
Do not believe everything you read. In 2010 I was diagnosed with severe COPD with emphysema and chronic bronchitis. I quit smoking and started exercising. Strong muscles use less oxygen than weak ones. It has been 6 years + and I still am not on oxygen and my blood stats are 75+ except when I really exert myself. So I have lived longer than they expect. Know your limits and work within them. Do not forget to take your meds, I am on Spiriva and Symbicort. I am 67 and plan to live a lot longer.
Pls ring blf on 03000 030 555 they can answer better than i. All i can day is i was diagnosed nine years ago and still here. Every bodies case is different, wish you well, live long and prosper. 
Thank you azaard, and dazisnotsogood. I will ring them tomorrow. I would certainly love to live a lot longer than 2 or 5 years.
Thanks id2409 as well, i will ring them tomorrow.
Hiya Killing joke. Welcome. I was diagnosed with moderate emphysema 11 years ago at the age of 58. I am still going strong. Good luck. Bob
Thank you Bob, good to hear you are still going strong! I don't want any miracles i just want an answer. think my Pulmonary doctor said i had early stage emphysema, but wouldn't give me an answer on life expectancy.
no they wont give you a life expectancy no one will but just take on board what they say and how to help your health now you a\re in the early stages hopefully you will not get any worse.
Hello and welcome.
As those above have said, ring the helpline and chat to professionals for advice. I would also ask to speak to your GP and/or Consultant and find out excatly what is going on, treatment plan etc and what they forsee for you, given their medical expertise.
Having said that, there is so much uncertainty with lung conditions and so much variation, you can get two identical people with same condition at same stage and one will progress quicker than the other, why? That is the million dollar question.
My dads' consultant said to me that people with Emphysema don't usually live beyond 2 years from diagnosis and it is a consultant that I hold in high regard. But it did completely throw me off balance when she said that because I have come to know many people on here with it who have certainly gone passed the 2 year mark, the 5 year mark and the 10 year mark and so on.
The key I believe is knowing your condition inside out, do your research, ask lots of questions and know what you should be getting with regards to treatment as and when needed.
Here's to a long and as healthy a life as possible x
Thank you tanyamarie... information is all i am after and i shall get as much of it as i can... x
i am also a great believer in staying strong on the mind front positiveness is a big battle as well and can help you stay a longer life
First and foremost hello and welcome.
I don't know whether you are male or female, but I think you have been naughty. You have been looking at foreign, possibly American items. Don't!
Use only trusted sites like NHS choices and the BLF.
This is not a death sentence at all. Many people on here have had it 20+ years and are still going strong.
I am moderate with emphysema. I work, I go to the gym, I have an allotment and I am fine.
Read old blogs and questions on this site, you will learn a lot that reassures you.
Lynne xx
Thank you Lynne. Yes i might have seen the american ones, all of them said life expectancy was 2 to 5 years, but i have had a few answers and comments on here so far and they really have made me feel a lot, lot better. I will get more information from my Doctor this week. Derek xx
Lynne, Thank you. I was diagnosed 10 years ago when they found a small spot on my lung of emphysema. I quit smoking and other than a little short of breath in exercise I have no symptoms yet. I have avoided seeking any additional treatment due to the way my insurance will blow up as I live here in the US. I am hoping for lots more time as I am now 58 and have so much more to do in this life. When does a person have to seek medical treatment?
All I will say is that if you smoke, you must stop. That will affect your chances.
Lynne xx
Hi Lynne. I have smoked for about 35 years, but when i was rushed into hospital on February 4th, i had a chest infection that almost stopped me from breathing, i haven't smoked since. that's why if i thought i only had 2 years to live i may as well start smoking again... but now i am sure i have more than that i shall definitely not smoke ever again. Derek xx
yesssss ,that is so positive,well done,xx
Thanks KillingJoke for asking the question I didn't have the coursge to ask. I guess I was afraid of what I might hear. I am 54 and was diagnosed with mild emphysima about 3 yrs ago.
Yes I too will be calling the helpline tomorrow.
Thanks all of you for reassuring this background lurker.
Ian
Hi iandunc. it was a question that i didn't want to ask but really wanted to know the answer to. There's a bit of a difference to planning the rest of your life when you are told you have 2 years left to live ... or... you have 20 years left to live. I am 54 too. I found out in 2004 that i had asthma, then i found out last year that i had COPD, and then was diagnosed with early stage emphysema in February 2013, re-confirmed earlier this week. Call the helpline tomorrow, call your doctor this week, and i wish you and everybody all the best!!! Emphysema may kill me but it sure as heck will not beat me!!! Derek
I also was reluctant to ask such a question. Like you, am a 54 year old male. Was diagnosed with early stage emphysema 6 months. Have been a heavy smoker for 35 years. Have cut down considerably since diagnosis and now have given them up completely, but only for the last 2 weeks.
My doctor [here in OZ] hasn't discussed the diagnosis at all with me - except to tell me to stop smoking - so I've gone online to look at things there, and some of the stuff out there is pretty scary. Most sites seem to say once diagnosed you live for a couple of years and no more, and it just gets progressively worse no matter what changes to lifestyle you have.
I am glad I found this site actually, because I was starting to get a bit depressed about it all and I don't really have any symptoms. My doctor ordered a CT scan simply because I was a long term smoker - not because I was complaining of any particular problem.
Australia has an excellent website which is where I learnt a lot about my lung diagnosis even before I knew BLF existed :
Who are you seeing in Oz?
Hi KillingJoke. Some on here have had emphysema for 20 years and still going. I was diagnosed two years ago with very severe emphysema. I feel better than I did two years ago thanks to proper medication. I'm 63 and intend to make it to 100 at the least.
Hi Puffthemagicdragon. I'll drink to that!!!
Cal me Puff. Everyone else does.
My dad was diagnosed with emphysema aged 50 he passed away last year age 79.During those 29 years he had a good quality of life took foreign holidays worked on his allotment and garden.I t was only the last couple of years he had to stop but that was age as much as anything. He always used to say to me, Do things while you still can and i try to live by that rule. Best wishes Julie xxxxxx
Thank you Julie. Sorry to hear about your Dad, my Mum passed away November 2010, but not from emphysema. Still hurts now! I think when I first put my question on i was very close to giving up, but i am far from that now!!! Thank you to you all!!! xx
hi joke.. thats how i was when i was told and i started looking at american sites and it really frightend me untill comming on this site chatting to people i felt much better
i was told by the nurse who gave me my breathing test that i have mild emphysema but when i went to my gp he told me i have moderate COPD???
just cant understand why the nurse said that has fev1/fvc ratio was 62%
mind you after many years trying to pack up smoking i stopped has soon has i was told..do you get breathless much,
i am 56
hi julie..this is what i like to read to cheer me up has gives me hope that i can live has long and do things like your dad did
reading all this just makes me miss john so very much.
((hug)) x
Please take no notice of some of the forecasts given here,this American idea ,of 2 to 5 years seems absolute nonsense,I was diagnosed severe and chronic emphysema 12 years ago ,a very good consultant gave me an "educated guess" his words not mine of 3 years reasonable quality of life then a further year or two with rapid deterioration .
Still here 12 years later,it's very important you stop smoking ,stay positive,exercise when you are able and try to enjoy your life ,some things will change ,I was an active mountaineer ,high altitude ,very high standard rock climber ,I now struggle to get up the stairs ,but life is still worth living .
hope this helps
Woody
Hi !
I was diagnosed five years ago with very severe emphysema and unless I am typing from 'beyond' am very much here! I actually feel far better now with a worse pair of lungs than I did before - all I have changed is my attitude towards it - it doesn't envelop my life, it's just a part of it. You will be fine
Hi I was relieved to read your posts. But your posts is from 3 years ago. So I want to know how are you doing and coping with emphysema? I have been recently told that I have emphysema and did my chest x-Ray to make sure of the result by my primary Doctor. So I would like like to know about your life style changes you made etc.. Thank you
Hi
I was 53 and diagnosed with moderate COPD nearly three years ago .... read the websites and thought I was about to die!
But gave up smoking and am now much fitter and doing much more than I was FIVE years ago .... less breathless and more energy ( some things do make me breathless but not so much that it affects what I do, sometimes slows me down)
I expect to live for at least another 20 years and that the breathlessness may start to impact on me in maybe 10-15
I may be wrong
But live for the day!
Be positive, negativity never extended life span
Live strong and positive (I know that's not always so easy but I try)
Izz
My dad was diagnosed with emphysema in his late fifties and died in his early 80s of a heart attack, he had had angina for 20 years. Good luck xx
Up to you my friend..really up to you..I am 49 and was diagnosed with Bullous Emphysema when I was 24..that's 25 YEARS ago - and just over HALF MY LIFE. I am still able to walk everywhere, everyday, but cannot exert myself much at all and get chest infections regularly. All I can really tell you i get serious with breathing exercises, meditation, try to be positive, and avoid people who have colds/flus etc, get regular flu shots, don't rely on the Ventolin - it won't help much - if at all - unless asthma compounds your COPD. I'll not kid you: It's extremely hard, but you are 54 years of age, so imagine being told this 'slap in the face news' when you were in your prime like me..nearly destroyed me. Anyhow, all the best to you and try to find a positive in every negative no matter how hard that can be and DON'T believe everything you read or are told..if I had done that, I would have been dead 3 or 4 times over by now.. Peace to you and all the very best
Hi I just joined this site, i found out yesterday my mum has emphysema, im not sure on what stage yet. The doctor wasnt very helpful and sent us away with no information. How has everyone on here lived past the expected 2 - 5 year mark? Obviously quiting smoking but what other lifestyle changes have you made? Any advice would be great. Thank you
Definately my partner has lived 18 years so far
Hi mate, do some moderate, regular exercise and listen to the doctors advise, but try your hardest to not think about it to much, as that will get you down and make you feel worst than your current situation really is.
As long as you've still got the zest for life and your not getting totally breathless, by the time you even get to the front door, then there really is no point worrying about it to much, as this is just gonna make you feel worst, as anxiety can increase symptoms, as well as the psychological symptoms.
Live life to the full and worry about it when you really need too. Healthy mind, healthy soul, healthy body.
God bless.
My mum was diagnosed at the same age but because she could not give up smoking she cut her life short, she passed two months ago tomorrow at 72. Make the changes you are advised and you can be like my mother in law 82 and still going but she gave up smoking which i thought was amazing. So nobody can give you a life expectancy a lot can be done to help yourself. And you don't need to be a smoker to get it. Good luck don't be scared. X
My husband has had COPD more than 12 years. Do as Dr's say take care of yourself
hi i am lilly i have been told i have emphysema, i had a chest x ray all i was told is to stop smoking , am very confused and scard . please reply
Hi Lilly and all worriers...I had asthma at 18 months old and developed COPD (emphysema) and was diagnosed in my early 40's. I am now nearly 71 yrs old...two strokes and two heart attacks later, am still going strong. So take no notice of the 2 to 5 years rubbish, with modern medication and a reasonable lifestyle, you can reach a very old age...!! I finally managed to give up smoking 18 months ago when I had the first heart attack. Still miss it, but it had to be if I wanted to live longer. Wish I had managed to quit a lot earlier.
Regards, Val.
Outhwaite and all......
Hi everyone...I'm Dave and a new member. Reading this page...I have not read one comment on or about use/need for oxygen. When and how does the need for oxygen play in to the stages and development of the disease? I am 63 years old and have suffered with chronic asthma/bronchitis/sinusitis infections since childhood. I also smoked for 20 years. The asthma meds instantly relieved airway tightness (Albuterol) so being young and stupid.....I didn't think much past the obvious. I am in good health, but when I get upper resp infections I am dizzy, lightheaded but not short of breath. Sometimes my fingertip Ox meter registers me at 92....but with deep breathing I can push it to 99. I have not seen a specialist for diagnosis. I can walk 5 miles at a good pace with no problems. Have had two major surgeries w/in the last 5 years with general anesthesia. Each time it took me "longer than normal" to wake up and get my ox level to normal ( 3hrs in recovery )....but Dr's and nurses never made a big deal out of it. They just said everyone is different when it comes to waking up. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks....Nice to meet you all
My doctor finally diagnosed me with moderate emphysema. Little freaked out, but am handling it. For those of you who are concerned (and who isn't?) I found this study presented by the American Physiological Society. It gives me hope. Just because they don't have a cure yet, there's still a lot of hope. Here's the article:
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
thank you for the link,xxx
thanks ive been diagnosed with the early stages yesterday im 27 smoked for 14 years this article has made me feel better
My partner was diagnosed at about the same age he is now 71
Gentle exercise is important and eating healthy and not smoking are most important. Enjoy life my partner always says don't think about the things you can't do just do the things you can. Most places have rehabilitation classes at local hospitals/clinics it's great to go to these as you get exercise help and meet other people who are the same and you can help each other
With or without emphysema or any other health problem, none of us knows from one minute to the next what our "life expectancy" might be; I think I know what you might've meant by your question but there's no predicting from one person to the next.
Best you hike up your "Big Boy" drawers and "Keep On Truckin'".....
I have also recently been diagnosed with mild emphysema. I don't know if it gets worse or if there is treatment. I am going to a pulmonary doctor next week. How are you handling this? It is kind of scarey.
just been diagnosed with early stages emphysema ,im female 47 ,and on day 11 of no smoking ,just want to know what future holds?thank you
hope we find yourself well. I was diagnosed with mild emphysema but not copd. I didn't understand my doctor at first because I thought emphysema and copd ran hand in hand. She explained to me you do not have copd and when I tell you this it is a description like my hair is brown. You have very very mild emphysema like not copd that I am not having any breathing issues do to my lungs however I may have mild asthma and if I get acid reflux under control it may go away. She said if I stop smoking and stay active that I could come back in 20 years and my lungs look as good as they do now. I was diagnosed in Feb 2017 but after I got a chest infection I called Doctors office to see what my ct scan said and he was rude told me emphysema and he was busy I'd have to come by his office click. I cried my eyes out, 46 years old turnimg 47 in April with a 29 year old son and a 7 year old daughter and a 1 year old grand baby. I went straight to medical records requested my files. I had been diagnosed with copd for 6 years or more and was never told. I got appointment with specialist in Lexington, ky at once not to mention I live in small town where they want you to stay and be treated her but problem is some are being treated for what they don't have and some are not even told of what they do. I am trying to stop smoking its hard my mom is going through open heart surgery in a few weeks so hopefully once that is over I can quit. I am very active eat well balance meals work a lot on a beauty salon stay very busy. Do wear mask now during chemical process, have done this around 28 to 29 years I guess so that explains why I don't have copd and only emphysema. But if I do not stop smoking it can turn to copd and get worse faster. I had a grand farther die in his forties who worked in mines and heavy smoker. Our farther passed away at age 70 who was a heavy smoker with copd but that was not what killed hik. He had sepsis in his blood he wasn't on oxygen all the time he did alright up till then. He drank heavy smoked heavy didn't eat well till he got sick and it is awful to watch your parent like that. So we should all stay as active a possible try stop smoking you cant do it over night but you can do it. God Bless everyone
Just been diagnosed , mild emphysema, Im 55 and smoked for 40 years, I gave up 4 months ago when I kept getting chest infections, hope it doesnt get worse in a hurry, Ive taken up exercise, my diet has always been healthy, I still enjoy my wine, this is scary stuff
Hi my dad has just been told he has this. I am very scared... We don't know what stage he has but his breathing is getting worse. They have only given him a inhaler. He doesn't want to know anything about this. He is 77 and my life.. What can I do ?
hi everyone! my name is mark. im 35 yrs old. 3 yrs ago i had pneumothorax(collapsed lung) and my doctor told me that i have emphsyema. like everyone else here, i am also very much concerned abt life expectancy when u have this kind of disease. i get chest pains most of the time and have anxiety attacks. last week was my first time to try spirometry. i would like to ask if the fev1 is different from the fev1/fvc? thank u!
Hello mark. I think your post has got overlooked because its on this old thread. It would be better to re-post it on a new thread then youll get lots of replies. However just to explain - fev1 is the total amount of air you can blow out in 1 second, whereas fev1/fvc is the % proportion, of your whole breath, that you can blow out in 1 second. This explains spirometry patient.info/health/spirome...
Ive always had lung problems but think anxiety is more common in the "previously-healthy" if you understand me. Dont worry though, there are plenty of people here with emphysema wholl tell you the best way to stay well is a healthy lifestyle with lots of exercise and you can stay stable for many years if you do that. Bit late now but Im sure theyll be around tomorrow. Robin
thank you very much robin! god bless!😊
Hi, My Name is Bridgett..I had a upper respiratory infection, and had problems breathing when I laid down..when i went to the ER they did a Ex-ray and the ER doctor said I have emphysema, but never told me what to do, how bad i have it, and didnt even recommend me to go see anyone..So far i noticed when I wake up in the mornings I have shortness of breath, but I do fine during the day..I still smoke and I know I need to stop..but it's going to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do..I'm 54 and been smoking since I was 15..My family begs for me to stop smoking..I have 3 children age 29, 32, 36 they would be so lost without me..I haven't even thought about how I feel..I'm worried about my children and grand children how they would feel..what should I do and what kind of doctor should I go see?? Glad I joined this group, some of the stories gives me more hope.
me too yesterday
Indeed... I was told in 2009 that the spot on my lung was emphysema. I immediately (well almost) quit smoking, and to be honest...I feel pretty good, and seems that it has not progressed, but seems to be happy remains a 'spot' on my lung. Fine with me!!
My husband who is 54 was just diagnosed with early stage emphysema. I was very scared hearing that and reading about short life expectancies. After reading that many people have survived years after being diagnosed I was relieved and felt hopeful. I feel like with some life changes we still have many years together. Thank you for the inspiration!
HI I am 59 have moderate COPD/Emphysema/chronic bronchitis. My FEV1
iS currently around 53% because of a chest infection otherwise been around 60%. I was diagnosed around 3 years ago but realise i must have had it for at least 10 years. My Fev 1 went down to 43% last year but then was put on Fostair inhaler twice a day and its been 60%+ since. I have learnt that smoking will eventually reduce your lung capacity and make you more prone to chest infections (which is the main reasons for deterioration of COPD etc)
I feel well usually but my current chest infection has just made things very real again! 'Almost forgot about it!'I have not had one since last winter. I did have a relapse last week on holiday with the cigs and think this has made me more vulnerable.
Now back on track. I am a nurse and dont intend retiring anytime soon.
All I can say to peeps is
Take the correct medication.... find out what suits you best
Dont be lazy.... move, do stuff... you don't have to go mad with the exercise!
Have the jabs and don't read crap on the net. Sorry my pc has got gremlins and wont write what i want 
I have a blue/grey spiro meter well worth the money and very encouraging.
Take Care Chris
Hi everyone, I have just turned 43 and was diagnosed yesterday with emphysema, I am awaiting further scans to determine what stage. As a child growing up in South Africa I was prone to bronchitis, I used to get bronchitis at least twice a year, every year. My dad smoked around the kids so obviously this didn't help. I was very fit and sport, a national level soccer and water polo player. I was at University aged 20 and I had to have an ankle reconstruction from an old sporting injury. I took up smoking out of boredom sitting in a plaster cast for 8 weeks. I smoked mild cigarettes for about a year, I gave up for a few months, my mother died in a car accident and I started smoking again. I wasn't a heavy smoker except when alcohol was involved. I continued until 1999 when I got married and I gave up again. After having given up for a year, we immigrated to Australia in 2000, but I started smoking again. I finally quit in 2006. I have been 100% smoke free for over 10 years. Last year I was experiencing shortness of breath simply by carrying my 8 year old upstairs to bed. At the time and as recently as 2 weeks ago, I was running 5km once a week, swimming 3kms twice a week, cycling twice a week more than 100kms in total and gyming 3 times a week. I wonder why it took so long after I stopped smoking for this disease to emerge, did I suddenly increase my lung capacity again and this caused an acceleration of the condition? I consider myself very fit and healthy and had previously been told that people who give up smoking at 30, having smoked for 10 years, will return completely to normal after giving up for 10 years. I don't understand why this condition has come to the fore so much later?
Hi Spillane. This is an old post and your reply may not be seen. Why not cut and paste it into a new post? You can click on 'Write a Post (above right) to do so. Welcome to the forum.
Okay thanks
hidden hope we find yourself well. I was diagnosed with mild emphysema but not copd. I didn't understand my doctor at first because I thought emphysema and copd ran hand in hand. She explained to me you do not have copd and when I tell you this it is a description like my hair is brown. You have very very mild emphysema like not copd that I am not having any breathing issues do to my lungs however I may have mild asthma and if I get acid reflux under control it may go away. She said if I stop smoking and stay active that I could come back in 20 years and my lungs look as good as they do now. I was diagnosed in Feb 2017 but after I got a chest infection I called Doctors office to see what my ct scan said and he was rude told me emphysema and he was busy I'd have to come by his office click. I cried my eyes out, 46 years old turnimg 47 in April with a 29 year old son and a 7 year old daughter and a 1 year old grand baby. I went straight to medical records requested my files. I had been diagnosed with copd for 6 years or more and was never told. I got appointment with specialist in Lexington, ky at once not to mention I live in small town where they want you to stay and be treated her but problem is some are being treated for what they don't have and some are not even told of what they do. I am trying to stop smoking its hard my mom is going through open heart surgery in a few weeks so hopefully once that is over I can quit. I am very active eat well balance meals work a lot on a beauty salon stay very busy. Do wear mask now during chemical process, have done this around 28 to 29 years I guess so that explains why I don't have copd and only emphysema. But if I do not stop smoking it can turn to copd and get worse faster. I had a grand farther die in his forties who worked in mines and heavy smoker. Our farther passed away at age 70 who was a heavy smoker with copd but that was not what killed hik. He had sepsis in his blood he wasn't on oxygen all the time he did alright up till then. He drank heavy smoked heavy didn't eat well till he got sick and it is awful to watch your parent like that. So we should all stay as active a possible try stop smoking you cant do it over night but you can do it. God Bless everyone
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