Just curious, has anyone been diagnosed with COPD since being diagnosed with Lupus?

[Willow7733]

I was first diagnosed with asthma, but my lung function has dropped so quickly, it was changed to asthma/COPD. I have never smoked in my life. I am just wondering if there is a connection?

[Jerg]

my sister have be diagnosed with COPD , and her lungs is seriously damaged from it she has been diagnosed with lupus. She cough constantly and struggles to breathe. Sometimes she even faint and fall . Several experimental drugs have been administered to treat her but nothing has helped so far.

[BrigidsFire]

I have been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis due to lupus.

I do smoke (I know, I’m trying to give up) but the pulmonologist said the damage to my lungs is due to lupus. Apparently it’s bad enough that he’d expect to see it in the lungs of a smoker in their 80’s not someone in their 40’s.

The damage was exacerbated by a bad dose of Covid which saw me in hospital for a few days.

Lung damage apparently isn’t unusual in patients with lupus.

I have a permanent cough which is so bad some days it leaves me incontinent (I should take out shares in Tena!), and I’m often breathless. I take dextromethorphan regularly and the rheumatology/pulmonology team I see have recently prescribed me the blue asthma inhaler (salbutamol), both of which help a little.

Unfortunately the PF itself is untreatable and irreversible.

[Willow7733 in reply to BrigidsFire]

My father had pulmonary fibrosis. It is a terrible disease. I am so sorry you are going through that. It is terrible to have it along with Lupus.

[Tessie62]

Hi! I was diagnosed with Subpleural thickening in both lungs in 2019. My right lung is worse than the left. Both have nodules. I was diagnosed with Lupus, Sjogren's and MCTD.

[EeBeee]

Hello, I have been experiencing chest pain/breathlessness and eventually had a spirometry test at my GP which showed that I have asthma or COPD. It also said I have the lung function of a 70 year old… more than twice my age! They gave me a blue inhaler and have also offered a brown one. They said it’s not COPD as I’ve never smoked and my chest X-rays have come back clear. I am still experiencing the breathlessness and I have insisted on seeing a respiratory consultant as I want a clear and definitive answer that these issues I’m having with my lungs are directed to my lupus. My GP has been very dismissive of the whole thing, it’s been very frustrating. If you don’t feel comfortable with your diagnosis push for more answers from a specialist. Unfortunately we have to do a lot of self advocation. Good luck!!

[Willow7733 in reply to EeBeee]

I see a pulmonologist regularly because in the past four years, I have had over 12 pulmonary embolisms. When it all started, I went to the ER, and the team of specialists were assigned to me (pulmonologist, hematologist, interventional radiologist...but, the pulmonologist was the main specialist to be treating me. I had seen him before ( 3 years prior) for what we first thought was asthma. Then, just recent, my breathing tests (pulmonary function) dropped suddenly from 65% to 41%. That is when I was given a medication that is for COPD and not asthma. I re tested, and it actually increased my function to 61%. Just wondering if it is related to a lupus thing.