Hi I just been told I have Copd, I am 62and yes a smoker. But my point is why am I so breathless at nearly everything I do. I read that after diagnose Copd patients don't live long
Hi Carol, I have had copd for at least 10 yrs now, I'm on oxygen 24/7 and I get very breathless. I still feel as tho I have a lot more years yet. Mind you if you carry on smoking you will deteriorate a lot faster. I didn't stop till 5 yrs ago that's why I'm where I am today. I tried many times without success, I found it very hard to give up I enjoyed my cigs too much. I'm 65 now and unable to do very much at all without being breathless. Stay strong and help yourself as much as you can.
Life expectancy obviously depends on when it's diagnosed: lots of smokers keep fooling themselves they just have "smoker's cough" and may not be diagnosed with COPD until their symptoms are really severe.
You're breathless because you have COPD! Do some googling and check out the damage smoking does to the lungs - I'm an ex smoker by the way, stopped a couple of years before I was diagnosed with emphysema.
Get yourself into rehab and take advantage of the excellent medications which are available: it's not curable but it is possible to slow its advance and manage the symptoms. What % of lung function do you have left? I had 70% when diagnosed over 3 years ago and it's still the same.
And of course you know the other thing you can do to prolong your life and slow down its advance, don't you?
Best of luck, it's a shock I know, but now you know why you're breathless you can start doing something about it: doctors & ancillary medical people can do a lot but so can you - go for it if you want to live as long as p;ossible
I have was diagnosed with copd with emphysema 2 yrs ago. I'm on 12ltr oxygen 24/7 and I still get very breathless doing very little. I still feel as tho I have a lot more years yet. Mind you if you carry on smoking you will deteriorate a lot faster. I'm 67 now and unable to do very much at all without being breathless. Stay strong and help yourself as much as you can. I have coughing jags so bad sometimes I almost past out. Give up the cigs
Hi Carol that is rubbish! Please don't google indiscrimantly as you will read a lot of rubbish in some sites. Stick to recognised ones.
It largely depends on what stage you are at. Do you know your lung function or stage you are? If you are mild or even moderate then taking care of yourself can stop the disease progressing or not much anyway. Even if you are severe there are things you can do to hold it stable.
I was diagnosed at 55 with mild copd and the doctor told me not to worry about it as something else will get me first! Who wants to live to be 100?
I will admit I am also still smoking and I know I must give it up as nothing makes the disease progress faster that this. Are you on any meds and what are they?
Bev x
Dear carol
COPD isn't curable but quitting smoking will help you more than you know. I am 75 and ggot pneumonia last year and ended up in hospital. Shortness of breath is so bad. I have two caregivers who do my cleaning laundry and dishes. If I do nothing I feel fine. I smoked for 37 years and got breast cancer and quit November 1991. My lungs are not good. I am on Spiriva and symbicort. I live in BC Canada. Had to leave Alberta due to the cold weather.
Please quit smoking. The doctor is not going to have a lot of respect for you if u don't. Mary ann
I was diagnosed with Emphysema in 2000 the year I gave up smoking for good (cold turkey is really the only was for me). I was mild to moderate at that stage. I am now Stage 4 Very Severe. I walk every day - not far - about a kilometre on the flat and periodically ride an exercise bike - 5 kms. We all get breathless some more than others. I'm not on oxygen. Please check out the Lung Foundation website - Google Heathunlocked - lots of information. Try also COPD International. Best regards
Hi Carol,
I have COPD also and smoked up until last year. I am on oxygen 24/7 and still get very breathless. People seem to think because I am on oxygen I shouldn't be huffing and puffing so much but i explain like my doctor does, "I spend so much energy trying to exhale, i don't have any left to inhale."
COPD effects how much air you can get OUT of your lungs. If you can't get enough out, you can't enough in. I had a very good RT who taught me to exhale deeper. When I get breathless or am ill, I use these exercises to help me get control of my breathing.
If you haven;t already been seen by a Respiratory therapist ask to be refered to one. They can teach you alot.
Good luck and best of Health,
Sandy
I totally second all that, except that the respiratory nurses & physio's at the rehab group I went to gave us all exercises to do EVERY DAY to improve breathing, not just ones for when we're breathless anr/or ill.
We were taught to breathe in a particular way and what I've found most helpful, to assess when it's time to stop whatever we're doing and rest - that was a hard one for me to learn, as I like to be busy.
Hi Jude,
Sorry I should have said that differently. I too was given exercises for daily use and still do them as part of my regular routine. What I was trying to say is that when I do get breathless for any reason I use these same exercises to help me relax and breath. To help me regain control of my breathing.
And I too had to be taught when to stop and rest. You're right it is the hardest one to learn.
Thanks for the correction sandra: yeah it's hard to convince myself let alone other people that you just can't "soldier on" with emphysema and I'm still learning.
I've had pneumonia recently for only the second time in a couple of years but this time I was able to stay out of hospital with heavy duty antibiotics and generally looking after myself; last time I thought the chest pains were another heart attack & called an ambulance and then ended up in hospital for 3 days eating disgusting unhealthy food, noti able to have a shower because it didn't work and in a room with 2 old deaf men who yelled across to each other all day and snored all night and a poor old lady with dementia who talked incomprehensibily to herself virtually round the clock. I'm better off at home I reckon, especially as the hospital was also so grotty it's a wonder I didn't catch something worse than pneumonia!
I know that downt the track hospitalisation will be essential, but for now I'd much rather not ......
Hi ,first thing ,,,,it's never too late to stop smoking ,,,especially when you have copd ,
I'm 69 ,,I was diagnosed 1992 ,,,that's when I stopped smoking ,,for the last 8 years I gave been going to the gym twice a week for an hour ,yes I do get breathless ,,,but I'm loads better than when I was smoking ,good luck ,
So in 15 years Martin you went from mild/mod to very severe despite giving up smoking and exercising? That is a very fast progression and I didn't know it could happen so quickly - you must have been very unlucky! I admire you for still exercising every day. I hope you have many more years yet.
Bev x
It obviously depends on what stage he'd reached when he was diagnosed and apart from that it's a very variable condition
He said he was mild/moderate at diagnosis.
Having noted all posts on this thread, I choose to react to your comment. I see you are domiciled in BC. I reside in Kent, England, which probably has similar winter temperature ranges to Vancouver/Victoria. I am also very familiar with parts of the Rockies, Alberta and northern BC.
The point at issue, for me anyway, is to determine over time what bearing winter temperatures have on mild to moderate COPD. Also, can the effects be arrested and in some cases reversed?
As indicated on another thread I persist with 3 - 4 miles walking each day. In addition, at age 73, I continue with physical outdoor work on 24 -26 days each month. Performance on some days is better than others.
My only observation at this stage is that I feel better than in December 2014. It remains to be seen if matters improve over the next few months. I confirm, however, it is something of a battle getting started each day.
You're breathless because you have COPD! You'll last longer and have much less discomfort if you stop smoking.
How long people last after diagnosis obviously depends on when they're diagnosed: ie diagnosed early (as I was ) I have time to slow ti down and manage it; diagnosed late obviously cuts down survival time
hyoercat, To read or not to read (info about copd on the internet). I confess that I have read so much that it is now my official national past time. I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with mild copd. 87% fev1 and 67% fvc. Like you, my pulmonologist said not to worry that other things will get me first. I dont trust that statment as there seems to be so much information that contradicts that. what to you think? Thank you injj advance. LT
The answer to your question is quite simple ,,,,,,,
you get breathless doing everything you do because ,,,,,,,
YOU ARE STILL SMOKING ,,,,,,,,,,,STOPPING WILL HELP ENORMOUSLY.
9 months have now passed, how are you doing now Carol?
I hope you managed to stop smoking and have been on a PR course.
I hope by now you are managing your symptoms better.
Incidently I haven't smoked for around 12 years and I still get breathless on exertion, its the result of having damaged lungs.
I have improved my lung function over the past 12 years, by stopping smoking, regular exercise and succeeding in avoiding people who may be infected with colds or the flu viriou. In addition I have managed to avoid lung infections, I've only had 3 lung infections since diagnosis. There is always a risk of further lung damage with each lung infection.
Smoking damages the lungs more making the diagnosed smoker's more at risk of lung infection, and this is why smokers often deteriorate really quickly.
Take care one and all, hoping we all get through winter unscathed.
For those newly diagnosed, be sure to have your annual flu jab and the pneumonia vaccine, also take advantage of any pulmonary rehabilitation course on offer, stay inside when temperature are very cold or the cold air hurts your lungs, have your room temperature 21C during the day and 18C at night for sleeping.
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