I have never smoked a day in my life but took a job where my team mate smoked I became gravely ill could not eat or drink for 5 days I got away from him and went to my daughters to get well I than hooked up with a cigar smoker who only smoked outside the truck again after two weeks I got sick I am home now and just got my breathing test I am between Stage one and Stage two of COPD my dad died from this I had asthma up till I was 18 but than it stopped I am now 56 and have had COPD for a few years but it is getting worse I had an attack in September one in November and again in December what does this mean?
Have you got to a lung specialist? I never smoke either but I m waiting for the second around of test that my lung specialist wanted to do. Are you on oxigen?
no I am not on oxygen my doctor has me not working I did the lung function test he said I do have COPD and I am not upset I think I always knew I had it because I have never been able to open my lungs up fully so I am waiting to see what my doctor does to help me get this under control because I am having more problems with breathing than normal he has be using two enhalers and one with steroids I just dont know with a lung age of 75 will it be a factor in how COPD will progress on me.
About one in ten people with COPD a have not smoked. it is probably due to environmental factors/pollution and passive smoking. Did the doctor do a chest X-ray? Worth having done to confirm there is nothing else. Usually at stage 1 or 2 there is no need for a specialist opinion. Are you in theUK?
I'm not sure what you mean by an "attack": I think you'd be better asking your doctor what it means
Hi Kathy,
Your attacks, more than likely, mean that you are not yet on the proper combinations of medications to manage your lungs.
I am also 56, but have had diseased lungs from birth and as a young adult lot 70% of my lung capacity to permanent damage and I never smoked.
The good news is that we have wonderful medications for COPD which can make life easier. Make sure you have a lung specialist and an allergy specialist.
Keep in touch so we can encourage you!
Hugs
Dawn
Hi Kathy 70567
My husband also has COPD. Hehas recently been prescribed Seebri as his other medications, Attrovent, beta zone and Foradil (Atrovent)have not done much for his lungs he was told in the six years he has been diagnosed. I wonder if you'd perhaps let us know the names of your medications which you describe as wonderful. Maybe they might be good for him as well, of course if his lung specialist agrees.
Hey Jonah the meds I am on now are my aero chamber flo-vu and an enhaler called pro air HFA But in thinking about things I had asthma from 6 mos to 18 yrs old that is where my lung damage came from I lived in a town that had a large factory with coke ovens and red dust from that red clay my dad had copd and also espestosis from Bethlem steel with took his life in 2006 I want to bring that up to my doctor i am wondering if this caused my lung damage and now my COPD the doctors there had my mom move to different areas to help my breathing but It never did. I also struggle with joint sorness and swelling of fingers and my angles I feel this is from the lack of oxygen. I am still not breathing as well as I would like just doing a little activity I end up coughing and struggleing with breathing.
I have had damage to my lungs from the 18 yrs of Asthma back than everytime you cant breath its was asthma but now the new name is COPD I thought I read that this was discovered in around the year 2000 so now I understand why I dont get the full openess of my lungs like when I breath I feel my lungs only open about 1/2 way this I can feel but now I also wonder if being in a town that developed a lot of steel and had coke ovens they had espestosis and red clay or red dust there where times I couldnt go outside because of that and is there a possibility this caused the damage to my lungs.
attack is when you all of a sudden start coughing and it just gets worse than you cant breath I just mean when I get a flare up of the COPD it comes on more frequently now.
I live in the United States in Florida actually where its dry and not all that red dust from the mills in Maryland where I use to live and struggled to breath very much I want to ask my doctor if this might have anything to do with my COPD..
You are on first line treatment for COPD and asthma. Here in UK the most common first line inhaler for both conditions is Salbutamol, and it is cheap for our NHS,!
Have you had a chest X-ray? If you have been close to asbestos that could show up. The pollution you describe could result in worsening asthma or COPD. If you are having attacks it is more likely that you have some degree of variability which points more to asthma. In which case inhaled steroids could prevent the attacks. Ask your doctor for a serial peak flow test. IF the peak flow varies 15% over the24 hours asthma is much more likely.
As you have not been a smoker and your dad had COPD it might be worth having a blood test to see if there is a genetic component- ask for a Alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) level to done.
Salbutamol is salamol or ventolin, no? which is to be used in emergency or as an aid when needed. But apart from that my husband was normally on be alone and atrovent as well as Foradil to be applied daily. However in ?December he was told to try Seebri at a cost of 48 Euro for 30 days and drop the be calzone as it could cause pneumonia. We are abroad although we come yo UK often and my husband is a UK pensioner. I wonder if Seebri is on prescription in UK?
No I was diagnosed by my doctor I do have COPD that is for sure but I am on steroids its just not working as well as I hoped so we will have to try another med and see and I know I got it through Genetic from my dad so now I just have to live my life as best I can.
It seems Seebri is available in the UK according to the British National Formulary.
when I went to the doctors he asked me if I was exposed to any chemicals well I drove for Waste Management for 8 yrs 2 months picking up recycle and trash so that was a yes and I know that within the last year of working there I was having more frequent flare ups.
I would think that's more likely to be the cause of your COPD than genetically: I'm not aware COPD can be inherited?
Perhaps we inherit the predisposition and then environment gives it the boost?
yes it can if you have the Alph 1 gene
not sure about that I have a Lawyer looking into it.