COPD Support Group

I come hear frequently and don't see much activity. Im fourty years old with copd and kind of need to share what is going on and get some feedback from more then one person. is it that there aren't that many people here?

Hi.....I am here!! lol COPD for 11 years.......let's talk.....lol

teri, this is a pretty new site, so when its new like this it takes quite a while to get all of the people in here. So the best thing to do is go to another site that deals with the lungs or chronic pain (even though its from ur lungs) there are people there that can help you, Icant really help u i dont think because im just know getting copd and i dont know a whole lot but oldglory does. send here a PM its right there under her picture. or pherfoxx or me for pain. Teri, u can normally catch me over at the fibro site ok.pm me and we will talk ok.

Hi,

I was diagnosed with COPD on 03/02/08, at the hoapital, due to another bout with bronchitis. I have never smoked cigerettes since age 14. I tried it, got caught the first time by my dad who said you will have to buy your own. I quit right then because he said I could smoke.

I have been exposed to second hand smoke for 30 years by husband who quit six years ago. Can you get COPD from second hand smoke. Or is it caused by something else, like a pre-disposed problem?

Thanks,

Yvonne

Hi Yvonne,

You can definitely get COPD from passive smoking, although there is new research indicating that there might be a gene in some families which cause COPD.Was a heavy smoker myself and my dad also had COPD, he smoked and worked underground in gold mines.

I used to land in hospital with pmuemonia, in 2004 was hospitalised 3 times! Please read the story I posted and feel free to ask questions or chat to me.

Regards,

Venus

Venus,

Thanks for the information and I read the article. I knew I was slowing down over the last three years, but I had know idea it was COPD. I thought it might be heart related,because my mother had family history of that, although she did live till 90, her sister and mother both died of of heart related problems in their sixties. I go back to the doctors tomorrow after having had Spirometry(04/03/08). I did pretty good on the inhaling part (85%), but the exhaling was 52%, (the hightest out of three scores). I'm not to sure what that means. I get short of breath really easy, from short term chores and walks. I have been using the tread mill and walking outside when weather permits.

I have a strange tightness on the left side between my breast and armpit. I have had this for almost three years, and the doctors have blown it off as a pulled muscle. Now my doctor thinks it may be related?

Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks for listening,

Yvonne

Hello all, I was diagnosed with COPD April 4/2007 when my doctor told me to quit smoking yesterday! I had Asthma since I was a teenager, why I kept going back to smoking after quitting for quite a few years I will never know.

I just found out yesterday that I have pneumonia...went to my doc on Monday, he seemed to have missed it, went to the hospital yesterday. Doctor told me if I hadn't have quit smoking a year ago I would have stayed in the hospital.

I just joined this group and wanted to say hi!

Lorna

Hi Yvonne,

Your lungs lose their elasticity ( like elastic in old underpants)and while it is still easy to inhale, your lungs cannot get rid of all the air when you exhale as they are too flabby.

Possible cause of the pain in your side could be because your muscles try to force air out of lungs, I used to have it on both sides.

With exrecise my core muscles have gained strenght and pain now gone.Your lungs also get enlarged, which might also press on a nerve and cause discomfort.

But COPD is NOT the end of the world, sitting here with oxygen tubing in my nose, but live a very active and full life otherwise.

Let me know what the doctor said and keep smiling1

Venus

Hi Lorna,

Been to hospital too many times with pnuemonia, but last was in 2004.

Amazing how we always find reasons to carry on smoking, till the day we are usually diagnosed with COPD! Unfortunately by then we have already lost about half our lung capacity already and it sure is very hard work to try and get some of it reversed!

Don't know where you are living, but enquire about the vaccination you can get against pnuemonia. Like a flu injection, but only taken every 4 to 5 years.

Venus

Wow, thank you venus, I had never even considered that! I will talk to my doctor about it.