Just been diagnosed with COPD :-(

Jamin280672 · 30 Oct 2018 at 16:48

As the title suggests, I've just been diagnosed with COPD, and to be honest, im crapping myself, everything I read is bad news, please someone, if they have any information, give me some good news.

I am an ex smoker as of diagnosis, I literally walked out of the doctors surgery and screwed up my pack of fags and threw them in the bin, that was last Thursday, not had one since, but too little too late I guess, been given an inhaler to help with my breathing, and next week I have blood tests, X-Ray and CT scan to my chest to see what's going on in there.

The crazy part is 3 years ago I went to my old doctor with breathing difficulties, who asked me if I smoked, I said yes, and he pretty much said, give up, man up, and get out of my surgery, obviously I lost faith in doctors after that, however last week I had the Flu and could hardly breathe, I told my Mrs to make an appointment at the new Doctors, obviously something wasn't right, and that's when I found out, she was disgusted at what the previous doctor did and said.

:rolleyes:

HEADRAT · 30 Oct 2018 at 16:52

I had to Google it, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, smoking really is bad for your health (it does say that on the packet I think).

Anyway hope you get some good treatment and you're able to live with the condition.

Scort · 30 Oct 2018 at 16:54

Sorry to hear this, can't imagine what's going through your mind - but first bit of advice any HCP will tell you; is don't read things on the internet!

My Wife is a physio and did a couple of placements on the respiratory ward, she probably knows some real info on COPD - if you Trust me your email address, I'll ask her if she could send you some info, from a professional point of view; it might help your mind a little.

FBi7 · 30 Oct 2018 at 16:56

Sorry to hear that, and I hope this doesn't turn into a medical thread that breaches the rules.

COPD is an umbrella term for many different conditions. Did your GP specify which?

Good on you for stopping smoking. It's not too little too late. By stopping, you could slow down the progression of the disease.

I deal with exacerbations of COPD on a daily basis on a professional level, and the Mrs is a Senior Respiratory HCP, but that doesn't seem to have put me off smoking, sadly.

Ayahuasca · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:00

CPAP machine

FBi7 · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:04

Ayahuasca said:
CPAP machine

Not necessarily. CPAP is for the management of Sleep Apnoea. Not all COPD patients have Sleep Apnoea.

Ayahuasca · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:11

FBi7 said:
Not necessarily. CPAP is for the management of Sleep Apnoea. Not all COPD patients have Sleep Apnoea.

As far as I was aware, even if you don't have Sleep Apnoea, there's still a drop in oxygen during sleep for most people with COPD.

There are two peer reviewed studies off the top of my head that I will link later on, that show the use of CPAP in CPOD patients reduces risk of death and improves light exercise or walking capacity.

Resistance · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:17

I have it you can manage it stay away from the cigs or around anyone who smokes (best not to let other peoples cigs to get into your lungs) take your inhaler each day and you will have a normal life

Jamin280672 · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:18

The sleep apnoea question did come up actually, I don't suffer with that as far as im aware, I wouldn't know, im always asleep lol, however, my partner has told me im a very loud snorer, and on more than one occasion, she has had to come down to the living room and sleep on the sofa in order to get some sleep herself.

I recently found out its an umbrella term, she's given me an inhaler for now as when I was a child I suffered with Asthma, I kind of out grew it, but as a safety net, shes given me the inhaler just in case its rearing its ugly face again, she's not sure if its the chronic bronchitis or emphysema yet, I guess we're just waiting for the scan results, the big scare was when she told me if I carried on smoking at the rate I was going at, she'd give me 5 years to live, im 46, I at least thought id have 20 years left in me, not sure if that was a scare tactic, but on reading up on the internet about it, its the 3rd biggest killer.

FBi7 · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:25

Ayahuasca said:
There are two peer reviewed studies off the top of my head that I will link later on, that show the use of CPAP in CPOD patients reduces risk of death and improves light exercise or walking capacity.

Interesting, thanks. I can't imagine that ever being funded due to the sheer volume of COPD patients.

DarrenM343 · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:27

Sorry to hear of your health problem but please don't be disgusted by your previous doctor. They have to make assumptions sometimes and the chances were your issue three years was a temporary effect caused by smoking. As three years have gone past until recently, if you felt there was something wrong before the flu you would have gone back. Also, rightly so, people have to do their bit to look after their health too. Ie, stop smoking, still have breathing problem, then doctors would take it more seriously.

I'm in a similar situation with knee pain but I really should have gone back to the Dr's by now (my fault).

glenimp617 · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:29

I'm not going to lie, I know someone with COPD and it's not great. They do have serious COPD though, it's probably as bad as it gets. They have had it for years, it is manageable with good days and bad......but the bad days are bad. My advice would be to get an oxygen tank and mask fitted as soon as. This can really help.

but yeah......hindsight is a wonderful thing.....smoking is BAD! Can't understand why anyone still does it...let alone even think about starting.

The perception is that you lose money, stink a bit and maybe shave 10 years off your life. The reality which not many people talk about is the bit in between where your body slowly starts to pack up.

Hotwired · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:35

TheOracle said:
Can't understand why anyone still does it...let alone even think about starting.

I've known someone even before they became a doctor then a more senior doctor... surprised me a great deal to know they'd taken up smoking.

Obviously no excuses possible there to knowing the consequences, they get to see all of it far more closely than the average person.

And yet still took it up.

shadow_boxer · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:35

Sorry to hear this OP and sounds like it's hit you hard. Best thing you can do is keep away from the fags and engage with your GP/practice nurse on a regular basis/annual reviews/flu jabs etc.

Jamin280672 said:
The crazy part is 3 years ago I went to my old doctor with breathing difficulties, who asked me if I smoked, I said yes, and he pretty much said, give up, man up, and get out of my surgery, obviously I lost faith in doctors after that, however last week I had the Flu and could hardly breathe, I told my Mrs to make an appointment at the new Doctors, obviously something wasn't right, and that's when I found out, she was disgusted at what the previous doctor did and said.

Not to detract from the seriousness of the condition/this thread but I'm not sure that's exactly fair on the previous doctor. COPD is in the vast majority a progressive disease of the airways caused by smoking. He gave you the correct advice of stopping smoking and that in the intervening three years it has progressed.

Hotwired said:
Obviously no excuses possible there to knowing the consequences, they get to see all of it far more closely than the average person.

Agreed it's a personal lifestyle choice people make and we have to respect their autonomy but it's not as if we're only just finding out that smoking is bad for your health.

As for CPAP and home oxygen. People jumping the gun a little. These are management options in selective / end stage COPD and certainly won't be considered/needed at the moment but best to discuss this with your GP and not random people on a computer forum in the middle of the afternoon.

Good luck man.

Vidar · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:43

Sorry to hear this op, but you've made a positive change by quitting.

dirtychinchilla · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:44

Sounds like the previous doctor was correct and you just didn't want to accept it then, or now. How many times do people have to be told that smoking is bad for their health before they understand that it's true? I'm not saying that I don't ever smoke, but if I got COPD then I'd put it down to the few cigarettes that I do smoke!

DarrenM343 · 30 Oct 2018 at 17:52

Hotwired said:
I've known someone even before they became a doctor then a more senior doctor... surprised me a great deal to know they'd taken up smoking.

Obviously no excuses possible there to knowing the consequences, they get to see all of it far more closely than the average person.

And yet still took it up.

Doctors are like other human's and are intellectually challenged/stupid in some ways. Should know better. Probably think it wont happy to them as most people do but will likely regret it if they get diagnosed with a smoking related illness in the future.
I managed to finally get my mum to give up smoking by slowly increasing her awareness of both the physical likely conditions she may face and psychological weakness around smoking (ie, why does she really need it). Felt cruel a few times but she eventually gave up!

Jamin280672 · 30 Oct 2018 at 18:07

I totally agree, as a smoker, or can now say ex smoker, you do go through life thinking it will never happen to you, until it does, thankfully mine isn't at the serious level yet, she said mild to moderate, its a scare, its a scare and a half, there's no cure for it, you can slow its progression with exercise and changing your lifestyle, its hard to describe, I guess if other COPD sufferers get involved in this thread they could probably confirm what im about to say…….im breathing, I can feel my lungs filling up with air, and breathing out, but at the same time it doesn't feel like im getting any oxygen, almost like im partly suffocating, I have good days now and what I would consider as bad day...….some days im puffing on the inhaler 5 to 10 times a day, it only seems to clear my airways for 30mins at a time, other days like today, ive not used it at all and its only been a week of diagnosis so far.

Bounce · 30 Oct 2018 at 18:14

Sorry to burst the op but medical advice is probhited on this forum.

You need to seek professional medical help.

Jamin280672 · 30 Oct 2018 at 18:19

CAPS_LOCK said:
Sorry to burst the op but medical advice is probhited on this forum.

You need to seek professional medical help.

Sorry I wasn't seeking medical advice as such, I just wanted to get it out there and hopefully hear from other sufferers, I am currently getting professional help with various appointments, Hospital, local nurse and the Dr themselves.