Just been diagnosed with COPD :-(

[grudas]

and he pretty much said, give up, man up, and get out of my surgery

am I missing the point here? he told you exactly what to do. You seem to have ignored his advice and continued but now you've actually got to a point where you have developed something serious and you're in some ways blaming him? I mean it's common knowledge that smoking is bad for you? doctor telling you to man up and give up is as straight to the point as it gets.

 

[Cryfreeman]

To be fair, the OP (and me) do not need to have all of the horror stories being dished out here. COPD can be a pain in the butt, but it also can be manageable. You wont be climbing Everest again, but normal activities can be undertaken and enjoyed.

‘Can’ being the important word here unfortunately. Mother was 10 years smoke free when she finally got diagnosed with COPD. The bad end of the scale ain’t a nice place to be, machines to help her breathe 24/7 and watching her deteriorate into a skeleton with Skin hanging off and finally me waking up one morning to silence.
Terrible condition and sole destroying for a family member to go through.

 

[AndyT]

As you say, you are talking about France.

GPs in the UK have enough trouble trying to get payment for signing passport photographs (they often refuse now), writing unneeded (and impossible to justify) sick notes to confirm to (perhaps justifiably sceptical) employers that Joe Bloggs was indeed unwell for a few days last week and for signing letters to confirm that people are fit to travel, get Insurance, etc.

Insisting that people pay anything at all to visit the GP would cause nightmares for a very long time until people woke up and smelt the coffee -or- the NHS collapsed - perhaps the privatisation obsessed Tories will try that strategy?

The GPs are British, and agree that no amount of extra money thrown at the NHS by the government will save what is essentially a dead horse in its current form.

 

[Hagar]

‘Can’ being the important word here unfortunately. Mother was 10 years smoke free when she finally got diagnosed with COPD. The bad end of the scale ain’t a nice place to be, machines to help her breathe 24/7 and watching her deteriorate into a skeleton with Skin hanging off and finally me waking up one morning to silence.
Terrible condition and sole destroying for a family member to go through.

Yes, there are many EOL conditions, cancer, strokes, heart attacks and other diseases where people are told you should / should not have done this or that. Smoking is a major cause of several of these and by modern standards may not have happened. Perhaps your mother was a similar generation to me where a majority of adults did smoke. There were also a few more environmental aspects, in work and in your car or even walking daily along congested streets.

I suspect that current generations, although most are likely not smokers will have their own health issues, poor diet and weight may be one. Skin cancers are more prevalent today I am told and maybe bowel or colon cancers may overtake lung cancers if they do not already. Strokes and heart attacks are more likely after age 45.

 

[LoadsaMoney]

Sorry to hear that OP, wishing you all the best

 

[Cryfreeman]

Yes, there are many EOL conditions, cancer, strokes, heart attacks and other diseases where people are told you should / should not have done this or that. Smoking is a major cause of several of these and by modern standards may not have happened. Perhaps your mother was a similar generation to me where a majority of adults did smoke. There were also a few more environmental aspects, in work and in your car or even walking daily along congested streets.

I suspect that current generations, although most are likely not smokers will have their own health issues, poor diet and weight may be one. Skin cancers are more prevalent today I am told and maybe bowel or colon cancers may overtake lung cancers if they do not already. Strokes and heart attacks are more likely after age 45.

45 she was born
Different times with famous people advertising cigarettes and next to no health warnings.
As you say I can see bowel cancers increasing with so many processed foods/bad diets.

A great women lost and not a day passes by without being missed.

 

[Jamin280672]

To be honest, like I already said, I have good days and bad days, I travel a lot during the week for work, different town and different cities, if I'm in Scotland for instance, I'm quite fine, if I'm in London, I'm pumping on my inhaler every half and hour, so yes although I've given up smoking, the atmosphere effects it too, everything effects it.

And yes I am blaming the doctor, he could have started treatment 3 years ago when I first complained about it instead of shrugging it off and pretty much telling me to get over myself, shockingly about a week later, headline news read that doctors were getting paid off by the government to keep people out of hospitals, my current doctor couldn't hardly believe what I was telling her when I told her about the previous doctor, the look of disgust on her face, wish I'd taken a picture.

If a doctor is quite happy shrug something like this off those years ago, then there's cause for alarm in my mind, so quite obviously, the patient, ie me, is highly likely to shrug it off too, it's easy for non smokers to say quit, it's an addiction, it's not that easy, some even say, harder to quit than heroin.

 

[IvanDobskey]

You really can't blame the doc.

If you'd stopped smoking then, you may have fully recovered.

Hope you stay off the cigs and see some sort of improvement.

 

[Jamin280672]

You really can't blame the doc.

If you'd stopped smoking then, you may have fully recovered.

Hope you stay off the cigs and see some sort of improvement.

It's only been a week of quiting and I'm already feeling an improvement, quite surprised myself, sometimes it takes a shock to the system to give something up.

 

[spoffle]

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.

The doctor wasn't wrong though. You really should have given up.

 

[neil_g]

And yes I am blaming the doctor, he could have started treatment 3 years ago when I first complained about it instead of shrugging it off and pretty much telling me to get over myself, shockingly about a week later, headline news read that doctors were getting paid off by the government to keep people out of hospitals, my current doctor couldn't hardly believe what I was telling her when I told her about the previous doctor, the look of disgust on her face, wish I'd taken a picture.

If a doctor is quite happy shrug something like this off those years ago, then there's cause for alarm in my mind, so quite obviously, the patient, ie me, is highly likely to shrug it off too, it's easy for non smokers to say quit, it's an addiction, it's not that easy, some even say, harder to quit than heroin.

or you could have quit 3 years ago, possibly before you developed a condition or at least before it got as bad?

quitting is pie as long as you have the will power. been there, done it.

 

[Diddums]

or you could have quit 3 years ago, possibly before you developed a condition or at least before it got as bad?

quitting is pie as long as you have the will power. been there, done it.

Well aren't you just the motivational poster. I'm pretty sure the dude has enough regret as it is due to... you know... a life changing ailment. Pretty sure your insufferable comments aren't helping things here.


Edit: Sorry Neil, not aimed at you in particular, it's aimed at most of the posters in this thread who are very vividly demonstrating their lack of experience in life changing ailments.

 

[neil_g]

Well aren't you just the motivational poster. I'm pretty sure the dude has enough regret as it is due to... you know... a life changing ailment. Pretty sure your insufferable comments aren't helping things here.


Edit: Sorry Neil, not aimed at you in particular, it's aimed at most of the posters in this thread who are very vividly demonstrating their lack of experience in life changing ailments.

thats a fair comment, maybe it was a bit harsh. its ultimately sad the guy is ill and i wish him the best but blaming other people is (my opinion) wrong.

fwiw like a lot of people ive lost loved ones to cancer and respiratory issues. some self inflicted, others not.

 

[AndyT]

Well aren't you just the motivational poster. I'm pretty sure the dude has enough regret as it is due to... you know... a life changing ailment. Pretty sure your insufferable comments aren't helping things here.


Edit: Sorry Neil, not aimed at you in particular, it's aimed at most of the posters in this thread who are very vividly demonstrating their lack of experience in life changing ailments.

I second this. There is not much community spirit in this thread. Although hardly surprising. This place has become somewhat of a cesspit.

 

[Lord-Jaffa]

To be honest, like I already said, I have good days and bad days, I travel a lot during the week for work, different town and different cities, if I'm in Scotland for instance, I'm quite fine, if I'm in London, I'm pumping on my inhaler every half and hour, so yes although I've given up smoking, the atmosphere effects it too, everything effects it.

And yes I am blaming the doctor, he could have started treatment 3 years ago when I first complained about it instead of shrugging it off and pretty much telling me to get over myself, shockingly about a week later, headline news read that doctors were getting paid off by the government to keep people out of hospitals, my current doctor couldn't hardly believe what I was telling her when I told her about the previous doctor, the look of disgust on her face, wish I'd taken a picture.

If a doctor is quite happy shrug something like this off those years ago, then there's cause for alarm in my mind, so quite obviously, the patient, ie me, is highly likely to shrug it off too, it's easy for non smokers to say quit, it's an addiction, it's not that easy, some even say, harder to quit than heroin.

Blaming the Doctor for what? The treatment was stopping smoking, which he told you to do and you ignored. It's only years later when something more serious has developed that you have taken it seriously. It's no one elses fault at all.
I'm glad you have quit now, smoking is a disgusting selfish habit, hopefully you will improve in time, but don't blame others for your own life choices.

 

[Jumper118]

am I missing the point here? he told you exactly what to do. You seem to have ignored his advice and continued but now you've actually got to a point where you have developed something serious and you're in some ways blaming him? I mean it's common knowledge that smoking is bad for you? doctor telling you to man up and give up is as straight to the point as it gets.

This.
Take responsibility for your own actions. You have chosen to smoke, you have even paid money to destroy your own lungs, i dont have a problem with you doing that, you should be free to do that if you wish, but dont blame other people.

 

[Eurofighter]

It's not always easy to stop smoking people find it hard for various reasons. The doctor was correct but could have helped more perhaps.

 

[Minstadave]

And yes I am blaming the doctor, he could have started treatment 3 years ago when I first complained about it instead of shrugging it off and pretty much telling me to get over myself, shockingly about a week later, headline news read that doctors were getting paid off by the government to keep people out of hospitals, my current doctor couldn't hardly believe what I was telling her when I told her about the previous doctor, the look of disgust on her face, wish I'd taken a picture.

If a doctor is quite happy shrug something like this off those years ago, then there's cause for alarm in my mind, so quite obviously, the patient, ie me, is highly likely to shrug it off too, it's easy for non smokers to say quit, it's an addiction, it's not that easy, some even say, harder to quit than heroin.

Blaming the doctor for your smoking is easy to do but not helpful or right. You’ve got to shoulder some of that responsibility.

You would have had COPD when you went to see him in all likelihood. The cigarettes caused that, not the doctor. The treatment you needed was to stop smoking.

 

[Housey]

And yes I am blaming the doctor, he could have started treatment 3 years ago when I first complained about it instead of shrugging it off and pretty much telling me to get over myself, shockingly about a week later, headline news read that doctors were getting paid off by the government to keep people out of hospitals, my current doctor couldn't hardly believe what I was telling her when I told her about the previous doctor, the look of disgust on her face, wish I'd taken a picture.

If a doctor is quite happy shrug something like this off those years ago, then there's cause for alarm in my mind, so quite obviously, the patient, ie me, is highly likely to shrug it off too, it's easy for non smokers to say quit, it's an addiction, it's not that easy, some even say, harder to quit than heroin.

The GP has a duty of care there is little debate over that, but sadly some do not do a very good job and like all things in life there are good, bad and average people in the medical profession. I have seen this first hand but unlike you I chose not to take what everyone tells me at face value when it concerns my health. If I had done that I would be dead, simple and you need to understand that your health is your primary concern in life. If you feel unwell and continue to feel unwell then seek further advice until you have a diagnosis, prognosis and plan to make life as good as possible in place. Too many people become subservient in the presence of the medical profession. I am not one of those people.

However, If smoking is the (highly likely) cause then it is, quite clearly, your own fault and you have to accept that. It is no one else's fault you chose to start smoking or chose not to stop smoking. It is fairly obvious to anyone due to the sheer volume of sources, not least fag packets, that smoking does and will kill many of those people who smoke. You like millions of other chose to ignore that, assume it would not happen to you and like tens of thousands of people each year it has come back to bite you on the bum. That is your fault, no one else's and the reason you are not getting the sympathy you perhaps expected is because you seemingly wish to put it at the feet of a GP.

That to one side you now need to own the problem. I would not Google this disease, I would establish who the experts are in your area are and arrange via a GP to go and see them and start to build our a plan to control and manage the problem. If your GP is not willing to do this, find another GP and never be afraid of seeking a second opinion, especially when it's your life. If you start smoking again you are an idiot as that will just keep destroying your lungs, making your COPD worse and then you too will get my experience of a respiratory ward, which for me ended with a chap the same age spending 6 hours dying next to me one night, followed by his family coming in to see where daddy had gone to.

Don't be that guy, this is your wake up call! Get it balanced, your lifestyle sorted and live a normal life as much as you can and good luck to you!

 

[TonyTurbo78]

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.

First, I’m very sorry to hear that and I wish you the very best going forward I really do.

I did originally write 3 long paragraphs here, but until you get X-rays and a proper diagnosis of the severity, I thought it best to stop there and delete and not scare you unnecessarily. My link to COPD was my father, I lost him back in 2015.

If you ever need advice or a word in private, feel free to send me a message/email. I understand a fair bit about this nasty condition. There are steps to slow the disease, obviously key is living right from now on. No smoking, stay clear of smokers, excercise, get a good diet etc.

Good luck, and I’m here if you have any questions.