Hi . Welcome to the community! Here is an article about diagnosing COPD that might interest you: https://copd.net/diagnosis. Here is an article about stages: https://copd.net/basics/copd-stages. We have many members who were diagnosed stage 4 and are still with us decades later. Treatment, exercise and therapy can help tremendously. Have you seen a pulmonologist yet? Wishing you the best. - Lori (Team Member)