Possible COPD diagnosis

Hi there. Welcome! I'm glad you found us -- I can hear how unsettled you are and I would feel the same way. You've been through a lot lately.

So, we can't judge about whether or not you have COPD or give medical advice since we're not doctors. But COPD can be caused by all sorts of things, not just smoking. About a quarter of people with COPD have never smoked! So, sometimes it's damage from other illnesses, genetics, or just plain bad luck. Though I am very glad to hear you quit so long ago. I am certain that has made a difference in your health and will play a positive role moving forward.

You are always free to make your own choices, but I would urge you to go for the testing and see what they say. If you do have COPD, there is so much that can be done today to help you feel well and slow down the progression of your symptoms, and the sooner you have a management plan, the better it will be for you. Here is an article breaking down how the testing works:

https://copd.net/clinical/what-is-pulmonary-function-testing

Everyone is different, and what life looks like with COPD depends on what your health is like at diagnosis, your fitness level, how well you take care of yourself generally, if you take your meds and follow doctors' instructions, etc. There are breathing exercises you can do, here's some info about that:

https://copd.net/guest-expert/pursed-lips-are-not-just-for-kissing



I would say the majority of the people here have had COPD for at least 5-10 years -- though we have seen plenty of others who lived for decades. My grandmother lived for 10 years after her diagnosis, but she lived with symptoms for much longer, just as an example. She had a full life and passed in her 80s. Without medication, you would likely see a faster progression of the disease.

With mild COPD, you might find that life goes on as normal, yes. Especially since you are active and are working with a medical team. Activity, a healthy diet and regular sleep can make a huge difference. This is not a death sentence -- plenty of us end up dying from something else in the end, to be frank. Try not to put too much stock in whatever timelines you may be given. As I just wrote to someone else, we can't see the future and our bodies can surprise us. So try to take things one day at a time, with hope and a commitment to keep doing the best you can.

I'll stop here, since I've already written a novel. 😀 You're not alone!! We're all here for you. Please keep us posted and I will cross my fingers that everything goes well with the tests.

Hugs,
Melissa, team member

Me again. Forgot to mention that yes, you can fly even if you use oxygen. We have tons of info about that, let us know if you want us to send some articles. -Melissa, team member

Thanks for the reply. I will check out the articles and would like to be sent some articles. I have decided to go for the test as the anxiety about not knowing is worse. It may or may not be COPD but I am now imagining all sorts of symptoms.

As I said I consider myself to be quite fit for my age and exercise in one form or another almost every day and smoking is long in the past. I guess if it is COPD then I will just follow advice and carry on the best I can and book a private consultation with a specialist. I am in the UK and the NHS is not always as good as it should be!
Another question - Does high humidity make COPD worse? I am hoping to make a final trip to India later this year and the plan is to go to the South which will be quite humid. I plan to spend more time outside the cities as they are very polluted now but am concerned about the humidity.

Hi Melissa is right on humidity. It does make it harder to beathe. Barometric Pressure also affects us with COPD.
https://copd.net/living/human-barometer

Janet (Team)