Possible diagnosis at 41
I have been struggling with shortness of breath for some time now, made much worse after catching Covid at the start of December. Gave up smoking 5 years ago but have vaped on and off during this time. I’m 41.
Saw a respiratory nurse today who performed spirometry. The results were low but technically still considered normal - 70% on the ratio thing. But apparently the chest X-ray showed flattened diaphragm and evidence of copd.
I’ll be seeing my gp next week to discuss in more detail but I’m feeling pretty low. My mum has copd and it’s not a pretty sight. I know we’ve potentially caught it early but 41 is a long time to try to halt the disease. And my chest feels so tight. It’s an incredibly depressing thing to know that this is probably the best I will feel for the rest of my life, when I feel rough already.
Anyone have similar story?
Hi Spills - welcome! You've certainly come to the right place!
We hear you, but let's look at this from a practical point of view.
The good news is that you have caught this early and are already seeking medical intervention. Early intervention goes a long, long way towards arresting the progress of this disease - we know that to be true!
There is a wealth of information for us to share with you as you find out more about this disease. Many of our community members, as well as so many patients who I have treated over the years, live long, productive lives with a diagnosis of COPD.
I will give you some time to get acclimated to our community website and also to see your primary physician. The general practitioner should be able to give you an idea of the level of disease you have now. The doctor may also suggest you see a specialist in the future. They will most probably come up with a treatment plan, medication regimen and even life style modifications. I will tell you that being smoke-free for 5 years now is a tremendous accomplishment. It will also serve you well as you start to manage the COPD.
If you need any kind of assistance (questions, concerns, requests for information), please be sure to let me or any other moderator / team member know.
You are always welcome here!
All the best,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)Thanks for taking the time to reply, Leon. I’ve had a feeling for a fair few years now that this would be an diagnosis at some point in my life so it’s not a huge surprise. But still not great to hear! I’ll take a look around the site, find out a bit more about the prognosis and try to stay positive!
Hi Spills - and thanks for your reply. Stay as positive as you can - that, in and of itself, can go a long way towards managing this disease. But, equally important, find out as much as you can about your specific level of disease. We can take it from there with you - you can count on our support here at COPD.net.
Warmly,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
I spoke to GP today in the end. He wouldn’t make a diagnosis of COPD as lung function was okay. Said that there was some flattening of diaphragm which indicates early disease. Thought that Covid is probably still contributing to breathlessness and that it would hopefully improve with time. Wants to keep an eye on it and for me to go back for spirometry in 6 months. I’ll use salbutamol too for breathlessness. Said it was quite possible that it might go on to become Copd in future but I’m happy that it’s not a formal diagnosis right now!
Hi again, Spills, and thanks for the update. Well, this is pretty good news from my perspective. The doctor has made a prudent assessment - it is all reasonable and practical. Monitoring the pulmonary function in six months should yield more information based on the initial lung function test being used as a benchmark.
I'm glad to hear you have some relief following the conversation with the doctor.
Please do keep in touch - we're glad to have you as a member of our online community.
Warmly,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
