What do you think caused your COPD?
Smoking, your career, the alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency... what do you think contributed to your diagnosis?
With me it was asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and passive smoking my dad's Navy Cut as a baby. My mum went to work, he wasn't able. In the end he had emphysema himself from a lifetime of smoking. But he died of heart failure. It does help me to be on here and not feel so alone with it. Hugs to all.
We are here to support you and deeply appreciate you sharing with our community. Thank you for stopping by and have a peaceful rest of the day. - John M. (COPD.net Team)
Smoking at 14, exposure to chemicals, agent orange driving silo bulk transport with much dust, I think this all adds up to where I am today.
Thank you for sharing so openly with us. How have you been feeling lately? Wishing you a peaceful rest of the day. - John M. (COPD.net Team) Thank you for the good wishes. The depression is really getting the best of me and living here in Spain it's hard to find any understanding,
What I think contributed to my COPD.
1) parents smoking in home
2) my smoking
3) chicken pox in lungs at age 19 with complications of pneumonia.
4) having 5 chromosomes that relate to higher risk of lung disease. And later finding through my Dna I had numerous red flagged genes that made me at higher risk for lung cancer and COPD. So the smoking before knowing this helped increase the risk of my genetic factors
5) repeated 2-3 times per year bronchitis over lifetime
6) at least 3 pneumonia episodes over lifetime
7) exposure to TB at ago 26
😎 ammonia mixed with bleach exposure
9) VERY destructive MAC infection
10) lung Cancer survivor of 17 years. Interesting note: the scar tissue from my upper left lobe removal was the perfect place for my MAC infection to create an abscess of infection where I had no blood supply.
11) numerous exacerbations
12) environmental exposure to car exhaust fumes in traffic for years
13) California fires and residual ash
All of this has gotten me to my current stage 4 COPD. And although my energy is limited and I get short of breath quite easily, I still keep on keeping on because I want to live. I do the best that I can to keep moving and participating in life’s activities both indoors and out. And I pray regularly for science to catch up and save the millions of us and give us new life.Thank you for such a thorough reply. I admire your courage in sharing and persevering through such challenges. Thanks for being a part of our community and please remember that we are here for you! - John M. (COPD.net Team)
Ferociously asthmatic as a child. Nearly died several times. Many interventions were required to wrest me from the Grim Reaper's grasp! Lots of adrenaline for my feeble heart. But a lifetime of athletic endeavors strengthened me. However, in my fifties I worked with many sick kids from Central America. I often contracted their ills. I also was exposed to regular diesel-powered motors and their emissions. Not good. Inevitably my lungs began to succumb to the abuses. So now my ravaged lungs are requiring my attention. 
, thanks for sharing your experience with us here. It sounds like your lungs have really been through the wringer, but I am glad you are being proactive with doing everything you can to maintain your health and get better, as I know we have discussed on other posts. ~Melanie (team member)
