What do you think caused your COPD?
Smoking, your career, the alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency... what do you think contributed to your diagnosis?
I believe part of mine is my biological father died of it, plus smoking for 20 years, working in a rock quarry and beathing dust from that, was in 2 very heavy forest fires with breathing very difficult through out the area. Plus my ignorance of not taking care and learning more. Younger years made me think I was invinsible. Age 73 was not told what stage as they say I had Covid that gave me Covid lung also. 
Hi Patty, and thank you for chiming in here and sharing your thoughts about how you were diagnosed with COPD. It does sound like the diagnosis may have been triggered when you contracted COVID. I've heard many stories, like yours, about folks having issues during the pandemic and then, being diagnosed with a pulmonary disease of one kind or another. It also sounds like your 'life history' may have contributed to this as well, just as you said.
How are you doing nowadays? Are you being treated for COPD and/or the after-effects of COVID?
If there is anything we can do to assist you, please let me or any other moderator / team member know. Please know, you are always welcome here in our community.
Wishing you well,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
Well my brother died of it and so did my father and we all smoked so that is first and foremost. But on talking to my other brother (who didn't smoke and lives in a different state) he told me he has always had problems with running even when young. My father smoked heavily in the days when it was ok inside. I think passive smoking along with the fact that I smoked just exacerbated it. Its simple for me - smoking is the cause. For my Dad it was a mixture - he worked with paints and had asthma as well as smoking. He died of it at 52. I am 72 and in 3rd stage but feel reasonably positive. I had a zephyr valve procedure which spurred me on to keep walking no matter how hard and after a long while of perserverence I feel happy with my progress. Due to the zephyr valves in my left upper upper lobe I now have room in for my diaphragm to move and then its a matter of using my diaphragm to help with my breathing and have noticed it does get easier to do this the more I walk. That's how I see it anyway -but I am no doctor 
Wow, thank you for sharing your story with us. I'm so happy to hear you've experienced progress since the zephyr valve procedure 😀 Thanks again for stopping by and keep up the great work! - John M. (COPD.net Team)
Copd runs in my family but I’ve smoked for so long I know it’s made my Copd far worse then if I never smoked or quit after finding out I have this awful disease! 
hello and welcome!
You aren't alone, there are many here who smoked. Some very heavy and some not as many. Some people never smoked. There is a generic form of COPD, which is Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. Have you hear of that?John shared links on this article as well.
https://copd.net/living/human-barometerHere is an article by Jackie English
https://copd.net/living/tested
(Moderator/COPD.net)
Apparently, I had a bad case of stupid, beginning at an early age. I grew up in a violent abusive home and began smoking and drinking at 11. Added drugs in high school, and on and on. Got sober at 34. Kept smoking until this year, and I am 70, so fifty some years. I am now cured of the stupid, and the substances, but there is no cure for the COPD. But I danced, and now I am paying the piper.
Hi again, kloker, and thanks for joining in this forum and answering Alesandra's question, posed at the beginning of 2021.
Just so you aware, Alesandra has moved on earlier this year to pursue other career interests.
In her place, we now have, as a team member. I am sure you know the name, as she has been very active on our COPD.net community website as a site lead. I know you and she have conversed here many times.
As always, we are happy to have you here as such an active and involved member of the community.
Be well,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)
