What do you think caused your COPD?
Smoking, your career, the alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency... what do you think contributed to your diagnosis?
I recently discovered via tests and from speaking to various health clinicians, that although I was a smoker, my Copd may have originated from a bad case of TB I contracted 13 years ago.
I have serious scarring on my lungs and I have been diagnosed with a secondary infection that is TB related. This was an eye opener for me
With me, I think it was a combination of things. I quit smoking over 15 years ago for the final time after several short intermissions before, but had been doing 5K brisk walks, water jogging, and weights clear up to age 56 with no impairment. But when I wound up in the hospital in early 2010 with H1N1, I never got back to normal again. Follow up testing a year later after complaining of shortness of breath had CT scans showing extensive lung damage more consistent with infections than smoking related damage. I have no wheezing, rails, or lung congestion but my O2 sats are low and I need oxygen most of the time now, especially with even mild physical exertion. Since it was almost a day and night change after being hospitalized with severe influenza, I suspect that even though smoking laid the groundwork, I was never symptomatic previous to that. Also, i'm third generation with COPD----although my mother and grandfather never quit smoking----so I suspect a heredity component is there. Had an A1 antitrypsin test at the beginning of this, but the practice never responds when I ask for the now old results. They were probably within normal ranges, but I suspect were on the very low end, as a lot of the damage seems to be infection related and cumulative. They saw some damage in the base of my right lung from infections 40 years ago when I had another case of flu in the 1980's as well. (I do have one copy of the gene responsible for antitrypsin deficiency, but by itself, that shouldn't be a real issue).
Anyway. That's my story. Hope everybody out there is staying safe and well as possible in these crazy times.I have had asthma since I was a child, my whole family smoked, and at the time, who knew about second hand smoke🤷🏻♀️. I then picked up the nasty habit, because, I’m old, and “it was cool.”
Slightly similar as to why serious COPD after running everyday for 45 years and very active. Well yes I had been a smoker shame shame. But was also diagnosed SARCOID granulomas in lungs just a couple years ago. Find out my brother also diagnosed sarcoidosis at age 30. He a never smoker and now at 65 has some lung issue they cant explain. Just sayin, yes something is inherited but the sarcoid is misdiagnosed most of the time. Causes lung scarring. Check it out. I would appreciate hearing any experience with sarcoid
To Christieingraham: Sarc will definitely cause lung problems. I'm amazed your brother's doctors haven't addressed that? (Time for an appt with a different physician maybe?) Some cases of sarc can be easy to miss if you don't check all the boxes of skin lesions, liver issues, etc, but yes, they can indeed do the very kind of lung damage you mention.
Combination of things.
Here is the list of stuff that Could have Caused it for me.1) Asbestos
The Majority of my issues actually started after I converted an attic in a old house to a living area. I later found out that they tore the house down due to asbestos.
2) Chemical ExposureWorking with chemicals like Solder Flux, Epoxies, Solvents, and Paints
3) Cigarette Smoke.
4) Allergies
Severe Seasonal Allergies
5) Untreated Asthma.
I found out that I had Asthma the same day I was diagnosed with COPD.
6) Chronic Rhinitis.
When I finally got referred to a specialist I was diagnosed with stage 3 COPD (Borderline stage 4). This was after going to the doctors for 7 years 5 to 10 times a year with breathing issues.
