What do you wish that someone would have told you when you were first diagnosed with COPD?
Years later, when I look back, I wish I would have been told more about COPD and what I was going through. What do you wish that someone told you?
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I wish I would have known more about clearing the lungs of mucus and making my coughing more productive. Since I have figured that out through trial and error and reading a lot, my COPD has been much more manageable. My pulmonologist was a lot more concerned about my pneumonia than he seemed to be about my COPD. But since my pneumonia has been taken care of, my pulmonologist and his medical team have centered more on the COPD. Now that I am more knowledgeable about COPD by reading a lot and participating in this form board, I ask a bunch more questions and get better informed questions.I wish they had have told me that there was a procedure that they could wash my lungs out instead instead they wait 5 years later until I'm so bad it's too risky now. arthritis was attacked by Oregon's Right Eye heart and lungs I also smoked for 35 years. I did have my lungs scraped years ago. I think that it’s similar but different? Thick gunk is what the doctor said.
I wish my former pulmonologist, Dr. Doolittle, would have told me my stage 2 COPD was very manageable if I worked at it. Fortunately, through forums like this and my own due diligence I’ve expanded my knowledge considerably.
Hi Bob - I hear you! In fact, in my work as a practicing respiratory therapist over the many years, I have heard this time-and-time again from a succession of patients with a COPD diagnosis. You are definitely not alone!
I have always believed the more one knows about their disease, the better able they will be to manage it in concert with their physician.
Thanks for joining in the conversation here.
All the best,
Leon (site moderator COPD.net)hello. We learn so much from each other. Thank you for your response.
Janet (site moderator/COPD.net)
To quit Smoking. congratulations 🎉🍾🎈🎊
I wish smoking wouldn't have been so normalized, you could smoke anywhere, even in the Dr.s office, most Dr.s had cigarettes in there shirt pocket, it was just so cool looking...I wish all the info about COPD, Emphysema would have been out there, maybe smoking wouldn't be so normalized, maybe I wouldn't have smoked...maybe I wouldn't die from this fucked up disease...to bad we can't go back and change it all... I smoked when I was very young but not everyday, only when with others who also smoked. Lokking back it was all about fitting in wwith peer. When I married and started a family I no longer smoked.
I was dxed 12 yrs ago with COPD to date it was moderate however I've began coughing more and chedt infections are more common. I have on handall times an emergency Rescue kit consisting of prednisone 5mg and Levofloxacin 500mg. once daily.When 1st beginning the prednisone I take 8 tabletss for 6 days then decrease them after finishing the antibiotic, I also have an inhaler, Trelegy once daily in the I also Salbutamol HFA 4x daily as required. I am 77yrs old now and I truly was surprised when I was diagnosed with this after so many years passed. I am a Canadian and unfortunately we are in dire need over here for Pulmonary doctors but I do have Respiratory Specialist who I see on a regular basis he will take my calls as well which today you're very lucky to have.
My wish is my Family Dr who I'd had for many years had informed me more about COPD. Blessings to all who have this💕Thank you for sharing. That's good that you have an emergency bag. It gets to be alot of supplies doesn't it? I'm glad that you have a doc that will take your calls. That is something.
I hope you are having a restful night.
~Janet (site moderator/COPD.net
