Coping with Symptoms

By elrika

1 min read

Hello I am a 46 year old female, diagnosed recently with COPD stage 2. Any comments on feelings when you were diagnosed? How to cope?

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Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member
Hi Elrika, and thanks for your post. Welcome to our online community! You may elicit more of a reply if you post your question in our Q & A section. You can access it here: <a href='https://copd.net/q-and-a' target='_blank'>https://copd.net/q-and-a/</a>. As well, you may want to post it on our COPD Facebook page - many of our members interact there regularly throughout the day about all sorts of subjects related to COPD. How are you feeling with this new diagnosis? Are there any emotions you are feeling that you'd like to share with the community at this time? Wishing you well, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://copd.net' target='_blank'>COPD.net</a>)
1. elrika Member
 Thank you for your reply. Will follow the link. Regards Elrika
2. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member
 You are most welcome, Elrika. We're glad to have you as a member of our online community. Wishing you well, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://copd.net' target='_blank'>COPD.net</a>)
cassie1977 Member
I was just diagnosed 2 days ago with stage 2. When the doctor told me it didn't sink in. I only thought I knew what COPD even was. After reading about it however, I've cried a LOT. We have a 3 year old. I quit smoking the day she was born, hoping for a really long healthy restart so that we could be together forever. I'm an older mom at 42, but not old enough for something like this. Anyway... to answer your question, not coping very well with the concept and curious how quickly it's going to worsen and how long we can expect to live normally. How have you been coping? How old are you and what are your symptoms so far? Nice to meet you, by the way.
1. John Bottrell, RRT Moderator & Contributor
 Hi. Cassie. Thank you for chiming in with your personal copd experience. Based on what you say here, it sounds like you are well on your way to a healthy restart. Quitting smoking (and congratulations on quitting!!!) itself is a great start. I understand sometimes it can hit you hard at first -- but getting that proper diagnosis is helpful to getting you on a path to proper treatment, which can go a long way to slowing the progression of the disease, and many times significantly so. John. <a href='https://copd.net' target='_blank'>copd.net</a> community moderator
2. Leon Lebowitz, RRT Member
 Hi Cassie1977, and thanks for your post. It certainly can be challenging, facing a new diagnosis of COPD. You've certainly come to the right place, as we are all about all things COPD and COPD related. I see my colleague, John, has already welcomed you with his reply. I did want to echo his 'congratulations' on quitting smoking. Keep up the good work! I thought you might gain some additional insight for the early stages of this condition from this article It focuses on that very topic: <a href='https://copd.net/living/early-stage-treatment' target='_blank'>https://copd.net/living/early-stage-treatment/</a>. I do hope you find it to be helpful. If there is anything we can do to assist you, please let me or any other moderator / team member know. Wishing you well, Leon (site moderator <a href='https://copd.net' target='_blank'>COPD.net</a>)