Age 29 and just found out I have COPD

Posted , 27 users are following.

Hi Everyone, just found out I have COPD at 29!! In total shock at the moment and coming to terms with what I've just been told. Ill be having a Spirometer test done on Monday to see how severe it is. I started to have pain in my right shoulder and down my right arm as well as a cough. I've smoked since I was 14 a pack of 10-15 a day and stopped smoking Monday since I found out. I'm hoping its I've caught it early and its only mild. Symptoms really are just the cough and I get a little breathless when walking but nothing really severe. Can anyone tell me if you were diagnosed at an early stage and age?

Take care everyone

Becky

5 likes, 43 replies

43 Replies

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  • Posted

    Hi All.

    My name is James and I am 22 years old. Last year I smoked for about 9 - 10 months max ( never having smoked before ) I started off slowly only smoking socially but the gradually progressed to a maximum ( around 3 months in ) of 20 a day. In December I was having lung trouble and went to my GP and asked to have X-rays. They came back clear with just slight evidence of a respiritory chest infection. After this I quit but occasionally over the weekends I would have a few smokes out with friends. I have only been smoking socially occasionally up until now, maybe on average 10-15 a week but the past weekends only about 2-3. I have had some shortness of breath and coughing and it has been worrying. Recently went for another X-ray and apparently its all clear.

    Just would like to know what you feel the chances are that I could have COPD.

    Thank you so much

    Best wishes

    James

    • Posted

      James I promise you don have COPD. Smoking will lead you to COPD. Give it up right now, You don want end up like us.
  • Posted

    Hiya sorry to hear I know how hard it is, I'm 31 just got diagnosed it brakes my heart I just sit and worry about not being here for my kids to grow up, if you need to talk am here the ppl on here are lovely and helped me a lot xx
    • Posted

      I am a 38 year old Dad  of a 2.5 year old son. I wanna live to see my grand children smile !! We will make it "In Shaa Allah" (my language). It was scaring me and killing me inside too..But now I am getting more and more positive. My wheezing and coughs are gone. But the heaviness in breathing is still there but will go away too In Sha Allah. I changed my lifestyle (quit smoking and started exercising) which even in my dreams I thought wld never be possible.
  • Posted

    Just read all your posts....And I really want to know how  you all are doing now??

    I got diagnosed about a month ago with lung disorder but the Doc did not tell me if I have COPD. My BPT test result was 93% so I am assuming quite well that I have Mild COPD. I also have  Chronic Rhinitis sad. It is only after the Provocation Test that I got coughing and wheezing problems which lasted 2 weeks. And at the time of the test I gave up smoking  wink. (Quitting helped a lot)

    Till  now I did not have sever symptoms like coughing or anything to make me go to the Doctor. I went to the doc because I was having moderate breathing problems. I did not have any cough or wheezing. I have had 2 attacks till now. Mine usually starts with moderate breathing troubles on hot humid days. After that initiaI attack I start having light breating problems (heavy breathing) that does not go away easily. It lasts for 2-3 days.  I have been prescribed Tiotropium, an antihistamine and Avamys for 3 months. I take Sulbutamol Inhaler as temporary releiver but it does not work too well rolleyes

    I (also) wanted to know if anyone has the same symptom as mine and are there any advises I can follow to reduce this heaviness in breathing. When the Symptoms start I also happen to get cloggy (but not runny) nose.

    I was realatively a heavy smoker (10-15) for 15 ears with a 2 year brake in the middle. I am over weight (and currentlty doing minimum 30 mins brisk walking everyday that does not flare up symptoms) and I live in a Tropical Region of South Asia, that is Bangladesh smile

     

    • Posted

      I hear that with copd, you cannot expel all the air from your lungs.That may be the problem.
  • Posted

    Well done with the smoking !! You will not feel great from time to time over the next few months but it is truly worth stopping. Your cough will get better and hopefully any damage to your lungs will be minimised. Good luck.
  • Posted

    Hey, I know this is an old post, but hope to get a reply. I am 29 and have been told I have moderate emphysema based solely on an X-ray. When you were first told was it also just based off an X-ray? I'm really stressed out and terrified I'm going to die. I have 4 kids under the age of 12. I have smoked for a while but don't feel I have symptoms for emphysema.. any reply is appreciated. I'm waiting on a phone call to schedule a PFT. So I guess i will know for sure then 😳

    • Posted

      I never had an x-ray, to confirm it..I was justdiagnosed with it, after years of sickness an pneumonias..heres my story..hope it helps.

      If you have any questions, feel free to contact me back..good luck sweetheart.

      I was diagnosed at age 30 (although I think Ive had it for quite awhile) I had bronchitis atleast once a year, since the age of 7 (grew up around smokers) I was born in 1981, to a father who had bad asthma, and his mother died of copd..even though she never smoked I was born in Hartford Connecticut and was told by the Dr.s there, that "everyone born by the connecticut river, seemed to have this bad asthma, as I did" ..He wanted to put me on (what I now know was a copd inhaler) a STRONG inhaler but I didn't want it.. I felt like he was jumping to conclusions..However, theres more to my story..

      As I began getting older, around 21.. I started getting colds/bronchitis atleast twice a year. I would get a pneumonia with the bronchitis every once in awhile, but i started getting them twice a year, with my bronchitis as well. (around the age of 26).. Ive smoked since i was 15 but i didnt think I could get copd this young. I actually got tested for AIDS because the dr.s were wondering too..but I came up negative.. Anyway, the last pneumonia i had was when I was 30 .. I thought i might die, as I was too tired to even cough anymore (z packs dont make it go away.. No medicine that "use to work" seemed to make it go away anymore.

      One day , i saw a new dr. And he immediately diagnosed me with COPD. My worst nightmare..my fear is of not being able to breath he wanted me to do a lung test but i blew it off. Now 5 years later, I am coughing up wierd spewtum (greenish/yellow, circular , little blobs..) if I check the other type i cough up, out.. They seem to "spider web" outwards.. Recently, Ive actually coughed up a little blood, so Im quite scared now (still havnt quit smoking, actually im smoking more..) i also have pleurecy..(pain in the lungs when breathing).. I dont quite know what else to say, exept for "sh*t sucks" . I wasnt blessed with any children, (probobly for the best) but if you have any, i would suggest to quit smoking ASAP.. Good Luck and God Bless..

      ~ melanie

  • Posted

    I'm 37 stopped smoking when I was i was 19 or 20, prior to that I'd smoked since I was like 12 used to go through twenty packs in a day! Dobt smoke these days. My partner does but I dobt.

    But for for the last five years my breathing gotten worse. I knew I had asthma did all the things they told me but I wake up feeling like I'm drowning and end up bringing up. Mucus and sometimes blood off my chest. A twenty minute journey taking our kids to school knocks it out of me as I end up having to stop as I feel I'm being strangled, dizzy or end up coughing until I'm sick. I only have to do a physical activity and I end up drained and breathless, then guaranteed two days or a day later a chest infection hits. This has been going on for some time now and all the doctor does is. Knock up my asthma meds and says thirtys is to young for copd. I saw my uncle go from emphathema to full on copd an unpleasant experience now I'm starting to worry myself but just get shuttled between doctor and asthma nurse.

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