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copd aged 21

Posted , 11 users are following.

missy24322
missy24322

I'm a 21 year old smoker, I started smoking when I was 13, when I was 18 I had bad cough that lasted ages (I cough a lot now) and I coughed up bright blood about 4 times but I ignored it cos I thought I was ill. I have always been a nervous person so when I started struggling for breath I thought I was having panic attacks, now I think it's emphysema. I get out of breath just walking upstairs, I can't take deep breath with out yawning and even then I don't always get deep breath, I wake up some nights with terrible ear pain where my head feels so heavy, I wheeze. Everyting I have read has said I'm to young to get copd, I was born at 25 weeks and weighed under 2 lbs so don't think my lungs were ever very good. I'm so terrified all the time that I get the shakes, my breathing is so bad already that just walking the mile to work has me out of breath. It terrifies me to go gp and have the tests done and have it confirmed, it's so final. I will never get a boyfriend or have a baby. My life feels over before its begun. I have quit smoking now. I feel so alone.

1 like, 26 replies

26 Replies

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  • hypercat
    hypercat missy24322

    Posted

    Please don't panic Missy.  You are very young to be diagnosed with copd so it might well just be a chest infection.   Even if it is you are propably only mild and with the right meds,  a good diet,  exercise you can expect to live a long and fruitful life.   

    Whilst the damage caused by copd is irreversible it can be slowed right down and even stopped for years if you look after yourself.   Well done for packing in the fags - that is the best thing you could have done to help yourself.

    Another thing is if you are diagnosed with copd because you are so young your doctor should investigate further and should certainly offer you an Alpha 1 deficiency test.   This is a rare illness so please don't worry too much about having that.   

    We have a wealth of knowledge here so please come in anytime you have a problem or need to know anything.   Fingers crossed.

    Bev xx

    • missy24322
      missy24322 hypercat

      Posted

      Thank you for all your replies, wish I had quit smoking when I first started coughing badly. Just to add that I get the feeling of having a band around my rib cage. For the past 3 years, I have tried to pretend nothing was happening so was smoking 20 fans and cutting my arms when I panicked, and drinking wine cos when I have a drink my breathing feels better. I am going to phone my gp tomorrow and make an appointment.
    • jude65855
      jude65855 missy24322

      Posted

      Missy, I'm so glad you're going to see yr GP as soon as possible.  The pain band could be from all the coughing, but you need to get your condition diagnosed URGENTLY ...... you're obviously very stressed, but that doesn't mean there isn't something going on which you need to check out.

      Please let us all know how you get on - you have a lot of people on your side on this forum

    • missy24322
      missy24322 jude65855

      Posted

      I went a&e last night, told nurse and dr my symptoms and asked for spirometry they said no but did chest X ray and heart test and said that looked ok. They were so adamant that it wasn't copd without even checking my breathing on the spirometer, and sent me away saying I was fine. Even though I still can't breath
    • jude65855
      jude65855 missy24322

      Posted

      Well obviously for whatever reason you're not fine if you can't breathe.  I don't even know which country you're in:  in Australia I can have a spirometry test with the practice nurse at my local gp clinic, it's not really the sort of thing they do in a & e I wouldn't have thought.

      I don't know what to suggest next except that if you've been fully checked out and they say there's nothing wrong, you may need to look at anxiety causing your symptoms,which it definitely can, and work on that.

    • gpgp
      gpgp missy24322

      Posted

      A&E is useless when it comes to Treating anxiety and I have never known an A&E that has the facilities to do Spirometry. If you are in th UK then ask your local surgery if they have a respiratory nurse-they do them all the time.
  • DawnDedee
    DawnDedee missy24322

    Posted

    Missy, you as not alone, we are here to support you and cheer you on. My first thought is that you absolutely MUST take yourself to a good doctor. While you are being afraid of your condition, your condition is going onward and could be worsening. Knowledge is power. You are suffering and relief could be just around the corner. Imagine your walk to work not being so difficult. Please get the help you need. Please.

    You are very smart to have already quit smoking. Please keep in touch.

    💛 Dawn, USA

  • missy24322
    missy24322

    Posted

    Just came from gp she checked my lungs and said they sounded good, my oxygen is good she had me blow into a peak flow measure thing and she said it was over 400 and good but my throat is red raw and I said to her I think that's where I have to constantly open my mouth to yawn and get breath. Is this how people get diagnosed? I don't think the thing I blew into was a spirometry. She wants me to have more blood test done to check my thyroid and blood count. She told me the same thing they said at a&e that I'm anxious but it feels like they saying that because of my age, if my breathing gets as bad as it did last night I will be straight back down the hospital.
    • stephx
      stephx missy24322

      Posted

      There's a lot of people our age having this problem you know and all iv spoke too doctors can't find what's wrong with them so I think we won't get a full diagnoise for a while I'm really bad today it's funny how you are anxiouse and I'm anxiouse though goes to show it could Deffo be anxiety xx
    • gpgp
      gpgp missy24322

      Posted

      Ask the receptionist if the surgerydoes spirometry and do they have a respiratory or asthma nurse. 
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