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COPD AT 50

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mike1964
mike1964

I am a 50 year old married man and have been smoking for the past 35 years, in the past 4 years i noticed that i was getting shortnes of breath but never to much notic and but it down to smoking and getting older, then this last year i felt even more shortness of breath, so i went to my GP who sent me of to hospital for some test, i do suffer with angina and ashma. anyway this Monday 06/10/2014 i went to see a consultant who done a Spirometry test, results 40%, she told me what that ment etc, i broke down in tears. she then had blood taken from me to be honest i can't remember why she had blood taken from me as i was just to upset at the time and did not take much info in at the time, she also wants me to have chest xray, echo sounds, etc. and will be sending me letters in the post with in the next 2 weeks.  i know the damage is done and i can't reverse that, but i have thrown the fags in the bin and havant had one since, and will not be having one ever again. at the moment i don't know what to do just to upset and scared. i had to retire from work 12 moths ago becasue of other problems that i had with my hip and knee, and plus i was having bad angina attacks last year. i read thing on the net about diff stages of COPD and from what i am reading i am at stage 2.  what I would like to ask others will I die at a young age if I turn my life around or is that it and just have to wait until things get worse and worse over the few months or few years, I don't know

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • hypercat
    hypercat mike1964

    Posted

    Hi Mike I am sorry you have had this diagnosis,  it must be very scary for you and I do understand.  I was a smoker and was diagnosed with very mild copd around 6 years ago.  I have now just gone into the moderate stage (2).

    It is a progressive disease unfortunately but you can do a lot to slow it down or even stop it for a long time by not smoking,  eating well,  exercising and taking your meds properly.  You are at stage 2 like me (I am 60 now) and plan to live many more years.  You can too if you look after yourself.  

    You don't say what meds you are on.  I am on the blue inhalers,  symbicort to open the airways and spiriva (a longer acting bronchilator) and they do work well.  You can still have a good quality of life and do everything you want too albeit a bit slower so please try not to worry too much.  You need to ask your doctor about PR (pulmunary rehabilitation) group.  I went to one and they had a psychologist,  a COPD nurse and an exercise expert.  We could ask any questions we wanted and we did 45 minutes of specially tailored exercises for lung sufferers.  You will need a referral from your doctor.  

    There are many lung sufferers at stage 3, 4 and even end stage who are still going strong after many at that stage,  so at stage 2 you have a long time yet. 

    I hope this has helped a bit Mike.  

    I have sent you a private message.  x

    • ladyjack51
      ladyjack51 hypercat

      Posted

      Hi hypercat

      How do u find out what stage you are at? Is that the pulmonary function test? I was a point or two from registering on that test....meaning I couldn't blow out enough to even be evaluated on it....does that mean I'm stage 4 or something? They told me I was severe and supposed to be on Oxygen 24/7 but the medicines help alot and i don't seem to need it all the time. How do I find out about the stages? They didn't really teach me like they should have. I also am 54 and smoked 4o years..gave them up the day I was diagnosed. ..Sept 3rd, 2014.  Thanks....

    • mike1964
      mike1964 hypercat

      Posted

      thank you so much for your kind reasuring words, and i am sorry to hear that you also have the 4 letter word, yes i am on the brown and blue inhalers, the consultant said that she is going to get me to join the PR group how long that will take i have no idea, she also said that i will receive a few letters with in the next 2 weeks etc. i am going to see my GP tom at 3.20pm, i havant slept much and can't sleep.

      i read yoru Private message and thank you, i will log onto that later and have a look.

      thank you for all your help and support and its nice to know that others are there to help. you take care x

    • hypercat
      hypercat mike1964

      Posted

      You are welcome Mike and I am glad I was able to help a bit.  This is a good site and we all support each other with our lung diseases.  We all had to have that bad news ourselves so totally understand how you feel.  I was the same until I joined a couple of copd sites (that's a 4 letter word ha ha) and got so much help and support.  We are all here for each other and we know what's it like when the outside world doesn't understand and often don't wish to!  

      Keep coming in here and any questions just ask.  Between us we are all a very knowledgeable bunch.  xx

    • hypercat
      hypercat ladyjack51

      Posted

      Hi ladyjack51 I am sorry you are severe.  You are probably at stage 3 which I think is a lung function between 30 and 50%.  

      There are 5 stages - mild,  moderate,  severe,  very severe and end stage.  I am not sure of the exact details but if you google it you will find the information.  I presume you are in the UK?  If so make sure you go on a UK site as it is slightly different from the USA one.  

      I am on a couple of copd sites and there are lots of people with stage 3, 4 and even stage 5 end stage who have been there for many years and still have quality of life albeit quite a lot slower.  It is good you don't need the oxygen all the time.  I did read somewhere that the lowest % lung function you can survive on is 6% so you have plenty of time yet.  Take care xx

    • ladyjack51
      ladyjack51 hypercat

      Posted

      Actually I'm in the U.S. hypercat....Dallas,  Texas to be exact...home of the Dallas Cowboys NFL Team..lol. 

      Yes, like Mike, and probably all of us, I was shocked at first and then severely depressed but I came out of that quickly bc i am adapting quickly. I can maintain a pulse ox of about 91 without oxygen for quite awhile as long as I don't exert, but even if I do and it goes down to about 85, if I sit down and just breath it climbs back up. That's just how good the medicine has helped and to quit smoking as well. With the oxygen... my pulse ox is about 94-95. Staying on the medicine is extremely important. So where can I find info about out these stages? Just Google about it? 

    • hypercat
      hypercat ladyjack51

      Posted

      Ok.  Just google it as USA info is a bit different from the UK.  I think they call it Gold stage there or something and I think they include other conditions under the COPD umbrella..  In the UK it's just chronic bronchitis and emphysema.   Go on to a recognised USA site.

      I think you can ring BLF but they are based in the UK so I don't know whether they can call you back or send you out any info.  It is a charity and they rely on donations to function. x

  • Theodore30
    Theodore30 mike1964

    Posted

    Slow down & take a step back. This is the beginning of a new stage of your life & the shock that you are feeling at the moment will wear off.

    Contact the British Lung Foundation help line, the nurses are amazing & will answer all your questions.

    Take care & sending hugs to you.

    • mike1964
      mike1964 Theodore30

      Posted

      thank you Theodore, yes your right the shock, hurt, pain, feeling sick, not eating, just sitting and thinking, and screwing my head up. another day tom and prob feel abit better after a good night sleep. plus got to see my GP tom, yes i will conatct the BLF, when i have time to think what i want to ask them but to be honest i don'y know what to ask or don't know where to begine, my spelling is really bad at the moment, sorry.

      thank you so much for your hugs x

    • Theodore30
      Theodore30 mike1964

      Posted

      Look at your original posting all the questions you want to ask are there.

      You will have good & bad days but the people on this site are amazing & supportive & you can also be yourself & not put on a front because we have all been there & have felt how you do.

      Take care & NEVER apologise for your emotions or how you are feeling.

      Have another hug.

  • wayne63
    wayne63 mike1964

    Posted

    sorry to hear you copd  i to am 51 i was told 2 years ago that i had ipf and copd and i am stable at the min . the best thing i can say to you is if there is a pulmonary rehab course near you its a 12 week course . its the best thing you can do . they show how to deal with every thing you will encounter and how to deal with it   it mostiy older people on it i was by far the youngest in my group but dont be put off off .this will help you deal with things better .the one thing weve got goin for us our age we are young to have this  and if there is help or new drugs we will be first to trail these   chin up 
  • ron07867
    ron07867 mike1964

    Posted

    Mike

    I am 62 years old and was diagnosed with COPD eighteen months ago.I had smoked since I was eleven years old. My original test result was 24%. I stopped smoking straight away and have been stopped since then. I have taken up Golf again, had stopped it because of all the breathing issues. I am on Spiriva powder capsules once a day and Seretide 500 inhaler twice a day. I now play 18 holes at least three times a week and have just been re-tested and my new test result 38% not perfect, but what a difference, i have never felt fitter in years. I hope this will give you confidence to go forward and enjoy life

     Best Regards

    Ron

  • jeannie56609
    jeannie56609 mike1964

    Posted

    Hi. My name s Jeannie. I just turned 50 Sept 24th, then two weeks later I UBERED to the ER thinking I may have walking pneumonia due to pains I had been having in my upper back, chest and shortness of breath. Xray came back showing that my left lung had collapsed 70%. The immediately put in chest tube and admitted me. That was a Saturday. Tuesday doc came in to say that my lung was still leaking and I needed lung surgery the next morning at 8am. Doc took out some of the disease (which of course came back emphazima) and stapled shut the leakage coming from the broken open large air sack in my lung. I woke up with TWO chest tubes, epidural and oxygen. Surgery was complete success and by Sat I begged to be released and I was. So I am taking my 2 months off work to recover. I go back Dec 4th. BUT now I am petrified!! Doc says my right lung is even worse than the left was, so odds are this will happen on the right side. I had smoked since I was 13 years old. Obviously I haven't had a smoke since the day before the hospital Oct 6th 2017. But I am now wondering what is in my future? How long will or can I live with this?? I only use oxygen at night now so that is such a plus. But i am very scared!! Are there any answers out there about what my life may hold in the future?

    • hypercat
      hypercat jeannie56609

      Posted

      Jeannie you have put a reply up to a very old post.  To ensure everyone sees it you need to put it up as a new post  x
    • jeannie56609
      jeannie56609 hypercat

      Posted

      Thanks so much! I had thought of that, so I have already posted a new discussion. thanks again
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