I'm 31 and just been told i have COPD

hi there. i know how you feel. ive been diagnosed today with copd along with my asthma. im really gutted. im 36 yrs old and have 4 children, im also on the last 2 months of maternity leave and dont know if im going to be well enough to do my job, i m a cleaner so dont think its going to be helpful with my symptoms. i also gave up smoking 3 years ago and cant believe its come back to haunt me!!!

Hi im 33 i found out i had emphasema 3 years ago after my left lung collapsed, now my lung has collapsed 4 times only 3 weeks ago it collapsed twice in one week they kept me in hospital for a month (pregnant) thats were i found out i had copd my lung has still not went up so i have been sent home with a chest drain in and im in so much pain i just cant beleive this is happening to me as im a mother of 4,,, 5 nearly my children are 13,12,11,7,and 1 on the way in december. I am so depressed about this. i have to have an apporation after the baby is born with is serious as i have had it before and didnt work so needs done again im so dreading it as i was in agoney after the last op?????????????????????

I was diagnosed very recently too - it's so scary. But reading about others' experiences has helped. Hang in there and think positively.

I was diagnsed with COPD in Feb this year. Had lung tests done in March and have been told I have mild emphasema. It is very scary. I was totally obsessed with it to begin with, bought loads of books which explain it is a progressive disease. My doctor tells me that as I have it very mild (apparently I have good chect expansion) as long as I dont smoke it shouldn't get any worse. This goes against everything else I have read (including on this site). Main question I have is will I die of COPD at point? Does it always get worse?

I stopped smoking (using patches) as soon as I was told and actually feel really well at the moment. It is very confusing :?

Stopping smoking is the very best medicine for this disease and dramatically slows any worsening. People have emphysema for 20+ years and are still going on. Don't die of despair!! Be positive and stay away from smoky atmospheres. Many of us were not clever enough to take early warnings and continued to smoke and made matters worse. You took heed and should be fine. Stay in touch with your GP or specialist, listen carefully to what they say. Visit this site every so often and check things out - yiu may be able to help others in the same situation. I'm glad you only have mild symptoms. \"Live long and prosper!\"

Jacee

Hi Jacee,

Thank you for your reply.

I hope you are doing ok and coping with this colder weather?

I am still not smoking, but it is sometimes quite hard. I had a brilliant summer, felt really healthy, almost forgot I had COPD!!. I have started to notice the SOB again now the weather has changed and when I asked the nurse for my FEV results it put me in the moderate category not mild - hey ho..I am now thinking about having a CT scan as I was fobbed off about that too! Is it worth it do you think? I am just feeling a bit blue at the moment as the symptoms returning were a bit of a downer and I feel so tried all the time....

I am planning on leaving work for a 3 month break so maybe I can make getting as healthy as possible my new mission :-) I guess it is all about keeping positive , hard though sometimes isn't it? Take care and again, thank you so much for your reply x

Lovely to hear from you. In answer to your question, the weather only impacts as I am more likely to pick up chest infections, which are obviously bad and make my breathing a lot worse, but otherwise the weather has no real effect. STAY OFF the ciggies - I have been stopping for I don't know how many years but only managed this in March 2009 - last one on Mother's day - and if I can stop after forty-odd years and nearly fifty a day I know you can!! I have not had a scan so can't really advise on that, and suggest you listen to your medics. Alternatively do some research and insist if you think it will help - knowledge is power and the more you learn about your condition the better. I have been able to reduce from 3 inhalers to 1 by undertaking research and am able now to argue for the medication I know helps (even though I was told it was not for me by a nurse, I later found out she had said this because it was the most expensive!) The 5 main things to remember are:

1. Stay positive

2. Learn all you can

3. Don't smoke

4. Take some exercise (use it or lose it)

5. Talk to your family and friends, help them to understand your condition, that you will sometimes feel down, and they can be there to help.

We all get days when we are not so good, when we feel down, but you can keep bouncing back and smiling. Enjoy your holiday and let me know how you get on. :D

Jacee

Hi, not sure if u are still following this but.. I'm a mum of 2 kids,6 and 8. Dr says most probably a copd. Absolutly terrified.how is it going for you?

thanks

rachael