1. Community
  2. Chest and lungs
  3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Im afraid I have Copd at 28, but the doctors dont know what it is. Any help please??

Posted , 6 users are following.

william33092
william33092

About a month after I quit smoking I started to feel short of breath(SOB) but only briefly. As time went on the duration of the SOB lasted longer and longer. Now I will have about 5 days where I feel decent and about 10 where I feel very SOB. SO I went to my doctor. She gave me a breathing test, xray, and ct scan. After reviewing my breathing test, she said I think you have the very beginning stage of copd...but not by much. She referred me to a lung doctor who gave me a better test and he said, after reviewing your results, I dont think you have copd. You got a 100% then a 107% after ylthe albuterol on your breathing test. He said its probably just stress. That was about 4 months ago. Ive picked up smoking again-which I intend to quit this week- but the bouts of SOB still havent gone away. My lung doctor told me not to take the dulera, or breo that my primary care physician prescribed me because he is confident its not copd. That was about 4 months ago. Just last week i started to feel pain in my back middle to upper back. Sometimes its a burning feeling somerimes its a percise pain. Any clues as to whats going on with me???

I am 28 years old. A white male. And I have smoked about a pack a day for between 12-14 years.

I could really use some advice. Thanks guys and girls

-william

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • abhi3112
    abhi3112 william33092

    Posted

    These are the exact same symtopms that I had. It took me nearly 2 years to get over it. My breathing is almost normal. I can excercise a little. I do have pain in my upper back in the same way that you have. Doc did all the tests but nothing came up. I am also a ex-smoker. i am 32 now. For me symbicort has worked well. Saw many docs but no one seems to understand what it is and they just say its asthma. I still dont feel the same as I used to before. I suggest you keep taking your inhalers and quite smoking altogether. Start exercising.  It may be a lung infection. My breathing result was not like yours but they improved over time. Sometimes breathing can also be affected by heart issue as one of the doc that I saw did ECG on me which ofcourse came out normal. MY chest muscles still feel tight and painfull but its better than before. I am still clueless to what it is as every test came out negative or normal.
  • nili50312
    nili50312 william33092

    Posted

    william,

    I am not an expert

    but

    pls  pls stop smoking. try it for one year only

    just stop

    Nili

     

  • hypercat
    hypercat william33092

    Posted

    Hi I think it is very unlikely you have copd as you are far too young.  It is usually caused either by decades of smoking,  or many years working in unhealthy environments.   If you did it would almost certainly be a genetic link which is rare. 

    It wouldn't be unheard of to have copd at your age but very uncommon. That's not to say nothing is going on though.   You have had the 'breathing test' (I presume that's a spirometry test?) which is the definitive one for diagnosing copd.  A CT scan would show anything else wrong.  

    Have you ever had a peak and flow test which is the one used for asthma?  x

     

  • Vee2
    Vee2 william33092

    Posted

    Best advice would be to stop smoking now William and after 3 months and your symptoms improve you will know the decision to stop was a very good one.  If after three months of stopping smoking your symptoms persist then go back to your doctor for further test and medical support.

    Of course if in the mean time you are in great difficulty, phone the emergency service.

    If in UK you can phone the BLF helpline or NHS direct, links below:

    https://www.blf.org.uk/

    https://patient.info/health/nhs-and-other-care-options

    otherwise contact the lung association and health services in the country you reside.

     

  • tara77076
    tara77076 william33092

    Posted

    Are you any better now? I am not sure that you still get on, but I would love an update. Kinda of in a similar situation, however I stopped smoking and have not went back.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.