r/COPD

Hey people. I am 26 years old and I started to have air hunger after a viral infection, its been over 2 months now and I still have it.

I can walk easily and I do not feel out of breath, but I did smoke for at least 10 years now.

I did spirometry test and the results seems good, but my CT scan shows some stuff, I am really afraid I destroyed my lungs and can`t do the things I love in the future.

My personal doctor said the test is fine, and I should now worry, but I am still waiting for my Pulmonologist opinion.

this is the CT result translation; I also added the Spirometry test image.

CT Chest Findings

This is a direct translation of my radiology report; I have not been diagnosed with COPD.

"The examination was performed without intravenous contrast.
No prior examinations were available for comparison.

• Mild emphysematous changes in the apices of both lungs.
• Mild fibrotic changes in the apices of both lungs.
• A small subpleural nodule in the left lower lobe.
• No evidence of pulmonary infiltrate.
• No mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
• Evaluation of the hilar lymph nodes bilaterally is limited due to the absence of IV contrast.
• No evidence of cardiomegaly.
• No pleural or pericardial effusion.
• No obvious bony pathology.

Conclusion:
No evidence of obvious pathology."

https://preview.redd.it/29ipvssfgfkh1.png?width=537&format=png&auto=webp&s=3162ee306701578552488e946970b55cbe701a6f

Hi yall hopefully i dont offend anyone here, look im not financially able to have asthma

I had chronic phlegm for a while nowadays and had it checked up by our family doctor(a pulmonologist) now he had assumed that i may have asthma due to his own diagnosis, no spirometry no pft's just his trusty stethoscope

After his bombarded query he had medicated me with a lot, inhalers, medications etc. At first i was not skeptical but thenn.

A day later i palpitated like crazy, my chest tightened, and my mind easily get whoozy. Like i just squated over to reach something and i felt it, i cant contact my dr. That day

Now a week later i feel a bit fine, still continuing the medications prescribed. But still skeptical with his skills, like WHY DID HE MADE MY CONDITION WORSE

Now im scared that he might actually diagnose me with asthma due to my chest tightening(THAT WAS DUE TO HIS PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS)

my mom was admitted to hospital with pneumonia last month. stay there 10days and the got discharged since her oxygen is above 92% at that time and the doctor said she doesn’t need Oxygen at home. she just need to follow up with PCP. after that, her oxygen’s at home is 91-92 when sat up but drop below 90 if laying down. a week later it’s below 90 always, sometime below 85. her doctor can’t do anything and refer her to pulmonologist. the pulmonologist orders her to do some blood test, CT.. which will take couple weeks to have the results to do treatment. nothing can do for her now. she doesn’t have oxygen equipment or medicine for now. she said it’s okay but I so worry for her. is the low oxygen dangerous for my mom. she doesn’t want to go hospital.

My father has smoked his Marlboros for 55+ years. He was likely a pack a day smoker. A few months ago, his health really declined. What started as debilitating back muscle pain led to shortness of breath and a few ER visits. What I know, he was diagnosed with emphysema at the second ER visit and heart failure. 25% EF. He was given inhalers, nebulizers, and lots of follow up appointments. It’s been about 6-8 weeks on him just struggling. He can’t sleep at night because laying down and or sitting up make it difficult to breathe. His back muscles are hurting him badly too. He’s on round the clock salonpas and massagers.

I talk to him every night on FaceTime so he can say hi to his grandchild. He is obviously very tired, but can’t sleep. He will maybe sleep for 2 hours at a time. Is it anxiety? Discomfort? The inhalers? He won’t quit cold turkey and I know I know - he should.

I offered to get him a reclining sofa as the couch they have at home is over 20 years old and lacks any firmness. His appetite has gone way down, but every now and then he will eat especially if it’s one of his faves.

He’s been to pulmo appointments but from what I gather, it’s his heart that’s really giving him the issues. He doesn’t like to tell me all the details and it pains me to see him like this. Does he like the company? Does he not? When I see him on the weekends I can see how frustrated he is with the pain and lack of sleep.

Anything that can be done to help him?

Hi guys just looking for tips and tricks off people with asthma can we all put in what helped up and improved our symptoms exercise, medication, breathing technique etc…

anyone ever get like a cold menthol feeling in there chest area, and sometimes it travels through out around the arms and body?

sometimes i get really lightheaded when it happens it freaks me tf out it came and went a couple months back and now it’s back, it’s been happening for almost 3 days ina row now (i recently have been diagnosed with chronic bronchitis) Male 19 years old

I think my mom has end stage COPD even though the doctors haven’t said anything to indicate such. What are the signs I should be looking out for?

I quit smoking 6/24/26 after 40 years, I had a Novo2x vape i had had for a few years so I started using that and it kept me from relapsing.

6 weeks later I had serious breathing issues that sent me to doctor where I was diagnosed with a COPD flare up I had never experienced before. I went from 35mg juice head salts to 50 mg about 4 days before this started. Put on steroids, antibiotic. I had not been able to vape for 2 days .

Tried the 35mg and it still caused bad coughing. A day later, needing nicotine, I tried a cigarette, no coughing or anything. Inhaler delivered yesterday, tried vape and it was ok. Went to use today and coughing is back.

I need help understanding what is going on.

When I was at my healthiest I still struggled with heavy fatigue after biking. Now that I have copd I can only imagine the struggle but I want to get on my bike again.. if you have copd and bike how do you get on? Any tips?

I was given a tentative diagnoses of COPDin 2020 when I was in the hospital with a DVT/PE.
I had a PFT a few months later and another one a few years later. At that time my FEV1 was 54%, so not too bad.

At my last GP appointment I asked if he thought I should have another PFT and his reply was "only if I really wanted to".
He said that he really prefered to work with me to help allievate symptoms, and that my numbers don't really make any difference to my treatment, which at this point is Atrovent 3 times a day and 3L O2 for exertion. Plus an hour a day of indoor walking or biking.

A friend told me I was crazy and should be getting tested yearly because it's the only way to get the best treatment. I disagree.

I'm curious if anyone else feels like I do, or also think I'm a bit bonkers, and your reasons why.

I doubt I'll change my view, but I do like to get other perspectives.

I'm really interested in how long some of your major flare-ups from more severe triggers last, but I'm also interested in all of your flare-up experiences. If you care to comment, I'd like to know what stage you are if that's OK. I'm stage 1 but very close to stage 2, and I'm in a flare-up from a serious potential exposure that'll be five weeks now this Friday. Most of the worst of the sensations are subsiding, but I've felt a new lack of air entering my problem area since basically the beginning. I've grown convinced I actually did some more permanent damage so I'm not handling it very well. I had general anxiety disorder before I got COPD, and that's morphed into pretty severe health anxiety around my lungs and breathing. My mind keeps going round and round about what's really going on. Is it just a temporary flare-up that could last a couple of months or longer coupled with severe anxiety? Or is it just simply severe anxiety? Or, am I actually detecting that I've done new permanent damage while also having severe health anxiety? Since I can’t possibly know the answer to those questions right now, I thought I would just come here and ask you guys about your experiences. I’ve had four major flareups in the last 12 years, and three of them ended up being just temporary issues that felt like real and permanent new damage. The fourth time, it actually did result in a bit of new and permanent damage. Now that I’m in the thick of it all, I don’t know what to think so I would love to hear from as many of you as care to comment.

My pulmonologist listened to my lungs with a stethoscope three weeks ago, and was not concerned about what he heard. He’s wanting to wait until the end of August to discuss next steps so I do have a care plan in place. However, the waiting is killing me so I am Reddit. Hope to hear from you all!

Has anyone gotten brochoscopy done how was it ?

Since I have put on a lot of weight from smoking and steroid inhalers. I have noticed I have an umbilical hernia in my belly button. I do have severe emphysema copd diagnosis. I have brought it up to my doctor and because it's not causing me any pain.We haven't went talked any further about any treatments . I hate how it looks 😒 and just one more problem i don't need. Has anyone here gotten surgery here for an umbilical hernia? Would i need to be fully asleep ?

My brother has been diagnosed with (among others) COPD, and has been prescribed oxygen, which he refuses to use properly. His fingers have been displaying signs of clubbing for about two years, but in recent weeks, he's been covering his nails with micropore tape, saying he's having problems with his nails, but not providing any specifics. Is it likely that his nails are actually lifting off the nail bed?

Due to elevated aqi levels >50 aqi, I've stayed indoors for days at a time. I find that PM2.5 levels >15 ug are the best indicator of lung discomfort. PM2.5 measures large particles which can damage the lungs.

Overall, it's been similar to a Covid quarantine the past few weeks. I'm isolated from my friends and family alone in my home.

For anyone else in a similar situation, keep in mind this will pass. We can adapt and enjoy the other seasons more fruitfully once the aqi drops!

Elderly dad has COPD (emphysema) hasn’t been staged, i assume stage 4.
He gets breathless just walking to the lounge from bedroom.
The last 6 months he has had around 5 flares.
He has recently lost 4kgs and is down to 41kg. He has always been a smaller man and not a big eater. But this is the lowest he has ever been.
My mum recently passed away, and i think this is adding to his loss of appetite.

Im really concerned about his weight-loss.

Any tips on how i can help??

I can’t imagine getting married without my mom there. I cannot reschedule or replan. It’s only a handful of us there but there were way too many moving parts to reschedule this all. She has a respiratory infection of some kind and she said her O2 has was 95 a few times today which is low for her. Her lungs hurt and she feels like they have fluid in them. She’s going to urgent care later. She has had pneumonia twice and she was extremely sick, but not hospitalized (however one of the times I think she should have been.)

I can’t believe this is happening one week before my wedding. It’s August which is not even a time where respiratory viruses spread.

What should I expect? She does not share a lot about her COPD with me - probably to not freak me out. Do you think she will be okay? Thanks everyone!