About COPD

FROM:  Titotiger   2011-04-12 19:33:18  

I have COPD and often NEWBIES ask me questions about the disease. I hope the following information helps my fellow COPD sufferers. My special thanks to boldprint (Susan) for her much appreciated contribution to this post.  

First of all, I believe in the old saying, "If there's an elephant in the room; introduce him." It doesn't make sense for me to ignore a problem because that is unproductive. When I found out that I had COPD I wanted to learn all I could about the disease so I could best combat it. Doesn't that make sense? So..... 

COPD is an acronym for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is either... 

Chronic Bronchitis - defined by a long-term cough with mucus. Or  

Emphysema - defined by destruction of the lungs over time. Or 

More likely, a combination of the two. 

My advice is to take the disease very seriously. It is currently listed by the Center for Disease Control as the #3 killer behind heart disease and cancer with stroke running a close 4th. (Smoking has taken more than its share of victims regarding all these ailments.)  90% PLUS of all COPD victims are smokers or former smokers. Statistically 1 out of 5 smokers gets COPD and actually, if the truth be known, anyone who has smoked for any period of time probably has COPD to some extent. You can have COPD for years and not know it. By the time most people see their physician about their symptoms, COPD may have already advanced anywhere from the moderate to the severe stage. It is very easy to be in denial about this disease blaming shortness of breath on being overweight, or out of shape, or on simply getting older. 

Symptoms of the disease include..... 

*A cough often accompanied with mucus. 

*Shortness of breath (dyspnea) that is more noticeable with slight exertion like walking up a flight of stairs. 

*Fatigue - You might feel tired all the time. 

*Frequent respiratory problems like colds. 

*Wheezing with you exhale. 

There is no cure for COPD and it will get worse with time. All you can do is slow the deterioration process down. That is where your focus needs to be. 

If you haven't been tested by a pulmonary specialist do so. You need to take a pulmonary function test (PFT). A PFT is a non-intrusive exam. Your ability to expel air from your lungs is tested by blowing into a tube. Your pulmonary physician should be able to tell you, from your PFT score, how severe your COPD is and perhaps prescribe some medicine and/or advice. But here goes this novice's advice..... 

Rule # 1 - NO SMOKING! If you don't obey rule #1 there is no need to read any further. I have not smoked since I was diagnosed with COPD. Do I miss it? No I don't - What I miss is having healthy lungs. Oh and be sure to put your foot down firmly; Nobody else can smoke in your house or anywhere else around you either! Not in a car, not in a bar, not at a party, etc. I politely ask people to put out their cigarettes and if they refuse, I leave the area.  

Rule #2 - Take your medicines as scheduled including inhalers, oxygen, etc. I take my medicines as prescribed and they definitely help me. 

Rule #3 - Exercise your lungs and your legs every day. You want to be as strong as possible. Don't push yourself to the point where you're gasping for air. I walk first thing every morning - It's part of my daily routine. I walk indoors at a mall where the ground is flat (no hills) and the temperature is controlled; air conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter. If you can't find an indoor facility to walk in like a mall or a health club, you might want to consider buying a treadmill for those days you can't go outside. 

Rule #4 - Watch your diet. You don't want to be too heavy because that puts an extra burden on your lungs. You don't want to be too light either. You want to be in the Goldilocks Zone where your weight is just right. Eat healthy and eat smart like you're training for the Olympics. 

Rule #5 - Get Flu Shots & Pneumonia Shots Regularly. Pneumonia is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable death in the United States and, if you have COPD that automatically makes you a high risk person. Combined with the flu, pneumonia is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.A. 

Also..... 

Avoid cold air, and watch out for those aerosols. My wife goes outside in the morning to use her hair spray. (Thank you dear.) And you'll want to eliminate fireplace smoke. I had my fireplace converted to gas. I also use an air filter in my home - Every little bit helps. 

Well that's plenty of information to get started with and there is a ton of helpful information available on-line too. Simply Google COPD. 

It was on April 11, 20003, when my doctor told me "You have COPD. - If you quit smoking now, you'll probably die from something other than COPD in about 30 - 40 years." I took him serious and quit smoking the following day and have been smoke free ever since. 

I Wish You All The Very Best On Your Smoke-Free Journey And I'll..... 

See You At The Top

Dave

(Quit 4-12-03; Passed 5-20-14)