COPD Problem

[Ambrocious]

OK, so probably the first thing you all should know is that I am NOT a smoker. The number 1 reason for COPD is years of smoking and I do not smoke nor have I ever made it a habit. When I was young like 12 I tried it out for like a month but didn't like it at all and so I never smoked again.

I recently went to the doctor because my bacterial infection returned and I once again mentioned to him that my lungs were a problem as they have been for years now. I informed him that I had indeed told many other doctors about this and that nothing was ever done about it. He went to grab my chart and proceeded to tell me for the first time that it was written in there that I had COPD. This was news to me...considering the last time I went to see a doctor about my lungs was a little under a year ago! Why hadn't I been informed before???


I'm 27 years old with COPD and I don't exactly know why. I haven't really lived around a whole lot of noxious fumes or anything and so I don't know why I have it. This would explain a lot of things including the feeling of being fuzzy brained quite often including after I wake up in the morning. I have trouble thinking due to a lack of oxygen. Now things are much more clear minus the fact that the doctor simply told me that I had it but didn't give me any form of treatment for it. I was out of it on that day that he gave me the medication for my bacterial infection and so I forgot to ask him about that.


I thought that I wasn't depressed about it at first but now I'm starting to realize how bad this is since it's getting worse and I read that COPD is often fatal. I can't believe that I have this at age 27 when I know people who have smoked for nearly 70 years with less problems than me!

I use to be on oxygen for sleep apnea (no longer) but now Im thinking it had something more to do with my COPD. I took myself off of my oxygen when I thought that I didn't need it PLUS it didn't appear to be helping me too. I previously had a CPAP machine prior to oxygen and it caused my inner nose to burn profusely so I stopped that. I need to see a real doctor that knows how to inform people properly I think but I have no clue what the hell to do and I'm really pissed off at nature for pissing down my lungs for no good reason. I'm wondering if it's even worth living just knowing that before I die in the future I'll be gasping for air. Maybe it would be better if I prematurely end it? I might have 10 more years or more, I have no clue, the doctor who informed me of it really didn't give a rats ass about informing me it seems so I am clueless as to how much longer I have.

Whatever the case, I suddenly feel like I'm going to become more and more of a burden on people and that maybe I should find some convenient way to end it all.

 

[GM1985]

I would definetly ask your own doctor to re-evaluate your condition. If you've never smoked and are not around alot of toxic substances, I really don't see why you have been diagnosed with COPD.

There is a genetic form of COPD caused by a deficiency in Alpha 1-Antitrypsin, which is an enzyme produced to protect the lungs from damage caused by Elastase or Trypsin enzymes. Though if this was the case, you would have been diagnosed long before now.

It is possible you may have some other condition such as Asthma, which is similar to COPD. Has anyone performed Lung Function Tests at all? Have you been advised to keep on your oxygen therapy for anything other than your sleep apnoea? (Oxygen therapy is used in helping COPD).

I'd go and ask the doctor to definetly have another look!

 

[KaraBulut]

You don't mention whether you were seeing a pulmonologist (lung doctor). If not, that should be your next step.

COPD is just a term used to describe a group of related diseases like asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis. What COPD disease have in common is that they are diseases of the lower airways- the bronchioles, bronchi and aveoli.

If you're on CPAP, you don't have sleep apnea- you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA ia an obstructive airway disease of the upper airways- the mouth, nose and throat.

It's possible that a transcriptionist or the physician made a mistake and said obstructive pulmonary disease instead of obstructive sleep apnea.

Instead of being dramatic, make an appointment with a pulmonologist to clarify what is on your chart and to get an accurate diagnosis. And you should reconsider getting back on CPAP and supplemental oxygen. OSA is an insidious disease and will cause significant problems if left untreated.

 

[GM1985]

COPD is just a term used to describe a group of related diseases like asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis. What COPD disease have in common is that they are diseases of the lower airways- the bronchioles, bronchi and aveoli.

COPD is an umbrella term for Chronic Bronchitis and Chronic Pulmonary Emphysema, Asthma however is not categorised under this term but is similar in pathophysiology.

Chronic Bronchitis is inflammation of the airway from the Bronchi down, Emphysema is the enlargement of the spaces between the terminal bronchioles and the destruction of their (and alveolar) walls.

What you get is massive inflammation, oedema and excess mucous production. All this debris end up obstructing the airways, and in Emphysema, the destruction of the walls lead to a decrease in surface area for gas exchange to occur, leading to possible hypoxia, acid/base imbalance and both can eventually lead to cor pulmonale if not treated.

Your GP or local practice doctor should be able to refer you to your nearest hospital where they will run tests. It is possible however that your sleep apnoea may have been misdiagnosed in the first place as COPD can often affect your sleep also. At the end of the day, the only person who can properly examine and diagnose you is your doctor.

 

[KaraBulut]

COPD is an umbrella term for Chronic Bronchitis and Chronic Pulmonary Emphysema, Asthma however is not categorised under this term but is similar in pathophysiology.

Not to get too far off topic but chronic asthmatic bronchitis is considered under the umbrella of COPD or COLD- at least in the US. There may be a difference in use of the term in the UK.

Not all forms of asthmatic meet the chronicity component- for example, childhood atopic asthma would not meet criteria- but those adult patients who begin to have permanent obstruction, chest wall deformity and other signs of chronic lung disease do qualify for diagnostic definitions of COPD.

http://www.medicinenet.com/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/article.htm

We're both in agreement that a few words on a chart don't make a definitive diagnosis. COPD is most accurately diagnosed with propert testing and it sounds like those tests haven't been done here.

 

[GM1985]

Not to get too far off topic but chronic asthmatic bronchitis is considered under the umbrella of COPD or COLD- at least in the US. There may be a difference in use of the term in the UK.

Not all forms of asthmatic meet the chronicity component- for example, childhood atopic asthma would not meet criteria- but those adult patients who begin to have permanent obstruction, chest wall deformity and other signs of chronic lung disease do qualify for diagnostic definitions of COPD.

http://www.medicinenet.com/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/article.htm

We're both in agreement that a few words on a chart don't make a definitive diagnosis. COPD is most accurately diagnosed with propert testing and it sounds like those tests haven't been done here.

Perhaps if WHO got their act together and defined specific criteria for every country, which I know is alot harder than it sounds, things may go a good bit smoother.

Yeah you're right, here at least, Asthma is considered a separate condition. I think it is due to the fact that most sufferers of Asthma here in the UK are not chronic.

What I am shocked about regarding all health related issues is the fact that so many people seem to be misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Health services are really deteriorating pretty quick!

 

[KaraBulut]

What I am shocked about regarding all health related issues is the fact that so many people seem to be misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Health services are really deteriorating pretty quick!

What I'm shocked about is how people wait in the waiting room for 30 mins to an hour for a 15 minute office visit. It's no wonder that there's misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.