COPD, How Did I Get It And What Can I Do Now?

The Doctor says I have COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a fast growing affliction amongst Americans. If you have been diagnosed as having COPD you know how devastating it can be. Your quality of life deteriorates as you no longer are able to do simple task that involves physical movement. It’s true that COPD will slow you down but chances are, it will not lead to your demise.

What is COPD anyway? Your airways branch out inside your lungs like an upside-down tree. At the end of each branch are small, balloon-like air sacs. In healthy people, both the airways and air sacs are springy and elastic. When you breathe in, each air sac fills with air like a small balloon. In COPD, your airways and air sacs lose their shape and become distorted, like a stretched-out rubber band that won’t retain its original shape. In short, COPD is a disease that effects the lungs in which the air passages have become partially non functional. It is not reversible or curable but it is treatable. Included in the family of diseases that make up COPD is emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Asthma is not COPD as it is caused from allergies but over a long period of time it may develop into COPD.

Where did it come from?
I contacted Asthma in nineteen seventy two when I moved from Southern California to New Hampshire. I had no idea moving to a different climate would result in breathing problems but it did and here I am thirty six years later, with COPD. Quite frankly it sucks and anyone who says different probably does not have it. Not being able to breathe is frustrating as you feel like you can do anything but can not. You can not have normal relations with your spouse, grandchildren or the environment. No more intimate interludes, long walks, swimming or any moderately strenuous activities.

COPD is more common than you might think.
As our environment deteriorates breathing problems increase. One problem is it goes unrecognized in many cases as it gets attributed to seasonal allegories or having the flu. A sad fact is there are 24 million people in the United States with some degree of impaired lung function yet only 12 million have been diagnosed with COPD. People can not take charge of their breathing if they don’t know they have a problem. A symptom cannot be treated unless it is diagnosed as a viable, treatable condition.

How could I know?

What are the signs of COPD.

Mild COPD is when:
You feel a little short of breath after working hard or after strenuous exercise. (like jogging, doing yard work or climbing stairs)

You cough often resulting in spitting up mucus.

Moderate COPD is when:
You run out of breath when walking up a hill.
You have trouble doing common chores like walking the dog or taking out the garbage.
You cough frequently resulting in extricating mucus.
You need a few weeks to get over the flu or a lung infection.
You have to cut back on activities you have always enjoyed.

Severe COPD is when:
You get short of breath during low energy activities like showering or getting dressed.
You are not able to work or take part in simple activities you have always enjoyed.
You need an extended length of time to get over a cold or lung infection.
You experience labored breathing day and night.

Some people with severe COPD may need oxygen therapy.

I had no idea
Many people with COPD know what their condition is but don’t do anything about it until they have lost a lot of their lung function. People tend to contend with their affliction by adjusting. They become less active which is likely to accelerate their condition without proper treatment. Because COPD usually occurs slowly, people become accustom to their condition. The people they are in contact with don’t realize the magnitude of the ill person’s difficulty and are apt to inject toxins into the afflicted person’s environment. This results in an even greater stress being brought to bear upon the person with COPD. Clean, fresh air is difficult enough to breath without being contaminated by aerosols or other toxic products. What is normal to a normal person could be toxic to a person with COPD.

It’s not over yet
All is not lost. With proper medications, a person with COPD can live a functional, somewhat average life. You may not be able to play football but you can cheer from the sidelines. You may not be able to dance with the stars, but you can enjoy watching as they dance. It’s a matter of keeping a good attitude and accepting your limitations. COPD will slow you down, but then, growing old will also.

If you have a history of smoking or working in a contaminated environment, are over forty and have shortness of breath, you should see your doctor. The doctor will probably do a lung function test to measure the elasticity and capacity of your lungs.

The Calvary is on the way
Today, many things are available to help people manage their COPD. First of all like any disease, get a diagnose early. Next it is important that you and your family learn about the disease and the changes in lifestyle you have to make. The drugs your doctor will prescribe will help open your airways and allow you to breathe easer which will reduce the risk of any complications.

Adjust and enjoy what you have
COPD, like heart disease, can be a wake up call to a healthier lifestyle. Take better care of yourself, get rid of stress, if you are a smoker, now is the time to quit. Work with your doctor to prevent or reduce the likelihood of exacerbations, or worsening of your symptoms. Start a limited exercise program. Don’t overdo it, but do it with prudence.

That’s about it. Life is full of change, adjustments and difficulties. COPD is the lesser of many thing that could happen. Don’t give up, simply adjust.

Happy Trails

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