I was dx a year and a half ago. I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I run 3.5 miles , 5 days a week. Plus I usually do weights at the gym. I had come home from being in a high elevation and went to go on my usual run the next morning and couldn't breathe. That is how I/why I was dx. The Dr handed me an inhaler. Whether I was stunned and didn't hear but I believe I wasn't given any explanations or told how to manage, especially with the inhaler. I did smoke. I have now quit altogether. I always said I didn't have an addictive personality. I didn't always smoke. Sometimes only socially. Sometimes not for years. The last number of years I smoked about a pack a week. I think the Dr never believed that I didn't smoke more than that. I also had covid in July of 24. It was quite mild. I had bronchitis twice after covid. Once in Sept and again in Nov. End of Dec. was when I had my breathing episode. I was dx with mild copd. I have learned that my triggers are dust and car exhaust. A year ago when I was retiring from work I had bronchitis again quite bad which I think went into an exacerbation. I wasn't able to see a Dr at the time so I felt hung out and left to dry. I'm not sure if it was just bad timing, circumstantial etc that I wasn't able to get an appt. A month later I did have an appt with a wonderful NP who did thoroughly explain inhalers, how to use them . some of my symptoms etc. I have had no symptoms or problems since...until last month allergies hit me. I haven't had allergy issues in years. I took mucinex and played low so it wouldn't go into bronchitis. That worked. Currently I was working around the house and yard and was around dust. I should have known better but didn't think about putting on a mask until I started coughing. So my question now is how do a I deal with the cough? It is annoying, makes my chest heavy, keeps me up at night etc. The cough is really my only symptom. I am able to still go run every morning without a problem. It is a very dry cough but does leave my throat painful and sometimes I need a dough drop to try and quell the coughing.