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COPD Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others
COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | Last Active: Mar 29, 2023 | Replies (86)Comment receiving replies
Hello. My name is Merry and I am one of the mentors for the new COPD group. I have COPD and lung cancer and emphysema.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. It includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD makes breathing difficult but for a lot of us it doesn't
Although smoking causes about 85%-90% of all cases it certainly isn't the only thing that can cause COPD. Your environment (working with chemicals, dust, and fumes; alpha-1 deficiency-related emphysema ( a genetic form), breathing secondhand smoke ( my mom was a smoker); and a history of childhood respiratory infection.
Even though it's only the middle of February in my part of the world signs of spring will soon rear their beautiful heads along with difficulties breathing and other symptoms that will keep me in soon. Any travel that I want to do by plane will have to be cleared by my team and perhaps this year I might need extra oxygen. I know that I'm not alone in the progression of this disease. Each spring/summer it gets worse and I dread it. One thing that I have started to do is buy more indoor plants so that I can still garden, but I'll do it inside! lol
Sometimes I can't tell the difference between lost lung tissue and COPD which makes me feel bad or slows me down. Sometimes I don't think about my next step or forget to purse lip breathe and get so angry. This year I have a bit of a wheeze in my throat and a cough that has become a bit more regular.
I know that @2cents @ronap @gregoryz and @southerncharm have been struggling with different issues of COPD. Will you tell me how you are doing and any updates that you have?
Replies to "Hello. My name is Merry and I am one of the mentors for the new COPD..."
Hi Merry , thank you so much for the post and asking about me . I have been coming to understand Copd and the ways to make my way in the everchanging way this disease is . I have been using my inhalers, doing 4 nebulizer treatments daily and on Oxygen . I had my very first public disaster where I went into full on panic but made it home thank God and that was a little upsetting . I am learning some great things here in these much appreciated post .
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My mother smoked constantly and I was around her a lot as I grew up . Also I had a lot of respiratory disease growing up. Fifteen years ago I was diagnosed with cough variant asthma. During the Covid pandemic I have been extraordinarily careful. Just recently I went into the hospital with chest pains and incidentally was diagnosed with Covid. My friends say if I got it, everyone will get it, that is how careful I was. My lung X-ray at the hospital says “hyper inflated lungs consistent with COPD”. I had no symptoms with Covid but now I have COPD. I’m waiting for my husband’s Covid test to come back before I contact my care team at Mayo. Any suggestions or advice will be much appreciated and I thank you for listening.