New to copd

[Lindarivera]

Last week I was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia - the dr mentioned that she thinks I have copd.  I’m overwhelmed - does that mean I’m going to die? How much time do I have ? Do stem cell work ? Do inhalers help w symptoms or does it stop or slow progress of disease.? What about cardio ? Will that stop it ? I have not had a follow up w de - she is not available till February ? I’m so anxious idk what to do !

[Lindarivera]

Thank you ! I bet it z the Wellbutrin ! How long have you been quit ? I guess I need to learn deep breathing exercises

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[Barbscloud]

I'm fairly new compared to other folks on this site.  Proud to say, I'm  9 months smoke free as of yesterday.

You might want to check out the meditation videos on YouTube.  They're great for calm and breathing.  I listen to Michael Sealey and Jason Stephenson, but they're are others.

[TBDDAJ]

I am taking Bupropion and so far it hasn’t helped. Looking into the patches again but I have an allergic reaction to the adhesive. 

[CommunityAdmin]

Sorry to hear the patches give you an allergic reaction.  

Have you checked back with your Dr about your prescription?  Ever tried gum, lozenges or other NRT?

[Chuck-2-20-2011]

 I wasn't diagnosed with COPD until five years after I quit. When I was diagnosed and they gave me the tests, they said it was still very mild in my case. I was diagnosed after a similar trip to the ER. They wanted to admit me to the hospital, but I talked them out of it. One thing I've noticed is that doctors tend to use the COPD diagnosis for all breathing related ailments once they know the person has a history of smoking, so there's still a chance that you don't even actually have it. 

 But if you do, it's something you CAN live with. Some people have to change their lifestyle a little in order to cope but it is something that can be lived with. I know it's a scary diagnosis but it can be slowed way down if you actually have it. For now, I'd just work on healing from the pneumonia. If your not smoking, you're already doing the best thing you can be doing!

Chuck

[Lindarivera]

Thanks chuck ,

My dad died 3 years ago from copd and even though I watched him die - I kept smoking . I don’t want to die like that . My father was a very private man and never really talked to me about what he was going thru . I never asked because it was too uncomfortable . Karma I guess

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[Chuck-2-20-2011]

My father died of what started as throat cancer and ended as liver cancer. It was all smoking related and I too continued to smoke for many years after his death, even after watching him die what ended up being a slow, horrible death. Cigarette addiction is indeed powerful. So much so that we begin to cloud our own reality in order to smoke. I mean, even when the consequences of smoking are right in front of us, we still find a way to ignore it so that we can continue on.

 But that was the past. Now's the time to focus on the present and the future. We all make mistakes in our lives. What's important is that we forgive ourselves our past and move on from those mistakes.

Chuck.

[Lindarivera]

Thanks chuck

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[Barbscloud]

First of all, the doctor said she thinks.  You do need tests to confirm.  Spirometry test and Low Dose Lung CT for example.   Have you looked up any of this on the internet?  There are many medical website that discuss COPD.  

Medical questions should always be discussed with medical personnel.  If you need help with quitting smoking, there's lots of information and support here.   

[Lindarivera]

They did do a ct - but she wasn’t sure if it was copd or the pneumonia that was remarkable- she said I cause I smoke for so long I probably have it .

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