I have never had a spirometry test. I imagine I probably have COPD as I have smoked off and on for 45 years. Should I be tested? What are the benefits? Are there meds that help or other ways I could help myself if I KNEW? Is it important to know? Scares me.......
That is encouraging! Dr’s have never said my lungs sounded bad so maybe that is a good thing? I ran a marathon at age 50 and commercial fished, pretty active (hikes every year from 7-15 miles every couple of weekends) etc up until last year when I got really sick and was Dxd with Chronic Epstein Barre. Never taken an inhaler. I am a vegan and have been for many years but I still eat my share of sweets, just vegan ones. Work hard at eating all organic (sometimes hard in AK!). Probably need to get away from grains....dont’ want to! just gonna finish my quit and am going to stop worrying about COPD beause you took the time to encourage me.
thank you!!
I became a vegetarian in January not quite vegan because I still eat eggs a few times a week and cheese once in a blue moon ! I had or have Lyme disease 2 times once in 2014 and again this summer
and it got me started on cleaning up my poor eating habits and smoking the first time i got it in 2014 . Just got over taking antibiotics for it about a month ago kind of wish I didn't take them, never sure if they worked or not . Long story.... but anyway it is really up to you whether or not to test for COPD .
If you have insurance I would say "yes" to a spirometry test. Can't hurt but it can help. Thomas3.20.2010 has been a strong advocate for getting tested and because of him I did. Turns out I have "mild" COPD. That knowledge prepares me for the future. THAT is one of the benefits. At the moment I have barely any symptoms. But understanding the nature of COPD and the progression, will enable me to understand what to do when and if those symptoms present themselves. Knowledge is power.
"Are there meds that help or other ways I could help myself if I KNEW" YES!
I'm with G. Good to see where you're at and get a baseline.
ahkhippiechic It's up to you...my lungs sounded terrible for a long time before my "official" diagnosis. I could not have run or hiked to save my life. My COPD has progressed and clearly has a mind of its own. I do my very best to take care of myself now...probably should have started a long time ago. I am in awe of you and how well you are doing...keep it up. You decide what testing you want and when you want it. If your lungs always sound clear and you are not noticing any shortness of breath...ask your doc and go from there. I was REALLY sick and at first, I felt much better after I quit smoking and then all kinds of terrible things happened and I ended up needing surgery and I felt much better after that...BUT, the disease marches on, I am sure it is moving slower because I no longer smoke and I DO my best to take care of myself but I really wish it would cut me a break...it sometimes seems relentless. You quit a long time earlier than I did and you certainly sound healthy...I am very proud of you.
XOXO,
Ellen
Thank you! You are my champion on this quit! I can’t run a mile since last year though walk a couple every day though, but I have to force myself.
I can use a stationary bike...I could not run if I was being chased by a monster....if you feel short of breath going up stairs, talking when you are walking, catching your breath when you are laughing...those were all signs for me. I wheezed, I could not catch my breath when I was able to walk quickly or trying to run.
I am really glad I have been able to help you at ALL. That makes everything worthwhile...
Ellen
OK ahkhippiechic You probably know what I'm going to say but "hear" me out! COPD will not be like pneumonia or other lung ailments that comes on suddenly although getting upper respiratory infections can lead to you finally getting the diagnosis (as in my case.)
The reason I advocate so strongly for Spirometry is that, yes, you can avoid those URIs that actually make your baseline drop every single time! This last bout of URI I had back in January took 15 percentage points off of my lung capacity in a couple of days - and it never comes back! Had I had an early diagnosis I may have prevented the condition I'm in now. But I had to get a URI with a temperature of 102 degrees before COPD was ever discovered for me.
That's the thing about COPD it is a progressive illness that only has one direction and that's down!
Another thing to keep in mind is that emphysema sneaks up on you! You know you're maybe not as agile as you used to be but we have a definite ability to deny what's happening - "I'm getting older'" "that hill was especially tough!" "I just need a rest for a second."
The good news about early diagnosis is that the sooner you get the news you can do so many self care and management things for yourself you can actually slow the progression of the disease which means you have longer to live a healthy active lifestyle. There is specific diet, exercises, and yes, meds that you really do need and you really can help yourself prevent further ongoing damage. But you have to know first.
Keep in mind that the test doesn't give you COPD - it only lets you know that you already have it. In some cases ignorance is bliss but COPD isn't one of them!
OK I'll jump off my soap box now and just say -
CONGRATULATIONS on a spectacular Quit Journey!
It’s good info and I need to hear it. I don’t want to know if I have it even thought I suspect I do. It feels overwhelming. I know have been killing myself for years but facing it....that my friend is a different animal all together. I work in the medical field and I recall a nurse telling me 10 years ago I could not pass a spirometry test and I was a regular runner until age 51 (I am 58 now). I will call my doc on Tuesday and have her send orders for the test. It’s the right and the smart thing to do, I am just scared.
If you're scared now, how much more scared will you be years later when more severe symptoms present themselves? We can't play ostrich forever with our health. If we take our head out of the sand earlier, we just might help our health, rather than later, taking it out when it's too late to change anything. Just having COPD doesn't mean you can't do something to take care of it. It's like colon cancer screening. Colonoscopies are not fun, the prep particularly. But taking care of problems earlier than later can save lives or at least extend our lives. Ya know? Same is true with COPD. Finding out where we are, gives us a baseline.
Yes, getting tested IS kind of acknowledging the fact that we may have been killing ourselves for years by smoking. And yes, that real acknowledgement is scary. But you joined this site. Is that scary? Isn't that also an acknowledgement of the same thing? The need to quit because we've been killing ourselves for years by smoking? Signing up on this website is the first commitment we make. We know what we need to do. Change is scary. But we know instinctively what's best for us. You've chosen what's best. Keep heading in that direction.
ahkhippichic:
Your comment hit home hard with me......I was afraid to get tested because I didn't want to hear the result and when I did I was in denial thinking I could cure this without treatment or meds. I smoked for 50 years but was a runner and worked out regularly and I thought I was bullet proof and was going to live forever......
Reality had a way of making me grow up...even in my 60s.
It's a simple test and if you discover you don't have any degree of COPD....let's have a party...dance in the streets.......but if you discover you have some degree of the disease.....you will have to face some tough facts as many here have done: 1. There is no cure. 2. It is progressive...it will get worse 3. You can slow the progression down with treatments, education and meds....I felt that I knew where I had been (smoking for 50 years), and that I had to determine where I was (That baseline Dale talked about) to determine where I was going. I could either let it progress or fight...I chose to fight....I felt that if I had the opportunity to add even a week of quality time to my life would I do it? Pretty much a "No Brainer"
I was diagnosed with having COPD many years ago. I continued my smoking and other damaging habits until this year when I changed doctors and went through a history of my health habits with a VA doctor. It was extremely embarrassing for me to truthfully describe my habits and history, I’ve been blessed with excellent health despite my habits, except for COPD. I would not go to a big box store because I couldn’t walk that far without resting and waiting to get my breath back. I finally realized I was not bullet proof and needed to be responsible for my health. I cut back smoking the first of September then found this site and was forced to do a quit day. The 19th of September. I now walk about a half mile a day with no problem and am beginning to believe I can function and live a more productive life even though much damage has been done. My breathing problems will not get much better but it is already a world of difference from when I was smoking. Thanks to all of you and your support. “Breathing better at 76.”
Yeah, I don't think you can say F... on this site. but F...! I wrote my provider yesterday evening and asked her to write orders for the test. Did not sleep. In the midst of withdrawal blues does not help I am sure......
F....
GOOD to take action! We have to get our heads out of the sand sometime! lol
Thomas3.20.2010 et AL! update on spirometry testing; Required to have referral to a Pulmonologist. Takes 4 weeks to get appt. Then maybe testing depending on what he/she thinks needs to be done. Will keep you posted. Wish I could just get it done now since I have decided to do so....POOP! (oh wait that is another discussion....! )
Wish there was a LOL button! Good for you for taking the first step in getting the spirometry test! And hopefully, the other discussion is moving along by now....
Hey, you are doing better than I did. It took over three months to get an appointment with a pulmonologist here and then another two months to get the spirometry testing done. I was very short of breath and it had already been over a year since I quit so I was pretty relentless about pushing for an appointment.
rollercoaster831, I was thinking the same thing that an LOL button would be good for ahkhippiechic's comment.
Ellen
Hang in there! You'll soon know! Doctors should make these things more accessible but believe it or not, they overlook it more often than not! You're absolutely doing the right thing!
Pulmonologist appointment in Anchorage on Friday. They had a cancellation so I took it, wth. thinking about flying in as we are getting our first snows which makes the 250 mile drive through the mountains a little sketchy. SUPER SCARY VISIT FOR HALLOWEEN.
Goot!
Good for you....I think it's great that you took the cancellation. Wow, that, seriously just reminded me that I have to call MY pulmonologist because their office cancelled MY appointment in February and told me to call...I forgot and since it's February, it's probably not a big deal.
I smoked for 52 years and I w uld say heavily there were times in my life that I smoked 2 to 3 packs a day in the last 20 years i got it down to about 25 cigs a day . Every time that I went to a doctor they would comment on how bad my lungs sounded and I knew it myself from all the coughing and wheezing I endured . ( one reason that I quit ! ) I was given Spirva at one point but gave it up because I did not want to be breathing in medicine on top of the smoke and i thought my lungs may have become dependent on the inhalers .
since i quit my lungs have really improved I never got tested but the doctor who checked me just a few montha after i quit could not believe how improved my breathing sounded . I will not get tested unless my lungs should suddenly become affected as an ex- smoker . I am sure others who know more about the benefits will come along to answer your questions . I am a believer in "Your food is your medicine " so I try to stay away from chemical meds of all kinds as much as possible !