Connect with others living with health conditions
Here is a super article chuck full of important links for folks who have emphysema or COPD (which includes chronic bronchitis):
https://health.usnews.com/conditions/emphysema
Knowledge is power! The more you know the better quality of life you can have.
LLAP
Thank you Thomas I bookmarked this so I can get back to it later on today.....
“Emphysema can be seen as an early phase of COPD,” Buhr notes. “Most people with emphysema progress to COPD. That takes probably five to 15 years, depending on how severe it is when we find it.”
"Most people with emphysema progress to COPD." The foundation says emphysema is a type of COPD?
Barb
Yes, Barbscloud. COPD is an umbrella term like cancer. Cancer of the what, metastisized, large cell vs. small cell, etc. COPD generally starts out with one of 3 major illnesses (chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and/or asthma.) Other lung illnesses may later develop from the damage done by the original illness. That's why no 2 people have the same COPD or should have the same treatment plan! I, for example, first had undiagnosed untreated asthma. Then I got chronic bronchitis but 30 years ago the doctors didn't explain anything to me. On March 14, 2010 I was diagnosed with emphysema and therefore, COPD. Only then was I also diagnosed with asthma. I also have bronchiectasis caused by COPD and adding to it. Bronchiectasis is an irreversible, chronic condition where airways in your lungs (bronchi) become damaged and abnormally widened from recurring inflammation or infection. I have what's referred colloqually as ground glass nodules as well. My pulmonologist monitors it for growth indicating lung cancer, COPD is very complicated and even most general practitioners don't understand much about it. That's why it's important to have a pulmonologist. Trelegy is not a one-size-fits-all (in spite of the publicity.)
Thank you for sharing this, Thomas. It really is good to know all we possibly can. I had asthma that developed when I was an adult, probably in my 30's, I KNEW that it was getting worse and that there were emphysemic sounds from my lungs. It took that last serious bout with pneumonia to put me completely over the edge. Probably did me a favor.
Ellen