COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Causes
Cigarette smoking is the most important cause of COPD, although only about 15% of smokers develop the disease. Pipe and cigar smokers develop COPD more often than nonsmokers but not as often as cigarette smokers. It is not clear whether smoking marijuana contributes to COPD. With aging, susceptible cigarette smokers lose lung function more rapidly than nonsmokers. Lung function improves only a little if people stop smoking. However, the rate of decline of lung function returns to that of nonsmokers when people stop smoking, thus delaying development and progression of symptoms.
COPD tends to occur more often in some families, so there may be an inherited tendency.
This is from the Merck Manual
http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/lung_and_airway_disorders/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_chronic_bronchitis_emphysema.html
I think its a good thing for us to know.
I know I look at people I have known my whole life who smoked a lot more than I did who are my age and older who do not have COPD and yet I smoked less than they did and I am 64 and my COPD is Severe...
This is probably why, the inherited factor, my doctor says the same thing. In my family my father, grandmother and her twin brother all developed COPD.
I think its interesting and in some way takes away some of the stigma attached with our COPD, we smoked but only 15% of us got it gash darn it.
I hope your all well and breathing easy and staying warm and sung and healthy this bitter cold winter.
Spring is around the corner.
Love to all,
Stay well and happy and breathing easy,
Holly
Cigarette smoking is the most important cause of COPD, although only about 15% of smokers develop the disease. Pipe and cigar smokers develop COPD more often than nonsmokers but not as often as cigarette smokers. It is not clear whether smoking marijuana contributes to COPD. With aging, susceptible cigarette smokers lose lung function more rapidly than nonsmokers. Lung function improves only a little if people stop smoking. However, the rate of decline of lung function returns to that of nonsmokers when people stop smoking, thus delaying development and progression of symptoms.
COPD tends to occur more often in some families, so there may be an inherited tendency.
This is from the Merck Manual
http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/lung_and_airway_disorders/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_chronic_bronchitis_emphysema.html
I think its a good thing for us to know.
I know I look at people I have known my whole life who smoked a lot more than I did who are my age and older who do not have COPD and yet I smoked less than they did and I am 64 and my COPD is Severe...
This is probably why, the inherited factor, my doctor says the same thing. In my family my father, grandmother and her twin brother all developed COPD.
I think its interesting and in some way takes away some of the stigma attached with our COPD, we smoked but only 15% of us got it gash darn it.
I hope your all well and breathing easy and staying warm and sung and healthy this bitter cold winter.
Spring is around the corner.
Love to all,
Stay well and happy and breathing easy,
Holly
Some are optimists (positive) or pessimists (negative) or anxious and depressed. Some are active and exercise, while others are couchpotatoes. All of these factors can influence the state of your health and the health of your immune system.
Most people have a "MM" Alpha 1 Type, which means 2 normal genes. Mine is "MZ" which is one normal gene and one defective gene. "MZ" type individuals are usually carriers and are also pre-disposed to lung or liver disease. My brother was very sick w/liver failure and ended up w/a healthy transplanted organ and I have severe COPD.
Obesity can cause a host of health problems, but when you combine it with the effects of tobacco, the health effects are far greater than the sum of the parts, according toresearch presented at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
Other research found that obese people have on average nearly twice the chronic health troubles of people of normal weight.
If you go to the web site and click on environmental lung diseases under causes, you will find them there.
Its very sad that our environment can make us so sick, I am so sad for anyone who has gotten sick because of the environment.
I was exposed to lacquer sprays in big doses working in a spray booth doing retouch work on pictures back in the 80's with out a mask, and also a furnace that leaked black smoke into my bedroom for a whole winter back in the 70's both of which I think contributed to my breathing problems today and well as inherited the tendency and smoking of course.
There are many factors.
http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/lung_and_airway_disorders/environmental_lung_diseases/overview_of_environmental_lung_diseases.html
The web site on the original post look under causes they talk about alpha1-antiprotease inhibitor deficiency which is truly sad, and I am very sorry you have inherited this, it must be so difficult.
Also the babys born with cystic fibrosis, it must be so very hard for them and their parents..
Its always true that genetics, environment, diet, weight, our out look on life and our daily attitude, and depression and many other factors all play a part in out over all health and health problems.
I am so glad you both responded to the post.
We all do the very best we can.
The Merck Manual by the way is the physicians desk reference book.
Stay well and happy and breathing easy everyone,
Love Always, Holly
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/copd/resources/facts-figures/COPD-Fact-Sheet.html
It is our task and responsibility to keep informed the best we can to learn what is unhealthy so we know what to avoid.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/opinion/when-the-government-tells-you-what-to-eat.html?_r=0
Every day is a gift and we need to remain thankful and positive.
Thank you for sharing that, it has very good information...
BJ