
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...

roseypeach
Hi everyone,
I need some support badly today. I saw the pulmonologist and he dx'd me with COPD and Asthma. He drew a graph on a mini whiteboard and showed that I was just over 60% lung function (his educated guess without the PFT) and showed me that I would be dead by 60 if I keep smoking, if not sooner. Now, I'm bipolar, and I have really bad nerves (severe anxiety). I have tried to stop smoking but it is so damn hard! I got through yesterday on a pack by using lozenges, but they tasted awful and today I'm already at a pack and a half. I don't want to die young but I am horrified I will never be able to stop smoking. Can anyone here tell me what 60% means to them, what it means at all, and how fast does this really progress? I was exposed to toxic fumes as a child, my father ran a gas station with a 3 bay garage. I lived in that place practically, not to mention both of my parents smoked, and I started at 15. Any info would be appreciated at this point. I had a chest xray today and am going for the PFT on April 15.
I need some support badly today. I saw the pulmonologist and he dx'd me with COPD and Asthma. He drew a graph on a mini whiteboard and showed that I was just over 60% lung function (his educated guess without the PFT) and showed me that I would be dead by 60 if I keep smoking, if not sooner. Now, I'm bipolar, and I have really bad nerves (severe anxiety). I have tried to stop smoking but it is so damn hard! I got through yesterday on a pack by using lozenges, but they tasted awful and today I'm already at a pack and a half. I don't want to die young but I am horrified I will never be able to stop smoking. Can anyone here tell me what 60% means to them, what it means at all, and how fast does this really progress? I was exposed to toxic fumes as a child, my father ran a gas station with a 3 bay garage. I lived in that place practically, not to mention both of my parents smoked, and I started at 15. Any info would be appreciated at this point. I had a chest xray today and am going for the PFT on April 15.
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you need to quit
Dr O.
Normal Results Return to top
Normal values are based upon your age, height, ethnicity, and sex. Normal results are expressed as a percentage. A value is usually considered abnormal if it is less than 80% of your predicted value.
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What Abnormal Results Mean Return to top
Abnormal results usually mean that you may have some chest or lung disease.
Risks Return to top
The risk is minimal for most people. There is a small risk of collapsed lung in people with a certain type of lung disease. The test should not be given to a person who has experienced a recent heart attack, or who has certain other types of heart disease.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003853.htm#Normal%20Values
I think my arms and legs would be flailing wildly to breathe either that or I'd be lying there as still as possible to suck in what little air I could if only the people on the smoking addiction community could read this .
Btw Dr O ...
Im curious what this could mean my blood oxygen rises and falls from 99% to 90/92% up and down like a yoyo I watched it for 7 hours on the monitor as they did all the heart blood work twice six hours apart . I went to ER because of my breathing but they chose to examine the heart function since I had an MI 10 months ago . My internist called my GP and told her a recent lung Xray was normal yet 4 years ago another doctor showed me alot of scarr tissue on six Xrays . I'm not going to ask you why the internist would do that but 2 days ago he said 75% is good but I'm reading that this is untrue ??? Should I continue on with him or tell him I know a better internist on the internet ... I caught you chuckling at that one lol
anyhow my guess is I did a number on my lungs over time ,I'm glad I quit smoking and if anything sounds familiar please let me know I would appreciate it ...for whatever reason nasal antihistamine , a fresh air walk and coffee are the only things which mildly help . Cheers
Well I got to the point I had to make a choice,keep puffing and die. I was scared and I quit cold turkey.
now. Diagnosed at age 43. Quit smoking immediately upon diagnosis. Stayed quit 5 years.
Started again due to (disclosure
of sexual abuse) and being totally "disowned" by family.
Still battling the nicodemon.
My last pulmonary tests showed me at 36%. My plumonary doc says I have the lungs of an 80 year old. Told me 1 1/2 years ago if I did not stop smoking;
he would give me a year of life left. Also, I suffer from Major
Depression, PTSD(from severe childhood abuse), and anxiety
disorders. Chantix was NOT recommended for me, as they are
now seeing some bad side effects
in individuals that suffer from
depression, and mental illness.
I went against my primary care's
orders and got Chantix from another doctor. DO NOT DO THAT!
Spiraled down into severe suicidal depression. I rarely
if ever give advice, but/ and:
LISTEN to your doctor or pulmonary specialist and DO whatever they suggest. I know,
easier said; than done. One thing I had found (personally)
that people not suffering from
mental illness do not know how
important and addictive cigarettes are to the mentally ill as a form of self medication; ie. mood elevator.
A HUGE percentage, of those suffering with any form of depression, smoke. Could be our
brains are wired differently;
or maybe we are just more vulnerable. I hate to think we
are "just weaker" as some have
suggested to me. So, 60-75%
lung function left sounds like
heaven to me. Best wishes!