Not everyone with COPD has a cough. Be thankful that you don't. That is just listed as one of the symptoms.

There are different kinds of palpitations. Do you mean quick (racing)heart beats; fast/slow beats; quivering sensations and probably others that I am not aware of.

Many lung patients experience racing heart beats due to certain medications that are inhaled Also the reverse of that is when we are very SOB and wheezing (like you mentioned in yr other post).

Can I assume that since you are Stage 4, that you are on oxygen 24/7. I have been on O2 for awhile now and I am not even fully at Stage 4 yet.

We have several knowledgeable people here at DS; perhaps if you would get back to us with a little more info about your palpitations we could bounce your questions around more and come up w/helpful answers for you. Meantime, if you are really worried about heart problems ..............ALWAYS check w/your doctor.

Hi SindeeT. I have moderate to severe emphysema and, unless I'm sick with upper respiratory problems, rarely cough, either. But occasionally, I'll cough for no known reason, like I did today. Shopped in the dollar store for a good 20 minutes, didn't cough once. Got up to the checkout and coughed my head off. I figured there was something up there that wasn't agreeing with me, or something the checkout lady was wearing, perhaps. Once I got away from there, I was just fine and haven't coughed since.

I am not a cougher either. Only cough when I have an infection and then my cough is non-productive... that' s when I am in big trouble.
Hospitalized 3 times in 2014 for that and doctor said next time will be ventilator. During my best to stay away from hospitals, even changed my pulmo visits to off-site hospital office location.

I don't tend to cough either. There seem to be quite a few of us.
I'm just into stage 3, or was last year. I think we're lucky.

I have severe emphysema. I don't have a cough.

Susan

I dont have any cough,but my sister-in-law does.....go figure....we are all different....

Do not cough either, severe 22% Fev.1 and no oxygen as sats rarely dip under 97% yet very SOB....

We all are very different no matter what stages are meant to imply...

To put it in very simple terms....COPD with a Bronchitis factor tend to cough a lot while those with an Asthma component tend not to....I do not even cough up sputum unless i have a bad infection....

i don't cough either.
I clear my throat all the time, but that is because of allergies & side effect of my spiriva (i think) that feels like i have a lump at the base of my throat.
i have the emphysema kind of copd which tends to be on the dry side.
Sometimes I go into a coughing/choking "fit" & will cough up some very thick, dry mucous. (called a lung mucous plug---or---stringy mucous as some call it here)

gwapo is right
Copd has 2 different diseases. Emphysema & Bronchitis.
i've always thought of Emphysema as "dry" & bronchitis as "wet"

i found this short link that explains the two;
https://lunginstitute.com/blog/difference-between-emphysema-and-chronic-bronchitis/
it does say that bronchitis is the one with the cough.

I don't cough unless I have bronchitis or pneumonia then I tend to have a lingering cough for months...I have been diagnosed as having stage 4 copd also & I'm not on any oxygen, yet anyways. as far as the heart palpitations, I agree that the inhalers & meds could be causing that as well as when you are short of breath, you may panic & that could very well cause heart palpitations. I also agree that you don't have to have every symptom to be diagnosed with a disease. hugs to you!

Michelle

I am in stsge4, and I cough and cough, I have even cracked a rib twice from coughing. I also have developed two hernias from coughing. .

All the years I smoked I coughed and coughed and coughed some more. I quit smoking in 2013 and almost immediately quit coughing.

I started vaping when I quit smoking but about a year in with doing that I started having very bad problems with breathing and oxygen levels dropping. No one could figure out what was going on as they said COPD doesn't go that bad that fast.

I quit vaping about a week ago and I am a whole lot better. I get some things done and don't need the oxygen all the time during the day.
I cheated one day and vaped for that day and boom.....terrible chest tightness and O2 levels crashing.

Some people said that it's common to develop an allergy with the PG vaping liquid. I think mine was straight PG. They said going to a VG juice usually was ok I haven't tried that yet. Using nicotine gum.

I probably should just not vape again. A year ago my Fev 1 was 32%
But that's about when things went bad when I had the PFT done.

I would go hours after I got up before vaping so it wasn't near as addictive as cigarettes . But I think the e-juice is clogging my lungs Who knows...

There is one blood pressure med known to cause terrible coughing. I had to change my BP meds last year because of that I can't remember what the name was but those of you coughing really bad might check that out.

Good job not vaping, msidgy! I'm gonna root for you to be able to continue that. So glad it's effective/affective : )