Welcome to the COPD group!

Have you been diagnosed with COPD? If so, share a bit of who diagnosed you, when, how, etc.

COPD is definitely not a one size fits all disease. But your doc is right, the pred should do it. That said, do go to the emergency room if you need to.

Thank youCaitsMom! I was diagnosed by an Allergy Asthma Dr. about 10 years ago with stage 0 COPD. I would have been about 32 at the time. My primary Dr. diagnosed me with Asthma. So, I guess it depends on the Dr. I also have Type 1 Diabetes, Hypothyroid, Fibromyalgia, and some other medical issuses. Along with taking the steroids, oral and inhaled, I develop fungal infections. I have an infectious disease Dr. that I've seen. When I called about the fungal infection his nurse said I should've disscused this with my PCP. My PCP then set up an appt with the Infectious disease Dr. for next week to see if he can figure out was causing these things. So, apparently no one is doing anything while I continue to get sicker. Our ER here doesn't help much and going out of town isn't an option for me. My son has been on Medical leave from school for about 14 weeks. Trying to get to the bottom of why he feels nauseous constantly after eating. His testing came back negitive for Gluten Intolerance, and Food Allergies. Sorry for the Rant. I'm at a loss.

Hi and welcome....as Cait commented, it is very difficult to suggest anything else at this stage until maybe get a lung function test....I too was diagnosed with chronic asthma originally before they realised a bit too late that i was already Stage 4 emphysema.....

Only thing is i usually do the prednisalone and antibiotics at the same time....40mg pred for 5 days only while on a 2 week x twice daily Doxycyline Antibiotic.....this usually clears up in 3 -4 days BUT if during this time i start feeling worse, then i go to emergency and get them to check it out.......seeing your doc will only get you a referal to go to ER, so best just go in there yourself....

Hope you find an answer soon....Peter

No edit here..which is a nuisance..

Re-Pain....I have rib pain from Hyperinflated Lungs rubbing against rib cage...it is comparable to Pleurisy, so i know it hurts very much.....after being on Tramadol which never did much plus had many side effects, of which i never suffered thankfully, I was recently put on Morphine>>MS Contin and a ''Break thru'' liquid version Morphine Hydrochloride, which is an as needed in between the 12 hour break period.

Sorry about your son but i really have no ideas about food allergies....I know it can be a very frustrating elimination process......Take care...

Only thing I can address is the fungal infection. If it is in your mouth, ask you Doc for a script for Nystatin..it works wonders. If it is else where due to your Diabetes message me, I might can help there.

I am a LADA Diabetic so I know what Insulin does to the body besides keep your sugars down.

Hope your son is getting his Meds and feeling better.

Update- My lung Dr. called today. They decided not to change anything even though I'm still ill. They said if I wanted he could take a look at me. Basically, nothing has gotten done. I have had lung function tests in the past and a methacolene challenge. One Dr. said Copd one said asthma. As far as the fungal infection, I use nystatin and diflucan. Neither one works for very long. I have also tried a different one in the past worked then came back. I do rinse after inhahlers. My son was sick again last night and we can't get into the Dr, until the end of January.

This may be alittle OT but may I ask what your WATER SOURCE is?
Contaminated water can often present/cause many maladies or worsen existing ones.

I only drink purified bottle water tillerc.

I don't know much about asthma. with my lungs I have found I need to do 2 rounds of antibiotics sometimes to get "all" of the infection.
It may be beneficial to see your dr again & possibly a blood test to see if you might still have a bit of infection.

I don't/can't do steroids so I have never had the problem of thrush.... Just yeast infections from antibiotics that diflucon (fluconazole) usually clears up (once I had to do 10 days of it as i had fungal infection in ears too).

Sorry, I am not much help, but that is my 2 cents.
In the meantime welcome to the group.
ps. have you tried the asthma group (on DS or other places?) to see if others have had this problem?

I wish you luck at your infectious disease appointment and hope you find some answers. It is so frustrating to feel horrible and not know why. ((((HUGS)))

ps.
you are taking a lot of inhalers, could it possibly be overload on your system or a reaction to one?
I have never heard of "stage 0" COPD; i thought it was 1-4. and usually treatment advances as stages advance.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/copd/the-stages-of-copd.aspx

If you were 32, they *must* test you for Apha-1 antitrypsin deficiency:

AAT deficiency is an inherited condition that raises your risk for lung and liver disease. Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) is a protein that protects the lungs. The liver makes it. If the AAT proteins aren't the right shape, they get stuck in the liver cells and can't reach the lungs.

The treatment for COPD with Alpha-1 is different than plain COPD. If you have not been tested, insist on it!

Welcome aih2031. I hope you've received somethings to think about. How about another Dr's opinion - something just doesn' t sound right. Are you seeing a pulmonary doctor?

jarca, I also reacted to the several inhalers (that's news to me) I'm guessing the stage 0 is either a typo or perhaps shorthand for "no COPD," but aih2031 obviously has respiratory problems.

I have heard of the Alpa testing. I'm not sure if I have been tesred for it, but will definitely ask. I'm not supposed to take steroids either due to the horrible effects on my diabetes. Unfortunately, my Drs. didn't examine me, order a chest xtray, or do any blood work for this episode. I have gone to the Walk In Clinic in the past after seeing my Dr. and feeling worse on the weekend. He looked at me an said. "You already saw your Dr. What do you want me to do about it?" Before they found my Type 1 diabetes when I was 16. It took them over a year to find it and laveled me a hypochondriac to my parents abd probably other physicians. Sometimes, I feel to weak to fight with everything else I have to deal with. I take over 30 meds on a regular basis which I'm told I need all of, plus trying to get to the bottom of what's going on medically with my son. He also cane out to me as transgender to me last year. I have almost no support from my family and his Father isn't in the picture. I have a boyfriend who has been awesome. We've only been together 6 months so In the back of my mind I wonder when he will leave. Especially, when I tell my Mom how great he is and she says "I wonder how long that will last" Wow! Sorry, I guess I needed to get some things off my chest. Btw. Per the other question. I have joined an c athma support group on here and no one replied to either of jmy posts,after several days. You guys have been Great!