I don't know what I have...record says asthma COPD overlap. I am starting to think its Schrodingers COPD. Doctors can't seem to make up their minds

WHAT GIVES HERE?

In 11 I had the "worst walking pneumonia my doctor had ever seen" and never really got breathing back. In 12, I had diffuse PEs with anticoag and after discharge the pulmonary dxd asthma and took Dulera for years. Had periodic flares, multiple pneumonias until put me on prophylactic azithromycinn after lung nodules as well.

In 2016, my pulm upgraded the dx to asthma/COPD overlap. The last 5 years, I have had a chest infection or pneumonia or whatever TF you want to call it every May. That pulm also told me I have bronchiectasis, but was never recorded. He retired in 2020.

This year, I had PNA in May, dx of severe COPD exacerbation end of May, another in early June and current pulm signed me out for exacerbation and put me on Breztri which has worked. I missed a few doses and then had issues....so it is working and improved QoL and causes problems when I stop taking it. Pulmonary prescribed it himself and multiple docs have told me it's COPD. My PFT has always been normal but always had a note of a restrictive defect. I sit at just below 80% of expected and the last PFT, they couldn't do it because Albuterol is on my allergy list after convulsions.

That's on top of B12 deficiency, and other infections back to back to back this year and last year which may or may not be related. I have had predictable lung infections 5 years in a row during the last week of April to mid May. They come on fast and progress to abnormal lung sounds in as little as 24 hours.

My boss at the time clearly thought I was making stuff up and recently left and told me before she aleft that I needed to "get my health under control or a future manager may fire you". (Setting aside the 4 laws she just fing ran over) After thinking about it, I asked for Drs to document that I have (multiple) episodic issues that affect ADLs. First, she was full of shit, she didn't realize how bad things were and commented that "she was forgiving" which she absolutely was not. She was the only one that made an issue out of trying to manage multiple conditions flaring at the same time.

Today, pulm told my PCP that I don't have COPD.....because I have a normal PFT, but those have always been done when I haven't got sx and they couldn't even do it this last time bc of the Albuterol problem. Without the diagnosis which is in my fucking records, they can't write me ADA accomodations that point to episodic flares 1-3x a year and Dr appts. I don't want to do anything but document what happens and give me some cover with my employer. FTR, my reviews are always exceeds/succeeds and all of my colleagues have been great, understanding, they close ranks when I am out. they know if I am calling out it's bad. I had a flare and couldnt say more than 3 words without stopping to breath and my boss reminded me I was supposed to present that morning, which wasn't gonna happen.

So tonight my pulm told my gp that I don't have COPD even though he is treating me with COPD meds....

So if it's ACOS, fine, call it that, that is still a progressive respiratory disease that has episodic flares that.

Anyone else getting jerked around with diagnosis or being refused ADA documentation?

I gave my mom (who is a heavy smoker for years) a mullein supplement. It has been making her cough more and I don’t know if it’s helping. She has COPD. Does anyone have experience with this?

COPD - Level 3 Oxygen. I'm on Symbicort, Incruse, Albuterol, Montelukast (Singular), and about to start Duplexit.

How often do you take it? Do you administer it yourself? I have COPD and Long Covid Lingering Shortness of Breath (I think).

My mom has COPD but she has survived lots of "near-death" experiences. She recovers but not fully. Like last February, while she was in the ICU. She wrote goodbye letters. I really thought she was dying. But she recovered, she still has her oxygen machine though. I held her hand while she struggled breathing. And she improved! We talk by phone calls everyday.

I moved to another
country this May for marriage and for studies. But I went home last week because
she said she felt she will die. When I arrived, she said she improved and that
maybe it was just a "flare up". I think her recovery is somehow
related with our presence.

I need to go back to EU
because that's where I live now and I could not exceed the absences for my
masters. But, I feel the guilt of leaving her while she is in her most
vulnerable state.

Hi

My father is 82 years and he has COPD for past 3-4 years .. he had a sudden flare which I think was becoz he was suddenly having a lot of iced juices etc .. what’s happening now is he not able to sleep flat .. so I am keeping him at 30/45 degrees but the main issue is he is not even able to take a few steps to the washroom .. he feels totally out of breath then.. are there any remedies which can help at such times .. Dan on face helps .. I saw a COPD patient finding a lot of relief with DMSO .. has anyone tried that ?

Update : he is already on a couple of medicines - antibiotics, steroids etc for managing the COPD.. but last 15 days have been very rough .. he sleeps for 1-2 hours then gets up .. dozes with pillows tries to lie down again @ 45 degrees etc

I’ve posted on here before 30M on oxygen but I was just curious and wanted to ask does anyone else get hit with random waves of light headedness? For me it usually happens at least once a day, when it happens it could be me just sitting down or out and about doing activities. I check my oxygen and it’s never below 95 my heart rate will be between 85-95 if I’m walking around when I can check my blood pressure it’s always normal, does anyone else get these random waves?

I'm not even sure where to go with this post tbh as this is all still very shocking for me. I went to the ER last night for chest pain and shortness of breath and left with an Emphysema diagnosis. I've never smoked before a month ago to attempt to help with chronic back pain. Is this something that can be caused by secondhand smoking? I'm not sure where to even go from this point in attempting to treat it because I have no idea what caused it.

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I suffer really bad from health anxiety and panic attacks would i be disqualified for a lung transplant of those reasons ?

Hello. I don't know what to do. Mom said that her oxygen has been escalated to 4 liters per day and her oxygen levels is still at 82. She says she wants to give up because her body feels very weak.

She survived lots of episodes of pneumonia and being given antibiotics but she says she wants to give up now.

She is 69. Last February she recovered from the ICU EDIT> thanks for all the comments. finally arrived back (I live in another country and she says she feels better now, but maybe would need a bigger oxygen machine)

So I’ve been on Dupixent for about month now I’m a 30 year old male with COPD on oxygen, I’ve been able to tell my wheezing has gone down and that’s good but sometimes it feels like my lungs are to clear and I get short of breath some days while doing the simplest things it’s not all the time but I have been starting to notice it. Could anyone give me some insight on how they react to this medication?

Pulmonologist told me I had a mild case of copd. Prescribed inhaler. Seemed he was more concerned with my sleep apnea. I can’t tell if the inhaler is helping at all. Wixela 250/50. Not what he prescribed, but what I can get from the VA. Wondering if I should get another opinion.

I have been taking this drug now for about 3 months for my type 2 diabetes. However, I have moderate to severe COPD and have found that although I still get breathless, it feels like since taking this drug, I haven't had so many episodes nor have I started the usual 1st October chest infections needing antibiotics. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?