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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How long to live with COPD?

    Related Topics
    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Respiratory Health
    Just got told from my GP I have COPD. Nothing else he said only that I have to puff 2x2 a Day my Seretide MDI 125/25 and if needed Ventolin over the Day.

    Should I get another opinion from an COPD Specialist? I'm 48 Years old, female, did stop smoking a week ago.

    How long can I live with COPD ? I'm shorten of breath and lost a lot weight over last 4 weeks but in the last week I put already on again because of not smoking.

    Does anyone know an COPD Specialist in NSW Hunter Valley area ?
    • 2 answers
    • Tim Cottman - Fields
    • Lynne Johnsen
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  • 7

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    Tim Cottman - Fields

    Exercise Physiologist, Physiotherapist

    Tim is considered a movement specialist - using exercise, education and hands on therapy as his main treatments, helping everyone achieve optimal function. His interests … View Profile

    I’m sorry to hear this.

    To be properly diagnosed with COPD; it requires a clinical history (signs/symptoms), physical exam (listen to breath sounds, feel your breathing pattern etc.) and more importantly lung function/ laboratory tests and imaging (this is gold standard). If your GP did a series of investigations like the above then you most likely don’t need a second opinion.  

    Firstly, well done on quitting; you will find this is the single most important thing you can do improve your prognosis

    The prognosis of COPD really depends on the severity and progression of the disease because there is an irreversible aspect to it.

    1. Our ability to breathe declines as we age no matter if we have smoked or not
    2. Smokers lung function declines quicker and breathlessness worsens
    3. The more you have smoked or been around smoke; will increase the damage to your lungs and therefore more damage that cannot be reversed
    4. If you quit you will re-gain some breathing ability but not as much as it would’ve been

    What you can do from now:

    • Research into COPD management (lung foundation)
    • Continue to take medication as prescribed (very important)
    • Live a healthy and active life
    • Do exercise that has shown to improve conditions like COPD (pulmonary rehabilitation)
    • Manage your weight through a well-designed nutrition plan
    • Seek advice from a health professional

    Most people quit smoking too late in life and hence struggle to even try to treat it - you are still very young.

    This graph shows what I’m trying to explain (the units on the left is related to the lung function testing)

    http://www.copdeducation.org.uk/graphics/FletcherGraph.jpg

    All the best 

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    Lynne Johnsen

    HealthShare Member

    What are the best portable oxygen concentrators?

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