I recently have been...?!
Question: diagnosed with the beginning stages of COPD. I am 35 years old. I am curious as to why my General Practioner said he "would leave sample medications at the desk" and not even bother to refer me to a Pulmonary Specialist. Am I just being pushed aside? I am afraid now and this didn't help much. It seems like I'm just a burden to him. I asked him how bad it was, meaning do I have at least 5-10 years, and he replied "Oh yeah, much more, don't worry".. but it's hard not to. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.
Answers: diagnosed with the beginning stages of COPD. I am 35 years old. I am curious as to why my General Practioner said he "would leave sample medications at the desk" and not even bother to refer me to a Pulmonary Specialist. Am I just being pushed aside? I am afraid now and this didn't help much. It seems like I'm just a burden to him. I asked him how bad it was, meaning do I have at least 5-10 years, and he replied "Oh yeah, much more, don't worry".. but it's hard not to. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.
Ok, "begining stages of COPD" is not a death sentence...at least not yet...But it can make for a miserable life...
You don't mention if are you still smoking? If so, quit...now...not tomorrow, not next week, don;t bother cutting down...quit...for good...
Here is why the doctor did what he did....
COPD is a mangable disease, especially at 35. Did he suggest MDI [metered dose inhalers] ? Or did he recommend some nebulizer treatements? That is the begining step on managing the disease. Most likely, he gave you MDIs, probably Combivent or Advair.
As you get older, you will experience a more rapid decline in the ability to get around...you will become more short of breath with activity more easily. Hiking to picknic tables will eventually be as a mountain to climb now. If the doctor didn't put you on a nebulizer, you will get one eventually. And home nebulizers take the better part of 20 minutes to take. [Not like the hospital ones in 7 minutes flat] . And you will have to be on the neb 4 times a day...That's 2 hours out of your day breathing medications, every day. Once you are around 50 or so, you may require oxygen at night...From here on out, you may experience chest colds on a yearly basis, and you will be more susepeticable to pneumonia. And that walk around the block that you so much like to do, will become another steep hill to climb...
In your later years, post 60-80, you may be on oxygen 24/7365..By then, walking aournd the house can be as a large steep mountain.....Of course, you can avoid this if you stop smoking NOW...
.Because if you don't quit smoking, it will kill you, in the most slow , most miserable method possible....by drowning in your own secretions, hacking it up all the time....And that nice active life style you are used to, will rapidly become very miserable....
Talk to the doc about quiting. Wellbutrin or Chantix are helpful meds in quiting...shear will power will help also...Talk to the American Lung Association or the Seventh day Adventist church about thier programs in helping you to quit. Adopt a healthy lifestyle...you wont regret it.
And to take a more cynical side of things, the reason the doctor makes you feel like a burden, is because you will be calling him more often than a healthy non-smoker.And that means more office calls and more $$$$ for each office call. Shoot, Lady, you just made it possible for him to buy a nice boat and get it paid off... And if you can't see that in the above expectations of the life of a COPDer, well, then...the honest truth is that you would be in denial...
You can live 15-20 years with COPD..... if it is taken care of properly.
Like if you smoke.......STOP!!! If your case is not severe he may not put you on any meds. Eat healthy, exercise.....and most importantly..... STOP SMOKING!!!!
Normally a physician will only "push you aside" if you are non compliant. If you have refused to quit smoking or are not taking the meds he has prescribed, the way they are prescribed, .. then they push you aside.
If you want to see a Pulmonalogist... call your insurance and have them seek one out for you so that you find one that your insurance covers.
Good Luck to you!!