Well it was a bit of a shock for me even though I smoked, my symptoms weren't particularly severe and still aren't but I had been sick with bronchitis for three months, but it was the pain in my left side that made me ask to get a chest x ray, I was then told it was COPD, huh? I have nearly quit, only been 4 days and down from 20 a day to 4. I think it was caught early and I expect to feel better soon, it's just getting through this bronchitis stage that's hard and confusing and I will expect to get sick each year now. I did notice I was breathless on steep inclines, but then I was 16 years ago so smoking did that, but my only symptoms at the time of my diagnosis was that I couldn't bring up any mucus and I had a pain in my left side, that was all. Published: September 10 ::

I grew up with asthma; I suffered sinus and respiratory infections my entire life. I started smoking at 15. When I was in my early 40s, my asthma was becoming increasingly worse. I was diagnosed with COPD at age 47. I am now 55. I quit smoking four years ago. The disease does not improve. My "good days" are far and few these days. My dad and his dad died from this. My older sister was just diagnosed three years ago. My son was diagnosed with beginning stages at age 25. (He doesn't smoke.) My sister's daughter was just diagnosed at 33 (smoker). It's a hard disease that seems to start out like bad asthma and progresses into chronic lung infections. Published: September 10 ::

I have asbestos damage to my lungs (pleural plaques) from working to with it. My husband of 25 years was an asbestos worker. I wonder if asbestos causes COPD or makes it worse. Thank you! Published: November 09 ::

I felt a shortness of breath for approximately 5 years. It became progressively worse. I had trouble walking any distance, like 100ft. I thought it was my heart or circulation, which may have been better. This is very debilitating and uncomfortable. To walk in a store I use a shopping cart. After two days in the hospital I was diagnosed with bronchitis. At home, I couldn't stand all the breathing medications, so I quit. No phlegm or coughing or wheezing. I just have severe shortness of breath when moving. Published: November 02 ::