COPD

[chatterbox54]

I stared a thread on this topic but it has disappeared so doing it again. My mum had COPD which got worse over the years. She ended up on oxygen 24/7. She was 93 when she died. A relative of mine in her 60s also has COPD but not as bad. I do not want her to go the same way as my mum. My relative is ok for the time being. Does COPD get worse or is it different for each person?

FIL has COPD as a consequence of smoking all of his life. He has been told that he can slow progress of COPD if he stops. He chooses not to.

You can slow the progression of the disease but not reverse it and not stop it progressing completely.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd/treatment/

My GP runs a COPD support group - you could see if your relatives GP does too - good to have a real life support network for this condition - 2 family members have it, both smokers and both unable to give up sadly. I am so glad I never started.

ok thanks. My mum had TB when she was 18 and was completely cured. Then she smoked about 30 a day for the next 30 years or so. Her lungs were scarred from the TB and smoking added to it. I think that if she had not smoked then perhaps she would not have got so bad. My mum was in a care home and one of the other residents was diagnosed with COPD although he was in the very early stages. He became very frightened and worried seeing my mother go downhill because it made him think he would go the same way. It was also very unfortunate that they lived in the same care home because it was like the disease was constantly in his face and a cruel reminder of what could happen to him. He saw my mother go from using a walking frame to wheelchair to oxygen twice a day to oxygen 24/7. I really felt sorry for him. My mum died two years ago and I always think of this man and how he is now. At the time he was still going for daily walks and using the bus without any problem but towards the end of my mothers time he had bought himself one of those disabled scooters and used that instead and he was very happy because he said he could use it outside and could go for miles on it. My mother tried one but couldn't get on with it and anyway she was blind in one eye so her GP told her it was dangerous to use with only sight in one eye

I asked my mothers GP whether COPD is heredetary and he said no. Besides I have never smoked. I have friends and work colleagues who smoke. They do not seem bothered about the damage they are doing to their lungs. It is luck of the draw because the relative who has COPD has a sister and the sister smoked from a very early age and has not got any lung issues of any kind, does not get bronchitis and she gets a once a year body MOT due to her age (70)

My mum has copd. I think it varies from person to person how much it can deteriorate and how badly it can affect you. My mum smoked 40 a day from 15 years old and stopped when she was 60. She developed copd shortly after she stopped! She is 70 now and it’s remained stable. She takes 2 puffs of an inhaler twice a day and has stand by antibiotics for if she feels she is getting a chest infection. So far she is managing fine although she is very aware that could change.

Also wanted to add copd is not hereditary however strangely enough I do have moderate asthma - and it seems that if you have asthma in the family you may be more prone to it.

Nobody in my family has ashma

Although you’ve got to think that smokers that grew up in households where their parents also smoked are more likely to develop it, so the hereditary aspect would be hard to pick out.