Hi everyone,
My name is Nick - I'm currently in the process of getting a diagnosis (which I am very confident will be COPD). I have that discussion coming up here on Monday with my pulmonologist.
I've fallen into a pretty debilitating depression since learning about this and will touch more on what exactly I'm worried about.
Essentially, since I was young (7 years old) I have had an airway limitation due to what at that time they thought was simply asthma. I have all my records from 6-18 and it's stayed pretty much the same. The main issue being a fev1 that hovers around 68-72. So, they diagnosed me with FAO from Asthma remodeling. What is interesting is I never felt sick..or that I has a low function it was just normal for me.
I used a dry herb cannabis vaporizer for around 8 years after undergraduate and have quit this last year.
I referred myself to National Jewish which I know is one of the best pulmonary hospitals in the nation. Of course they have run a ton of tests to identify what is going on.
These tests were done after being on Symbicort and the asthma strength Spiriva for 6 weeks.
1.) CT scan discovered mild bronchial thickening and some small scarring. The Impression on the report was "Concurrent with patients history of asthma - no air trapping found in expiatory imaging."
2.) Nitric oxide was very low at 13 (I don't know the measurement metric just that it's very low)
3.) PFT - DLCO was normal and lung volumes normal. Airflow limitation with the specific point of my fev1 being 71 pre and 72 post.
The main questions I have:
1.) Is Fixed airway obstruction that they originally diagnosed me with in childhood different than ACOS? Or is this debated?
2.) Being so young I can't imagine this wont significantly reduce my life expectancy? should I even consider saving normally for retirement or move things up in my life?
3.) Will I be on oxygen at some point around my 40's - 50's?
4.) Can someone be allergic to something like Symbicort? I feel like it makes my breathing worse almost...it's like my lugs clamp up...but if I stop the steroid it feels like someone is sitting on my chest.
I know these are all super complicated questions that need to be answered by my Dr - but at this point I feel very alone and scared. This is equally being felt by my fiancé.
Thank you for listening and helping.