Had time to think and my story below.
I’m 43
Mom was a smoker
Started smoking at 15
Half pack day so let’s say 20 Pack years
Age 40 Doc gave me peak flow in office and said I was kinda low never thought anything and he never said anything
I went out and bought a at home peak flow and ranged from 450-475 and an FEV 1 at about 2.55 on home device for the next couple years.
June 2020 started complaining of constant congestion, phelgm, post nasal drip and clearing throat.
Told me take allergy med or Flonase?!?
Month over Month still felt off. Emailed doc consistently.
Nov 2020 XRay- Clear
December 2020 ENT Clear
January 6, 2021 I decided to quit smoking cold turkey
January 11, 2021 I begged doc to give me PFT attached.
Before, I went inside to take test used my at home and my FEV1 was 2.51
@Spiro Machine below and attached
PVC 4.57 97% Post 4.41 94%
FEV 1 2.96 79% Post 3.22 86%
FEV1/FVC 65% Post 73% 92%
ERV 50%
DLCO 115%
March 16, 2021 I visited a pulmonologist he looked at my Spirometry test and told me to go enjoy my life and congrats on quitting smoking. He did listen to my lungs as well as 4/5 doctors in last months and all have said they sound fantastic.
February, March, April, May of 2021 after quit smoking I feel worse BUT maybe this has nothing to do with quoting- I thought you tend to feel great and I don’t.
The first week of May had EKG, Echo, stress test passed no problem.
Last week the week of May 17, 2021 I was ashamed and embarrassed and again asked my doc through my portal to give me another test. He did after 4 or 5 exchanges he really wanted to wait another year.
Retest PFT 4 Months Later
This past Friday I had another PFT test and attached results and they were lower by LARGE in 4 months.
PVC 4.08 86% Post 4.00 84 %
FEV1 2.31 61% Post 2.72 73%
FE1/FVC 57 72% Post 68 86%
I quit smoking, I’m very mobile, and have phelgm all day everyday and sometimes feel sob for a second after a fast brisk up the stairs.
I DO not have a diagnosis. The person who did my second test seemed very educated and he does not know why I was diagnosed MILD COPD the first time around and say by my other numbers lung volumes, DLCO that COPD is still in question. He mentioned I need to start swimming or aerobic because my ERV is just so low. I lift weights and stuff I, Coach baseball and move around with the kids I guess I just don’t do any repetitive exercise.
My fear is that my mother smoked in womb, I smoked and maybe quit cigarettes to late and I’m on the path of rapid decline in lung function and will be gone in a couple years.
I understand you all on site have lived 20 or more years, success stories of many.
I’m needing more information of where I’m heading with this. I’m so lost the only really consistent info I have is my at home peak flow which alights more with the second test I had with FEV1. The FEV1 on my 1st Spirometry test did not align with my at home.
Thank You all for any feedback.
Mar