Living with COPD. Feeling unsociable.

I can really sympathise with you, as I have Brittle asthma and bronchiectasis. My life improved after a consultation with a Cystic Fibrosis consultant, (I carry a defective gene), which resulted in new medication and physio exercises for my lungs.
Is it worth going back to your GP or consultant and explaining how awful things are for you?

Thanks Marydoll. I've got a brilliant GP, meds which help a lot, & do all the pulmonary exercises. It's simply the fact that all this loose phlegm has to be got rid of.

I know what you mean. DH turns down invitations as he chokes over food and has to rush out to deal with the issue.

What about the constant coughing and being given dirty looks, by those nearby?

I couldn't stop coughing the other day in Lidl. I was so embarrassed trying to keep away from people, but one man in particular was pretty unpleasant towards me.
This cold weather is affecting me so badly and sometimes we can't avoid having to out.

I have COPD as well. A couple of years ago I was in a car when I started to have a bad coughing fit.I went into the toilet because o the dirty looks I was getting.In the toilets were two women with a little girl washing their hands.My coughing fit started up again, and the two women glared at me and one of them quickly ushered the little girl out. I said to the other lady, I have not got covid, it is a condition called COPD.The one good thing about it is it is not contagious, the rest of it I would not wish on my worst enemy.She continued to glare at me, I don't think she believed a word I was saying.

I was in a cafe not a car. Sorry for typo.

Marydoll

I can really sympathise with you, as I have Brittle asthma and bronchiectasis. My life improved after a consultation with a Cystic Fibrosis consultant, (I carry a defective gene), which resulted in new medication and physio exercises for my lungs.
Is it worth going back to your GP or consultant and explaining how awful things are for you?

That's interesting - I too carry the CF gene and cough a lot even though I do not actually have CF.

Luckygirl, I am a carrier and my son has the gene, but not CF. All my children have lung problems and the CF consultant said that there is a connection with our problems. My son has all sorts of fertility problems due to it.

Being a carrier was only diagnosed about ten years ago, when my consultant was concerned that I may have had rheumatoid lung. Thankfully not, as it's terminal for patients like me.

We discovered this when my DGS was born and tested positive for CF. Further investigation showed that he had not actually got it but was very strongly positive. Further family members were then tested and there were lots of carriers on my side of the family. We all have some of the characteristics of carriers: excessive phlegm production, bowel problems etc. It used to be thought that carriers were symptom free but lots of research has shown that they do have problems.

OP - I am sorry about your COPD and all the problems it causes you.

We discovered this when DS and DIL went for IVF. It was suggested all the siblings be tested. As soon as the Genetics consultant heard I had COPD, she suggested I speak to my RA consultant.

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I always feel that I need a sign to come up on my head saying 'This cough is NOT infectious!