My sister, Dottie, suffered from COPD for quite a few years before we knew what it was. Hers was a form of emphysema, and she was 48 when she passed away.
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COPD includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. Over time, it makes it harder and harder to breathe because less air is able to flow in and out of the lungs.
A lot of people have a cough that doesn't go away, or go up and down stairs and get shortness of breath, and they don't think about COPD. They could have a problem, though, and catching it in the beginning stages is crucial.
It's important for people to recognize that they shouldn't ignore symptoms like shortness of breath or a cough that won't go away, because these may be signs of COPD.
My wife Kris and I enjoy keeping an active lifestyle, so it's hard to imagine what it would be like if breathing problems kept me from participating in the activities I love to do. But that's exactly what happens to many people who develop COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
My dad had emphysema and both of my parents had chronic bronchitis and ended up with cancers - all smoking related.
I had asthma when I was a kid, asthma so bad that it would turn into pneumonia and I almost died several times. Nobody knew why back then, but now it's obvious.
I nearly died of double bronchial pneumonia at the age of five.
There is no cure for emphysema, but you can start treating it and have a better quality of life.
I've got asthma. When I was 17 I forgot to take my medication and was taken to a hospital for almost two weeks. After that I've taken better care of my illness.
I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 18 during my freshman year at UCLA. I refused to accept it - and I hid it from my coaches and teammates. But ignoring my problem didn't make it go away.
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