Im feeling totally resistant to this diagnosis ... I smoked on and off for many years but did not inhale and so it was finally easy to quit and it has been 7 years.. from cold turkey. This should feel like an accomplishment but I have had more problems with breathing, and chest infections etc. My doctor had encouraged me to quit smoking and I was told after a couple of years that it would like I never smoked at all.. I would be cured! Instead I have COPD. What a disappointment and difficult condition to deal with. Low energy and exhaustion prevail while emotionally and mentally I want to be more active. Not fun! Am I just feeling sorry for myself? ps Last year I had double pneumonia with a collapsed lung and did not know the difference.. flew east to visit family and could not understand why I was so short of breath etc.

Thank you soooooooooooo very much, I feel a bond with everyone I've shared with, I am so sorry to have ask all the questions, but until I found this site, I really had nobody to share, or who has been there done that. Thank you , I appreciate the words .

Azithromycin is some nasty stuff. I have Mac along with COPD and had to take it with a couple of other antibiotics. I would suggest if you do take it, do it at night before you go to bed so you sleep through the side effects..

Sue, talk with your doc about getting into a Pulmonary Rehab program. I'd also discuss the number of times you've had exacerbations over the last year and talk about trying either daliresp or azithromycin three times a week to see if you can't get rid of that lingering infection. Both treatments have been approved by the FDA and both re effective. If you can stay healthy for three to six months, you'll have a good chance of getting into a exercise habit that will help with the activity you crave as well as your quality of life all together.

Chances are pretty good that if you exercise, maintain a good weight, get your shots, take your meds and get to your doc as soon as you get something respiratory you will die of something other than COPD. Most important thing is to not get sick, and get help ASAP if you do. Biggest mistake most COPD patients make is they get something respiratory and they try to tough it out. That's an admission ticket to the hospital and usually ICU. That's when the damage is done and you can't undo more structural damage to the lungs.