My PCP only diagnosed the symptoms and was treating me for chronic bronchitis. He never referred me to a specialist. I changed PCPs and found the same results. Not getting better I spoke with a family member in the medical field and she asked about referral to a pulmonologist. The PCP basically refused until I saw his associate during one severe exacerbation. That PCP, an older and wiser physician, immediately referred me and the rest is history. Left to the care of the PCPs my time on this earth was getting shorter, but the specialist was able to put me on the right meds, send me to pulmonary therapy (like cardiac therapy but geared to improving your breathing) and properly monitor the use and effectiveness of my inhalers, steroids and antibiotics. It's been over 17 years of battling this condition. Yes, I was a smoker, but I was also subjected to second hand smoke far more and for longer than I ever smoked. I was also born with a lung condition and within the first year had pneumonia. A half-brother died from pneumonia complications. There are people who have never picked up a cigarette who have COPD. If you suffer from chronic bronchitis, sore throats, wheezing, shortness of breath that isn't getting better with the treatment provided by your PCP, ask to see a specialist.

I'm glad you are seeing a specialist. There are so many meds out there for copd, the I believe in specialists. Take care of yourself, and lots of exercise! (but don't overdo)

Most PCP's, while certainly intending to provide good care, don't have the knowledge and expertise, especially in the area of medications and treatments, cutting edge ideas and practices that a good pulmonologist will. Some pulmos don't seem to know a whole lot more than most PCPs, but good ones certainly do. How were you even diagnosed? Unless you have a breathing test like spirometry or a pulmonary function test, your diagnosis is not definitive. It's a guess, maybe a good one, but a guess nevertheless.

I believe that you need a good pulmonologist for diagnosis and initial treatment. Most PCPs don't understand the new medication combinations, when they're appropriate and when not, so they don't prescribe them or prescribe them inappropriately. They don't know the value of Pulmonary Rehab and don't/won't make referrals. They don't know that COPD can be managed and controlled and how. They don't know of treatments for people who have serial exacerbations. Many pulmos will work with your PCP, as long as the PCP understands their limitations and asks for help appropriately. So, yeah, I think you needed a pulmonologist quite a while ago.

The fact that you don't think your inhaler works could be a couple of things. One is that you don't respond to that medication; another is that it takes several weeks to a month for maintenance inhalers to have a full effect and sometimes it's so slow you don't think it's working at all. In order to really tell, you would need to stop taking the medication for at least two weeks. If at the end of two weeks you've noticed nothing, then give it another two weeks and if there's still no discernible difference, you probably aren't responding to it at all.

Very well said @A MyCOPDTeam Member. 👍🏼😊

Mentioned Users

A MyCOPDT...

My pcp put me on spireva. I was diagnosed in 2014 by an emergency room dr. Thank y’all for your help