Hi everyone,
I hope you are all well.
I was looking for some advice from people who have emphysema.
I am 38 year old male I smoked around 30 - 50 smokes a day for the past 25 years give or take a year or two.
I was diagnosed via CT scan with “mild” emphysema. Reason for CT was because I requested one yearly to ensure my lungs were ok. This time round they found something.
I then took it upon myself to see a plymologist as the general GP just advised “give up smoking and you will be ok” I wasn’t happy with that answer hence why I got the referral to the lung specialist.
Anyways at my appointment I was advised by the plymologist that if I never smoke again that I will never know I even have emphysema as the CT only shows very mild damage.
He did a spirometry test and the below are the results
Fev1 85%
Fvc 85%
Fev1%VCmax 102%
MMEF 74%
PEF 109%
DLCO 110%
KCO 110%
VA 85%
VC IN 83%
His exact words were “ you don’t have COPD by your results of signs of COPD just do not smoke and you will never even know you have emphysema”
I asked should I have a flu shot and advise my health insurance and I have emphysema he said “no” your fine and you will be aslong as you don’t smoke it will not progress and you will never know you even have it!
Now my question is - is this a true statement?
I have quit smoking it’s been a year and my breathing is normal don’t really cough and feel normal.
Any advice would be wonderful as I’m still a bit concerned that the advice and prognosis given is a bit of a fib.
I have googled a lot and I have found that if you do stop smoking when diagnosed with mild emphysema it doesn’t progress but I have also found other info saying it 100% progresses so that’s quite confusing also.