Hello again. I apologize for all the questions; I’m still trying to understand more about this shock finding I received a few months ago. This morning I was reading a medical website that stated the following:
“Which has worse symptoms: COPD or emphysema? Because emphysema is a late stage of COPD, the signs and symptoms are similar. If you have emphysema, you are already experiencing COPD symptoms, though earlier stages of COPD will not have as dramatic an impact as the degree of tissue degeneration is minimal.”
And also this:
“Essentially, emphysema is a disease that occurs in the late stages of COPD.”
I am so confused. My CT scan said that I have “minimal emphysema,” the doctor here on this group thinks that this is probably consistent with early emphysema, but my pulmonologist doesn’t think I have emphysema at all because my PFTs are normal with the exception of my RSV being on the high end of normal.
Based on the radiologist’s finding and also the insight of the doctor here, I’m inclined to think it probably is early emphysema, but now I am terrified reading this article — that I am in the “last stages” of COPD because I have emphysema! How can I be in the last stages of COPD when I feel fine and the only way I knew anything is wrong is because a “few scattered blebs” were seen on the CT scan? So am I going to die in a couple of years? I don’t understand how I can be in the late stages when I don’t have shortness of breath, I’m not coughing, I have no phlegm, I exercise with moderate intensity and guard my lungs from anything harmful. I’m so troubled by what I read and so confused.
Is this true: Essentially, emphysema is a disease that occurs in the late stages of COPD.”