When we hear "... you have end stage COPD" it is probably the most confusing as well as the frightening thing to hear. However let us examine how far this hold true.
We will discuss further on this and get an insight of the four stages of COPD.before that we need to follow certain steps which will help in clearing our mind and understanding the concept better
Understand Facts:
Firstly get your facts straight. We need to get a thorough check of the pulmonary functions and the associated tests and its results.
Understand numbers:
The doctor usually would give a number which would be a result of the pulmonary function test. Moreover the technician would further question you regarding sex, race, vital statistics, age etc and would put these into place for some calculations which would normally give results of what volume and flow rates should be present in a set of healthy lungs. This is knows as "normal predicted".
It is vital to understand the numbers from these various tests before jumping to any kind of conclusion. Based on these numbers we study the following stages of COPD:
Definition of FEV1 (forced expiratory volume per second): It is the amount of air which you would blow out in the first second. It is a very important factor used to determine COPD.
Stage I: Mild COPD
In this case FEV1 is minimum eighty percent of normal predicted. Symptoms might or might not be noticeable.
Stage II: Moderate COPD
In this case FEV1 is between fifty and eighty percent of normal predicted. You could be faced with breathlessness and exertion; also chronic cough might or might not be there.
Stage III: Severe COPD
In this case FEV1 ranges between thirty and fifty percent of normal predicted. You get tired and breathless frequently, and also suffer from frequent exacerbations. Extra treatment or hospitalization could happen at times.
Stage IV: Very Severe (at times referred to end-stage) COPD
In this case FEV1 is below thirty percent of normal predicted levels. Breathlessness is a common factor even while you are resting.
Thus you would realize now that numbers are misleading and mean different things for different people. Thus while reading numbers you should be aware of what you are dealing with.
Thus it is important to have hope and understand the matter correctly. You should realize the fact that with proper treatment and care you can live for many years despite having minimal lung function.
The term "end stage" is different for different people and is looked at with different perspectives. For instance a person who is a respiratory therapist working with all kinds of COPD patients in pulmonary rehabilitation would surely have a different angle to this in comparison to a doctor who just sees patients when they are sick.
So being told that you have "end stage COPD" is surely not a death sentence! There is lot which is possible for you to do and you can still have a long and healthy life. Make the most of your day-to-day life even if you are a COPD patient!
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