I have the feeling J that you are obsessed with the idea that you have COPD. You are blaming all your current problems on that. But if you ARE 34, I have serious doubts that you have it. If you do then I would be very surprized.

From what I understand COPD is usually a condition found in much older people who have smoked for a very, long time. But then again, like I said in another thread, Why is Everything suddenly a disease? Just being dehydrated can cause the secretions in your lungs to get very thick and make you cough when they do make their way up. Many times I get sort of congested and start wheezing myself but if I TRY to drink a lot of water that day then usually I can cough it up in one session and everything is clear for quite a while after that.

But too J, you MAY very well have SOME form of Pneumonia. People get it and are walking around miserable for a very, long time AND, I don't want to scare you now but did you know that more people die from pneumonia each year than from diabetes? I think that some form of pneumonia will probably kill me. I am not too good at handling any sort of lung infection. I DID nearly die last November. I had to go to ER 4 times for breathing treatments which helped a little. I think if I had got any worse or stayed sick much longer it would have killed me for sure.

Most doctors don't test for Legionaire's. I SPECIFICALLY DEMANDED IT. I even brought a friend with me who is a Nurse Practioner to explain to the doctor my concerns. I felt it gave my suspicion MORE credibility and it worked. Like I said before, I felt a dramatic improvement in my condition on about the 3rd or 4th day into taking Clindamycin. and I had been sick almost 4 months by then. I did give me terrible diarrhea but it was worth it getting rid of that nasty bacteria. I HOPE you read the links I posted about the symptoms, it was the 2nd one I posted.