Why am I able to walk 3 or 4 miles a day after being told I have severe lung disease?

Question:

The radiologist's reading of my latest X-ray says "severe lung disease" but I can walk miles without tiring or feeling out of breath. This puzzles me. I am diagnosed as having COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). When walking upstairs I become short of breath.

Answers:
The recommended treatments for COPD and asthma are different. It has been shown that people with COPD can be misdiagnosed and treated for asthma instead.

Speaking with your doctor about your symptoms and getting a lung function test (also known as spirometry) can help you get the proper treatment for COPD.
You may want to go to a pulmonary doctor for testing. The x-ray may show something on your lungs but the spirometry will tell the doctor if you have copd.

The symptoms of COPD tend to develop gradually and can begin in a person's early 40s. They may be worse some days than others, or they may be bad all the time. The important thing is to identify the symptoms early and get treatment.

Common symptoms of COPD include:

Shortness of breath (dyspnea)—In the early stages of COPD, patients may experience breathlessness only during strenuous activity. This might include climbing stairs or exercising. At first, they may see this as a sign of aging or being out of shape. But gradually, patients begin to feel shortness of breath even during simple activities. This can happen when simply walking across the room, or even at rest
Chronic cough—It is often the first symptom of COPD to develop. Many people discount it as “smoker's cough” or the effect of cold weather at first
Increase and/or change in sputum—Patients often produce sputum (also called phlegm) after coughing
Wheezing—Wheezing is a whistling or squeaking noise that is heard when the patient breathes. It may be caused by the narrowing of the airways in the lungs
Chest tightness—Patients describe this as a feeling of pressure on the chest, as if being wrapped tightly by a blanket

Other Answers:
it takes more effort to climb stairs (foot goes forward AND up) than walking, and you're walking 3 miles slowly.

probably because you are use to the walk and able to function at this baseline. Any more exertion may make u short of breath. With some Chronic resp conditions the body becomes use to the dec in o2 anf inc in co2 Carbon dioxide. There may be amny other aspects such as climate etc. How old are u?

ask your doctor!

I have COPD also..it is harder on the heart to walk stairs than to walk straight.it is the heart and muscles that lacks the o2 that makes you tired

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Why am I able to walk 3 or 4 miles a day after being told I have severe lung disease?

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