It took me two years to convince a friend with COPD to leave his primary doctor for treatment for that specific disease. We had the same primary doctor who has his own opinion of how to treat this illness and none of it was giving us a good quality of life. He finally made the move (although he still sees our favorite doc for regular check-ups) to pulmonology and went from being immobile to walking with a cane (and that's for his knee!). Up to this point he had been using a scooter and never walking, even in his apartment. Diagnosed more than 10 years ago I had to be admitted several times to the hospital, change doctors three times until I finally learned about the pulmonology department and the work they were doing. You know where I heard it? Right here on My COPD.....so thank you from the bottom of my very active heart! Be encouraged. If you question what the doctor says in your mind.....say it out loud until you are heard. You know your body best. They know how to treat a disease. Bless you in finding the right doctor/patient relationship and treatment that keeps you healthy for a very long time.

I can't speak for your doc, but most family practice docs don't know enough about COPD to do much of anything for you. Some are knowledgeable, but most aren't. So when you see your pulmonologist, you want to be sure to have a thorough diagnostic workup, get a definitive diagnosis with a good explanation of how the test results and your history informed her, a treatment plan with meds, exercise, diet and O2 if necessary, and a reasonable understanding of what is being done and why.

I've had the same gp for 13 yrs, and he is great with everything, but I also have a heart dr, lung dr, valusar surgeron, and nerololist, and pain mangment dr, so I pretty well got everything covered, but my gp does most everything

I see both drs.my next test(walk) is comming up next week.

Get another doctor who cares! I have no idea why he thinks he's a COPD problem. Usually they are more concerned with our ankles.