COPD is progressive. It's progressive in the sense that everyone, whether or not they have lung disease, begins to lose lung function somewhere between 20 and 25 years of age. So in that sense it's progressive for everyone. That's normal. What's different for us is that when we have COPD, we lose lung function at a much greater rate than normal people. When they do a spirometry or a Pulmonary Function Test, they compare what we can blow to what normal people can blow. The difference between those two numbers determines the % of our lung function. When you quit smoking, generally it takes a couple of years, but most people with COPD go back to losing lung function at the same rate as normal people. So if my FEV1 is 37% and the normal person my height, weight, age sex and ethnicity has an FEV1 of 100%, you can see that I start a good two thirds down form the normal person.

Sometimes the damage doesn't stop, but continues, even though you've stopped smoking and done everything right. We don't quite know why that happens to some folks and not others, but we continue to do research to try to find out what's different. In that case, it's a very progressive disease. Sometimes people are quite stable for years and then something happens and your lung function drops dramatically. One thing we do know is that when you get really sick, you do more damage to your lungs and you can't fix that. So it's very important to know when you're getting sick and begin treatment immediately so you don't get to that point.

@ceciellowery yep progressive which makes it dangerousely sneeky you hear it all the time doc made a mistake im fine then little by little you get the point lol

Yes COPD is a progressive disease but it can be slowed down ie...stop smoking ...exercising....diet....medications help also.

Go to your quick links tap it and tap on resources. Or google has lots of info. on copd

I was diagnosed with copd in 1999. Not much symptoms. Would have some out of breath issues due to my exercises but some of that I would have anyway. I was put on a nebulizer. In 2004. I had go to ER. I hated it but I was forced this time to quit smoking. This time I was also looking for a lung dr. He said I was stage 2 and yes I would progress to 3 and 4 , but doing what I’m asked to do could slow it down. It did too. I was put on oxygen in 2013 I had stage 3 and as far as I know I still am. My dr. retired and I am new to this dr. All we did on my first visit was shake hands. My next visit I’m going to be tested if I have or am I close to stage 4.I want to be informed how much more time I am going to have. Medicare pays all my doctor bills and hospital bills. They pay for my o2 and wheelchair and next week I get my motor chair. My dr approved it. Medicare pays for that too. I will be able to go to Disney world again before my time is up. I’m familiar with happens with me now , a big thank you to google. It explains things to the little detail. I am also familiar with what I can expect with stage 4 etc. when I think back 2019 was 21 years. I really have had this copd for a long time. I did what my dr told me.i have been on 3 puffers and a nebulizer. I also have a bad heart too worry about and my breathing. I’ve had like 5 pneumonia that landed me in the hospital. That’s it. Everybody’s timetable will be different but listening to your and not dr mom is what I believed is the better advise. God Bless You”

Bambi Curtis