When I quit smoking it apparently triggered COPD. Why?

Quitting smoking did not trigger COPD. If you do have it, you had it when you smoked. COPD.
Smoking is a cause of COPD and emphysema.

@chyna Is correct. You had COPD before you quit, your lungs are starting to try to fight back now that you stopped and that’s what you’re noticing.

I have asthma, but I also smoke a pipe. I live near Detroit, and the city where I live has the highest rate of asthma in the country because of the terrible air quality. I can verify that when I smoke my pipe, it actually soothes my asthma. In the long run it probably makes the asthma worse, but the heat from the warm smoke is soothing at the time. As you’re probably aware, doctors used to actually recommend cigarettes for a sore throat. Anyway, it’s not your imagination, I’ve noticed it too.

Did this doctor who “muttered” a diagnosis give you anything to help your symptoms?

In healthy lungs there are tiny hairs that waft out mucus and other crap from your lungs. Smoking kills these hairs so all sorts of crap accumulates in your lungs. As you stop smoking these hairs regrow and so the body starts getting rid of all the mucus and stuff resulting in a cough.

Is it COPD or not?

There is a big difference between the cilia in your lungs waking up and moving the bad stuff out, which causes a cough; and COPD, which is a chronic and progressive disease. Progressive meaning it gets worse over time.

Although, I am pretty sure COPD can be used in lieu of just saying someone has bronchitis. I think it is a catch all term for asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, maybe other lung things. So, maybe the doctor was not really giving a very specific diagnosis? I don’t know enough about how doctors use the term COPD.

Personally I would think that the doctor muttering copd during a consultation is more them thinking about a differential diagnosis ie what things it could possibly be than giving an actual diagnosis. They wouldn’t diagnose COPD with out running lung function tests.

@anniereborn An inhaler.

It’s not just coughing. My throat spasms, wanting to lock up so I can’t breath. It spasms when I eat. When the food touches it, it locks up and chokes me. I have to eat tee-tiny little bites.

We should know for sure within the next 7 months. I guess it takes about 9 months for the majority of the shit to resolve, if it’s going to resolve.

I sure hope that inhaler helps. This sounds horrible!

It is! It really is! I’ve just quit panicking. I refuse to go to the ER any more.

I can’t wait for this week to be over.

It seems they should do more than give you an inhaler.

Maybe it’s panic?

I think it’s some form of asthma. I just have no clue as to what triggers it.

I’m going back to the Dr. this Thursday @anniereborn.

FYI when I quit like 15 years ago I coughed and gaged for a couple weeks as my lungs came back to normal. It did go away, please stay quit!

I pray it’s not emphysema or COPD. That’s miserable. I would ask the doctor for a lung function test when you go in.

The more I think about your symptoms, the more I think something isn’t right. Something is being missed.

@Judi I just had a lung function test a couple of months ago. It was good. I decided to quit smoking to keep it that way.

@JLeslie Let’s see how I am next week when I’m off all the meds and the inhalers. Thanks. :)