What are the signs and symptoms?

Try answering these questions to help you find out whether you have COPD:

Do you:

• Feel out of breath climbing stairs or riding a bike?
• Have a "smoker's cough" or cough nearly every day?
• Have a lot of mucus (phlegm)?
• Hear a wheezing or whistling sound when you breathe?
• Have trouble keeping up with physical activities?
• Get lung infections or bad colds more than once a year?

If you are 40+ years old with a history of smoking, and have any of these symptoms and they don't go away, talk to your doctor.

Other symptoms include:

Anxiety:

If you have COPD, it's natural to feel anxious about your condition. This can leave you feeling depressed and isolated. But remember there's plenty of help at hand, both in terms of treatment and practical support.

Tiredness:

The problems with your breathing may mean that less oxygen is getting into your blood stream and reaching your heart and other muscles. This can make you feel very tired and as a result affect your work, social life, and day-to-day activities, such as walking to the shops.

Weight loss:

You may find that you lose weight, partly because you're using more energy to breathe and partly because feeling breathless makes it hard to eat a hearty meal.

If you start to lose a lot of weight, have a word with your GP.

How does the condition progress?

COPD gradually worsens. It progresses from mild to moderate, and then severe. But although it can't be cured, it can be treated at any stage. And although COPD can be very serious, severe COPD can be prevented by getting treated and making some basic changes to your lifestyle.

If you have mild COPD, you may:

• Feel a little short of breath after you work hard or do high-energy activities (like biking or climbing stairs)
• Cough a lot and sometimes cough up mucus (phlegm)

If you have moderate COPD, you may:

• Feel short of breath when you walk up a hill
• Have trouble doing chores like taking out the garbage
• Cough a lot and sometimes cough up mucus (phlegm)
• Need a few weeks to get better from a lung infection like a bad cold
• Cut back on activities you enjoy

If you have severe or very severe COPD, you may:

• Get short of breath during low-energy activities like showering or getting dressed
• Not be able to work or take part in simple activities you enjoy
• Cough a lot and sometimes cough up mucus (phlegm)
• Need a few weeks to get better from a lung infection like a bad cold
• Have trouble breathing day and night

When to see your GP

If you are concerned about your breathing, speak to your doctor about your symptoms, your activity level, and your lifestyle. Be sure to tell your doctor if you're a current or former smoker, as it can help to make the right diagnosis. Your doctor may also use a simple breathing test called spirometry to determine if you have COPD and how to best treat it.