former smoker with possible emphysema/COPD

[molsen013]

i am 47 y.o. and smoked for about 30 years (about 30 +/- cigs/day)..i just had an x-ray and the results came back as hyperinflated lungs possible emphysema or COPD...it has been a year since i quit and many times i have problems taking that one deep breath we sometimes take and it seems to be accompanied by a lot of yawning til i can take the deep breath...my doctor wants me to take some pulminary tests (why??) as my blood pressure was in both arms 100/60 my heart rate ranged from 47-52 (and 60 with this doctor)...so does this mean it's all down hill from here? or can my breathing and lung capacity improve? and is it possible the x-ray could mean something else??

[crud]

The only way to tell the true status of your lungs is to have further testing.  If you do have lung damage then the damage is permanent and will get worse with time.  Even a totally healthy lung loses lung function as it ages.  But if they have caught any lung damage you may have soon enough you can go on to live a normal life span.  Don't delay getting your testing done.  The sooner your know your true condition the sooner you will know how to stop any future damage

[molsen013]

the difficulty in taking a deep breath happens more often and with much more severity after i have eaten..