syptoms and the order they develop

[withie]

As you may have recalled from my previous postings I have been diagnosed as having slight empysema/asthma.  On a different site I was informed that the normal route leading up to the diagnosis of copd was to have bronchitis  with mucus production perhaps over years which would lead up to the breathlessness when emphysema occurred.  In my case It is different I do not wheeze and never have, I have no cough, have never had bronchitis and have no mucus.  I swim 20 lengths twice a week and only have the normal tiredness of someone my age with a valve problem would have.  My only symptom is shortness of breath when speaking, could this be a different course for the route of the emphysema to take, to become sob before the other syptomes i.e. bronchitis  mucus etc start to occur. thankyou very much Withie.

[National Jewish Health]

While what you describe is a common route on the road to emphysema, equal numbers of people "silently" develop significant emphysema, with shortness of breath with exertion being the first and often only sign.  That you can swim 20 laps suggests that you still have good lung function and pulmonary reserve.  You should first try to confirm the accuracy of the tests that led to the diagnosis of "slight emphysema/asthma".  If the diagnosis is correct, you should ask to have a blood test to check your antitrypsin level.