COPD

[123everton]

Just under two years ago I was admitted to hospital with viral bronchitis (coulda killed me) since then I've tended to feel a bit chesty.
Maybe since I got ill I pay more attention to any colds I get, but, basically every now and again I get a bad chest infection so I go the Dr.s and they give me erythromicin for two weeks.
The other day I had a cold coming on and helped my mate empty his deceased father's house and got soaked, the next day I was coughing like a goodun.
Whenever I've been bad with my chest I cough up yellow or green muck in the morning (sometimes in the night) later on in the day it goes clear.
So the Dr. sent me for an X-Ray (a while ago didn't go back for the results) so yeaterday said "there may have been a change in my lungs" I can't recall if she said "may" or "has" (I'll settle for may), and that she wouldn't give me anti-biotics but would send me for a test for COPD.
I don't think I've got COPD, I think they need to give me a longer course of anti-biotics to kill the infection, because I'm always busy, I work hard, I get tired, my immune system's weakened and cough.
Either way my a r s e is going like a rabbit's nose, what's the waiting list for the test and how much is it to go private?
I blew into a tube and I was either 0.5 or 50 below the average, bearing in mind I've got a cough I think that's quite good, whenever my chest's been bad, my nose has been running (this time too) and I've had other aches and pains that I'd associate with a cold, what do you chaps reckon, is it time to hook up the iron lung or am I just susceptible to coughs and colds?

[Sqad]

Everton....are you a smoker?

[123everton]

P.S
The Dr. didn't seem too concerned about my blow test result, I've been four times to the Dr. with my chest since Easter 2008, I've had coughs inbetween that, but not so bad to see the Dr. about, I do get tired sometimes (but I never stop), I have had a burning feeling around my breast bone, and pain at the bottom rear of my lungs but nothing intolerable.

[123everton]

I used to smoke, I gave up about six or seven years ago, I wasn't a very heavy smoker and smoked for about nine years as a habit.

[Sqad]

Well I don´t know what the blow test was, but most likely it measured your FEV1...that is the amount of air that you forced into the machine in one second. Now if the readings were low that would indicate a diagnosis of Asthma or COPD and the only way that these can be differentiated is by further lung function tests and CT scan of your lungs.

I don´t know how long the waiting list is on the NHS and I don´t know how much it will be to go Private. If you can afford it, then go Private to either Rodney Street or Broadgreen.

[123everton]

I've actually got one of the blow machines here (I was 50 below average if it uses the same scale) it's like a tube with a pointer on it which moves when you blow into it.
Mine goes up to 800 and a little bit, just scored alittle under 650 three out of four times, the other one was higher but I think I may have been leaning over a little on that one.
The more I think about it the less I'm worried, but still there's that nagging doubt....

[campbellking]

The blow test thing you're describing is a peak flow meter, and providing you're using the correct technique, your score isn't actually that bad (my worst patients hit around 120 on a good day). The doctor probably wants to send you for spirometry tests, which will measure how much air you can expel from your lungs over a 6 second period, and compare to someone else of your age, height, sex and weight . This can be indicative of obstructive or restrictive disease.
If you are prone to recurrent chest infections, perhaps next time persuade your doctor that you may need a sputum cuture doing, so at least you can be sure you are being treated with the right antibiotics.
Can't tell you how long a waiting list is, as they are different in different areas, but do you not have an asthma nurse linked to your practice with the ability to perform spirometry?

[123everton]

It's an all bells and whistles surgery, but apparently not.
What would the X-Ray that I had show?
Thanks for the answers by the way.
I honestly think it's just a cough, I'll see how it goes, the Dr. said to me long doses of anti-biotics have proven to be ineffective, I stil feel it's worth a try, all things being equal I'll be able to slow down in a year or two, then I think it'll sort itself out.