My Story: Tina Moyer

What were the steps leading up to your diagnosis?

I started to become short of breath when I would be at work singing along with my MP3 player. I was short of breath at night time as well. My ankles would swell and I was always tired and was not able to do things like I did before.

I was a smoker for over 30 years at 2 packs a day. I knew it was because of my smoking, but I did not know how bad it would be. I started to read American Lung Association and made a quit date 10/08/2009. I quit cold turkey along with my son Rob who quit with me.

After a few months of not smoking, I was very short of breath still and I was also feeling tired. I went back to the doctor and had a breathing test and a CT scan. I was told that I had COPD Emphysema and it was mild at first but now I’m in the moderate stage of COPD.

What lifestyle changes have you needed to make?

Quitting smoking was #1. Getting a better doctor and lung specialist going into pulmonary rehabilitation was a huge help for me and it taught me all about COPD, how to do things, how to cope, how to do purse lip breathing and what to look for triggering flare ups and how to take my medications properly.

Who has been there for you? How?

My husband Bill would listen and let me get out all the emotions one carries when they are diagnosed with COPD because you feel so lost and alone. Plus, it helped because he was able to relate, since he has sarcoidosis.

My son Rob was my rock. Quitting together was a huge benefit for me. He would always coach me and just be there and let me get my moments out getting angry, crying or whatever I needed to do. Quitting smoking was the hardest thing that I have done in my life.

My friend Mimi was always there to tell me that she loved me and just to listen when I was down.

My friend Wendy was there to keep me going when I would get urges to smoke at work. She was a huge help.

The COPD Foundation was also there with encouragement and empathy because they understood what one goes through with COPD.

The many, many Fellow COPDers who I have been friends with through Facebook. Without them, my journey is one that I am never alone on.

Always keep hope in your heart.

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What accomplishment are you proud of?

I am proud that I have been smoke free going on 5 years, that I have been a face of COPD an advocate and started my own COPD Aware Page so that I can give encouragement Love and support to others in our Journey with COPD. I also became a State Advocacy Captain of Pennsylvania.

What accomplishment are you proud of?

I have been smoke free going on 5 years.

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What's your advice to someone else living with COPD?

Never give up. Always have communication between your doctors. Contact the COPD Foundation, the best tool for information when one is told they have COPD and the people are really wonderful.

Get into a Better Breathing Meeting or support groups. Because even now, I still find myself having a hard time accepting my COPD and how some chores take me longer than they use to. It is a life-changing illness but with knowledge and exercise, we can have a high quality of life.

With knowledge and exercise, we can have a high Quality of Life.

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About Tina Moyer

Tina Moyer is a mother of one. She was diagnosed with COPD four and a half years ago. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Bill, whom she met in her hometown of Scranton, Pa. They married in 1985 and have one son named Rob who is 29 years old. She loves spending time with her son and husband. They have always been her rock. Tina was an inspector at a local factory until it closed in 2013. She is now a cashier at a local grocery store.

She considers herself a Face of COPD and started a page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/COPDAware. She loves to give Encouragement, Love, and Support to others in this Journey with COPD.

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Know your limits. I'm still learning mine.— Cindy Reynolds

I would like to make more people aware of this and help others to make better choices.— Carla Lott

Do the very best you can with whatever it is you have to do.— Jaime

Comments by Vanilla

September 23

For a cough try this , crazy but it works for me. Put vicks vapor rub onn bittom of feet. Put sicks on.....cough eill go away while yiu sleep or for awhile! It works!!

September 23

Sue Harrison. This sounds crazy but try putting Vicks vapor rub on bottom of feet and put socks on to sleep. .....cough will go away. I have severe COPD. And. Couldnt sleep or anything for the cough ......googled this and tried it & it works!!! Good luck, God Bless

September 19

Oh Sue. Sorry to hear this. I have a friend with cold and she used oxygen most of the time. Hoping it becomes manageable for you. Hugs and love💖

September 19

I have stage 3 lung cancer that cannot be operated on in remission but but have COPD and I can't stop coughing please help with suggestions ! Thank you

September 21

Take Musnix tab every day and teaspoon natural local honey & slice lemon twice a day. Hope it helps it does me, do it everday.

September 22

I am stage 4 musinex is good plenty of cold water, and use an antibiotic histomine to dry up your runny noise

September 18

I have Copd and I have never smoked in my life, somedays are worse than others

September 18

I have cold and emphysema..we have a trip planned to fly..have any,of you had problems flying?? New at this

September 18

I have flown and I was fine

September 16

i have copd /asthma...was diognosed with it in 2008 but have been living with it a lot longer ..my first diagnosis with bronchitis was back in 1989 and slowly over the years the copd / asthma developed ...i do breathing treatments 3 times a day plus i have a rescue inhaler and take a pill to help…

September 16

Thank you . I need to quit smoking and then go to the doctor

May 21

I too have COPD not any easy thing to deal with - but like you I smoked for 40 yrs and ended up with lung cancer - been good for 10 yrs now - but the damage that the treatments did to my lungs has been a challenge

May 15

After my last bout with pneumonia l quit smoking. I felt pretty good for a bit but the cough started and once again couldnt sleep. Thank God I have a man who takes the best care of me...c.o.p.d sucks.