Hello, my name is Richard and I'm 53 years old. I used to be a fairly heavy smoker but quit 8 years ago after I began experiencing recurring episodes of coughing, occasional shortness of breath, and even chest tightness. My internist diagnosed me with early COPD and referred me to a pulmonologist, and his diagnosis was confirmed. I was told that COPD is more commonly seen in somewhat older patients but can certainly occur in patients my age or even younger. My symptoms remained relatively unchanged until recently. I'm now experiencing more frequent episodes and have to use rescue medication more frequently. I'm familiar with COPD because my father was a smoker and had it for many years. I never should have started smoking cigarettes.