Patty Loveless on How to Recognize Symptoms of COPD Shortness of Breath? Persistent Cough? Learn the Signs of Lung Disease

Country music star Patty Loveless has lost two family members to lung disease. She tells Lifescript all about her fight against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – on the rise in U.S. women – and her own health scares... Patty Loveless, 55, took center stage as one of country music’s leading ladies in the late '80s and '90s. Back then, the award-winning singer churned out hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including five No. 1s. These days, the Grand Ole Opry member is singing a different tune. She’s rediscovering her bluegrass roots and raising awareness for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In both disorders, the lungs can’t expel air, making breathing difficult. More than 12 million people in the U.S. have COPD. Another 12 million go undiagnosed, mainly because they don’t know the risk factors (smoking and toxin exposure are most common) or don’t recognize symptoms: shortness of breath, persistent cough and lots of mucous. Lung disease hits close to home for Loveless. She lost an elder sister – who inspired her to become a singer – to emphysema. Her father, a Kentucky coal miner, died of black lung disease, also known as coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP), caused by long exposure to coal dust. His illness forced the family to move from rural Kentucky to Louisville for medical care when Loveless was a preteen. Writing songs helped her cope back then, and she wrote and recorded a song (“Drive”) for Drive4COPD, a public awareness campaign that the American Lung Association, COPD Foundation and NASCAR are a part of. In this Lifescript exclusive, Loveless opens up about her sister’s battle with COPD and health issues that threatened to end her career. Why are you talking publicly about COPD? My sister Dottie died of emphysema at 48, so I want people to know that COPD is a serious progressive disease. Although there’s no cure, it can be managed and treated if diagnosed in the early stages, before lungs become severely damaged. When did your sister get help? Dottie didn’t receive treatment until the later stages and had to undergo surgery for a brain aneurysm. COPD is sometimes called a silent killer, because many people don’t realize their symptoms are related to their lungs. They think shortness of breath and fatigue are signs of getting older or being out of shape. While this is sometimes true, they can also be early signs of COPD. How did lung disease affect Dottie’s life? For eight years before her death, she suffered from shortness of breath. It was so severe she could barely walk from the kitchen to the bedroom in her small home. She was always such an energetic person. It was hard to see her go downhill and be unable to do many activities that she enjoyed, like singing. She was a beautiful woman and an amazing singer. I learned so much from her. Do you know how she got COPD? She’d been a smoker since age 14, and she started smoking for the same reason many women do – to keep her weight down, never realizing how addictive a habit it can become. Is smoking the only cause? It can also be caused by exposure to indoor or outdoor pollutants. It can even result from a rare genetic disorder that causes low levels of a protein called Alpha-1 antitrypsin. [Learn more about COPD risk factors and symptoms at the end of this article.] How would an earlier diagnosis have helped Dottie? I like to believe that she would have quit smoking and made lifestyle changes that could have helped her remain more active and slow the disease’s progression. COPD has a gradual onset, and many people, including my sister, don’t learn they have it until they’re hospitalized. Are you at risk? I’ve taken the online screening test at www.drive4copd.com. [I answered the five questions] and found out I’m not. What should people do if they think they’re at risk for lung disease? If people take the quiz and find out they’re at risk, they can print out the results and share them with their doctor. The next step would be a medical evaluation that includes a spirometry test. Patients breathe into a handheld device called a spirometer, which measures lung function. It’s painless and easy, and you get the results right away. How can women prevent COPD? There’s a lot you can do: Quit smoking Get a yearly flu shot [flu symptoms make COPD worse] Avoid exposure to pollutants such as dust, smoke and strong fumes. Also, encourage parents, spouses and siblings to take the test. Have you had lung problems too? I suffer from adult-onset mild asthma and seasonal allergies. Sometimes I wonder if years of performing in smoke-filled nightclubs took a toll, since secondhand smoke is a known asthma trigger. I wear a mask whenever I use cleaning products and keep my allergies in check with medications. You’ve also had other health issues, like your 1992 throat surgery. How did that affect your career? I began feeling some pain in my throat when singing, and my doctor noticed a red spot on my vocal cords, an enlarged blood vessel. I was told if it wasn’t treated, I might not be able to continue singing. I chose to have corrective throat surgery, although there was no guarantee it would fix the problem. Fortunately, it did. But the experience was a wake-up call that I really needed to take care of my voice and body. What lifestyle changes have you made? I work out on a treadmill and with weights. I also enjoy taking walks with my husband [musician and producer Emory Gordy, Jr.] and our two German shepherds. I have a green thumb and love working in my garden. I also try to eat a healthy meal three hours before going onstage. When I’m on the road and not able to cook, I snack on fruits, including pineapple, bananas and apples, and vegetables, such as carrots and broccoli. I am a coffee drinker – that’s my one vice. How has country music changed over the years? I began singing back in the 1970s, when country music was considered your grandparents’ music! It has become more pop-oriented, but I also see it swinging back to its more authentic roots. I love seeing young singers like Carrie Underwood belt out classic country songs like “Stand By Your Man” – and seeing Miranda Lambert sing a Merle Haggard song just blows me away. I’m proud that these young women are carrying on the country music tradition and becoming Grand Ole Opry members. What’s new in your career? I was honored [to be] inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in April 2011. Could You Have COPD? The number of women diagnosed with COPD has been rising for several years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers speculate that it’s related to an increase in female smokers since the 1940s, when advertisers began promoting smoking as a sign of women’s independence. Risk Factors COPD risk factors include: Smoking cigarettes Long-term exposure to secondhand or passive smoke Family members with COPD Exposure to pollutants History of frequent childhood lung infections 50 years old or older Symptoms Early symptoms include: Coughing in the morning Coughing up clear sputum (mucus from deep in the lungs) Wheezing Shortness of breath with activity As the disease progresses, symptoms of COPD may include: Increased shortness of breath Choking sensation when lying flat Fatigue Trouble concentrating Heart problems Weight loss Breathing through pursed lips Desire to lean forward to improve breathing More frequent flare-ups (periods of more severe symptoms) Learn more about Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.