Doc said I have it. Most likely from inhaling glass dust when I was in my 20’s..He asked me to stop riding my bike. Anyone else had this response from a physician? Lungs do hurt when I breath in deep, but I would have thought, he would want me to keep the lungs from atrophy due to non-use. Looking at a second opinion with a pulmonary specialist next week. Any similar experience would be helpful in my appointment next week.

Perhaps the doctor and the pulmonologist would be the ones to ask for an explanation.

Glass dust... how long were you exposed to this? What's your age now?

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-dis...d-risk-factors

That specialist you'll be seeing I'd think should have more experience with what your symptoms might indicate.

For this, do what your doctor says. I’ve only had a nodule on my left lung, it’s gone now, but I get yearly checkups for it. I trust my pulmonologist. Listen to your doctor(s).

Personally I'd suggest trusting your doc, but it helps if you have a doc who is a cyclist, runner, or other athlete. I have been fortunate in having found that most of my docs here are mountain bikers and/or runners. They know the specific trails I ride and understand what it means when I explain what I do. I consider that extremely helpful.

Don't take medical advice from me, but, I do know that IPF can be a horrible disease. I lost my brother in law to it and his last year or a bit more were pretty bad. He was very dependent on supplemental oxygen and unable to get around much at all. That said, my understanding is that exercise including cycling is often recommended and thought by some to significantly slow the progression of symptoms. Not advising anything other than that you get more than one opinion. Also as mentioned above I have found that it is helpful if your doctor has some understanding of the sports that you enjoy. I know that in the past I have gotten some really questionable advice from doctors who didn't understand sports or activities I participated in.

Do not get pneumonia. Yes, I have IPF and it took about a year to get it diagnosed. Oxygen, nebulizers, inhalers forever. Right about then '21-'22 ish I came down with Pseudomonas aeruginosa double pneumonia in which they did not expect me to survive. Well, I did survive after surgery, sepsis, ICU, chest tubes,rehab, ambulance rides and ERs galore, but now no where near the man I was, in Social Security parlance, "profoundly and permanently disabled". I know I could ride a bike out on the MUP and have two of them set up for oxygen but at this time I am satisfied on my indoor recumbent on house oxygen 2 to 4 hrs a day seven days a week. Mainly because I am now the full time caregiver to the person who was my caregiver. I could go on but if you want the novel, OP, PM me.

By the way, wrt your actual question, at 69 YO, my PCP, Pulmonologist, Cardiologist, Thoracic Surgeon, Orthopedic Surgeon, Podiatrist, Urologist, PTs, RTs, all without reservation applaud and encourage my workout routine. However my neighbors won't let me mow my own lawn bless them.