Scarring, that can resemble interstitial fibrosis, can occur with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but COPD and interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are 2 different diseases. Smoking causes COPD. The cause of IPF is unknown, and at this time, there is no proven effective treatment for it. Asbestos can also cause scarring, but unlike COPD and IPF, it frequently involves the membrane that encases the lungs, called the pleura.
You might want to request consultation with a lung specialist, called a pulmonologist.
My mother has been through many tests. One for Pulmonary Fibrosis which the pulmonologist was pretty sure was the problem, until scans and other tests ruled it out. She has continued to have problems, is on oxygen, and recent xrays showed significant scarring. Could it still be PF even after it was ruled out?