Hi Eloise, welcome to our group, you are welcome and wanted anytime. I am so sorry you are struggling so hard right now; You have come to the right place for non-medical support for your breathing. We here all know how debilitating not being able to breathe is.

Hang tight, there are going to be some wonderful folks that come online and will give you a lot of valuable insight while you await you next doctor appointment. I'll just just ask one question to help them along, do you smoke, if so how much and for how long?

Shirley

Michelle, by all means I would I call your doctor back. I know the steroids take time to work. Is this doctor a lung doc? If not, I would ask for a referral for one. Seems like you are using some good meds..advair and breathing treatments, but with your MS and diabetes, your immune system is already compromised.
Please let us know how you are doing...Becky

Welcome Eloise,
yes, I would hope that you've been referred to a pulmonologist. The best test to help determine the severity of your COPD is a Pulmonary Function Test. It's crucial that you have one, so that your doctor can assess the damage and plan a long-term treatment. COPD cannot be cured, but it can be controlled, provided you stop smoking (if you do.) Hopefully, with a proper medication routine, you will eventually be able to get off the Prednisone. You may still need inhaled steroids, but at least that's not so damaging to your bones and your blood sugar.

I would say the next most important thing is to make sure your are getting regular exercise, to the extent that you are able. Check with your doctor to see if they offer pulmonary rehab near you. It is a wonderful program of exercise and education, and you will learn so much.

It may be tricky, but I'm confident that you will be able to balance your three conditions. Good luck, and let us know how you do.
Hugs, Sue

Hi Eloise...

I, too, would like to extend a warm welcome and hope we can help
you. Don't be afraid to ask any questions, no matter how silly they might be, for often we have the same questions ourselves.

I would definitely call your doctor back and please don't wait. It is imperative you keep your airways open. I cannot tell you how long it will last. A lot depends on how severe the exacerbation is.

You don't mention if you have a pulmonary specialist or not, or if you have had a PFT done. I hope so....also what might be needed is an arterial blood gas test done. The other thing is you mentioned asthma. Do you have a peak flow meter? It is important. You should have one and it will help you know when to seek emergency help. Do not hesitate to go to a hospital emergency if you need to. You may need further care than you can give yourself at home. My own feeling is you should have been starting to do better by now.

I, too, have been on massive doses of prednisone, and unless you had diabetes before hand, prednisone can induce diabetes and will eventually clear up when you are off the medication.

The other thing that might be helpful is to try some relaxed breathing techniques. I truly understand that anxious feeling when you can't get enough air, but anxiety compounds the problem.

Please take good care of yourself... I hope you will be feeling better soon.

And please keep in touch, and let us know how you are doing.

Welcome to our group.
All very good advice above.
I will be thinking of you, and wishing you an easter day.
I would also think its a good idea to get the blood sugar tested and treated during the steroid run, call your doc. The blood sugar going up like that can cause added on problems. I have been going through the same thing with the steroids.

Love you lots and lots,
Holly

Thanks to all for your words of welcome and advice. I already feel like I have found a family here. You're wonderful!

Update: Called my PA today--she is basically my primary and I really like her. She just got back from vacation today. She basically listened, looked at me and said, "Are you ready to go to the hospital?" We compromised (didn't want hospitialziation) instead and I received a shot of rociferon (sp.) from her nurse--this is a powerful antibiotic which has helped in the past. I am to call my PA tomorrow and let her know if things are better or worse. I think a bit better. It is the steroids that are really making things ugly--besides the fact that I feel oxygen deprived.

Yes, I've seen a pulmonologist and had the lung function test--a year ago, actually. I think I'm at around 95% lung capacity and definitely have asthma/COPD. The chest x-ray taken last week was read by the radiologist (things take a little longer here in ND) and the nurse read me his report--He mentioned reactive airway disease which, to my understanding, is a fancy name for asthma. Please correct me if I am wrong.

No fluid in the lungs thank goodness. From what I understand, my immune system is totally compromised and I am susectible to anything and everything! Nearly anything can provide at asthma attack. I have two nebulizers and am planning on taking the older one to school with me...just in case. The PA gave me strict orders to get myself to the ER right away if things just 'don't feel right'. I know that a bad attack can kill a person so I am taking all of this quite seriously.

Regarding smoking--I quit five, going on six years ago. I am currently 51 and I quit at age 45. I started smoking at 17 years of age, so it was definitely long enough. I smoked on average of 30 cigarettes (ultra lights) a day. If there were one day in my life I could take back, it would be the day I had my first cigarette. I know that the cause of most of my lung issues is cigarette smoking, but I can't change anything now. The strange thing is that when I really quit--the successful attempt--I felt absolutley wonderful for about three years. Then the sinus and bronchitis reared their heads and it has been a downhill slide since. I should mention I am a perfectionistic, type A personality, and a workaholic. I teach high school English and public speaking so my job can be very stressful. I just finished completing my master's degree this past summer so I really haven't given myself much time off....ever.

I recently went to 1/2 time teaching thinking it would solve some of my health issues and I think that in the long run it will be a good decision. I hope so. I have definitely come to the realization that life is much too short and precious and passes quickly. I am really re-evaluating my life choices at this point.

I think I am very, very slowly improving. I hope so. My chief concern right now is that we have so many students out sick. Today I had three of my students come back after being gone for a couple of days or week having contracted (and still have): tonsilitis, mono, and flu. I am so afraid of getting one of these now. Well, no tonsils, so the tonsilitis is out.

In the meantime, I spacing out the steroids (with PA's approval) so they don't make me so sick and emotionally a basket case. I have decided since this recent steroid experience that Hell must have a chamber or something that contains steroid torture! LOL

Thanks again...sorry this was so long. Again, what a wonderful group of people you are. Any advice would be much appreciated, especially from those of you who have lived with this longer than I and know the tricks. I'll look into the pulmonary physical therapy. And yes, I am using the peak flow meter and have been averaging (today) around 420. I think this is good? I actually blew a 500 (just once), but I may not have had the little red slide completely at the bottom. Last week I blew around 350, so the peak flow suggests improvement.

Much love to all and sincere wishes for easy breathing!

Michelle (real name)

Michelle:

It was so good to hear from you and I am so thankful you called your doctor! Being an old time asthma person, it sure seemed to me you were in some pretty serious trouble there and I'm not surprised at all the doctor asked if you were ready to go to the hospital. Asthma is nothing to fool around with and one can "crash" in a matter of minutes.

Your PFT sounds quite good, and yes, reactive airway disease means asthma. It means your airways respond well to medications and open up.

I am certainly not a doctor, but 450-500 sounds really good on a peak flow. I've (believe it or not) had mine go below 100...hovering near 80, and the highest I can get on a good day is about 330. Usually it stays around 300 and if it goes below 200 I have promised my doctor to go to emergency.

The other thing I noticed is you have had some infections going. I had repeated hospital stays at one time (5 in 6 months) due to an underlying infection. When that was finally brought under control, so were my exacerbations.

I would also suggest doing things to improve your immune system. It can only help and it is possible. The one thing that has helped me tremendously was moving to the country with excellent air quality and very little auto emissions. It's made all the difference in the world.

And yep, there's probably not a soul on this site that would not agree with you regarding Predisone. It the drug one loves to hate!

Best wishes on your continued recovery...and don't forget we don't think any question silly...!

Joni

There is absolutely nothing I can offer on top of all of this sage advice, except to just add my welcome. It is always so nice to meet a new friend. We all will look forward to getting to know you. Big hugs! JoAnn

Hi and welcome Eloise. As BreathEasy said, there's nothing I could possibly add to all the responses you've received here. Seems you have been given some good news and ways to manage all the health challenges you've got going on, poor thing! It's wonderful to have you on board, so again, a huge welcome to you. Take good care of yourself and hope to see you here again.
Healing wishes coming your way! Ziggy

Thank-you for your warm welcomes and advice. Both are much appreciated!

I am actually feeling so much better! For awhile, I thought I'd never get well!

I am off the Xopanex and using the Atrovent (?) three times per day as well as the Advair. Still on the steroids, but am on the second taper down so they don't affect me so horribly now.

Now I just need to figure out how to stay healthy so that this doesn't happen again. Any tips or tricks regarding staying healthy? If a person has COPD/reactiive airway disease/asthma etc., do the lungs get worse each time one is sick? This is my fear.

Love to all of you Wonderful, wonderful people!

Michelle (aka Eloise)