COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
Some of you have mentioned your FEV1 numbers and it's gotten me curious. I just recently learned why that was the number doctors look at besides the FVC. And now I understand why doctors are so surprised when they see me versus my numbers. I don't really have a good concept of what's "normal" since I have never had it.
My FVC ranges between 70-79% (Ok the 79% is a bit high, I cheated and had JUST taken my inhaler before my latest test. LOL) Most of my life I've been in the 70-75% range without meds., a tad lower while pregnant. Now I'm just above that with meds.
My FEV1 is in the 40-50% range. It varies depending on the day/test. I can't find any of my old tests to see what I was without meds a couple years ago. And they were always slightly lower when pregnant. The difference now is that I'm on meds to stay where I was before the meds. And really I'm only on one inhaler... sort of, that's another story. lol I'll be trying Symbicort again in a couple weeks. For now it's Combivent twice a day, 3 if needed.
Another interesting thing I've noticed is I've always done certain things you guys have mentioned without it ever being "taught" to me. For example, the purse lipped breathing. I've always done that without ever thinking about it or knowing it was supposed to help. I actually now use that as my clue-in that maybe I need to take a break and/or take my meds. My doctor complains that my high level of funtioning is both good and bad--good because I'm still active, but bad because I don't realize when I should treat it. I'm so used to getting SOB that it doesn't occur to me that maybe I've overdone it and need to take a break. So now whenever I catch myself doing the purse-lipped breathing, I take a break. If it doesn't stop realitively quickly, I check and see if it's time for another dose, and most likely it is.
Anyway, for someone that has had COPD forever, I've actually learned quite a bit reading on here I never really understood before.
Tracy
My FVC ranges between 70-79% (Ok the 79% is a bit high, I cheated and had JUST taken my inhaler before my latest test. LOL) Most of my life I've been in the 70-75% range without meds., a tad lower while pregnant. Now I'm just above that with meds.
My FEV1 is in the 40-50% range. It varies depending on the day/test. I can't find any of my old tests to see what I was without meds a couple years ago. And they were always slightly lower when pregnant. The difference now is that I'm on meds to stay where I was before the meds. And really I'm only on one inhaler... sort of, that's another story. lol I'll be trying Symbicort again in a couple weeks. For now it's Combivent twice a day, 3 if needed.
Another interesting thing I've noticed is I've always done certain things you guys have mentioned without it ever being "taught" to me. For example, the purse lipped breathing. I've always done that without ever thinking about it or knowing it was supposed to help. I actually now use that as my clue-in that maybe I need to take a break and/or take my meds. My doctor complains that my high level of funtioning is both good and bad--good because I'm still active, but bad because I don't realize when I should treat it. I'm so used to getting SOB that it doesn't occur to me that maybe I've overdone it and need to take a break. So now whenever I catch myself doing the purse-lipped breathing, I take a break. If it doesn't stop realitively quickly, I check and see if it's time for another dose, and most likely it is.
Anyway, for someone that has had COPD forever, I've actually learned quite a bit reading on here I never really understood before.
Tracy
Have a great day my friend....Hugs...
Love and Blessings, Serenity
I use a pulse/ox to keep an eye on my sats & heart rate. Sometimes I just feel a bit funny & find that I am at 88% but my heart rate is still OK. I take a break and begin deep breathing until the saturation recovers. 88% or under along with 130 heart rate is asking for cardiac failure and tissue damage of internal organs. My doc tells me the second either one of these occurs I am to STOP all activity. If they both occur I am to use my O2 until my heart rate decreases a bit and then use my inhaler. Hope this helps you. Hugs OhanaMarie
I was just curious as to what would be a typical activity level with someone that has similar numbers as mine since mine is obviously higher than usual. Since I grew up with it, my body has apparently adjusted accordingly. I know my lungs have to some extent--I have had more than one comment about how my lungs look different on xrays. LOL As I grew up, my lungs continued to grow and develop somewhat normally in spite of, or around the damaged tissue. This is why I get so irritated by a doctor that tries to treat me based on my numbers, they don't really show the whole picture. What I care about is how well I function and how to maintain that as long as possible.
Many people with a fev1 of 40 to 50% are hardly affected by the disease, but everyone is different in this area. Remember that those are only numbers and don't mean a whole lot, it is how we feel.
Sassymeto........Amen girl...amen!
Love and Blessings, Serenity
gave me a year to live, over 2 years ago. Thankfully, I have a new pulmonary doctor.
My FEV1 is in high 30's to low 40's. This means
I have severe emphysema. They changed my diagnosis
from COPD to emphysema, as some point in the last
10 years. I was diagnosed in 1999.
What I have figured out, for me personally: I am
not a number or a statistic. I am a living human
being. I am stubborn. The more bad news they give
me, the harder I try to LIVE!!! I am thankful to
wake up each morning to my best friend, Katie, my
dog. She loves me unconditionally. The simple
things in life are the most important. Teaching
myself to "breathe properly" has been a HUGE help
to me. I still panic and forget to exhale.
Exhaling all the bad air out, really really helps me. All of us are unique. Pushing myself a little
beyond my comfort zone; let's me know that I am not
going down for the count. Yes, it is hard living
like this. The alternative is not pretty: death.
I choose, at this moment in time, to do my best and
be the best person I can be---each minute----each hour----each day. Best wishes to all.