Meant to say that I do have a nebulizer here............wonder if I should use it soon? My oxygen concentrator I bought an old used one as I can't afford the service. 2 1/2 years till medicare..........they company that has my records would help me if needed though.........

My doc is just a PA or whatever I do like her, but she isn't there often.
Well maybe I will try to get in to someone else within a day or two and get some antibiotics.............oh my............

Emphysema is a type of COPD. COPD is an umbrella term that includes various chronic lung diseases.

You should be taking Spiriva daily. It is a maintenance drug. It does not work if you take it only occasionally.

The #1 best treatment for COPD is quit smoking. Smoking is aggravating your COPD and it is continuing to damage your already damaged lungs. It is speeding up the progression of your disease and diminishing the quality of your life. There is no cure for COPD and it will get worse. But by quitting smoking permanently you can slow down its progression and the quality of your life will be better than it will be if you continue to smoke.

I suggest you check out www.quitnet.com. Quitnet is a support forum for people who are quitting smoking. It's a good place for information and support. I believe Daily Strength has a quit smoking forum too.

Best wishes,
Susan

Thanks Susan! I have been to quitnet and just trying to decide what type of meds to use.

I do plan on now, using my Spiriva everyday as I think it helped right away this morning.........could be my imagination or maybe I just got better anyway. There is so much to try and figure out........It is scary as I don't know how bad I am or anything......with no insurance I can't go to a lung doctor. Glad to find this board ......!
Cheryl

Hi Ms.

I had asthma long before it was diagnosed as COPD. I think that happens to a lot of us. COPD is an umbrella term for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and now covers anything that chronically obstructs your airways.

Bold is right, you need to quit smoking! It's probably half the reason you are having so much difficulty breathing. Once you stop, your lungs will start to heal from all the toxic crud and over time, you'll have more energy, breath better and yes, even smell better! So, I'm glad you are quitting!

Bold is also correct in that Sprivia is a maintenance medication and should only be used ONCE a day. Any more may be harmful for you. You may need to be on other meds, too. How often do you use Severvent? Someone should have instructed you as to dosages, etc.

Your albuterol opens up your airways immediately and is what most of us use (or some form of it) for emergencies unless their doctor has prescribed it as a daily use.

You state you have to wait 2 1/2 years for Medicare. Have you applied for Medicaid? This might be able to help you in the interim.

Do you have a pulse oximeter so you can check your oxygen on your own? (But the readings won't be accurate if you smoke while using it - and please don't smoke around your oxygen!!!!). An oxygen level of 66 is very low, if it falls below 88 during the day, you may, in fact, need oxygen 24/7.

Some here use a nebulizer daily, others use it occasionally.
That is something you must figure out between you and your doc.

And, you need pulmonary function tests to determine how damaged your lungs are. Otherwise, we're just second guessing plus we can't (nor should) diagnose your COPD.

Best wishes with your quit and best to you!! Lots of good information and good people here - hope you hang around!

P.S. Once you get your diagnosis and what medications you should be on, you may try Alldaychemist online for your meds. It's much much cheaper than what is bought here and has good recommendations. Then, too, many pharmaceutical companies have programs wherein they will give medication to those financially hurting.

I realize it can be very hard to quit smoking.
When I was told I had COPd I kept smoking for about 2 more years.
Sadly that increased my copd symptoms greatly.
I believe if I would have quit back then I would not be on oxygen today.

I know it's hard but you must quit right away !!!!
Take it from one who learned the hard way.
I weened myself off,,,, but once you make up your mind you can quit cold turkey. Just don't think about it and you can pull it off.

I cannot stress this enough, not getting on your case just telling
you from 1st hand experience.

good luck and keep us posted , We are pulling for you.
Dave.

thanks! my RX for the Albuterol Nebulizer is every 6-8 hrs as needed. the small canistor is not really mine though the DR would give me an RX I am sure so I can take it with me.

I get my Wellbutrin and my Serevent free..........comes in the mail and today I am ordering my Spiriva and should be free. I honestly have been on these meds for some time except the O2 and the nebulizer I just didnt use them very often but am seeing now I really need these.

In my state I am not eligible for Medicaid. I have to either be on disability or be 65 or have small children on Medicaid or of course be pregnant. Idaho is really bad for helping people.

I doubt they have the equipment down at this clinic for a lung function test and I have NO money to go to a lung Dr. It is out of the question. it just isn't there. I already owe the county 32,000.00 for a surgury so even if my humble house gets paid for before I die it will have to pay the money as mentioned. There is no way I will go to them again for help.

Good grief if I can just make it until I get medicare............
I am going to start using the nebulizer once or twice a day. My serevent is prescribed 2 x a day.

I guess it just helps to get all this stuff out of my brain lol

You sound as though you are suffering through an exacerbation of your lung disease. Some of this may pass with proper use of your medications. If that is not the case, you possibly qualify for Social Security Disability before retirement age.

Educating yourself about diet, exercise, medications & what is happening to your body will help you understand your situation better.

There is a fine support group here for you. Hugs for getting better.

It's awful when your mission to feel better is based on your financial situation. However, I do think there's help out there. Medicaid was mentioned as well as Social Security disability. Unfortunately, you have to aggressively search for financial assistance. It also sounds like you're not getting the type of medical help/information you need. I'm not pleased with what you've been told or not told. You also may need to do some doctor searching esp. one experienced with pulmonary diseases. It's good to have a doctor you like, but sometimes we have to put up with "like - not so much" in order to get the help we need. Glad you're here....

Hi msidgy:

Not to gangup on you but please think about quiting.

Find out if you can get treated at a hospital under charity care. A lot of people in New Jersey do this when they are in the same situation. Call the hospital closest to where you live and ask to speak to the charity care department. That should get the ball rolling.

You NEED to see a pulmonologist! No matter what anyone tells you here, take that one to heart -- you need to see a pulmonologist and get tested and diagnosed properly. You also need to read the packaging inserts for all of your medications -- read them right now! Each medication comes with information on how the medications are supposed to be used and you need that information until you see a pulmonologist and get proper instructions on how to medicate yourself.

I'm glad you came here -- I have gotten such great advice here that I read the messages several times a day every day now.

Good luck to you !

Hi msidgy, I am a little late to this so you have already gotten some great advice. Dave Burris is so right about quitting ASAP if you can. I quit for 9 months and was breathing fairly good. Could still wash my car slowly. Had to retire on disability due to my back and lungs and sometime after that I started smoking again (was bored from retirement) for only 3 months. Big mistake. Lung function really went down and does not come back. Got up one morning after Christmas and damn near choked to death lighting one up. Said self-that is it! Gathered up all the crap and into the garbage never to touch them again. Have to take my car to the car wash now. Would kill me to wash it. Geez. Take care honey and somehow it will come together and work out for you. Just don't give up. I will be saying a prayer for you...

Curt

Pretty much the same story as Dave ..reply 5....I quit FEB 11th. 2012..cold turkey....I smoked for 45. Years.... finally decided I wasn't going to give in ..give up....and this is the best I have felt in .2 1/2 years....plus a little extra play money....I really hope you are able to get the medical care needed and positive thoughts for quitting ....
Hugs..moonsky

Thanks all of you for all your help, suggestions and kindness...........to answer some of the questions...........In Idaho you cannot get medicaid unless you are already on disability, you are 65 or over or you have children on medicaid or you are pregnant. Getting pregnant is out of the question as you may well suspect lol. I applied for medicaid over the emergency surgery I had and was denied so the county took it over........

There are many states that I would qualify for medicaid......but Idaho is not one of them. Sure disability is an an option, but that can take a year or two. Also I sell on ebay and am only on O2 at night.
chairty in this state is only based on a repayment plan. and I don't have the income to make a payment. my expenses are more than my income yet they still want a monthly payment on what I owe them for the surgery. Yes when I die if there is equity in my home they will get it fine.........but I was hoping if I could pay off what I owe which is probably not going to happen but would be nice to leave this little old house to my children. In Idaho, when you get sick............the hospital has you sign papers while you are on pain meds that automatically put a lien on your name. and they do not tell you about it till later. The hospital and the county withheld information from me and lied right out to me.......it is unbelievable. I realize they just want their money and that is fine, but to pull the tricks they do on people. Well I am just venting. I probably shojuldn't. In Oregon there is no such thing as this.....only Idaho. I hate this state ........there I got that vented out. why pull tricks on people? why not shoot them straight? anyway
if I could ever pay off what I owe, my kids would have a small pittance of an inheritance. So I don't want to run up a bunch of other bills besides the way they rake you over the coals...........the stress of doing that again would kill me. Bottom line is that those of us without insurance just have to hope and pray we make it to medicare,. I believe people should pay their bills but I also believe in honesty and integrity, the people running this state do not have that. If I had all night I could tell you the rude nasty things that were said to me.......but what the heck. .........so I just don't want to deal with them again. Ya know some of us would rather die than have anything to do with people like that.

OK anger out............done venting...............LOL

I am late to this too...sorry.

OK you need to get on your computer and file with Social Secuirty asap for disability...it will take two year or (24 months to get the health part) But you can also apply for medicade when you are disable in some states.
But where you are sounds like our state AZ....they been kicking kids off...which I thought you couldn't even here...so I think our state is worse...maybe they all are?? after reading others story's.

But eveyrone ahead of me told you what you could do and all I can do is tell you do it please....

I never smoke....yup me never smoke.....I can list the reasons that I got COPD but what is the difference I got it just the same...
BUT my brother in law years ago before he died....smoke and was on oxygen for his COPD....it kill him....I am just telling it so people will know about what he did to himself....not nice what happen either.
He burn himself from the inside out....by lighting up his cig and the oxygen that time grab it.....down his lung up again...
he wasn't that old either...it is all sad....

As for things you do with your med's well that eveyrone address....

I wish you live here I take you to my lung doctor I think he is good...and he is easy to talk too....he put me on oxygen after a night time thing such as yours...but I had lots of tests before that last one....
I suppose to wear my oxygen 7/24....
I go way like you did low even lower at night....
What my Lung doctor told me was this: DO YOU WANT TO LIVE LONGER, then wear the oxygen....I guess you could put that to everything....

I see a PA in some of my other doctors offices.....but my lung doctor does not use a PA....he is first doctor I have that feels like that...he insist to see me and not a PA for my illness.
I think the PA is ok....but maybe for these dieases maybe it's better when if you can see a lung doctor....I understand....I can truely say I been where you are....without insurance...it isn't easy....understand.
But there is more help if you start asap with the Social Secuirity...
As you get worse...you can get long term disability thru the state where you live.....
I am just now getting medicare I been waiting 24 months...

Gald you fig out how to get your med's from the manufactures...
we get a few here at my house too...my husband and our state insurance wont pay for some of the pills were on....

JUST please stop smoking....and try to apply for everything...
And get help....
looking under different programs....in your state also.

thank you for letting me come into your kitchen today...and I hope you found help as I write this.

Good Luck and God Bless YOU
beez

HI, msidgy

I worked in the insurance field for a long time. The way you sound you could get dissablity very fast, as long as you have doctors records to back you up. Then being low income medicaid is active as soon as approved.
If I were you I would fill out app online and get the ball going. These days they pull all of your medical records from a database.
When I got bad enough to where I couldn't work. I got my SSDI within 2 months.
There is hope. if you are not able to do it. get a lawyer they only take a percentage out of your backpay from government. You will not have to pay them out of your pocket.

I wish you the best !

I haven't worked out for many years..........just running a small biz that didn't make much. All my working hours were when wages were like $1.50 an hour. disability is also based on your contribution. As far as SSDI (the supplemental one) you have to be on oxygen 24/7 and I am only on it at night.
they can say I can still make things and sell on ebay..........it is harder here if you are under 65.
sure I could spend thousands of dollars that aren't there and maybe get it but even with back pay would it be worth all the heartache? I am just tired right now and can't deal with Govt agency's.....perhaps later. I do also own 1/4 of my moms property which of course the county will get eventually but right now she has a life estate. You are only allowed 5,000 dollars in assets. so when she goes it would stop anyway until I was able to turn it over the county for the surgery in 2011 I had.
I will get medicare in a little over 2 yrs.
My SS will go up a little in Dec when my X turns 62 and I can file on his record.

Yes if I end up in the hospital again I will have no choice but to ask for help with the county and well try to get disability and a medicaid card.........but would never be able to turn over this property to my children when I die. I know I complain about no medical care but I do have my concentrator and I do go to a cheap clinic...............only costs me $15 a visit ......unless have lab. they do not have an xray machine or anything like that.

I think I am mostly angry that Obama did not get his health care plan as he wanted it. He asked that anyone over 56 could get medicare and it was shot down. he either had to compromise or lose it all. AND I believe in national health care which we will never have here...............yeah they say Get a Job, if you can't your family needs to take care of you...........etc etc ok done with that vent. I appreciate all the up lifiting thoughts but have already done alot of research. My nephew is in late stage Kidney failure.......has to have dialysis 3x a week and his disability check is only $400 sure he gets his medicaid card. If I wasn't this close to medicare I would certainly keep a close watch on my daytime Oxygen and apply as soon as it went to where I needed it then too,, and I am sure I will get there soon.........just waiting for medicare and griping along the way haha