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...
I'm on a roll with all my questions...
As I said in a previous message, dad is a 63 year old, has COPD (apparently is using 40% of his lung capacity). He's on Advair and Spiriva. He quit smoking 4 years ago, during a bout with pneumonia. He had a second pneumonia this October.
Before this second pneumonia, he was seemed alright: works full time, hits the gym 4 times a week, etc.
Now, the pneumonia (which came at the same time as prostate surgery), took quite abit out of him. He's on the mend, back at work and getting better.
The only thing: his voice is oddly hoarse. Why? is it the Advair? The pneumonia recovery? What's going on?
He find me to be a slight hypocondriac (which I can be!), so I am trying not to bother him with questions as that really annoys him.
So......I'm bothering you guys...LOL! Any insight on the voice? he's seen a lung doc on a weekly basis during his pneumonia and he didn't say a thing about the voice.
As I said in a previous message, dad is a 63 year old, has COPD (apparently is using 40% of his lung capacity). He's on Advair and Spiriva. He quit smoking 4 years ago, during a bout with pneumonia. He had a second pneumonia this October.
Before this second pneumonia, he was seemed alright: works full time, hits the gym 4 times a week, etc.
Now, the pneumonia (which came at the same time as prostate surgery), took quite abit out of him. He's on the mend, back at work and getting better.
The only thing: his voice is oddly hoarse. Why? is it the Advair? The pneumonia recovery? What's going on?
He find me to be a slight hypocondriac (which I can be!), so I am trying not to bother him with questions as that really annoys him.
So......I'm bothering you guys...LOL! Any insight on the voice? he's seen a lung doc on a weekly basis during his pneumonia and he didn't say a thing about the voice.
You are doing fine Sabrina, he is blessed to have someone who cares so much.
Have a wonderful evening
BJ
Mine started getting hoarse about a year into dx. I was not diagnosed until I was already at the severe stage. This being said, I have held all of the beliefs that it was the inhalers, that it could be the acid reflux which just seemed to go into high gear after my breathing got so bad, it could be the muscles sourrounding the voice box and other things that could be.
What I personally found out after multitudes of testing by an ENT specilizing in voice deterioration. I took speech therapy, the ENT injected Botox in the muscels around the larynx and in the end the speech therapist came to the same opinion as I when I could not improve.
You have to have a enough oxygen when you speak in order to pust the words. As our lungs get worse, the problem becomes not taking in air but pushing it out.
I am now convinced that this is the reason as my voice is better on good breathing days and worse on the days I am having problems.
Just stick in there with him Sabrina. My daughter does it to me and He should get it to. (the questions) LOL .... Seriously, it is only a sign that you love him and he is just being this way because he doesn't feel well.
I try to find ways to increase my lung power but it does get rather difficult at times.
Take care and Dad will come around eventually.
Hugs, Anna
He is convinced that, once he fully recovers from his pneumonia, that his voice will return to normal. I hope so.
I guess we'll wait and see!
is there a way to increase lung function???????
One thing to remember, with copd, itt affects everyone differently and any symptom can mean several different things.
That said, going on the comment that your dad's doctor was not concerned about his voice, led me to believe it may be his inhaler.
If you would google advair inhaler, you will see that some of the most common symptoms include Upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, throat irritation, hoarseness and voice changes, trush in mouth and throat, just to name a few. (That is why it is impoetant he rinses his mouth and throat after useing the inhaler, thrush is horrible to get, on top of all the rest!!)
Always listen to the doctor's instructions, and any changes in your dad should be reported to the doctor at once. The side effects of the inhalers are enough to scare the heck out of anyone, but the companies have to say them for liable reasons, and some folks could be allergic.
There should be a medical insert that came with his inhaler that will list all the side effects, rare and common. Take time to read it and have your dad read it.
You have to be pro active with this disease. Learn all you can about it, here and on some good web sites,get all the information you can.
I am hopeing it is nothing serious, just his inhalers, but as I said, always follow the advice of his doctor, and if in doubt tell the doctor so.
I need to quit because I can prattle on all night!! lol
As stubborn as my old man is - he listens to the doctor. I am glad about that!
I just read the other comments again, and you asked about increasing lung volume.
If your dad had a pulmonary doctor, I am supposing he has gone thru all the lung function tests? They might do things different in Canada, but it is a good a place to start as any.
Some of us use a lung "exerciser" called airlife , that is something you blow into and try to keep a little ball between two arrows. Harder than it sounds!!
You can inhale thru your nose, and exhale thru a straw , and one part of this has you holding a kleenix out in front and try to blow the kleenix,
you can try blowing up a ballon, just try a little each day, and there is a cd out called "Functional Fitness from healthwiseexercise.com , with Suzanne Andrews, that has good exercises.
Dad needs to walk, exercise legs, arms (lift weights, and do breathing exercises also.
So any of these you need to have dad ask his doctor before doing.I just know they work for me and hope they work for you.
Blessings
BJ
I assume that the pneumonia probably lowered the function. Could that be?
Pre-pneumonia, he worked out, ran on the treadmill etc. Now, between the pneumonia and the prostate surgery, he's been sedentary for the past month.
For a week post-surgery, he did use an incentive spirometer.
Keep in mind it may take many weeks to over come the pneumonia set-back & being activity limited from surgery. Remember, one day at a time & slow- easy pace & steadily rebuilding.
He is blessed to have you 'watching'....we all need that kind of caring. Hugs for healing.