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...
Went to the Dr. the other day(power has been out every since) and he said I needed to be on oxygen at night and during activities. Sounds like all the time to me. Any way, I was diagnosed 5 years ago and was told to exercise. I walk 2.25 miles almost every morning and have been doing this for the last 5 years. The reason I was going to the Dr to start with was I noticed the Foraldil did not seem to be doing much recently. He then changed me to Advair HFA; I immediately got a cold that went to my chest, called and said stop the Advair and start the Foraldil, I did and the infection cleared, he then said start the Advair again, I did and was overwhelmed by the amount of flem. I went back to discuss this and get a new med, while there I told him my Pulse Oxmiter indicated my O2 level was going down to 79% during my morning wald at the peak speed of 4.1 MPH. He had one of the nurses walk me around the building with a pulse oxmiter on and it went down to 87%. He the wrote the script for O2 and rushed me out the door. Just wondering if anyone else feels if maybe he should have at least listened to my breathing or have had other test done.
By the way he put me on arcapta neohaler, so I'll be able to give some feed back on how it works in a week or so.
Also, I am still working so not sure how the O2 will affect work. I made an appointment for this Friday to discuss this and any other questions I can come up with between now and then. Ayn Ideas for questions, I get a lot of information off here, not often do I post, but, I really needed the souinding board and the help of your expertise. Thanks and everyone have a good day, hopefully not as hot and humid as the last couple. At lease I have once again been blessed with electricity.
By the way he put me on arcapta neohaler, so I'll be able to give some feed back on how it works in a week or so.
Also, I am still working so not sure how the O2 will affect work. I made an appointment for this Friday to discuss this and any other questions I can come up with between now and then. Ayn Ideas for questions, I get a lot of information off here, not often do I post, but, I really needed the souinding board and the help of your expertise. Thanks and everyone have a good day, hopefully not as hot and humid as the last couple. At lease I have once again been blessed with electricity.
You need tests (a PFT - pulmonary function test and a ABG among a battery of others if those first tests warrant it) to determine where you stand. Then a doctor can explain where you stand and the options available.
O2 and work is problematic depending on the job. I still work (to an extent) and have a full size concentrator in my lab to keep me going. Portable concentrator pulsed oxygen doesn't work at higher rates (3 or better), as the system cannot keep up with any strenuous breathing.
Just keep track of the O2 levels - anything below 88% is potentially damaging your organs - especially the brain and heart.
Take care,
Dennis
I was walking up to two miles a day; until I had a bad infection (exacerbation). I started on oxygen 24/7 the first 6 months after diagnosis in 1999. Then I was not on oxygen until a sleep study found that my oxygen saturation drops way off during sleep. So, I was put on oxygen when sleeping. Then, as my lung function decreased; I was on oxygen during the day, at home. Now, I have portable oxygen and I am on it 24/7. I have tried (cheating) and going without for short times. I have an oximeter and if I go off my oxygen my heart rate goes way up, and my oxygen saturation drops off 90, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84.........and so on. Apparently, I am stuck on oxygen. Best wishes to you. Have a Pulmonary Function Test (breathing test) to see what your lung function is. Also, I get Arterial Blood Gas tests, as I tend to retain the (bad air) carbon dioxide. My heart is involved, so I have to see a Cardiologist, also.
Hang in there. Blessings.
Do you go to the VA medical center?
Is that where this happened?
The vamc in Martinsburg has a pulmoology and sleep apnea unit.
Also - they should havew discussed the oxygen with you extensively. I got oxygen with the bums rush and I misused it because I didn't know any better. Make sure you read up on it because you can't just turn it higher and lower. It has to be used carefully. Hope you have a good holiday!
For me the bigger problem is the heart rate, I can get my 02 level up in the mid 90s' but the heart rate is much more difficult to lower. I have reached 145 rate and I just have to sit and wait for it to lower. My base rate has been established at 90 but even that is difficult to maintain and that is much higher than I ever had prior to my diagnosis of emphysema.
There are so many aspects to this disease that I hope that you can find a doctor that will be of help to you. I have found, for the most part, the patient really has to be proactive to deal with this and the medical community sucessfully.
the very best thoughts coming your way.
145 heart rate is way high. I'd ask the cardio guys to lower that with something. They give me cardizem and I tao allke it 3 times a day now - works good. My rate is usually just under 100.
Best to all.
Has your 02 supplier supplied you with a huge, and I mean huge tank of 02 for those times when the electricity goes out?? I had to really lean on mine pretty hard hard to get mine but, it was worth it to finally get one and it gives me peace of mind that I have the back up I need.
I agree with Denny on the doctor issues.
The pulmonologist requested a chemical stress test and it showed no cardiac problem. I feel that I am fortunate to get good results such as this but it still worries me that the pulse is not more stable. The emphasis seem to be more on the emphysema and less on the heart but we both know that the first eventually leads to the second.
By the way, rcar01, hope you are having good luck with your pulmy appt today. Let us know how it went , if possible.
The best to all,
I have done this with my local utlity office so that if the electric goes out they will make me a priorty and mine will be restored before others.
Until you find someone else to tend to your needs, I found some information that might help. It's a nutritional guide but it's actually geared on how to eat and breathe better when you're done. I know the hardest time my family had was when they were eating. If they ate too much it there wasn't enough room for them to breathe and it was just awful.
I hope this helps, and I wish you all the best!
http://www.healthline.com/health/copd/diet-nutrition
I think you may be right about his having a bad day but the one thing they need to understand clearly is that everyday for his COPD patients is a potential bad day.
Happy to see that you are now scheduled for the tests, etc that will help you to understand more and also will help in defining what treatment you may need.
Good luck and keep us up to date.
My understanding is that my lungs are so damaged that it puts strain on my heart; my veins and arteries in legs; and many other organs.
If that were not enough, steroid use to breathe can cause osteoporosis and cataracts. I have both. Best wishes to all.