COPD Penalty Box Community Group

A spot for those who want to enjoy life, share time , stories, information and laughter without penalty or pettiness. Motto: We have a disease but we don't have to "be" a disease!

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nodrogmot 08/13/2014

Had my semi annual test yesterday. P.F.T., Six minute walk and the one that DLCO test.
Did not understand the results of the DLCO test. Going to Doctors on Friday so will here about that one. The P.F.T. if i read the results on the screen correctly ( I am now stage 4) I made it 3 minutes into the 6 minute walk before I had an attack. I refused to stop and struggled the rest of the test with an attack at the 5 minute mark. Needless to say these were the worst test i have taken.

deleted_user 08/13/2014

Sorry to hear that you may be stage 4 now. Those tests can be brutal all by themselves without the walk. Hope you are doing better today. I admire the fact that you wouldn't quit.

Best wishes...

grannie 08/13/2014

Awwww Flash, sorry to hear that, it's a tough call. However, we have to keep movin' on, cherish those good days and rest those bad ones.

jazzkeys 08/13/2014

Good to hear from you Nod, it's been a while. The 6 minute test can be brutal. I took it about a month ago. Now I;m doing Pulmonary Rehab. You could prob use that Nod, ask your doc on Friday.
Sorry you're stage 4, are you finally off work or at least working less? It's been a rough year for lots of folks this year.
Hugs to you.

ldozy1 08/13/2014

We're here with ya Nod.... please also remember you just got over a bad bout and that also can affect your PFTs for a while so I hope your Dr will retest you in a couple of months. WIll be interesting to see what your DLCO is and if that possible is affecting how you feel too. HAng in there.. you said your 6 minute walk sucked.. did you drop sats or was it the SOB? Double what Jazz says if you can get the Pulm rehab going.. you can learn a lot ..

PuffyChestnut 08/14/2014

Sorry to hear that, Nod. Did they tell you what your FEV1 measured? Dlco measures your lungs ability to exchange gasses.

nodrogmot 08/15/2014

So here is what the doc said:
FEV1 28% after inhaler was 32%
O2 levels were slightly lower then last time but still high enough to not need O2 yet. around 95
Would like to get me into rehab but closet one is over an hour away and insurance is not good.
Meds will stay the same for now.
Blood pressure is high so will need to look into that with PCP.

jazzkeys 08/15/2014

Hang in there Nod, I know you're still working like me, that makes it harder. You can do the Rehab on your own for now, get a treadmill that goes under the bed or an on the spot bicycle, go slow, we walk in rehab on the treadmill.( In french it's called a Tapis Roulant= A Rolling Carpet) hahaha.

I will have to do that when the course is over, also eat a lot of protein to replace the muscle loss due to COPD, that's what I've learned so far, exercize is very important. We are lucky here in Canada, the Rehab is free, there are always additional costs but at least the course is free.

Get well soon Nod.

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