High risk for inntrvention
What does this mean. I am stage 4.
Here is a link to COPD stages on this site. https://copd.net/basics/copd-stages
You could also search with your browser and find lots of information.
You can live with stage 4 for many years. I hope that you have quit smoking if you got copd from smoking. It’s the most important thing you can do for yourself.
Do you have a Doctor? Are you having a lot of flare ups. Getting sick frequently?
Stage 4 is pretty severe but it doesn’t mean you can’t do a lot to help your situation. I would consult with your doctor and ask any questions or concerns you have. Do you get the flu shot and any other immunizations your doctor suggests. Are you on oxygen? Did you get diagnosed recently or were you at a different stage earlier on? I thought it might be best to ask you some of these questions and then you can find lots of help with this community. The very best to you.Have a great md and pulmonologist. New meds, less flare ups. On oxygen at night and sometimes day. Bad lungs since 5 years old. Now 73. My Doc said "High risk for intervention". He said it meant no surgery because of lung condition. Lungs are that bad. JUst wanted to know more about it.
Hi
. Doctors take a lot of factors into consideration when deciding whether to do surgery on someone who is in stage 4. The more progressed you are, the more likely they are to recommend against surgery unless the situation is life-threatening because of the risks posed by general anethesia. Here is an article about COPD and general anethesia that might interest you: https://copd.net/clinical/general-anesthesia. Sometimes, you might feel the benefits outweigh the risks. It's important to remember that the choice is ultimately yours. It sounds like you have defied the odds for a long time. I hope you continue to do so for many years to come. Best wishes. - Lori (Team Member)
Thanks Lori. He also advised me against any kind of surgery. Kind of scary, because if I had an accident and needed surgery, how could I tell them NO!.
Well, that's a hard question. In any emergency situation where you can't speak for yourself, the team is required to do whatever they can to save your life, unless they have written, signed paperwork saying otherwise. This is why it's important to have your healthcare needs and desires written out and in a place that's easy to access by you and also by your emergency contacts/loved ones.
That said, I personally have a "health information" area of my cell phone where I can fill in information about allergies, my emergency contacts, blood type, and specific needs I have. This may be useful for you. If you don't have something like that, maybe you could write those things on a piece of paper and keep it inside your wallet/purse/etc. However, be aware that if it isn't a legal document, they may still have to do everything possible to save your life.
I am curious to hear what one of our respiratory therapists, like, might suggest in this situation, since they deal with emergencies sometimes.
But the big takeaway here is to make sure your needs are on paper, ideally certified by a lawyer. -Melissa, team member
Thanks. I just have to hope they dig into my purse.
