My COPD experience.
I had been with asthma attacks from time to time not very frequent. On Nov 2015 I was exposed to a breeze an cold day and I got a cold and had breathing problems.I was hospitalized with pneumonia and was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis.I was hospitalized 7 times due to the condition. There was a time I thought the ambulance was not going to arrive on time. l was told I had COPD an had to use oxygen during the day and night to sleep. At present the strong symptoms have diminished but once in awhile they come back and I have to use the rescue inhaler or use the oxygen. My cause is complicated with CHF which cause fluid retention. I am 83 yrs young and I am coping the best I can.
Thanks
Hi Jose and thanks for sharing your experience with us here. It sounds like between asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and COPD that your case IS complex, as you stated. Add the CHF to that and it certainly can be challenging. Asthma, Pulmonary Fibrosis and COPD all affect the lungs, but the effects are different. It's in your best interest to make certain you have the proper health care team following all your conditions. If there is anything we can assist you with, please let me or any other moderator/team member know. You are always welcome here.
All the best, Leon (site moderator)When my 02 levels are 89 to 94 I start having shortness of breath, chronic cough, and a headache.
Hi jackie777,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience here. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I thought you might find these articles interesting, since they're on the topics you brought up -
1) Shortness of breath: https://copd.net/symptoms/shortness-of-breath and https://copd.net/living/five-triggers-shortness-of-breath
2) Chronic cough: https://copd.net/symptoms/persistent-cough
3) Headaches: https://copd.net/symptoms/morning-headachesI hope this is helpful! You are not alone in this. Please do feel free to come by any time you'd like information and/or support!
Best,
Jenn (Community Manager)Hi jackie777.
Your discomfort when oxygen levels are between 89 and 94 are interesting to hear. I wonder if you're under the care of a physician and if you have had supplemental oxygen therapy prescribed for your symptoms. If these symptoms you describe persist or worsen, I would suggest you contact your physician who may be able to make you feel more comfortable with a suitable medication regimen that's right for you.
Besides the excellent reference material that Jenn has provided, I thought you also might find it helpful to look over this article on oxygen therapy: https://copd.net/treatment/medication-overview/oxygen-therapy
All the best, Leon (site moderator)
It looks like this whole site is done for a drug company. I want to find alternative treatments. I have been on oxygen 24/7 for almost 10 years now yet I take no drugs which help only on short term. I have done a major diet change. When I find foods that effect my COPD I try to stay away from them. I have always been a big milk drinker but I quite it 10 years ago then started drinking raw Jersey milk which was fine until last year I had to quite that. Another major food is wheat. About 8 years ago I quite eating bread and lost 10 pounds during the following month. I might go to a fast food drive in to get a Cheeseburger, Fries and Water.. The bread of the Cheeseburger goes to the dog in the back seat along with half the fries. Many years ago I quite drinking coffee. I was drinking 2 pots a day so I just quite. About 8 years ago I started coffee again. I now drink about 3 cups a day as a bronchial dilator and I take Guaifenesin to loosing the phlegm in the lungs. I also take an herbal antibacterial and Turmeric as an anti-inflammatory.
Hi SteveM -
Thanks for your comments and for sharing what you're up to. Please note that this site is not for a drug company; instead, it is owned and managed by an independent company called Health Union - you can read more about COPD.net's parent company here: https://health-union.com . I can assure you that our content is not influenced by pharmaceutical companies - in fact we have a very strict policy on that. To read more about our editorial policies, feel free to see them here (under "Content & Community"😉 - https://copd.net/help-center .
Since you mention your interest in alternative treatments, I thought this page on the topic might be of interest to you: https://copd.net/treatment/natural-remedies-overview Additionally, if you haven't already tried pulmonary rehab, you might be interested in that too: https://copd.net/living-with-copd/pulmonary-rehab I hope this information serves you well!
Thanks again for your comments and please do feel free to come by any time!
Best,
Jenn (Community Manager)
I do hope this helps or save anyone with COPD as divine intervention helped a Dr to fight as he was fighting as well for a #COPD patient.
As this was told to me :
April 16 2016 around 4pm 911 was called as a COPD patient wasn't breathing and weak to move, on the way to the ER she coded full respiratory failure (TRAFFIC NEEDS TO STOP FOR AMBULANCES) and the ER Dr told the family the lungs were just mush there's nothing he can do, another Dr and his specialty was pulmonary said to the family let me try and the family asked please. This #Pulmonary Dr took over and knowing this patient had COPD 3rd stage with a pain pump implanted inside with the drug Fentynol plus taking 45 plus another opioid and 6 msgs of Xanax a day plus smoked. Family were unaware opioids decreased respiratory but knew smoking wasn't helping at all. Patient was put on life support ventilator, tubes through mouth and nose and the left lung collapsed. Family sat there Day in and day out for nearly 3 weeks waiting for some sign and during this time the patient ripped out the tubes twice which than they had to tie the arms and hands down. Family told the Dr their loved one was a fighter and if they knew where they were this loved one would fight to come through the Dr said I can only do so much and your loved one needs to fight now and get prayers going as we don't know yet.
Make story short the loved one opened her eyes and saw her loved one and said hi and closed her eyes again oxygen level started going up from 34 to 40. Nurses were still skeptical and tried to explain to no avail to the family. Picture this family fighting for their loved one and the loved one is on #Life Support and don't know it. After 3 weeks she woke up but was weak. Dr pulled her through and he even said he had help from above. Than she had to learn how to walk, talk as her voice was gone from ripping out the tubes. Had to relearn to turn on the light so #Rehabilitation for near 3 months. During this time she quit smoking and her loved one said if she pulled through he would also quit smoking as he didn't want to be an enabler and they quit.
Plus the opioids she went through withdrawals and they shut her fentanyl pump percentages at a time and now she's free of that and takes Tylenol or Motrin for pain and she thanks #Dr #Keith #Young #Huntsville Alabama #CrestwoodHospital Hospital and his complete staff for being there for her family and her and when she could she thanked the #ICU Nurses and her #Rehabilitation #therapists. And many #groundangels #prayerwarriors
And I thank god for each day I wake up and thankful for my family not giving up on me.
Please #stop #smoking or taking #opioids as this could happen to you and Your Family but not make it as others before me have. Lucky no. BLESSED YES . BTW My New SATS are 98
