Does anyone know of a person that has died from emphysema that was heavyset? (serious answers please)?

Question

I wonder because I have it myself and have seen others with it but haven't seen other overweight people with it, seemingly it appears many seem to lose weight and wither away before death occurs. Can carrying extra fat reserves be helpful in extending my life or opposite effect?

Already diaganosed 19 years ago for emphysema and have had all pulmonary function tests, my fev 1 level is 1.34 which is the liters of air one can expel from the lungs in a one second interval

I do exercise regularly and eat well but the steroidal medications seem to make weight loss nearly impossible with my current threshhold for the level of exercise I can maintain

I am not a candidate for lung reduction surgery or lung transplantation

I also have chronic bronchitus and asthma, though my symtoms I've been told seem more asthma related and I have been determined disabled

Answer 1

A pathological condition of the lungs marked by an abnormal increase in the size of the air spaces, resulting in labored breathing and an increased susceptibility to infection. It can be caused by irreversible expansion of the alveoli or by the destruction of alveolar walls.

Emphysema in it self very rarely is life threatening, generally infections or trapping of air causes risk to the life. Weight loose is common in this condition, but you dont bother about fat.

Just maintain a healthy life style, do daily brisk walk- initially for 10 min and then increase it to max of 30 min. Have a good protein and carb rich diet, avoid smoking, alcohol, fast food, soft drinks and add raw veggies in your diet. I have not seen any body die from emphysema rather i have seen many people enjoying their life with it

Answer 2

No, that is just the opposite. When you lose weight, the lungs and heart don't have to work so hard. The extra weight will put pressure on your lungs and they will work harder to get oxygen into them and then when the heart pumps oxygen into the bloodstream, if the veins and arteries are blocked due to the weight, then it has to work harder to do its job. Most of the time people will wither away because they are dying not die from it.

I would suggest going to see your doctor and ask them to send you to a physical or respiratory therapist to help you with an exercise program.

Answer 3

I don't think extra fat helps anything.

The people that I know who have had emphysema, usually died from something else...like my Dad, who developed lung cancer. I really don't know a lot about emphysema alone, though.

But, what you need to focus on is living healthy. Eating well, and not smoking. Those are your only real answers.

Answer 4

yeah, usually people with emphysema are skinny, but that doesn't mean heavier people are not prone to get them. have you been diagnosed with emphysema? because another COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is chronic bronchitis wherein patients diagnosed with this condition are actually on the heavy-side and a little blue (because of cyanosis) both chronic bronchitis and emphysema are categorized as COPD. however, there are cases when a patient has both (ouch!) so i suggest that you speak to your physician about it and he should be able to recommend that you do a pulmonary function test. this will indicate what specifically is your lung disease

if you are diagnosed with emphysema and are still smoking, i suggest you quit smoking. and keep yourself hydrated.