COPD is an acronym for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. My wife has fought bronchitis for the last two or three years. She recently came down with a severe case of double pneumonia. After that was cleared up, we found out from a pulmonologist that all of this caused by COPD, although she quit smoking over 20 yrs. ago.
2006-10-10 13:49:11 · 9 answers · asked by Richard D 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Respiratory Diseases
Bunch of amateurs?? Efferrel01--you little "full of it" toad you!! Thank God there isn't an "efferrel02"--or more of you! I can understand if there isn't a Mrs. efferrell01 or same sex life partner in your life. Raspberries to you, dude!!!
And with that aside, here's my take on COPD.
I got diagnosed with COPD the day after my birthday--and I refuse to let it sink me into a worrisome depressive state. Why is simple: COPD is a convenient "umbrella diagnosis" doctors every dam where are embracing to tag patients with breathing difficulties--and I think it's wrong.
You can find tons of COPD support group sites on the Net, where one can find some pretty good suggestions from a whole "bunch of amateurs" that can help.
It was from one such COPD support site I found suggestions I passed on to my doctor, who agreed to put me on the inhaler I use. On that same site, I followed suggestions on using a couple of clean air filter machines in my house. Yes: I smoke--but have sharply reduced my cigarette use......and eventually, I will quit all together. But that will come when I want to and not from pressures by anti-smoking lobbyists.
Nonetheless, I've turned what could've been a dark chapter of my life into something more positive, thanks to those "bunch of amateurs" on COPD support sites. Check those out and work with your doctor on treatment options.
2006-10-10 22:30:52 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Wizard 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well for starters, stay away from the smoking. You quit smoking years ago and that's a good start. Your wife may be put on an inhaler, maybe one with a steroid in it, breathing treatments through a nebulizer machine, maybe some cough syrup, or a decongestant. This is a chronic illness so it's not going to go away with any kind of treatment. It's here to stay and she will have to deal with the symptoms and treat them as they come. I don't know where you live but I hope it's not a smog infested city. She will have an easier time breathing with clean air and air that is dry. Hopefully it's not humid or raining all the time where you live. These weather conditions will have an effect on her and how well she is able to breathe. The others that have answered your question say to go to webmd.com. This is a great info site. Wish you well.
2006-10-10 21:11:35 · answer #2 · answered by Doodlebug 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
COPD comes in many forms. My dad has COPD, but he is dying from asbestos lung disease (and is in the final stage, so his time is near), you need to find out exactly what has caused her COPD. Emphysema is COPD too, as well as asthma.. I have learned quite a bit in the last few months. An easy way for me to understand it was to look at COPD as General Motors... lots of makes and models. Do not let the doctor leave you with only COPD. It is ok to ask doctor what has caused it and why. You need a name in order to research it. My dad was a plumber, many years exposure to asbestos. Doctors cannot just say COPD and leave it there, ask.. ask.. ask..
2006-10-10 20:59:42 · answer #3 · answered by tootsie38 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
keep the house as cool as possible it will help her breathe easier...depending on what stage she is in she may have to take updrafts (albuterol, atrovent) and steriods (prednisone, solumedrol, solucortef) and theophylline...all of these meds will help to open her airways and make it easier for her to breathe. If you still smoke STOP!! she may need to sleep with a small fan blowing on her,sometimes this may help when she gets short of breath....she should still have the incentive spirometer they gave her in the hospital...she should use that regularly to keep her airways open and ward off pneumonia again...if she doesn't have it you can always use a large feather held @ arms length...just tell her to blow until she bends it back....other than that i would need to know what stage of COPD she's in...hope this info helped....good luck!!
PS-as far as what to avoid...aerosols..heavy chemical smells..smoke...anything that might cause her to become short of breath...
2006-10-10 21:06:07 · answer #4 · answered by kuntry_guhl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Avoid cigarette and cigar smoke!... Lots of people are developing COPD with or without symptoms! Spirometry testing shows.
2006-10-11 05:22:17 · answer #5 · answered by stibsky 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best website to get answers to all your questions is as follows:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vaccines/ID00016
It will also give you information on self help and care, what things you should notify your doctor about when they occur, as well as coping skills.
Good luck to your family and God bless you.
2006-10-11 00:12:08 · answer #6 · answered by txsweet 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you r Doctor can't give you enough info, how do you expect a bunch of amateurs to help? This is what I recommend:
http://www.webmd.com/
2006-10-10 20:58:25 · answer #7 · answered by eferrell01 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/copdchronicobstructivepulmonarydisease.html
http://www.medicinenet.com/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/article.htm
I hope this helps!
2006-10-10 21:03:14 · answer #8 · answered by c0mplicated_s0ul 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
SHE COULD DEVELOP LUNG CANCER AS WELL, THATS WHAT HAPPEN TO MY LATE GRAND-DAD..!!!
2006-10-10 21:15:42 · answer #9 · answered by SWM 38 _4_ YOUNG GF 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋