what does coming to the end of COPD mean?

Question

my grandma is 79 and has copd she was admited to hospital on sunday for the second time in 4 months she has smoked for 67 years but stopped 4 months ago today the drs said they think she is coming to the end of the copd but have not gone into this further. Does this mean the end of the disease or her life or both any information greatly appreciated thank you

Answer 1

I don't really know what they could mean by this because once you have COPD then you have that forever (thats why its called chronic), and since she has been admitted to hospital with it then it is obviously not improving that much. The only thing you can do with COPD is make life easier by the use of inhalers, nebulisers...etc. I don't think there's a cure or any way to get rid of it. The best thing to do is ask the doctors exactly what they mean, you have to ask questions or they probably won't give you much information. Good luck, and I hope that your gran improves!

Answer 2

I'm very sorry to hear about your grandmother. COPD is a horrible illness and you all must be feeling awful.
I'm afraid that COPD is a chronic illness that currently has no known cure. While there are some medications that can help relieve some of the symptoms - of cough and breathlessness - nothing is known that can slow or stop progression of the disease (other than quitting smoking, which she has already done.)
If the doctors have said she is coming to the end of the COPD, I'm sorry to tell you that it is extremely unlikely that they meant she will be recovering.
It is rare for people to succumb to COPD alone; usually it is a pneumonia or upper respiratory tract infection that is the final trigger causing people with COPD to pass away. This is because they are both more likely to catch infections, and have weaker lungs with less in reserve.
Because of this, it is possible that she will survive for years to come - albeit with very little exercise tolerance (depending on severity, even to the point of being unable to bathe herself) - and possibly dependent on home oxygen 24 hours a day. Towards the later stages she may be struggling for breath all the time. It is is said of emphysema (part of COPD) that it kills you, and you die 20 years later.
Again, I am very sorry to hear about your grandmother's condition and I hope that you still have some good times ahead with her.

Answer 3

C.O.P.D. is very serious! Your Grandma just quit smoking 4 months ago.She smoked twice as long as I did. I smoked for 32 years! I have C.O.P.D. I am on oxygen 24/7 I have breathing treatments, and inhalers. I get out of breath doing simple things. Your Grandma is also 21 years older than I am.There is no way the C.O.P.D. can be ending! It dose not go away. I think you should get that Dr. to tell you just what he meant.I don't think any of us can tell you just what he meant. He should be more clear with you.I would suggest that you spend as much time with your Grandma as you can.Help her out in her house with housework because she'll be dragging around an oxygen tank and things will be so much harder for her to do.

Answer 4

All sorts of treatment were done already but the COPD is not responding anymore.