COPD

Question: What foods should people with COPD and heart disease avoid completely? Someone in my family has COPD and heart disease, which may include enlarged heart and definetely arrhythmia. I add no salt to food and make sure canned goods, such as sausages are rinsed. This goes for ham and many other salty foods. Still, in last two years when she got very ill_having been diagnosed with COPD and some of the heart problems few years earlier_and having been in and out of hospital in at least five occassions, I still believe a lot of her crisis have to do with whatever additives (including salt) there are in packaged goods. By the way none of the doctors_and there have been plenty of them_have "strongly" cautioned against salt. Until unfortunately she has a crisis, which inludes a sort of inbalance, such as sodium being LOW instead of high, or normal for that matter. The potassium sometimes gets high, towards the end of her stay at hospital. And of course there's the worse part which is the high concentration of carbon dioxide, occurring in patients w/COPD.

Answer: Eat a varied diet. Eat fruits and vegetables, dairy products, cereal and grains, and meats. Avoid foods that are difficult to chew. Use less salt. Too much salt can cause you to retain fluids, which may interfere with your breathing. Use herbs or no-salt spices to flavor your foods. Don't add salt to foods while cooking. Buy packaged foods low in salt. Don't waste energy consuming foods with little nutritional value, such as potato chips, candy bars, and soft drinks.

Question: How long do you have once diagnosed from COPD? My friend's dad was just diagnosed with COPD and i think of him as my own father which makes this harder. He's 45 and he refuses to stop smoking and drinking which makes me scared for him. How long does he have if he doesn't stop smoking? Will it be a painful way for him to go? Please be honest, i would like to show him this and maybe he will stop smoking and try to help himself.

Answer: I was diagnosed with COPD about 7 or 8 years ago. I'd quit smoking two or three years prior to my diagnosis. I can tell you that your friend's father needs to quit smoking it will only worsen his condition. I can honestly tell you that a diagnosis of COPD is not an automatic death sentence. While the condition is not reversible....there are many medications on the market that can slow down the progression of the disease and improve the quality of his life. In case you are unaware of what COPD is, it is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It consists of Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema. Not all people have all three but many do. My own father has lived with COPD for many years, he will be 80 years old in Aug and only went into the nursing home for declining health about a year ago. I would strongly recommend that your friend's father find a good pulmonologist and begin treatment. Also, he needs to have a pnuemonia shot and yearly flu vaccinations. He also needs to avoid people who are sick, as COPD does compromise your immune system. I hope this helped.

Question: Where can i buy a wristband in aid of COPD? I have copd & my family & friends would like to purchase wristbands to show their support for copd awarness. I believe they are white for British Lung Foundation.

Answer: I would say google for it. I know I have seen companies that sell all colors of wristbands for various causes and diseases, online.

Question: Can anyone suggest natural therapies for COPD and pseudomonas aeuriginosa of lungs? I have early stage COPD and suffered with lung infections for about 30 years. I am 56 y.o. female. 4 years ago diagnosed with pseudomonas aeuriginosa of lungs which is drug resistant.

Answer: Have you cleaned out your pan under your refrigerator lately? That can harbor germs and that germ likes refrigerator-like temps... Also be sure to change the furnace filter and buy one of the $20 ones at Krogers that eliminates smaller particles and germs. You could also buy an electric air filter with a HEPA filter on it. Do you have diabetes? Controlling the diabetes will help you to overcome infections better. See an endocrinologist for the best diabetes advice on controlling it. People with allergies and lung problems sometimes eliminate rugs from their home, due to the fact that they harbor and collect dust and allergens (dust mites, etc). If not eliminate rugs, at least maybe use a sweeper with a HEPA filter so that the dust doesn't come back out of the sweeper bag into the air. And how is the air where you work? Do you need to change jobs or move to find better air at work and where you live? Lung problems best advice is to go to a pulmonologist (lung specialist). For infections best advice is to go to an infectious disease specialist physician. But sometimes drug resistant infections are hard to get rid of. And COPD is not reversible as far as I know as a nurse. For overall health you could try several things. One is a multiple vitamin with minerals like centrum or similar. Going vegetarian couldn't hurt (animal for food are pumped full of antibiotics due to overcrowded conditions to keep infections down, but may cause some supergerms in meat products). You could also try one of the Green Magma powders mixed in water or juice from the health food store, juicing with a juicer at home, sun chlorella algae or blue green algae pills or powders, and if you have a health food store that makes smoothies with fruit, veggies and wheat grass or barley grass juice, then those are good to drink also. These ideas are not a "cure" for what you have, just some healthy things to do.

Question: Why (specificaly) would a patient with COPD breath better when he is a sitting position? Why (specificaly) would a patient with COPD breath better when he is a sitting position?

Answer: Patients with advanced lung disease (COPD) will often assume a tripod position (leaning forward, hands on knees) when breathing difficulties occur. This provides a position that optimizes respiratory mechanics. So it makes breathing easier.

Question: What prognosis doea a patient have with copd and lung cancer? My husband has had copd for 4 years and now has lung cancer and also has traveled to the lymph node, what prognosis will he have with no treatment?

Answer: Ma'am I hate to say this but Lung cancer is quite bad esp in the stage you are describing. With COPD its worse primarily because an already compromised lung cant compensate for cancer and treatment related further lung damage.

Question: What is the best climate to live in when I have COPD? I want to move from Nothern Ohio to a COPD friendly climate that has a low Polution rate.

Answer: Hi I don't know how copd friendly Ohio is,but I do know ct.minutes from long Island sound aren't bad. There's almost always a fresh breeze from the sound,we only get a few months that can be difficult in the summer,but if your prepared they go pretty well for me.If you still can walk there are nice near the water trails and alot of help if you qualify or help if you don't. This winter wasn't bad here so I kept my heat down and the windows open abit,so it wasn't so dry. I don't know what the polution rate here is,it forever changes because of the sound,I'm not to far from New Haven ct. and they have cleaned that up good. Well I hope you find what you need,I do know how hard that can be.God bless,Good luck

Question: What are my chances of getting copd if i quit smoking at age 29 and have a 3.5 pack year smoking history? What are my chances of getting copd if i quit smoking at age 29 and have a 3.5 pack year smoking history? dont answer if you dont know what pack years is...... also dnt preach about quitting smoking i know that.

Answer: I would say very good in your favor of not getting it. Of course the earlier you quit smoking the better. The signs, usually start showing after about 40, i.e. shortness of breath, smokers cough, decline in fitness level, tiredness and increased chest infections. I`m 55 and have been quit for nearly 2 years now. I have mild/moderate copd which would progress so much more quickly if I continued to smoke. So the earlier in your life you quit the less chance you have of contracting copd, I once said when I was younger that I would quit at 30. I so wish I had now.

Question: If someone with COPD and CHF has constant relux, what does it mean? Family member has both COPD and CHF, and for couple of months now has had increased reflux the minute she puts head down on pillow. It's not necessarily acid, but it's like most liquid of what ever it's eaten just goes up, sometimes accompanied by tiny pieces of food. We avoid for her going straight to sleep right after dinner, afraid fluids may go to lungs, but seldom does she want to wait half hour before going to sleep or at least lying down. She's been only treated for those two diseases but I recall reading about her abdominal aorta in the medical records we got from hospital after one of her stays. Her home visiting doctor got a copy as well_aside from the one he got from us_and unfortunately mine has been put away in boxes and would take a while before I find it. I never asked any of her doctors about it, since they did not talk about it either. I'm planning on asking about it and letting them know about this reflux on Monday. Is it customary in people with her condition?

Answer: Sounds like maybe Gerd. Definantly ask, if it is aspiration ( inhalation of the reflux fluid or particles) can lead to pneumonia, causing condition to worsen. Make sure she does not lay flat, many COPD patients are more comfortable sleeping in an upright position/ at an angle. Speach therapist, Ent doc and pulmonary are good to diagnos this

Question: When a person has COPD, will it help that person to live in a less humid area? My mother refuses to get help from Doctors about her COPD. Her breathing is worsened by humid weather. Would it help her to move to a less humid area?

Answer: Some say yes and others say no. You stated in your question "Her breathing is worsened by humid weather". If that is indeed the case then I would imagine less humid weather would make it easier to breath. The absolute best treatment for a patient with COPD is a pulmonary rehab program. It will help her learn how to breath more efficiently. Teach her how to recognize signs and symptoms of her condition getting worse. Help her learn what her medications do and when to use them. It will also start her on a low impact exercise program to increase her endurance. Ask her doctor about a PR program in your area.

Question: What is COPD and what are the stages of it? I'm trying to find out as much information as possible about COPD b/c my father has it. He's been living with emphazema for a while. He just quit smoking for the most, he's only smoked 2 cigs in 2 days, so i'm proud of him. But what are the final stages and how long does a person usually live after they've hit the final stage?

Answer: Hello. COPD patients have many options now days, but quitting smoking is very crucial. Congrats to your dad for kicking the habit (do encaurage him to quit completely). Your dad should be under a care of a pulmonary doctor. Therapeutic options include several type of inhalers. The is also pulmonary funciton testing to be done to see how advanced his disease is. Based on that testing, he may need to be on oxygen at home. It will help him a lot if his disease is severe. Check this link out from American Lung Association and good luck to both of you! http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvL…

Question: How long can you live with COPD? I am 34 yrs old and have been diagnosed with COPD with asthma on top of that. Iguess it has just started to set in on me that I,m slowly dying. They told me that it's moderate. I am just wanting to know approx. I know that everyone is different so I just wanted to see if anyone could tell me! I have had pneumonia (double) several times. I catch colds, flu, whatever is going around. I havepartly blocked airways and I have damage to the air sacs, my airways stay swollen most of the time and I have alot of mucus most of the time also, sometimes so thick it feels like I can't breathe or it feels like there is a very tiny hole to breathe through. Maybe these details help.

Answer: Pretty scarey stuff. I had never heard of COPD when the pulmonologist said I had it. I also was diagnosed with the asthma. According to all the info I could find, COPD was either emphysema or chronic bronchitis. The pulmonologist assured me I had asthma COPD. Then I tried to find information on the life expectancy; all I could find was that it's the 4th leading cause of death in the U.S. and did, indeed, sound as though my time left was seriously short. After a lot of exploration and talking with others having COPD, I determined that everyone is different. Johnny Carson died of emphysema at 85. He had had it for at least the past 20-30 years. I was diagnosed three years ago and the doctor suggested from my history of pneumonia, colds, etc, that I had had this condition for many years. In 1996 I had to have a company physical and flunked the spirometry test. I was told that people often have the condition for years before it is properly diagnosed. As HMOs are prone to do, they determined a specialist was unnecessary and the family practitioner prescribed inhalers, steroids, asthma medication, etc. for every incident of flareups. I would have told you three years ago my time was very limited. Would have bet no more than a year or so. Actually, now that my medication has been adjusted to necessary levels, I feel better than I have in years. I went from oxygen 24/7 to now only when I sleep and exercise. I go to the healthplex and use the treadmill and pool often. I amaze myself at how much I have improved with a little exercise. My doctor does recommend I keep my pnuemonia and flu shots up to date and steer clear of anyone with a cold to lessen the chance of exacerbation. The asthma medication can have a side effect of depression, so be alert to that. We especially don't need to slump into a depression. I do take an anti-depressant because finding out I had the condition really hit me hard and coupled with the medication, well, I need it. Attitude is a big determinant in COPD's severity on a person. Absolutely no one can tell you how much time you have left whether because of COPD or anything else. You're not going to be doing any more mountain climbing or run the Boston Marathon, but it is so important to live each day to the fullest. There's still plenty you can do, and you will probably live a long, productive life as long as you aren't your own worst enemy and just give up.

Question: I have COPD and glaucoma what kind of cold meds can i take without a precription? some medicines i can't take because of my glauccoma and some meds i can't take because of my COPD.

Answer: I also have COPD.You best go to see your doctor.Cold meds usually dont take care of this.

Question: How long can someone live with advanced COPD? My mother has been a heavy smoker for over 30 years and has emphysema and stopped smoking 3 years ago. A couple days ago she got very ill and lethargic and was turning blue so we rushed her to the hospital and it turns out she has advanced COPD and they have her on a ventilator to breathe. My question is how long can someone live after being diagnosed with COPD? She is 58 years old and i'm so afraid she won't come home from the hospital.

Answer: well, it all depends on how well she is going to take care of herself from now on. COPD has no cure. however, there are many different medications out now to help prolong the life of a COPD patient. she is still relatively young, but the heavy smoking for 30 yrs has ruined her lungs. what she needs to concentrate on (after she gets out of the hospital) is eating right, taking her breathing medications (treatments) her steroids, possibly getting some home oxygen...the doctor has to order that. and she could do some pulmonary rehabilitation. she just has to make sure that she never goes back to smoking ever again, b/c that will most definately do her in. kudos to her for quiting 3 yrs ago. that is a very difficult thing to do. my grandmother was diagnosed having COPD when she was 52 and she passed away when she was 69. everyone is different and has different degrees of the disease. that is why your question is so difficult to answer. everyone responds differently to this disease. some ppl live very long lives after the diagnosis, and some live for a very short time. i am so sorry that she is on a ventilator right now. it must be very difficult to see your mother like that. usually patients come off the ventilator and do ok after they have a good few days of rest. your mother has been expending a lot of energy just breathing. and she needed a break. that is how you have to look at this. just keep your chin up and pray for her. good luck.

Question: Why would it be difficult to start an IV on CHF and COPD patient? 73-year-old Hispanic female with congestive heart failure. She has a history of COPD and chronic corticosteroid use. She has received respiratory treatments with Atrovent and albuterol in the ER but no IV has been started. a. Why might this client’s IV be difficult to successfully start?

Answer: Because of the whole clinical picture, this person does not have an adequate heart function to pump an efficient amount of blood in order to fill all veins. Although the patient has COPD and CHF, she sounds as if she is probably dehydrated so that would also reduce vein filling. From my experience, the patients were taught to monitor their fluid intake but they essentially drink less to avoid CHF and therefore become dehydration. Being short of breath is not fun. I had to lower the arm until something popped up and put the tourniquet on the arm. Not too tight because of bruising and tearing of skin. No heat on these patients and slapping the arm is even worst. I have seen this tissue paper tear just handling the patient. Start IV with care though it may not be easy and may require a blind stick. I havve had problems with steriod use patients because the skin is so thin--tissue paper--that because of the wrinkles, it is hard to see a vein. This patient will probably have multiple bruising, too. Good Luck

Question: Why do you have alveolar wall damage in COPD? It says, you have "loss of capillaries as a result of alveolar was damage" Why do you damage the alveoli in COPD & what are capillaries?

Answer: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, commonly called ARDS, is a severe and often-fatal condition that occurs when fluid builds up in the tiny, elastic air sacs in your lungs. This makes breathing difficult and deprives your body of the oxygen it needs to function. ARDS usually occurs in people who are already critically ill or who have sustained massive injuries. Severe shortness of breath — the main symptom of ARDS — develops suddenly, usually a few hours to a few days after the original disease or trauma. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the overall term for a group of chronic lung conditions that obstruct the airways in your lungs. COPD usually refers to obstruction caused by chronic bronchitis and emphysema, but it can also refer to damage caused by asthmatic bronchitis. In all forms of COPD, there's a blockage within the tubes and air sacs that make up your lungs, which hinders your ability to exhale. And, when you can't properly exhale, air gets trapped in your lungs and makes it difficult for you to breathe in normally. The capillaries effect the final distribution of blood to the tissues. Their soft protoplasmic walls, through which the plasma, the oxygen, and the corpuscles pass into the tissues, have irritability of their own, and they are subject to many other influences, viz. those of the nervous system, of the blood which they contain, of the arteries and the veins at either extremity, and of the activity of nutrition. In COPD, less air flows in and out of the airways because of one or more of the following: The airways and air sacs lose their elastic quality. The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed. The walls of the airways become thick and inflamed (swollen). The airways make more mucus than usual, which tends to clog the airways. Most people who have COPD have both emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Thus, the general term "COPD" is more accurate. Take care always! OIRAM http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Dise…