COPD

[cheri]

I am so glad to see a COPD group the only other person I know close to me with COPD is my mother and she was told this last year and this is all new for her, she never smoked but her Mother and Brother did and My Dad before they devoriced after 20 years. I have had COPD for about 5 years not have had 1 hospital stay for pneumona and COPD excerbation a few years back. My husband and I quick smoking on 11/23/2008 12:00 am that morning. 1st try for him and 3rd for me.
  Thanks for the group sure needed it
  Happy Thanksgining to all
  Cheri

[bellringer40]

I have had two bouts of bronchitis, along with sinus infections and now to top it was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia last Thursday, all in the last 6 months.  I had gotten to the point that I was so short of breath, I was gasping for air.  I started coughing so bad last week, my husband wanted to call 911.  Went to urgent care the next day and the Dr. there gave me the best quit smoking now speech, any one has every done.  She told me get used to it.  Get used to living on inhalors, and might as well get set up with a pulmonologist, then she whipped out pictures of smokers lungs.  Scared the holy crap out of me, so here i am.  She convinced me.

[sawbuckjohn]

I was diagnosed with COPD in 2003. I used Combivent once in a great while, but mostly relied on more excercise, and deeper breaths. In the past two years I have had Bronchitus very bad twice, graduated to Chronic, using Spiriva and Symbicort, and most recently a nebuliser with an albutrin cocktail, just so I could fool myself into thinking I could still smoke. I think I would like to join the COPD Group!

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Hi, Charo! 

I have heard of salt treatments for COPD. You can buy an affordable salt lamp at Walmart. Whether it does any real good is debatable but sometimes we'll try anything just on the possibility. Did you know that there is a gathering of EXers in Orlando in Feb? Ask in the blogs for details. I can't attend for health reasons but perhaps you can since you live so close!

[sawbuckjohn]

Hi everyone,

   Well, I'm on Day 10 of my final quit. I've been doing pretty well as far as Urges/Cravings, etc. . I've been increasing my daily excercise periods, and trying to focus on breathing deeper, and exhaling more fully. I must inhale on say, a 2 count and exhale on a 4 count, or similar. I have been coughing less, and sleeping a few hrs. then waking due to a need to cough, expel, clear lungs somewhat.  I try to limit my usage of the Symbicort to 2 in am, 2 in pm. I do the powdered Spiriva in the am. If I need a rescue during the day, I use the Proventil,(albuterol sulfate). I also use a nebulizer during the day with albuterol, 10 and 20 puffs at a time(this is a regimen of my own design,right or wrong?) 

    I also purchased some stuff at GNC. CoQ10, N-Acetyl-cystiene, alpha-lipoic-acid, an herb called astragalus, and breath rite tea. I got these from a bronchitis article I read. Too soon to say if any good or not.

    I realized the other day that I don't know what, exactly, I have. COPD, yeah..., but I've had that for years. It sounded pretty vague and slightly innocous. My Doc. at the VA is past caring, and I didn't think to press him for specifics, as I had intended to smoke until it got too bad. Well it did. As I understand it, COPD is mainly Cronic Bronchitus type or Emphysema type. I have read some of the symptoms for each and since I'm making phlegm/mucus pretty much constantly, and my bronchial tubes close off , I think its chronic bronchitus. I also need to exhale thoroughly to bring my Blood O2 up from 93-94 to 97. At rest it's 94 or so. I know after typing all this, that y'all aren't Doctors, but some feedback in laymans terms would be nice. I get to see my Doc. Twice a year and the next time is in May.

    Doing alright with my Quit,BTW. I'm still reading " The Easy Way". I don't think I'd be this far quit if not for you all. Thanks for listening. John

[beckola55]

I am new to the site and have 23 days before my quit date I have attempted many many times to quit smoking but never succeeded. During a resent cold the cough I ocassionly had became much worse, thinking I had pneumonia I went to the doctor had an chest ex-ray and found out its emphysema.

I know I cant keep smoking if I want to be somewhat healthier so I have been gearing up and getting the knowledge from other quitters to help me succeed. Lord give me the strength to change the things I can. I am doing pretty good at limiting my intake while heading towards my stop date of 3/3/14 any help, pictures, articles to help me succeed is most appreciative. I need support.

[sawbuckjohn]

Hello Everyone,

 Well, I have been to the Pulmonologist. He has confirmed to me that I have COPD, of course(already known, since 2003), But also that it is of the Chronic Bronchitis variety. Also that he felt my current  treatment, meds included, was correct. At least now I know.

    I have been fighting this Acute Bronchitis bout, and the chest infections that followed since December 2013. I have been given 3 different batteries of antibiotics and 3 different scripts for a Prednisone taper. These did not knock the infection out. I have been told they were heavy duty antibiotics too. Finally I have adopted a regimen of 4-5 drops of Food grade-3% Hydrogen Peroxide in my nebuliser. This has had the effect of my coughing more productively, and the color of the mucus plugs has changed from greenish/yellow to pale. They were pretty big and plentiful for a few days also, and now I find I'm coughing less and less and the mucus and plugs are less and less. I know this is gross, but for those of us suffering this seemingly endless cycle of Bronchitis. it may be welcome news.

   There are many articles/blogs/comments on the use of Hydrogen peroxide on the web. I'm telling you what I've discovered for me. It seems to be working. I need less albuterol and I feel better. It is  a little rough coughing this stuff up, but unproductive coughing is rough too. The Peroxide seems to allow it to come up easier. I drink plenty of water too and don't over do it. $-5 drops is about all. I did 7 drops one evening and coughed from 7pm til 11:30 pm. Very productive, but a little much.

 I'm providing this as info. I have done it, and plan to continue it. I explained it to my Doctor yesterday, and she wasn't surprised, and made no attempt to desuade me from doing it. I'd be happy tyo explain in more detail to those interested. I feel like I'm finally killing this chest infection! Take care all. John

[lady5v]

I've reached 20 days not smoking.  I have tried many times before and failed.

The week of Valentines Day , went to MD , thought I had pneumonia, a chest xray revealed a lung mass and instantly life was turned upside down and inside out!

I will fight this, treatments of radiation and chemo starting soon.

Want to have a  few more years with my grandchildren. Suddenly not smoking

is no longer a "bad thing" , Denial isa powerful thing. 

[freebyrd]

I feel so MAD at myself because I keep slipping, And by slipping I go buy a pack and smoke the whole pack & Try again the next day. The only thing I seem to be good at is Wasting my patches. Oh God I need help I can't breath good now with my COPD but I continue to slip. I have even been to a hypnotist to quit & Still slip ! Oh please someone here I need some help and good advice before I die from smoking !  I HATE my nebulizer & Inhaler, They make me feel tied to my home. One time I went 10 days & I only had to use the Neb ONCE a Day so I think my lungs will heal some I just need it pounded in my brain that I can QUIT ! I'm putting a patch on tomorrow morning & starting all over AGAIN ! I have been trying to quit since November 2013 & I'm so sick of these head games that I go through, I Honestly just want to Quit for good. I even pray for the strength to do it ! Please someone or allot of you respond to me with good tips, advice & help. I want to live !! I can't keep going through this fight anymore............Cheryl

[jazzy3]

Thank you Thomas for inviting me here. I have just (3 weeks ago) come out of the hospital with pneumonia. I don't remember going there but luckily my doc works in ICU and somehow found me. I was unconscious for 2 weeks there and when I woke up, there was my doc waiting for me,My pulmonary doctor. I had to stay in ICU for 10 more days as I was really sick, but when I finally got out I knew smoking was history. Never again.

I have quit once before, about 3 years ago, when I got my first pneumonia, I quit for 4 months. I did experience that euphoria, I am over the cravings and felt free of cigarettes.

However, I went to my brothers wedding, he lives in Ontario, I live in Montreal,Quebec, and he insisted I smoke something for his bachelor party the night before. I said NO but he really insisted and I lost my quit. I am staying away from him now, this will never happen again.  I remember how good I felt when I reached my 4 months, I am at 2 months now and can't wait to get there, thank you for listening to me.

[jazzy3]

Nice to meet you All,

Terry