Need Pulmonary Rehab

[Barb102]

Went to pulmonary doc today. It’s been getting harder for me to do things and breathe. I do one thing and rest. The stairs leave me breathless. He said my COPD and Emphysema is worse and sending me for tests. Blood oxygen is low. Added a new steroid and wants me to start Pulmonary rehab. I’m waiting to hear if insurance covers it. I’m very nervous. I guess I thought not smoking would make it better. I don’t think it can. I think it would have just made it worse. I’m very nervous and not really sure what lung rehab is. It’s 3x a week for 8 weeks. Sorry I’m just feeling down 

there are worse things and I’m here having a pity party. I guess it’s because I did this to me. Please newbies keep your quits and don’t turn out like me. I don’t smoke anymore but the damage is done

[Barbara145]

So sorry you are feeling down.  We have to be mindful of taking care of our lungs especially when we have COPD.  Walking everyday is a MUST.  30 minutes a day is the goal.  We need lots of protein, lots of fruits.  Lots of vitamin C and water.  There are lots of herbs that help too.  Astragulus, cordyceps,olive leaf, a good multi-vite and many more.  Praying for you.

[Strudel]

Oh no - Barb I am so sorry! I hope that you feel better soon.... I understand that we naturally feel so badly about what we did to ourselves when we smoked. But, we can’t change that, as you know...so we have to try to move forward. I hope that the others who have shared and will share about pulmonary rehab - will give you the strength to do that! Please take care! 

[karenjones]

don;t be sad.  lung rehab is good. the doctor did not say 'sorry, you are too far gone, lung rehab will not help".  he/she said lung rehab will help. it is probably just teaching you to breath and relax your diaphram.  After my surgery for cancer I took Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.   Watching the breath.  i learned to let my breath go into my tummy and my diaphram relaxed.  When I went to the Quit Smoking Group at my local hospital we blew into a spirometer and then determined out lung age mine was 27, I am 65. even the instructor who is 43 blew as if she was 67!  So you will re learn how to breathe.  This is all good. Not to worry at all. Be happy.  not everyone has the opportunity to have rehab.  you are one of the lucky ones! 

[Giulia]

I can't add a thing in addition to what so many others have expressed except to say I understand your fear, your feeling down and just add my encouragement to do the exercises they'll give you and keep doing them.  They help.  And a prayer and a hug too.

[Barbscloud]

Barb, always here to support.   I think we all hope that since we quit we'd be immune from smoking related illness.  But, we know it's not the case.  My husband did pulmonary rehab for pulmonary hypertension and he had no complaints about it.  It should help you do better with your breathing.  Fear of the unknown is normal, but I you should do just fine.

Barb

[Lauralives]

Hang in there Barb.  I am so happy to hear that you are getting the help you need.  We need to allow our feelings and yet remember that criticizing ourselves for the past won't support us in the future.  I think we all feel guilty for smoking but no one deserves to get sick.  Sending love, strength and prayers your way!

[Barb102]

 Cant go back and change the past. Great song “Wish that I knew what I know now - when I was younger”.   All I can do is pray insurance will cover most of this rehab so I can do it.  Thank you all for your kind words and helpful advise. I’ll let you know when they call me back. I’m not as scared today as I am hopeful. Thank you all for being here for me. It means the world to me!  

[Christine13]

Barb, so sorry you had a down day.  My husband Brian did pulmonary rehab and it helped him a lot, I went to classes with him too.

Sad to say I was still smoking at the time but outside.  Now I am off them, and if I do get COPD, I will be sad too.

[Barb102]

Thank you for your kindness. I’m still trying to get an appointment. I have been leaving messages since Wednesday 

[elvan]

Barb102‌ After my husband's heart attack, he was referred to Cardiac Rehabilitation which is in the same place as pulmonary rehab in our little hospital.  He called and left messages and I finally WENT there because no one was calling back.  When I went, they said that they had a waiting list.  THEN when he was able to go, they told him that his insurance would not cover it, we were told while he was in the hospital that it WOULD be covered.  They eventually straightened it out and it was covered.  He went and did the same things I did in pulmonary rehab but they kept a monitor on him and kept track of his cardiac rhythm while he worked out.  I couldn't be on the monitor because I had allergic reactions to the adhesive and I didn't have any cardiac issues anyways.

Keep calling and maybe call your insurance company and ask if you can get covered...it is like a prescription and they should cover most if not all of it.  If they give you any grief, don't accept a denial...APPEAL, APPEAL, APPEAL, it works.

XOXO,   

Ellen