COPD care

[Pained120]

I've got copd, I'm also new to this forum & would appreciate any help or advice as I'm still on the same medicines that I was given 8/10 years ago when I was diagnosed!!! Which are now not beginning to work, I have nebuliser, ventolin, doxycycline, prednisolone, symbicort, tiotropium, uniphyllin. Does anyone have any suggestions for me please? I have no contact with a specialist as I can't get to them anyway. Thanks : )

[sassy59]

Hi Pained120 and welcome to the site. You are not alone here and will have lots of good advice and support coming your way I am sure. I would definitely speak again with your GP if possible. Get him to come to your home maybe. Also, do you have a respiratory nurse or anyone like that? You need to have a full overhaul of the drugs you take and what they are now doing for you. Please try and get in touch with someone medical and I do wish you well with your condition. Let us know how things go. Take care. xxxx

[Pained120 in reply to sassy59]

Thank you very much for your reply & advice, much appreciated. I am going to call kings college hospital now & see if I can speak to someone there. : ) x

[Hidden]

Good Morning and welcome to the site! My husband has had COPD for a little longer than you and is on the same drugs except the last one. Firstly I would recommend you ring the BLF helpline and talk to the nurses - they will be able to advise what medications are available and what you can expect from your GP. There are lots of drugs available and it maybe that you need a different type of inhaler. My husband has never seen a consultant - it seems that we are left under the GP care. You definitely need to see your GP though - my husband was given oxygen for exercise which really helped him last year. (Its not as scary as it sounds - it has given him a new lease of life and is protecting his other organs). Take good care, TAD xx

[RibvanRey]

Hello Pained. You say you cannot get to see someone to receive treatment. I don't know if you mean lack of transport but NHS can arrange that. If you mean you physically cannot get to hospital clinic that too can be sorted. I am unable to get out frequently. The hospital sends a specialist to my home to assess my COPD and arranges treatment at home.

Hope this helps you. Regards Rib

[megannell]

".Hello and a Big Warm Welcome to you Pained120.

I am so sorry to hear that your not doing so good. I am afraid I cant offer you any advise. but I can offer you my warmest wishes to you. and I am sure someone will be along that can answer some your much needed questions real soon. till then take care . Megan,"

[jolaine75]

I too have COPD, and have been told to Take symbicort and ventolin, I was told my the consultant that my GP would take over. My COPD is Bronchiectasis and emphysema sometimes I feel that the puffers are not working as efficiently as they should be. Take for instance, I recently had a cold,and now I seem to have a chest infection and on antibiotics also the GP gave me a spacer for the puffers as she said they get into the lungs better.

The cold weather does not help, I have also sort of lost my voice sometimes I can speak clearly other times I sound as if I have laryngitis .I am also having problems with my hearing despite the fact that I wear hearing aids to start with.

I also take additional medication ,as I have recently been diagnosed as have CPPD a form of Arthritis and

I am on Preds and once the mew medication kicks in that has been prescribed for me for this problem i wll come of the Preds, now I know in the past if I have a bad COPD attack they immediately put me back on the preds, as it stops inflammation.

I was told yesterday by my GP that they have a COPD Nurse in the surgery this is something I have never been informed about this service until yesterday, I think that the GPs should inform the patients of this long before infections take hold to know that you can speak to someone qualified is a great help.

I was also informed by a local Doctors service outside GP hours, that the GP should have supplied me with an emergency Kit, re the COPF when the breathing is laboured due to infection, this I discussed with the GP yesterday, and she said they don't do this, but they can provide a spacer for the medication. The information that I was given by the out of hours service was also confirmed at the hospital. Yet the GPs say they dont do this.

Kind regards

Irene

[Louisiana]

Welcome! You really do need to list the drugs you have been taking for so long and go to see the doctor (or phone if you can't go) and get it all sorted out and changed if need be. Good luck, I'll be watching to see how you are in the future

[jimmyw123]

hi pains,,

welcome to the site, i think this is a long time on the same medication, it maybe well worth phoning for a g,p visit for a "prescription review", and ask for a referral to see a specialist, if your in the uk, transport can be arranged , but you must get the g.p in and explain to her/him your situation, i sincerely hope/pray you get satisfaction, and that you feel better soon,,, kindest wishes jimmy

please keep in touch, let us know how you get on

[FarmerD]

Hello Pains,if you are housebound and in the U.K. You should phone social services ,they will arrange home visits for you.You certainly need to have your meds reviewed.Welcome to this great ,friendly site.Let us know how you get on.Regards D.