Hi I am Barbara and have a partner who has been diagnosed with COPD, now on stage 3. It crept up on us from being Asthmatic most of his life to being diagnosed COPD last year. Didn't seem a problem until a couple of months ago when it has taken a downward spiral to stage 3.
I am hoping by joining this group I can get lots of help and information from others with this condition
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Teachuk1
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Hi Barbara, welcome to our friendly site. So sorry to hear that your partner is so unwell. You will soon get advice from members who have been through a similar experience.
Hi Barbara and welcome. You've come to the right place as there are a few who have joined for support with a partner or parent with COPD such as, Tadaw, who is one of the most knowledgable members when it comes to caring for a loved one.
You'll get lots of good advice about things the Doctor's either don't know or haven't got time to tell you.
You and your husband will soon learn that COPD won't seem so daunting, when you learn about the best way to keep on top of it from the lovely members on here. xx
Hi Barbara, well thats good if he is not smoking now, thats the first thing he would need to do, but in his case that does not count. I would assume he is on inhalers ? and possible tablets to loosen any mucus build up ? all questions I know, but all this information helps us to help you, and the other member wanting to help can see it also. Huggs Neo.
Yes to inhalers and no to anything else. He has developed the cough over the last week. He is starting to get extremely cold on a regular basisover the past week too and shaky mainly when he gets up in the morning..
He walks every day but after a very short time he can hardly breath and ends up doing dolly steps and has to stop until his breathing calms down.
Hi, can I suggest that the next step you or your partner takes is to make contact with your local Respiratory Team. They may be hospital based but they also attend and have local clinics. They are more informed that your GP and you Gps practice COPD/Asthma nurse. You can self refer and after your initial meeting, they will either make follow up appointments or tell you how to contact them if you need them. They do make house calls so you can by pass your GP if your husband has a fare up. When you meet with them, as for your husband to be put on the next Pulmanary Rehab course. Here he will learn and practice the importance of exercise but also he will be give some really useful info on how to manage his condition and cope with flare ups.
In some respects, your partner is luck to be diagnosed at his age. Some folk are quite elderly when they get diagnosed and have little incentive to make any adjustments to their life style or start getting more mobile. You don't mention his age but the only real adjustments he will have to make are common sense ones we should all make as our bodies get older...ie. good, balanced diet, gentle exercise, looking after every aspect of your health.
I would put good luck but luck doesn't come into it....just a matter of making the initial push and taking it from there.
He is 71. He does make a point of walking every day and I make sure he has a well balanced diet. So hopefully we are doing what we can until we get some professional help
Thank you. I will definately look at him self referring to the respiratory team at out local hospital. Let you know how it goes
Hi Barbara I care for my husband who also suffers with Copd and is classified as severe. If there is anything I can help you with just ask. Lots of love TAD xx
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