DRS GRRRR

[bandit2]

well I went to the dr as you all said and sure enough the doc says, you know you have COPD. I said I have never been directly told, he said well now you have. Gave me these pills so big they should be suppositories lol. since you are all way better with medical terms amoxicillin/clavulanic acid 875 mg/125mg all pig latin to me but I have to cut them in 3rds to swallow. Got another puffer so Now Breo, Spuriva and Ventollin plus a cough suppressent Koffex DM. All I know is I better feel better soon with all this crap. The doctor said deep breathe I said I can't I will start coughing, why won't people believe you, they have to make you suffer to see you are unable to do something just for sake of seeing you do it??????

[scorpiolass]

I don't know, I hope you feel better soon. X

[bandit2 in reply to scorpiolass]

thank you

[Caspiana]

Oh Debbie, I'm sorry. I know it's a hard thing to hear but with medication and keeping active as I know you do , you will live many, many years my friend.

Hang in there. Love to you and Bandit. ❤

[bandit2]

I don't know Cas my good friend died from COPD I don't know if it's the same today but her lungs were engulfed by fibrosis to the point there was no more air to breathe and I think her heart gave out. She lived only 4 years it spread very fast, she was on oxygen within a year, it was so sad watching her deteriorate and die. Hopefully there are different kinds of COPD. I don't know enough about it, but I will learn I'm sure.

[Titchy52]

bandit2 you have to be positive and keep fighting I know you will it's just when your feeling so ill we do give up but once your meds kick in and they will look out you'll be kicking ass xxx

[bandit2]

thank you I guess I'm just getting a reality kick, I was prepared for Cancer not this.

[Polly-PV]

Bandit, please don't worry so...there are things you can do to halt the progress of COPD. I was diagnosed back in Feb and since then have been on a 8 week Pulmonary Rehab course which was brilliant in terms of education and getting you on the daily exercise road. As far as I'm aware, COPD means having one of 2 conditions; emphysema or chronic bronchitis-I have the first as a result of a 40 year smoking habit. I stopped over a year ago and that was the biggest thing I could do to help myself. I would recommend that without doubt and asking your GP if you can be referred to the PR course. Much love Poll X

[katieoxo60]

Hi Bandit, understand your feeling it is so frustrating all this pill juggling when you know theres no cure but it is about getting the best treatment for you which is not easy might I add, its about feeling the best you can to spite ongoing symptoms. Best wishes for sorting it out.

[sassy59]

Morning bandit, Pete has COPD and sarcoidosis abs he dies quite well on the whole. Everyone is different and you can live a long and healthy life if you take care of yourself.

Wishing you well and sending love your way. Xxxxxx

[Hidden]

You are right last week i went to see dc and he ask me to show him whick way i was taken my pumps as i always carry my vent with me i showed him and he said not that way take one puff and hold your breath gor count of 10 then take the second one so i said how can i hold my breath for count of 10 so i showed him i can not as i started to cough or he said then he said i will have to see the copd nusre as he got a load more pumps which he can give you

[Hidden]

Bandit - Titchy is right - give your medication a chance to kick in. I hope it won't be long, so keep smiling

x

[INK45]

I think you did not get enough info from your doctor, if he gave you an antibiotic it means you are having an infection (and hence what is commonly referred to as an "Exacerbation" in COPD lingo) and supposedly it will pass in about a week or so and then you will feel BETTER, will no longer have to swallow your giant pills (I sympathize with that, I cannot swallow anything and have to crush all pills into a mush, which may not be good for some medications) and will only have to keep using your long-term medicines (with ventolin only for use as needed if you feel particularly breathless, e.g., walking uphill), but I do not recommend the cough suppressant: unless your cough is really bad and too painful to bear, it is better NOT to suppress it, you need it to get rid of the mucus that builds up real thick in the lungs during an exacerbation. Hope you feel better soon !!!

[bandit2 in reply to INK45]

it won't come up, I try and try and get nothing. I cough til I can't bloody breathe trying to clear my throat. My ribs are so sore it hurts to breathe now let alone cough. This is not fun!!!!!! He made me cough in the office which didn't impress me either. No one has said boo to me about pulmonary ? or PR classes. I told you it's way different here. Seems to be no communication til you have another attack then maybe. I do not like not being in control of my body. I was up all night coughing, everytime I tried to lay down I would start, so I got into a hot bath to try and relieve the pain in my ribs only to start coughing in the bath which was easier believe it or not just louder lol. I've cracked ribs before so this time I would rather not. I just feel lost because why isnt my doctor referring me to someone. It's very hard here to find a dr in the first place and seems I got a real asshole. Sorry for my language "bad girl"

[INK45 in reply to bandit2]

Try this: ehow.com/how_5780196_tap-ba... my daughter does the tapping for me, it doesn't take an MD, just somebody willing to take the time, and it may help. If you type "back tapping for cough" on google you'll get lots of sites you can look up. You should also try "Breathing exercises" to find useful advice, on youtube or google. There's silly stuff but also some interesting recommendations. And remember to drink a lot of water through the day to fluidify the mucus.

[squady in reply to bandit2]

sod the doctor go to a & e my witch doctor cast chicken bones and then writes a script

[bandit2 in reply to squady]

you go to my doctor too lol

[Dedalus]

Hope you feel better soon - try to stay positive and ask for Pulmonary Rehab course, which is great for both exercise (at your own pace), learning more about this disease and meeting others with same probs. All best wishes

[onamission]

Sounds like a chest infection the dust and DIY wont help try and get out with Bandit and get some fresh air, you have to give the medication time to work

[O2Trees]

Has anyone mentioned 'huffing' to you Bandit? It's part of the active cycle of breathing which you can look up on youtube i think. It's designed to bring up difficult to shift mucus.

By 'breathe deep' your doctor probably meant to breathe from the abdomen. You can practice this by putting a hand on your stomach which gives you something to aim for - the hand should rise up as your lungs fill - there will be youtubes about that too I would think titled abdominal breathing.

You can call the BLF helpline and ask for help from the nurse there about how to proceed with your doctor in order to get better help. You should take someone with you to the doctor's, and have a list of any questions you have about copd. And, as above, that should include a referral to pulmonary rehab.

Also, you mention a friend with copd dying from fibrosis. Fibrosis and copd are different conditions - you can have them both but (happy to be corrected here) I think it's quite rare. Ive been diagnosed with copd for 16 years and Im still going strong. Many here have had it for longer still. Exercise and a good diet are the key to keeping as well as possible, and still being able to live a good life.

[bandit2 in reply to O2Trees]

I love what you said but what is BLF? sorry on my own unless Bandit can come to the office, my partner is an alcoholic and wouldnt be any help at all. As for breathing, it hurts so bad right now from coughing I wish I had a tight belly band to wrap my ribs in. When I cough its just rumble rumble on and on with no results. I know its gross but the only thing I can spit up is the nasal drip trying to get down my throat..

My friend had a very rare type of COPD caused by using intravenous drugs back in the day. She and her friend were doing Talwyn(Talwin) and Ritalin, when it was injected one of the substances left a powdery residue on her lung, first they thought it was TB, quarrantined her lol she was not happy. Slowly the white patch started spreading then more rapidly spreading over her entire lung and over to the next. Once it started they couldn't stop it. Once a huge rage in Vancouver "the cool thing to do" all are dead now and all from the same disease.

Although there are many forms and types of COPD the end is always the same,, thats ok Im just feeling so crappy right now and I know its the cold and infection which hopefully will soon pass.

I don't know to what degree the damage is, Im thinking not great been smoker for over 40 years, must have done some damage. I don't even know what is available to me here or by who. Lots to process I guess. You guys have been so fabulous and I'm learning every day a new language both medical and english lol. You make me laugh, sometimes cry. You make me realize that just because I'm 1/2 way around the world we are so linked together in love, wills and me right now kleenex lol.

Once I have digested all this and feel better I will contact my so called dr and find out what is going on. I want to know what my FEV is because apparently that is important, right now it would be bad so lets see when I get better and I will.. wish I could turn off the faucet in my nose it's non stop running like my eyes from coughing. "no pics" I would break the camera. Love you all

[O2Trees in reply to bandit2]

British Lung Foundation - you don't need to go to the office, its a phone helpline: 03000 030 555. They are very kind AND knowledgeable. Sounds like you're not from the UK? Sorry, I hadn't realised. It still might be worth calling them.

Yes the end is always the same, but it won't necessarily be from COPD. If you can do regular exercise and eat well, it's quite likely you can live well and will die from something else. Take care

[bandit2 in reply to O2Trees]

thank you so kind no I live in Canada

[squady]

I went to the quacks as I got really puffy and he said what do you expect your lungs are shot "nice one Cyril"