Copd

[r00nst3r67]

My wife has copd and gets really puffy after doing various activities ie shopping ,washing ,but her main problem is phlegm she used to be an healthy 11 stone but is now down to about 81/2 stone one of the main reasons i think is because every night after dinner she starts coughing due to the phlegm which in turn causes her to vomit so anything she has eaten comes back so obviously she is losing weight the dr gave her meds to loosen it but are not really helping .

[Hidden]

It sounds as though she has an infection which needs antibiotics. See if you can get her to work on getting this mucus out of her lungs earlier in the day so that it doesn’t want to come up and eating sets it off. No wonder she feels sick when it is determined to work its way out. If she had cleared her lungs first she would be able to enjoy her meal much more. There is a cycle of breathing that she can do to help loosen it and get it up. You can find it on you tube.

Has she seen a consultant to check that she does have copd and not something like bronchiectasis which is generally the mucus producer and needs different management. I suggest that you take her back to the GP to get antibiotics in the first instance. If this does not stop the mucus insist on seeing a consultant who also specialises in bronchiectasis.

[Shazrab]

Hi I’m sorry you’re poor wife is going through this she definitely needs to see her dr and maybe a physio could help show her how to get rid of the phlegm, she’s definitely lost a lot of weight I think that needs to be addressed just incase it’s something else causing it. Copd certainly makes you exahsted I’m now home bound due to it I feel sorry for you both you must be so worried about her . I also get a lot more phlegm when I’ve got an infection maybe worth getting checked good luck you both 🌹🌹

[Grayjay]

Maybe ask your GP for something such as Lanzoprazol for Acid Reflux. I think that I'd be in the same boat if I didn't have mine. Just a thought.👍

[stamford1234]

I have severe COPD. I find eating 4 small meals a day helps, and I don't eat after 6pm. It sounds like a combination of the phlegm and acid reflux which the Dr will help with. In the meantime, does she have plenty of fluids during the day, drinking plenty helps with phlegm

[Kristicats]

Could you revisit the doctor and ask for a referral to a respiratory physician as she cannot afford to keep losing weight and there may be an underlying cause re the phlegm production .

[Corin1950]

My husband and many others on here use Carbsysteine, prescribed by the GP which seems to dry up any mucous.

Weight loss is a serious issue for many people with COPD and there are quite a lot of posts where this has been discussed in the past. if you put it in the search box you can read them for suggestions. The problem is that when you lose weight you also lose muscle mass which gives your body strength. You become weak and de conditioned and this makes movement and breathing worse.

It has been and still is a major problem for my husband .He was always slim but he lost a massive amount of weight, He's started eating better for the past 2 months and has gained a few pounds but is still only 8 stone 8 pounds. It's really important not to be too underweight as the prognosis for COPD is better for people who are overweight rather than under.

Wishing you all the best

Corin

[r00nst3r67 in reply to Corin1950]

Hi thanx for your reply my already takes them but they dont seem to be doing a lot of good

[Hidden]

Carbocysteine always made me sick....literally projectile vomiting with no warning...so I had to stop them. Could that be why your wife is vomiting up the food rather than the coughing? Poor woman. The weight loss isn't good, as others have said she really needs to see her GP for advice. Wishing you both all the best. 🙂