Anyone suffering from combination Emphysema COPD right heart ventricle failure and is this worsening your breathlessness. Advise Please

[hallentine47]

Diagnosed 14 years ago with COPD Emphysema and now at 23% projected lung capacity my breathlessness has become more acute this year I am 72 years of age) Just every day simple tasks are becoming huge challenges. My GP says there is nothing he can do for me. Telling me that the left ventricle failure is common with COPD sufferers and adds further to the breathlessness. Has anyone out there had experience with this combination of aliments and what did they do if anything to relieve the symptoms.

[hallentine47]

I stopped smoking at that point but not sure what the capacity was and as we moved house 7 years ago and came under different NHS Area I am very unsure but I know there has been deterioration from the mid 30's in that time. That included 3 Pulmonary Rehabs and 3 weeks in ICU with pneumonia and respiratory failure nearly 4 years ago. and a mini stroke which is when they found out about the heart ventricle problem which is only now beginning to make itself known.

[mikeadams51]

I am 68 have COPD with 20% lung function. I too have right side hardening of the arteries and have not been offered anything yet. Yes my capacity to do simple tasks is becoming harder. However not giving up hope yet and continue to look on the bright side for some kind of relief

[Hidden]

I too have a lung disease, alpha one antitrypsin deficiency causing emphysema and right side heart failure. I go to a cardio specialist and he has me on pills for pvc’s. Wanted to do a heart ablation but with my Fev1 at 25% and my comorbidities at 20 thousand $$ each time I thought not. The dr. Told me the ablation could work a day, a week, a month...you get the idea. I can’t afford to repeat it . Apparently my ventricle has thickened to where it’s squeezing capacity is weak. I’m on an arsenal of meds, 13 I believe including inhalers. I actually got a call from my pulmonologist today telling me he has set me up for a new lung function test this August 16th. So will be interesting to see where I’m at now. I have gotten used to the breathlessness enough to automatically change up what I’m doing to adjust for my sob.

[hallentine47 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. What is pvc's and what is an ablation please.

[Hidden in reply to hallentine47]

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are extra heartbeats that begin in one of your heart's two lower pumping chambers (ventricles). These extra beats disrupt your regular heart rhythm, sometimes causing you to feel a fluttering or a skipped beat in your chest.

[Hidden in reply to hallentine47]

Cardiac ablation is a procedure to scar or destroy tissue in your heart that's allowing incorrect electrical signals to cause an abnormal heart rhythm. Diagnostic catheters are threaded through blood vessels to your heart where they are used to map your heart's electrical signals.Jan 3, 2018

[mikeadams51 in reply to Hidden]

Wow. Keep up the good fight

[kpm346]

Hi I have copd and heart failure.. My left ventricle was damaged due to chemo and radiation that affected my breathing together with copd. However I am now on Entresto which does help breathing a bit better. Maybe discuss this with your cardio. Wish you all the best. Marg

[Corin1950]

My husband has emphysema and 'cor pulmonale' which is right sided heart failure .His consultant put him on Furosemide, which are water tablets and suggested going to the sleep clinic where he was given a CPAP Machine which helps with the gas exchange . He retains Co2 and this helps to keep it at normal levels. He uses it at night and occasionally during the day if he's very breathless. His FEV is about 20%.

Last year before he was given these he had a procedure called an ablation as his heart rate got very high (170) and did not respond to medication to lower it. He had what's called an atrial flutter.

In addition he uses Trimbow inhaler, carbosysteine and Ranitidine.

He does not find Salbutamol helpful as an inhaler or in a nebuliser.

Like you he was diagoned at about 58 years. He's now nearly 69 and gets very breathless on any exertion.

He's currently doing tests and going for a CT scan soon to see whether he meets the criteria for coils or LVRS otherwise there is nothing further that the doctors can do as where we live he is too old for a lung transplant and not sure whether he'd be able to withstand an operation like that anyway.

Hope that's helpful, Apeter,

Take care

Corin

[hallentine47 in reply to Corin1950]

Thank you Corin and very helpful. I am gathering as much knowledge about it as possible before going back yet again to the GP.

[Hidden]

I have empyhsemua stage 4 high blood pressure with it ive been getting chest pains recently don't think I have failure yet but no tests done fev1 23 % predicted can someone tell me what that means

[Hidden]

Well, your GP has obviously reached the limits of his expertise when it comes to treating you and you need specialist help, particularly with your heart. Your post is confusing because at first you say that you have a right ventricle problem and then you say that it is the left.

As you can see from the responses, there can be so many different heart problems and none of us on here are qualified to know exactly what yours is or its appropriate ongoing treatment.

For instance, I developed dilated cardiomyopathy of the left ventricle. It took me 2 years to convince my GP and chest con that it was something different to my bronch.

A heart specialist now controls it withdrugs.

I suggest that you find the name of a good heart specialist in your area, take the name to your GP and insist on a referral. Do Not take no for an answer. Good luck.

[Grayjay]

I suffer with the Left Ventrical and emphysema. After spending 8 days in hospital and having my meds totally changed I'm on the waiting list for an ICD. I went for a Ferrin drip last week and do feel a lot better touch wood. I can actually sleep all night without waking up gasping for air. I'm not sure if similar treatment would help you, being Right Ventricle, i.e a Pacemaker. It's worth asking your GP for a referral to a specialist.

Good luck.

[hallentine47]

Thank you and I will see the GP again soon. What is ICD?

[Grayjay in reply to hallentine47]

I think it stands for internal cardiac defibrilator.👍

[Smikra]

I have COPD and moderate right global ventricular dysfunction. I am convinced that my oxygen use has drastically reduced my shortness of breath. When not on oxygen pursed lip breathing helps. Has your doctor recommended oxygen?

[hallentine47 in reply to Smikra]

Interesting what you say about Oxygen but know I have not been recommended its use as yet but warned I may suffer exactly as you describe.

[Smikra]

I'm in the USA and we're prescribed oxygen when our O2 saturation level falls below 90%.

[hallentine47 in reply to Smikra]

Mine are consistently above 90 and reach 97% .