It's not often I get the chance to post here as I don't have regular internet.
I was diagnosed with COPD stage 4 about 2 years ago. I use a pink fostair inhaler, braltus and am using my sabutamol an increasing amount. I also take carbocisteine and steroid and antibiotics on demand.
I had been feeling unwell, tired, achy, headaches, especially before bedtime. Last Sunday I went to bed and could not get any decent breath in, I rang an ambulance as a very last resort as I pride myself on my ability to self manage. Doctors said it was a COPD flare up. I thought I had flare ups before and managed them myself but this one felt different. I started to take Doxicillin and steroid tablets and was also introduced to a nebuliser with sabutamol liquid, which I found a big help. I have bought my own neb now and am using it morning and night. When I was in hospital I needed a small amount of oxygen for some 6 hours.
I know there are lots of people on here going through the same thing and I would love to ask some questions.
Any flare up I've had in the past have been a result of colds or viruses I have caught from other people. Does it just flare up with no provocation? Is there anything I can be doing to help myself, or ie. Supplements or foods that will help with lung health.
Sorry this post is so long. Already fed up of been trapped in the house isolating from covid and this rears its ugly head.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
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Festie
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Hello Festie, sorry to hear you’re not feeling great. This time of year throws up all sorts of things and covid has just added to everything else. I find that Pete is bringing up lots more mucus and it’s thicker and slightly stickier but not discoloured. It seems to be the time of year or maybe pollutants indoors.
I’m pleased the nebuliser is working well for you. You seem to be doing all the right things. If anything changes then get in touch with the doctor or hospital. Hoping things improve very soon. Take care xxx
Thankyou so much for your reply. I dislike asking for help but I think the time has come for me to start. I was being a bit naughty and not going for my yearly checkup, thinking, "I've got this" but I don't think i can think that way anymore x
I'm sorry to hear that and I hope you are feeling a lot better now. Yes it is possible to have a flare up without having a cold or anything beforehand. Often you need just steroids to clear it, but you obviously needed the ab's as well this time. Ideally you should have a rescue pack to hand consisting of ab's and steroids. Most doctors will give you one.
I m lucky in that I am not intolerant and have very few triggers, but you can be triggered by things like dust mites, animals, strong chemicals etc. It' just a case of kinowing what triggers you and trying to avoid it. We are all different.
I had a disturbing experience a few years ago when I felt fine then within 5 minutes I started feeling very ill and couldn't breathe. I went straight to the doctors who diagnosed me with a severe chest infection and I had to use a nebuliser too. I was shocked as had no cold or anything first and it just came out of the blue. It worried me that I couldn't predict it but it's not happened since. But you live and learn and now I have added knowledge that if I feel like that again I need to take some action.
Sound like a bad attack of the 'I can manage' syndrone, which my father suffered from, inspite of the fact that things would have been easier for everyone if he had asked for help when he needed it. I think it's hereditary, cos I sufferfrom it now- have to be nagged by daughter to contact doctor. So you are not alone in this.I wonder if your flare up could be caused by some nasty lurking in your lungs waiting for a chance to reassert itself. A repiratory nurse told me some bugs never really go away. You've had some excellent advice from the knowledgeable people who've replied. I hope thing staart to look up soon.xxx
Hi Festie, most of my flare ups are not related to infections. I have a lot of gunk in my lungs (a doctor's description) which periodically causes irritation and then inflammation resulting in a flare up. I have an emergency pack of prednisolone and antibiotics at home and I know to start the pred when my breathlessness is worse and not eased by my ventolin. I don't often need to take the antibiotics. There isn't anything I can do to prevent this unfortunately.
Pleased you were given a nebulizer. I was given one by Respiratory nurse to have on stand by for when flare up hits. It makes all the difference having that & rescue antibiotic ready to hit any infection. I take Doxycycline as rescue AB's too. Do hope you start to feel some improvement soon
Hello. Sorry you are feeling under the weather. Very apt as I look out of my window. Can see snow on the Welsh mountains and it is cold. Sorry I cant give any sage advice on your current problems. But thinking of you and hope you feel better soon. Try to keep positive, easy to say but you will have a lot of good people on this site routing for you. Best wishes.
I'm not at all surprised you're feeling low at the moment. I get like that with chest infections too. But the good news is that once the infection is under control I feel good again. I hope you do too!
It sounds as though the infection may have crept up on you. I had that and was unwell from July to September. The symptoms came on very gradually over a long period of time and I didn't recognise them as being an exacerbation. Feeling unwell, tired and achy all suggest you had something going on before the breathlessness hit so maybe if you get those symptoms again, treat it as an exacerbation straight away?
I was told by the resp nurse that the doctor would much prefer to tell me that there is nothing wrong with me than to find out I have a neglected chest infection. You know the old proverb - a stitch in time saves nine? Well, in my case, a few pills in time would have saved me five weeks of antibiotics and prednisolone. I will not make the same mistake again.
Hope you soon recover and feel your old self again.
Thanks Moy. Still on a learning curve with this and I should be paying more attention to things creeping up on me. I'm feeling a bit better now but still have no appetite. I drink plenty but the thought of eating anything but cornflakes makes me feel queasy. Thanks for your help.
Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better now, but if the problem with your appetite continues I would ask your GP for further advice. I did go for nearly two years only able to eat half my usual quantity of food. Over that time I lost 2 stones (which I could afford to lose) but since having prednisolone between July and September, my appetite has rocketed! I've put a stone back on, which I would have prefered not to do, and I can now eat anything in sight. I don't know why this has happened but the Prednisolone seems to have kick started it.
Sometimes these things are so gradual it's a while before you realise theres a problem. I count any day when one of my resident ailments isn't playing up as a good day. We wouldn't be human if we didnt have times when it all gets too much. Hope you're feeling much better soon. ⚘
Hi yes I know the feeling just had a flare up myself. Learning to cope the fear of Covid doesn’t help my family are a great help calm me down and do my breathing exercises. Good luck say safe
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