Help me to help my Mum......any advice gratefully received.
My Mum is on the verge of taking a 2nd 'rescue pack' only finished the last one approx 10 days ago, been taking them practically back to back since last Oct and still not even sat in front of a specialist of any sort yet! So worrying, she had an initial appt with Physiotherapist within the Respiratory Unit at local hospital who said that Mum's previous scan had only shown 'very early signs of emphysema' and that all the infections and prolonged coughing could be caused by acid reflux from existing badly managed Hiatus Hernia. So meds changed for HH late Dec and referred for Barium meal, Mum temporarily picked up - then the cough etc came back. She had the Barium a couple of weeks ago, Dr verbally told her at the time that looking quickly it appears that the HH shouldn't be causing her these ongoing symptoms she is displaying, so back to square one again. The hospital are going to be doing their own breathing tests (so far all been done at Drs surgery) to look into COPD to confirm not an issue and Mum was originally going to actually see the Respiratory specialist in April - luckily this has now been brought forward to Feb 8th. Doing my head in and of course my Mum's! We are all scared as we still don't know what is actually wrong, all been going on for too long - prolonged hard core cough for well over a year/cracked ribs from coughing so hard/pleurisy/back to back infections being treated with steroids and anti biotics - subsides for a bit, then comes right back again. She is only 65 and seems to be ageing before my very eyes. Very sad to watch.
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Deballah23
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I can't offer advice ,other than to say I went throogh that stage at aprox 54 years old for a couple of years and now having followed all my treatment instructions I hardly ever cough and I am 68 years young
Hi Deballah23, very sad post. I am "the mum" in your story and although I can't comment on her condition or meds (athough I also have to take 2 lots of steroids and antibiotics within a week of each other on occasion), I can empathise with your worry about your mum. At least her appointment with the respiratory specialist isn't too long away and hopefully you will at least know what the problem is and your mum can get the proper medication for her condition I have severe Emphysema but can look back at the earlier stages and sometimes I think I suffered more then before I was settled with my meds. All you can do for now is be there for her and support her, try not to let her see how worried you are as I know from my own experience we not only have to contend with our own illness, but also feelings of a sort of guilt, as though we're letting the family down and becoming a burden. I know what you mean about her aging before her time, when I look in the mirror sometimes I don't recognise the person staring back at me, and this is one thing I find pretty distressing, so try and build her confidence up a bit, reassure her she is still the same person she always was. All the best to you and your mum and here's hoping you can can some favourable answers soon. Libby x (PS: don't ever hesitate to get the doctor in if you think your mum needs it).
Deballah, do please ring the BLF Helpline tomorrow and express your concerns to them. They can, via you, advise which questions you, or your mum, should ask the respiratory specialist. They can also offer other advice on breathing techniques which will help your mum enormously.
Their number is 03000 030 555
I hope your mum gets a diagnosis soon and, on the right medication, starts to feel much better in the very near future
Try and get your mum to drink plenty of water, this can help with the acid reflux. The last thing you wan't is stomach acid getting into the lungs which I believe is possible. Plenty of pillows at night too can be a great help. Keep on to the GPs and double check all Hospital appointments, don't just wait for things to happen as from my experience people do get lost in the system. Saying that the system work's very well 95% of the time.
Hi i didnt see any mention of inhalers has your mum got the usual 3 prescribed? i have had bouts of back to back meds and rescue meds especially last yr, but as mentioned before drinking water and high pillows if possible ( i cant have back probs) and other than that kick up a fuss to get seen earlier, speak to practice manager or if possible if copd nurses are involved get them out to your mum and get them to speed it up, often gps dont realise what its like to try to carry on when your so rough and ill and drained.
I know just how she feels, has the GP sent sputum samples away to the lab, I suffered for a year before they discovered I had bugs living in my lung. Once the treatment was started I felt so much better. My bugs laugh at penicillin but there are other ways to get them.
I was like your mom about 18 months ago with back to back infections and continuous cough, then I got an appointment with the consultant, he put me on Azithromycin and my coughing is minimal now and no infections ()touchwood. I was amazed how much better I was quite quickly although still sob.
I've been suffering like this for about 2o years (I'm only 47 now) similer cmplications, but mine has been formally diagnosed as Bronchiectasis. Nothing you can do for it except antibiotics, everyday, which I refuse and have a herbal alternative that happily for me grows wild in my garden. Might be worth loking into for your mum?
Pollyjj, It's the Ribwort Plantain, the long pointy leaves with the veins running vertically (NOT the wide-leaf variety often found amongst grass). I usually try and eat 4 or 5 leaves a day, x
Hi Deballah23, how are you and your mum today?not to bad I hope. Guess most of us on here will Have been through the problems you are experiencing at sometime, fortunately you have got an earlier appointment which should hasten treatment options , it sounds very much like you need a definate diagnosis, which may not be found on the first hospital visit .Take heart in the fact that the process is happening in a few weeks. The herbal bit Ribwort Plantain sounds interesting, plenty of fluids help coughs, and an old fashioned remedy for stomach problems is charcoal tablets might be worth a try, they are available on line and in herbalist shops. Good luck at the Hospital and the doctors
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