still breathless cannot walk from bed to door.

[mumscopd]

Mum is still struggling... having spoken to Dad and her for a short while as she can't do much speaking. She is really not doing very well she says her airways feel tight but feels like in her throat, cannot exert herself at all even from bed to door and yet her oxygen levels are ok, its very puzzling, what could this be, its very frustrating. Could this be worry causing this exacerbation?

[Hidden]

I suggest you call 111 for medical attention if it has come on suddenly.

Good luck,

Chris

[Gordon57]

Oxygen levels may have nothing to do with it. Everyone is different as we keep saying. The only time I've had oxygen was with a nebuliser in hospital.

Call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 and have a chat with them, see if they can suggest anything. Otherwise, the BLF helpline on Monday ?

Worry can cause problems but most of the time it's just the lungs that are not working as they need to. Since I had 'lessons' from the respiratory nurse my breathing has improved a lot. I was not allowing myself the time to breathe out properly, trying to speak too fast and then taking too much air in and panting. I've learned to slow that down, breathe out and in fully and feel a lot better for that.

I still struggle, but it's better than it was and I've also started to speak a bit slower, rather than try-and-get-it-all-out-as-fast-as-I-can-before-I-take-a-breath! Now I will pause and breathe then carry on, as long as I don't forget what I was saying that is

I've been out to the car this afternoon, the driving mirror broke so the wife's been to get a new one, but I had to clean off a load of sticky double sided tape I'd used to hold the old one on for a day or so. Nail polish remover is good at getting the sticky off, once you've used a scraper to get the tape bit off. Took a bit of playing about but another little job done

The acetone in the remover does not bother me, which I thought was odd for a solvent. Maybe I should start painting my nails for something to do, now I know I can take the stuff off without gasping for air

[mumscopd]

Hello thanks for your reply. It has not come on suddenly, she has been given oral steroids (an new different one) to take, 4 days in and no improvement. She sounds very frail to me. No one is checking on her, she just gets left with the drugs. She has heart failure and COPD.

[hev67]

Hiya I think it always worth calling the doctor out to do visit. Dont just sit and struggle i did that for few days couldnt even go loo without struggling for breath i ended up in hospital for 2wks with pneumonia if only i had just gone gp in first place instead of thinking it would get better on its own. horrible feeling being that out of breath dont want to get like that again. Call help line talk to someone they will help you. Hope this helps. x

[Kazza01]

I feel that your mum needs to have a medical review ...be on the safe side

Kazza

[ivyleaf]

Hi mumscopd......is your mum on oxygen ?

It is very worrying when you are not sure how things should be....some people

do experience a chest tightness at the start of steroids.

if you are really worried and there has been no improvement today I would ring

NHS direct for advice.

failing all else ambulance to A & E for assessment especially as mum has heart failure,

All the best......Ivyleaf

[Hidden]

Agreed medical attention is a priority with a frail patient -out of hours doctor as the minimum.

[taffydaffy]

Hi

I am a new member got dx with COPD last week @ ivyleaf sorry about your mother not feeling so well mu husband has heart failure and he gets very very tired he is hardly out of bed and me with the copd have terrible fatigue so bad at times I live in bed I would call the Dr out just to check her over just incase good luck sweetie x

[mumscopd]

thanks for all the replies, I have called NHS direct and they are giving my Dad a call who is with her. This started with her seeing her GP who prescribed the extra steroids, but they haven't worked 4 days in. No one checks on her.. Thanks again.

[ivyleaf]

Glad something is being done mumscopd mum hopefully will be sorted out shortly and feel a little better. has mum not got a respiratory nurse who visits ?

Your Dad must be worried too do let us know how mum gets on.

Ivyleaf

[meldrum]

this is my opinion, it is obvious to me ,your mum should be in hospital !......so dont hang about please phone for an ambulance and get her in where she wil be stableized etc''''.....yours truly

[mumscopd]

Thankyou all.. I think there is a respiratory nurse, but I don't think she's seen that often if at all. I think she should be in hopsital too, even though she doesnt really want to.. just to get some improvement and proper care. I'm guessing that is what will happen.

[Hidden]

All the best to you and your Mum,do hope things get better soon.Thats all good advice that you have been given,& I definetely agree, if things dont get better, call the ambulance pronto!!

Cheers Wendells xxx

[brooksju]

My very best wishes to you and your mum, I agree with all that has been said,hope she gets the TLC she needs in hospital,God bless xxx

Ju

[mumscopd]

Thank you to all the good wishes, much appreciated. Mum had a visit from the doctor who said that whilst here lungs were obviously COPD affected they were ok. He said the problem was an accumulation of mucus much higher up. Mum can't cough so this can be a problem. He upped the mucus clearing drug, took her off the steroid (which was causing all sorts of side effects) and she has improved a lot. On Sunday I went to see her and whilst she'll never be totally ok, she was much better and in good spirits. Thanks again..