Hi to all readers,
I know that many of you will tell me I'm mad and creating my own problems,
but I just have to write about this! 10 years ago I was diagnosed with the beginning of COPD. To this day I have not stopped smoking. Now I am running out of breath very quickly, have inhaled for the last 10 days with a nebulizer, Pulmicort and Atrovent. To stop smoking I keep on postponing...tomorrow, next week.. I cannot believe myself! I have used Speriva and also Seretide, where I found Speriva better for myself. Can anyody maybe recommend a good alternative?
Last edited by Punusi; 05-09-2011 at 04:08 AM.
The following user gives a hug of support to Punusi: teresangerry (11-05-2011)
the best thing for you is to stop smoking my husband is in the last stages of copd/emphysema and I have to watch him suffer It a terrible thing to watch
Last edited by dgrear4753; 07-12-2011 at 04:35 PM.
the best thing for you is to stop smoking my husband is in the last stages of copd/emphysema and I have to watch him suffer It a terrible thing to watch
Thanks for your answer. I know I really have to stop, but never new how difficult it is. But just your answer gives me a push to really and truly stop now. Have you ever tried Cortisone tablets with your husband? It helps me a lot. Got pills yesterday for 5 days, take 3x 4 tablets per day and then stop with the Cortisone to see how it goes.
Kind regards,
Margit
The Following User Says Thank You to Punusi For This Useful Post: dgrear4753 (07-14-2011)
no my husband is under va care so he is constantly go to the dr or er or being admitted 6 weeks ago he developed a pneumonua and almost died from that he also has sleep apnea also with he also started smoking at the age of 7 beig part indian they used to smoke corn cob pipes and drried corn leaves so his exposue has been all his live to smoke . asbestosis due to exposure in a boiler room on a naval ship . he also just got off a 2 week period of prednisone
Last edited by dgrear4753; 07-14-2011 at 01:35 PM.
Hi, I hope you have managed to quit smoking. Believe me I know how hard it is to quit. I have a very bad breathing problem and I also know how bad that can be. Yes I used to smoke. When the breathing problem happen I knew I had to quit, that I had no choice. When I quit, I put into my mind, there was no going back. Smoking was done. I did cold turkey but I had something that help a lot. There was a message board that had people that were trying to quit, and when I had the urge to smoke I would get on line and talk to someone who knew what I was going thru and by the time I would get off the puter the urge had passed. That site is not there anymore which is to bad because that help me a lot. I'm not going to say you have to quit because you already know that. It has to come from you. You really have to want it. Not being able to breathe is not fun. Please help yourself and at least try to quit. There is life after quitting, I found that out. My prayers are with you.
Anna
I am an ex-smoker. Unfortunately for me, I quit after being hospitalized for food poisoning for a week and a half. When I had that first cig, it tasted like the first one I ever had and I didn't like it either time. lol Who knew getting food poisoning would be a blessing in disguise?
My bil tried accupunture and it really worked for him. I guess they stick the needles in your ears somewhere. He was a die-hard smoker so I was really impressed. Too little too late... He developed lung cancer less than two years later. Had emphesyma and the cancer metastisized to his brain. He lived a year after being diagnosed. He was 55.
My brother also died from smoking. He got esophical cancer (of the throat). He did not stop smoking and even smoked when he was on oxygen. He was 49.
My father, a smoker since the age of 12, died at age 76 of copd, emphesyma, and a brain tumor.
All of these deaths were VERY difficult to go through. I was with my brother his last few weeks, and my father was in the hospital for two months - I saw him every day.
I don't have to try and scare anyone into quitting. It is a very difficult thing to do. And now with those lovely commercials on tv, yikes that's scary enough.
I pray you find the will-power to quit once and for all.
__________________
If you open the door even a little bit - the devil will fling it open. Keep it closed with prayer.
Hi I just read your post re: copd. I am 55 yrs old, I was hospitalized this past week for 2 days with asthmatic bronchitis, but I have been told I have copd. Unfortunately the dr gave me too much prednisone, and I am now suffering the side effects of prednisone. I was a smoker, but am trying to quit right now, I couldnt smoke while i was in the hospital, and right now i am using one of those water vapor cigarettes when i feel like i want a cigarette. The side effects of the prednisone are horrible! I feel like I am climbing out of my skin!!! uuuugh!
I'm not sure I understand what you are asking? There is no alternative to just not being able to breathe if you don't stop smoking. This is no joke. I stopped with Chantix, a pill. But you have to find a way and take it much more seriously than you are taking it.
I have COPD. I continued to smoke after the diagnosis as well. The first time I was in the hospital, after I got out I was pretty much the same as before I went in. The second time I came out of the hospital I couldn't get around. I called my doctor and said "I'm not getting better." He said, "you might not get better." Only then did I listen.
Do yourself a favor listen; ask questions; if COPD progresses normally it will be harder and harder for you to breathe. No doubt about it. Faster if you continue smoking. I smoked one cigarette too many.
Yes, as Anna said. Quitting smoking is hardest thing. I wouldn't have quit if it weren't for the shortness of breath I encountered. I was diagnosed with COPD, actually to this day, I think it's emphasema (need to find a better lung dr). Smoked for 53 years, tried many times and many ways to quit. The only Thing that finally worked for me was Chantix, however expensive. You might try cutting back at first. Please don't give up trying. Best of luck.
Hugs.
[QUOTE=monat64;4818865]Yes, as Anna said. Quitting smoking is hardest thing. I wouldn't have quit if it weren't for the shortness of breath. I was diagnosed with COPD, actually to this day, I think it's emphasema Smoked for 55 years, tried many times and many ways to quit. The only Thing that finally worked for me was Chantix, however expensive. You might try cutting back at first. Please don't give up trying. Best of luck.
i am afrikaans speaking. hope you understand it. my man is in die finale staduim van copd. hy het alles op die mark probeer om op te hou rook. niks het gehelp nie. die besef dat hy gaan sterf as hy aanhou rook het hom laat besluit.tot hiertoe nie verder nie. dis nou 2jaar al maar ongelukkig is die skade reeds te groot. hy is 24 uur op suurstof en kan glad nie meer werk nie. hy is 53 jaar oud. sterkte .dit is nie n maklike pad nie.
Hello - I could understand what you were saying mostly, and I feel very sorry for your husband and for you, too, because you are doing your best to help him.
Do you like your doctors? Does your husband use oxygen to breathe better?
does he use inhalers and prescription medicines to help him? I hope so.
My sister had the same problems as your husband but was able to move about as long as she had her oxygen tank with her. As you know, copd is not curable, but the person can be kept comfortable. My prayers are with you both! Mabent
I know how you feel, I knew I had problems, but could not stop smoking. I wanted to stop, tried to stop, but just kept caving in. I couldn't walk very far, coughed all the time, was very tired, even had trouble shaking the doona out to put on the bed. I kept telling myself that it was bad asthma. I found out too late that I had COPD, I ended up having a respiratory arrest with heart failure. Luckily I survived, but I was told that I had five years to live unless I had a lung transplant and was put immediately onto a transplant list and was ordered to give up smoking - I found it extremely difficult but I did it. The horrid thing about it was that even then, I know the only reason I really gave up smoking was that I was being blood tested every 2 weeks and if nicotine had shown up in my system, no lung transplant for me and I would have died. I have not smoked now for 6 years, had a double lung transplant and feel like I did when I was 18. My advice to you is to see your GP and get immediate help to stop smoking - make sure you tell your GP how difficult this is for you, they can help. As to your medications, I was on exactly the same with a 5 mg dose of prednisone to ward off inflammation of the lungs. BE WARNED, Prednisone has extremely nasty side effects, It eats away the calcium in your bones and teeth, can cause weight problems - in fact there is a whole host of side effects that you need to be aware of. However, it does make an amazing difference in your ability to breath. Gentle, slow exercise is also very helpful as it not only keeps you mobile, but it helps with your breathing. You also need to have regular flu and pneumonia injections as these illnesses in someone with COPD can cause death. I don't mean to be harsh and frighten you, but you have a serious illness and you need to take steps to help yourself.
Definitely STOP Smoking, and go to the Dr. I have COPD and I'm on oxygen using emergency inhalers. Breathing has really become an issue, since I can barely breath now.
Re: Copd 
