My husband has numerous health problems and has been in hospitals since Jan. of this year. He is 49 years old, has COPD, emphysema and industrial asthma due to long term chemical exposures in a paint lab. He is also diabetic. He aspirated in the ER at the hospital because he was vomitting after being exposed to diesel fuel in the ambulance, which he is now highly allergic to because of his previous job. He has been on and off the ventilator ever since that day because he keeps aspirating now and ending up back on the ventilator. He also has many other health problems since that day that we believe are all related. Does anyone know of a way to stop the aspirating? Is there any hope that he will be home again someday? Any help would be appreciated. No one seems to know how to stop this vicious cycle!

akasuzy, I dont know the answer to your question but really wanted you to know that I understand how frustrating it is to see your loved one suffering when you dont know what to do to help.
Both of my parents had COPD with other health complications and they rode that rocky road for many years.

I wish you peace and you will be in my thoughts and prayers as will be your husband.

C

I have a similar history but not as severe. The MDs put me on prednisone, which made me very sick. I was so frustrated. I was sick whether or not I was on steroids. I eventually found an MD that immediately took me off steroids and had me nebulize glutathione. Glutathione is an amino acid. Please research this on the web. You will find that it can help (or perhaps cure) a variety of ailments. It is particuarly good for the lungs. You can only get this by prescription from a compound pharmacy.

This is the *only* thing that helped me. It took me about a year to feel somewhat healthy. I have been using glutathione for about 2 and a half years now and feel well enough to work full-time and travel. Because I was so ill when I started on glutathione, I will probably have to use it for the rest of my life. So be it. I feel great!

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Lu

lu55, you were diagnosed with COPD and/or emphysema, suffered from symptoms, and with using glutathione through a nebulizer you no longer have any symptoms from the illness??

My parent’s doctors and mine all have told me that COPD and emphysema are basically in layman terms the dying off of airway passages. The human lung does not have the ability to regenerate, so once the damage from these diseases has been done it is irreversible. The possibility of strengthening the remaining healthy airways and lung tissue to help relieve the stress on the heart and damaged areas is what most doctors strive for. That is the reasoning behind rehab and having the person start some sort of exercise routine, along with medications that will force the airways to remain open allowing the patient to breath easier.

I would love to hear more of how an antioxidant can help a person with a lung disease.

C

Yes, I was diagnosed with COPD. I also have asthma and other ailments--some related to chemical exposure, others to allergies, and the COPD to thirty plus years of smoking (how stupid can one get). I do have a history similar to the original poster.

Glutathione is an amino acid (or rather a combination of three amino acids, I believe). You can research it online. I've read several studies online so I know they are there. I do nebulize with it once a day. Originally, I nebulized twice a day. It has been a miracle for me. I truly believe that anyone with lung ailments should be nebulizing with glutathione. I spread the work whenever I can on various health boards, although no one really seems interested. I feels as though it is my duty to tell others what worked for me and it wasn't steroids.

Please feel free to ask more questions,

Lu

Sorry, I should have added that the glutathione has helped me tremendously but I am not 100 percent symptom free or totally cured. But, I am at the point where I feel normal. I can exercise, work, travel, etc. And, I am not on steroids.

Lu

oh okay, that makes a little more sense to me. Thank you for clarifing that for me.

My mother only used steriods during severe attacks. Within the first 12 years of her illness that was only a handful of times and they were for very short amounts of time. Otherwise she kept her illness under control with vitamins, exercise and a healthy diet, along with her oxygen tanks. During the final years as her disease progressed it was clearly to hard on her heart and lungs for her not to use steriods more often, but she still continued her vitamins, exercise and healthy diet as much as possible.

I am glad you have found your balance, I pray it continues to work for you for many, many years.

Casey

Lu,
Thanks for sharing your information with this board. I have adult asthma and am currently using Advair 250/50, but would love to decrease or perhaps quite taking this oral steroid altogether. It has caused some side affects in me I do not like. I use a compounding pharmacy for my hormone imbalances, so maybe I could talk to them about this amino acid. I will certainly do a online study of it. I am very open to anything alternative that might help me. Thanks a bunch! Oh, by the way, can you take this in a capsule form also?

Casey,
Thanks for your kind words.

Howitt,

You should be able to get off the advair w/ no problems once you are on the glutathione. You cannot use the capsules--they do not work. You must get the liquid form from the compound pharmacy and use it in a nebulizer. Remember you need a prescription.

Good luck and let us know how the glutathione worked. We need to hear more about alternatives to meds with unwanted side-effects.

Glad I could help,

Lu