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Has Copd-enezema, Breathing Spells, Sweats, Tingling Arms And Hands, Smokes. Take Inhalers And Spriva, On Oxygen. Cure?
Question: My husband has copd-enezema.He is 62.Had lost down 115 from 165.Still smokes on a good day.Take inhalers and spriva.On oxygen 24/7.All most daily he has these breathing spells where he can't get his breath.He sweats.can hardly talk due to lack of oxygen.They last anywhere from 15 min. to 30. Won't go to the hospital.I feel like one day he won't get over it and die.He's weak as a cat.He has gotten the tingling in his hands and arms lately when this happens.I feel like he's in stage 4. He won't let me go to the doctor with him.He's had all kind of test.Ruled out cancer.
Hi XXXXXX
Thanks for visiting XXXXXXX
COPD or chronic obstructive lung disease is a disease of elderly smoker. You are very right, he seems to be in sage 4 with respiratory failure. Patients usually get weight loss because of nutritional deficiecy as they become breathless while eating.
Two things which have shown to prolong life of the patient is smoking cessation and oxygen therapy. So encourage your husband to go for smoking cessation and you can take help of smoking cessation clinics while continuing on oxygen therapy.
Now I can advise you following:
1) Give him small frequent meals rather than giving him larger meals to make him breathless.
2) Counsel him for smoking cessation. You can take help of nicotine gums.
3) Oxygen flow should be such to maintain a saturaion just above 90%, not the overzealous flow and should be continued for >15 hours a day. You can take help of handy pulse oxymeters for looking for saturation.
4)Continue the inhaled bronchodilators and spiriva as prescribed. If he can't take inhalers give the same with nebulisers.
5) You may give him a 10-14 days course of oral prednisolone to speed up recovery.
6) I think he is building up increased carbon dioxide level in the body i.e type2 respiratory failure. Ask your doctor for Bilevel positive airway pressure machine (BiPAP) to assist him in ventilation and purchase it for home use.Costs around $1500-2000.
7)If he is bringing out yellow phlegms, a course of antibiotic is highly recommended.
Don't get nervous, Be a good nursing assistant for him. I am sure he will recover...
Best wishes
Thanks for visiting XXXXXXX
COPD or chronic obstructive lung disease is a disease of elderly smoker. You are very right, he seems to be in sage 4 with respiratory failure. Patients usually get weight loss because of nutritional deficiecy as they become breathless while eating.
Two things which have shown to prolong life of the patient is smoking cessation and oxygen therapy. So encourage your husband to go for smoking cessation and you can take help of smoking cessation clinics while continuing on oxygen therapy.
Now I can advise you following:
1) Give him small frequent meals rather than giving him larger meals to make him breathless.
2) Counsel him for smoking cessation. You can take help of nicotine gums.
3) Oxygen flow should be such to maintain a saturaion just above 90%, not the overzealous flow and should be continued for >15 hours a day. You can take help of handy pulse oxymeters for looking for saturation.
4)Continue the inhaled bronchodilators and spiriva as prescribed. If he can't take inhalers give the same with nebulisers.
5) You may give him a 10-14 days course of oral prednisolone to speed up recovery.
6) I think he is building up increased carbon dioxide level in the body i.e type2 respiratory failure. Ask your doctor for Bilevel positive airway pressure machine (BiPAP) to assist him in ventilation and purchase it for home use.Costs around $1500-2000.
7)If he is bringing out yellow phlegms, a course of antibiotic is highly recommended.
Don't get nervous, Be a good nursing assistant for him. I am sure he will recover...
Best wishes
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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