Physical Therapy with Pulmonary Fibrosis
Have any of you done PT while being short of breath from Pulmonary Fibrosis, Interstitial Lung Disease, or other breathing problems?
My 83 year-old hubby's orthopedic/spine surgeon wants him to schedule physical therapy now that it's 2.5 months after his second Kyphoplasty for spinal compression fracture, but he's been reluctant to call the PT office, due to having increased difficulty breathing with even minimal exertion. He has recently needed to use his portable oxygen concentrator after things like showering or getting dressed. He's also still having to take a half cyclobenzaprine muscle relaxer and half a hydrocodone for back pain, so he can't even drive, yet -- due to possible drowsiness. Before the back surgery, he was driving to his part-time consulting every day. Now, he's okay as long as he's just sitting in his recliner, but does get up and slowly walk around the room a few times, several times a day. Also currently taking Azathioprine for Rheumatoid Arthritis, which we suspect has had some negative side effects after taking Methotrexate for 20 years -- and which we (and his doctors) believe has been the cause of both the osteoporosis fractures and the pulmonary fibrosis, as well as the MGUS which was discovered during his first Kyphoplasty 2 years ago. He's supposed to start an annual Reclast infusion for the osteoporosis in April, and we're dreading that -- as he seems to be susceptible to every possible side effect of everything he's ever taken.
We really don't know what to do. Would a Physical Therapist be able to deal with all this, and how???
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I have Pulmonary Fibrosis in both lungs, I am on oxygen 24/7, 3-4L at rest and 8L during 6 minute walking test. I am currently doing Cardio/Pulmonary Rehab they monitor continuously during my rehab my Pulse, Blood Oxygen Level, and Cardiac info. My exercises started out very light with Stretching prior to any activity then to the non impact arm and leg machine on level 2 for 10 minutes, then arm curls, then 4 laps around the room, then leg lifts, then back to arm & leg machine, then cool down stretching. They also take an at rest blood pressure prior to starting all, another after leg lifts, and the last one after cool down. Since starting I have progressed to now also walking on a tread mill, and doing leg presses instead of walking the room, and leg lifts. They have also increased the levels of difficulty on all exercises. I am now able to do all exercises at 4L except for the tread mill which I can now do at 6L while maintaining my PulseOx at 93-94 so I feel better now than when I started. I definitely recommend the rehab, I feel it will also prevent muscle mass loss as well. The team where I do my rehab are very connected and involved so I know they are monitoring my vitals closely, they have stopped me and others to make adjustments to what is needed to keep us safe and improving. Sorry for the long post but I really feel this is important now that I am doing it.
What specific tests did they do to finalize your diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis?
A CT scan of the lungs
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