COPD end stage: Anyone else?

Hi there…so sorry to hear… my mum couldn’t even draw enough breath do the test… she says it’s harder to breathe sitting up compared to in bed at night…she has a machine to help during the day. Does anyone else have a sore tummy with this more abdomen on the left. We can’t work out what this is. Cheers Leanne

Hi and I appreciate the tips from all and am sorry for all of us!!
Well, I am 61 from Minnesota and love to fish and hunt and garden and mother my 4 cats.
I have COPD and use ANORO inhaler once in AM. I use O2 machine most of the time. I have a standard and a portable O2. So, I am able to go wherever I need.
I also have Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) which is very painful and also has no cure. With my meds, I can "push through the burn" and do most things I want to. This slows me down and everything I do is much harder than before the symptoms showed themselves.
I would love to hear from others progressions, fun things they did, or more tips!
Cheers, Jill

I can so appreciate your situation. I have Stage IV COPD, but I think I am a tad more comfortable ....Have you talked to your Pulmonologist about adding a steroid to your inhaler treatment. I am on Breztri which is a combination of three different types of medication for COPD management. Also in 11/23 I had Zephyr valves inserted in my left lower lung which improved my breathing and ability to do things by 90%. Dupixent is a new medication by Regeneron that greatly helps with the secretions.....have been on that for 6 months. A real life saver. These are things that I would definitely address with your physician to help improve the quality of life! Wishing you the best!

Thank you for the information, kdalda!! The ANORO I take once in the morning is a combo of 3 types of meds. I like it. I just started with 02 mostly all the time about three months ago. So, I am getting used all of this. Was diagnosed Thanksgiving 2022 and graduated to now. They didn't give me a stage. I do do short little things without 02 and I can go longer. But, it is hard on the body and if I can use the portable, well use it, right?

My slow down mojo is PN which is painful but that's another story.

Keep on "movin through the burn"!!
Cheers, Jill

Hi there... my mum is 73 and is in aged care due to not being able to walk or take care of herself. She is on oxygen during the day and feels like she is dying. She couldn't take a deep enough breath to do the test for COPD. I wonder however why her oxygen level when taken is obviously not as high as mine at 53 but still isn't as low as i would have expected. Is this a thing with COPD. She has smoked all her life and is down to one at mid morning now. I would really love some help on this as I only have how she feels to go on and no real medical info

I never dreamed COPD was going to be this bad. I had OPEN HEART SURGERY on 3/17/23 and I thank God I recovered with no problems, the problems started with pain in the right chest not too bad at first, but got progressively worse. I am on Trelegy for breathing relief it helps, but my DR. says it will be a rough ride. I have had 3 back surgeries, a spinal fusion L-1/ S1 down low, and the biggest problem I had was the bone taken off my left hip, it took 1.5 years to heal and stop hurting finally. These were done in ATL in 91-93 I hear things have changed. It is good to know I am not the only one to suffer these problems. COPD is as bad as any surgery.I take 50mgs of Tramadol PRN.

I don’t have an answer for you as far as trying to convince someone that your symptoms are very bad sometimes and sometimes almost unbearable.
I am 70 years old, have severe COPD, I’m on oxygen 24 x 7, And live with my sister, but she is very busy not home a lot. I have someone help me with groceries shopping and my sister usually takes me to doctors appointments. But sometimes I have to pay someone to take me. As far as getting people to understand what you’re going through is not always so easy and I can only commiserate with you. If you can, Go to Pulmonary Rehab rehabilitation. I wish I could go, but I have other medical problems that prevent me from doing that right now. It did help a lot when I did go. Good luck to you.
Kay

My husband has advanced COPD and metastic lung cancer. He weighs about 106 pounds. It is so hard watching him go through this. He get his first treatment on Wednesday Dec. 11. He has been sleeping most of the time since. I imagine he wonders the same thing. The COPD is progressive and the cancer is stage iv which means terminal. Only a miracle will cure him. The doctors gave him a possible two years with treatment and 6 months without. But what kind of life can he have? He already can't do most things that he did because of the copd, but now with the cancer on top of that, he is really not able to do much other than to sleep and watch TV when he is awake. I pray for him. Will pray for you. I see what you guys are going through, but can't imagine how I would feel. I would probably feel exactly like you. God bless you.

PS. He still smokes.

No point in encouraging him to quit now. It sounds like a done deal. My FIL kept smoking & his whole family nagged him constantly. It wasn't until way after he passed away that my husband said that he regrets nagging him about the smoking. It is what it is, and at this point may be the only thing that he can enjoy at this stage of the game. The voice of experience.

I wholeheartedly agree. It is the only thing he has left to enjoy. I understand this and I Have not said anything to him about his smoking. You are right. It is too late in the game for him to quit now. I just want him to enjoy the time he has left. As much as anyone can enjoy having terminal cancer.