COPD AND OXYGEN THERAPY

[sistergirl55]

In August 2011 I had gallbladder surgery with complications that caused me to return(3 days later) to ER to be readmitted. Fluids were removed from my stomach(dark old blood) and lungs (yellowish) also blood count was low. I was diagnosted with COPD Stage II in 2009, it had been well controlled with meds, diet and exercise. Needless to say I was diagnosted with pneumonia and stayed 4 more days in hospital then moved to rehab for 2 1/2 more weeks. All this time I have been on 24/7 oxygen and doesn't look as if I'm ever going to get off of it. Almost all my meds have stopped working (spiriva, symbicort, advair, etc.) the only meds that have any effect is my xopenex inhaler - even the xopenex solution for my nebulizer causes breathing problems sometimes. Even the oxygen(2 ltrs) is not working as well. If I am setting down I breath very well with or without the oxygen but if I start moving around I must have the oxygen and then I'm still short of breath. I have been looking into some other alternatives - prickly pear fruit juice, hydrogen peroxide and purified water, NAC,eucalyptus oil,MSM and, DMSO, vitamins A,C,D,E, Green tea and ma huang. Have you had any experience or heard anything about any of these vitamins, fruits or herbs for helping to improve or illeviate any of the symptoms of COPD. Also am considering using one of those small breathing machines (Expand-A-Lung , Ultrabreathe, etc.) to build up lung power. Later next month I have an appointment with my Pulmonary Dr. but so far his advice is not working very so I would like to hear from others in the medical community if there are any other alternatives for this disease (I am 59 years old and plan to be here a very long time, I've got things to do and people to see :-) .Any advise is appreciated, Thanks

[allmymarbles]

All the medications you take, plus the antibiotics are food for a fungus (yeast) called candida albicans. It is the organism that causes thrush. What is generally ignored is that the organism does not simply sit in the mouth and hang out, it invades the sinuses and the lungs.

Get your self tested for Candida albicans. Over objections I insisted and tested positive for systemic candidiasis. Now being treated, my lung health is improving. I gave up use of any steroids. For me they are worse than COPD.

Investigate the use of potassium iodide to control candida. It works for me.

[sistergirl55]

Thank you so much for your feed back. I'm afraid you could be right about the pneumonia damaging my lungs so bad because I did not have this much trouble with breathing before that, even though I already had COPD. I have not been using my meds the way I'm suppose to because they made me start to breath worse and on the instructions it says to discontinue using and consult your Doctor. I did that and he changed the med only to have that one stop working also. I go to see him on March 15th so hopefully I'll get some new meds and will discuss with him about a rehabilitation program. I have had several EKG's and so far they look ok. Will keep you posted.  Thanks so much

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

The evidence for benefit from inspiratory resistance trainers, such as Ultrabreathe, is mixed.  There may be some benefit for some persons and, since there is no harm, it is worth a try.  I am unfamiliar with any of the alternative therapies you mention, below.  Whichever of these that you choose, it would be wise to consult with a practitioner familiar with their use and do your own online search to discover any untoward effects of those specific preparations.

The information you provide suggests that you may have sustained some permanent, irreversible lung damage from the episode of pneumonia, last year.  The important thing now is for you to work with your pulmonary doctor to get objective measures of the degree of your lung impairment including blood oxygen status, review your medicine regimen to be sure that you are not only taking the meds regularly, as prescribed, but that you are taking them in optimal fashion.  Once your regimen has been optimized, it would be wise to engage in a pulmonary rehabilitation program to recondition your body to improve the strength and endurance of all your muscles, including but not limited to the respiratory muscles, and reduce your body weight to an ideal level.  In a word, the treatment should be comprehensive, not just limited to drugs for your lungs..

It is important to realize that, at your age of 59, exercise impairment might not just be on the basis of your impaired lung function but might be secondary to heretofore undiagnosed heart failure.

Good luck