copd

I have COPD diagnosed 4 years ago.  Im on no medication and still smoking.  I drive a school bus and recently have found that my hands are blotchy while walking but when lifted up goes away.  My arms legs and feet feel as though they are numb and I have had some chest pain as well.  This happenes when I am on my bus most of the time.  I have had a freon leak in the ac unit.  I am woundering if I am maintaining the freon due to the COPD and in turn it is causing poor circulation.

[National Jewish Health]

Your description suggests that you have a circulatory disease, that is unlikely to be caused by freon and more likely to be a small blood vessel disease, such as Burger’s disease that is very closely related to cigarette smoking and worsened by exposure to cold, as on a bus when the doors are opened.  While freon, and other chloro-flurocarbons, are probably not causing your circulatory problem, this class of compounds has other toxic effects, including on the lungs and you should insist that the freon AC leak be repaired.

If I am correct about your having significant blood vessel disease, especially of the small vessels, I urge you to do everything within your power to stop smoking.  You might begin by discussing your desire to quit, if that proves to be the case, with your doctor and then calling the National Quitline (800) QUIT NOW (784-8669.  Another resource is the American Lung Association (800) LUNG USA (586-4872).

Good luck.