Is he getting the right treatment?

[ohlookchicken]

For more than 10 years my husband has had breathing problems; recently they have become very severe. He was diagnosed with COPD over a year ago, he also has emphysema, interstitial lung disease and one of his lungs is only working at about 30%. He had a saddle embolism 3 months ago. He also was told that his diaphragm is paralyzed and that it will never return to a functioning state. This concerns me because I have researched this and am finding out that there is a treatment called diaphragm placation. We have asked the doctor repeatedly what else can be done to assist his breathing and she never mentioned this at all. I dont understand why not. He struggles to breathe every day, he cant walk to the bathroom without having to get on his knees and try to breath. He exhausts all of his breathing meds long before the next renewal. I know that there has to be more to this picture but I need help finding out what to do for him. I am scared he is just going to die, I feel like I should be a better advocate for him. We cant change doctors because he goes to the Vets Admin Hospital for his care. Please offer any ideas and suggestions. I know you cant diagnose over the internet, I just need to know what else I can do to help him. Thanks.

[Victoireh]

I"m sorry that his condition was found out so late. As lung damage can not be reversed. And as he has COPD, then I can safely say that he is a smoker too? smoking makes a COPD prognosis very bleak, as you can well see by his current physical condition. People who quite smoking early on in their disease will have a much slower lung function loss then someone who continues to smoke.

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are both under the umbrella term COPD. More then 90% of COPD is due to smoking. I don't think there is much left to do for him, but to make him comfortable. Does he receive physical chest therapy? Also there are breathing exercising that can help to maximize what his lungs can give.

As for his diaphragm, I think there is a lot to think about here.  I don't know how invasive the surgery is and how healthy the patient needs to be in order to under go it. If he isn't strong enough, the surgery itself could kill him. You could obtain a second opinion, at least then you know whether or not this is a reasonable option. You have to find the balance in this and weight the risks out with the good that it can do. If the risks are too great or very little benefit is received from the surgery, then I don't feel it is a good option to put someone who is already fragile through.

[Amazed2009]

So very sorry about your husband - what has the pulmonary specialist said about this?  I also have emphysema - probably caused by smoking ! and I had quit smoking in my 30s and started up again in my 50's. So very sad - as soon as I started smoking again - I got this terrible cough - didn't go away for months and months - my stomach and diagaphram and my ribs were in pain from the coughing - but I f..... continued to smoke for 4 more years and got moderate centibular emphysema ... Smoking is such a back door sneak - I was in full denial that smoking caused me any problems and when I was to have surgery in 2006 I got a call from my doctor who told me my lungs were fine - so I figured - oh well - the cigarettes aren't causing any problems - I have a normal chest X=ray and continued to smoke! Well I had a CT Scan of my lungs for other reasons in May and EMPHYSEMA showed up!   The chest X-ray would NOT of showed any problems until it was too late.  So so sad.  But to tell you the truth I actually feel great !!!

[Amazed2009]

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