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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
copd and nebulizers
Answered by
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copd and nebulizers
by susan229, Aug 04, 2005 12:00AM
my mother is a 71 year old woman with copd. this is being treated by an inhaler. it isn't doing her much good anymore.
she is afraid to ask her doctor for something else for fear he will give her bad news. I feel a nebulizer would really help her. If I could tell her that a doctor said a nebulizer could help i think I could convince her to tell her doctor the inhaler isn't working very well. She is deathly afraid he is going to put her on oxogen. My question is could a nebulizer work better for her than an inhaler. Thank you.
I can't imagine not being able to catch my breath. It breaks my heart. Ps she was a smoker.
she is afraid to ask her doctor for something else for fear he will give her bad news. I feel a nebulizer would really help her. If I could tell her that a doctor said a nebulizer could help i think I could convince her to tell her doctor the inhaler isn't working very well. She is deathly afraid he is going to put her on oxogen. My question is could a nebulizer work better for her than an inhaler. Thank you.
I can't imagine not being able to catch my breath. It breaks my heart. Ps she was a smoker.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Aug 14, 2005 12:00AM
, Aug 14, 2005 12:00AM
While most individuals can use and get benefit from inhalers, not everyone does. This is especially true of the elderly who may have trouble with coordination. Your mother should not avoid talking about this with her doctor, for fear of getting bad news and out of fear that she may need oxygen. It is much better that she should know the severity of her problem and know her choices.
Yes, a nebulizer might be helpful and would be worth a try. However, the most effective long-acting medicines for COPD all come as inhalers, such as Spiriva® HandiHaler® (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder), Serevent® Inhalation Aerosol (salmeterol xinafoate), Advair™ Diskus® (fluticasone/salmeterol) and Foradil® Aerolizer™ (formoterol fumarate inhalation powder). The first step is to have her doctor or his/her assistant work with your mother on her inhaler technique.
Yes, a nebulizer might be helpful and would be worth a try. However, the most effective long-acting medicines for COPD all come as inhalers, such as Spiriva® HandiHaler® (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder), Serevent® Inhalation Aerosol (salmeterol xinafoate), Advair™ Diskus® (fluticasone/salmeterol) and Foradil® Aerolizer™ (formoterol fumarate inhalation powder). The first step is to have her doctor or his/her assistant work with your mother on her inhaler technique.
Member Comments (2)
by Elaine7853, Sep 13, 2005 12:00AM
I am 59 yeas old and I have been COPD and Asthma for about 5 years now, I have been on the Nebulizer all this time, I can't tell it has helped me at all. I get my best releif from my Inhaler (Serevent). But the Nebulizer may help her where it didn't me. I have been on oxygen for 3 years, and tomorrow I have to start a cpap. My oxygen level continues to fall. It was 75/52.
