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COPD opinion needed
My father 68 years old was diagnosed with COPD 2 years back and he stopped smoking at all. He has never gone through the spirometer test. According to doctor he was around 40% of the lung capacity on March 2013 with Oxygen Saturation 92-94 after severe exacerbation and was on 5 days vent (intubation). We thought he has gone because the doctor was very pessimistic. The miracle was he has survived. After that incident he listened to our advice to see the specialist doctor. The doctor offered him Advair 500/50, Spriva and Roflumilast. He was having a very good time for about 7 months ++. He was able to drive and hang out with friends. On November this year he had another severe exacerbation and he was not on vent and hospitalized for a week. He complained severe shortness of breath, cough up with thick sputum and his oxygen saturation dropped to 80++. After he had discharged from hospital the oxygen saturation was back to 92 – 94 for few days. He looks better and able to do some activities by his own like preparing drink, walking even driving and taking shower. The blood oxygen saturation sample has shown 93%. Last few days, he kept complaining congestion of lung and the discomfort which was running everywhere from back to front, dyspnea increased, abdominal discomfort and chest tight with no cough and sputum. The oxygen saturation had dropped again to 89 – 92%. We have out of mind how to help him right now. My questions are below hope doctor can give me some of your advice.
1) What do you expect under his current condition? What might be the possible causes?
2) Do you think we should offer him O2 therapy?
3) Does his condition now is the sign for onset of exacerbation?
4) What is the life expectancy for him under your many years’ experiences only for our reference?
5) Should he be hospitalized?
Thank you very much
1) What do you expect under his current condition? What might be the possible causes?
2) Do you think we should offer him O2 therapy?
3) Does his condition now is the sign for onset of exacerbation?
4) What is the life expectancy for him under your many years’ experiences only for our reference?
5) Should he be hospitalized?
Thank you very much
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You ask: We have out of mind how to help him right now. My questions are below hope doctor can give me some of your advice.
1) What do you expect under his current condition? What might be the possible causes?
2) Do you think we should offer him O2 therapy?
3) Does his condition now is the sign for onset of exacerbation?
4) What is the life expectancy for him under your many years’ experiences only for our reference?
5) Should he be hospitalized?
What you describe is obviously a dreadful experience for your father. It suggests that he has severe COPD and that his steady state lung function is on the borderline between adequate and not quite adequate enough to satisfy his body's respiratory needs. The latter would be classified as an exacerbation and should be treated as such..The cause may be infectious or non-infectious inflammation of his airways.
Many factors must be taken into consideration with any prediction of life expectancy, including the measured severity of impaired lung function, heart function and his general health. This and your question regarding the need for hospitalization are questions best answered by a lung specialist, capable of assessing the severity and reversibility of his lung impairment. If he is currently not being seen and evaluated by a lung specialist (pulmonologist) I strongly suggest that you arrange for that second opinion.
He may well need continuous supplemental oxygen when in a clinically stable state and definitely needs it when his oxygen saturation falls below 90%. Supplemental oxygen, even with a saturation of 90% or higher, can sometimes be helpful as it can lower the work of breathing and the shortness of breath associated with it.
Good luck
1) What do you expect under his current condition? What might be the possible causes?
2) Do you think we should offer him O2 therapy?
3) Does his condition now is the sign for onset of exacerbation?
4) What is the life expectancy for him under your many years’ experiences only for our reference?
5) Should he be hospitalized?
What you describe is obviously a dreadful experience for your father. It suggests that he has severe COPD and that his steady state lung function is on the borderline between adequate and not quite adequate enough to satisfy his body's respiratory needs. The latter would be classified as an exacerbation and should be treated as such..The cause may be infectious or non-infectious inflammation of his airways.
Many factors must be taken into consideration with any prediction of life expectancy, including the measured severity of impaired lung function, heart function and his general health. This and your question regarding the need for hospitalization are questions best answered by a lung specialist, capable of assessing the severity and reversibility of his lung impairment. If he is currently not being seen and evaluated by a lung specialist (pulmonologist) I strongly suggest that you arrange for that second opinion.
He may well need continuous supplemental oxygen when in a clinically stable state and definitely needs it when his oxygen saturation falls below 90%. Supplemental oxygen, even with a saturation of 90% or higher, can sometimes be helpful as it can lower the work of breathing and the shortness of breath associated with it.
Good luck
Thanks Justthefactsmam,
My father is now at home. He told me over the phone the oxygen had back to 91 - 95 level at rest will drop to 80++ when doing exercise. He was still coughing a bit but now able to go out for food by his own. Only one thing he still kept complaining was the pain from chest to abdominal. Just curious is that pain was the impact after exacerbation?
My father is now at home. He told me over the phone the oxygen had back to 91 - 95 level at rest will drop to 80++ when doing exercise. He was still coughing a bit but now able to go out for food by his own. Only one thing he still kept complaining was the pain from chest to abdominal. Just curious is that pain was the impact after exacerbation?
Oh, one machine that is used in a hospital pushes air into the lungs when it is difficult for the patient to inhale. I was on that machine for two days until the antibiotics had improved my condition. That machine is called something like a "C-PAP" or a "M-PAP." It is not intubation.
He should see his doctor as soon as he begins having difficulty. It doesn't mean he is about to die, but he may have a respiratory illness that requires treatment -- and if left untreated, could cause further damage or even death. He may need antibiotics or an oxygen concentrator -- a machine that separates oxygen from nitrogen in the air and gives the patient extra oxygen -- for a while or while he sleeps at night. My doctor doesn't like his patients to be on a machine that helps them breathe, either. However, there are many treatments that could help him over a difficult period and return him to the state he was in earlier. You just don't wait to take him to the doctor, preferably a specialist.
Sorry doctor something to add on.
My father's doctor commented the intubation will probably cut short the life of a patient by half. Do you agree on that?
My father's doctor commented the intubation will probably cut short the life of a patient by half. Do you agree on that?
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