I am a 56 years old woman and until almost 2 years ago worked full time as a server in a busy rest. I took off work to take care of an uncle who had asbestos related copd and chf. I did not take care of myself like I should have but did not have breathing problems then (not bad anyway) and I was smoking less than a pack a day. He passed away in Feb of 2009 and I went back to work. I could not do my job anymore because I could not breathe. I went and had a breathing test and only had 40% lung function. I was floored!!!! I go to the same Dr. now that I did at that time although I went to a Pulmonoligist to get the tests done. MY Dr never had mentioned COPD? Never talked to me and still I have a hard time getting him to talk about this. I take all kinds of breathing medicine that he gives me and also I am on 3 liters of oxgyen. I try to manage myself and haven't been to another Dr, because I have terrible insurance that only allows 7 visits a year and he helps me with samples because I have only 1500.00 limit on meds. I don't know what to do but I feel cheated!!! He will not discuss surgery or any options that I may have with me?? Help me understand please? Pattie
Q: I'm also stage IV COPD. I do housework still/try to exercise by doing that. Is that a good thing?
Hi Pattie... Sorry to hear you're struggling. Sounds as though your diagnosis must have been pretty devastating. If you check out the various posts that both Jane Martin and I have done on this site, I think you'll find a lot of helpful information.
I know you feel as though you want to stick with your doctor, but he is doing you a grave disservice. You have a right to answers and information. I encourage you to confront your doctor and to demand that he interact with you about your COPD. And if he still refuses, then DO consider changing doctors. Your health depends on getting good medical care.
Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself!
Kathi
Oh also, to answer the question in your title, yes, exercise is a great thing to keep doing when you have COPD. It'll help your lungs stay as strong as they can, given your disease. It's also healthy for your body in many other ways. So stay as active as you can, without getting too short of breath. Over time, you might have to scale it back, but still keep doing what you can, even if that just means a walk out to the mailbox or exercising in a chair.
To your health,
Kathi
Hi Pat... So sorry to hear what you're going through. It doesn't help that you don't feel good about your doctor, but only you can determine when you've had enough and if you want to seek out a different physician. I doubt that seeing a lawyer about it is the answer though. But that's your choice.
On the pain, there is no way I can determine what might be causing it, with your complex history. Could be related to one or more of your conditions. Hopefully, your upcoming medical evals will help figure it all out.
I wanted to say something about methadone though. When my mom's doctor put her on it a few years ago, I was incensed. My viewpoint was, first it was an opiate (heavy duty drug) and second, it was a drug used to get people off of addictions to heroin and the like. But I'm a researcher, so I went to the Web and started looking into it and I found that methadone is often used as a pain medication. My mom is on a very small dose these days (5mg in the AM, 2.5 mg at bedtime), but it's enough to control her pain, which we don't really know the cause of, perhaps arthritis. It's the only thing that has worked without making her totally loopy.
I won't say it has no effect on her mental status, but she does still function. So, it might be something you'd want to try at a low dose. If you do try it, though, do so with a precise schedule from the doctor. You can't just start and stop methadone, or only take it as needed. If you do that, it'll make you sick. You have to build up slowly, and then if you want to come off it, you have to taper down very slowly.
Just my two cents...
Hang in,
Kathi
There is hope although most people prefer not to talk to your Dr. about disability this if approved will help greatly with your med. costs and widen your availabitly of care and med. coverage you can get started by calling or doing the forms online and the rest will be done by appts and by your dr.And always be UNAFRAID to talk to your dr and ask many questions that what they are there for.ANd what ever you do if you are smoking stop it will realy help you!It gave extra time and a bit less trouble in the morning with the terrible coughing the disability is also how we got a larger care coverage to help with all the expences of this disease.Good luck to you.
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Hi Kathi
Hi there, Hope that your day is going well. I wanted to let you know that although I have not found another Dr to see as of yet, I did make my Dr, sit down with me for a minute or 2 and hope that I got through to him on my worries. I woke up one morning a couple of weeks ago screaming and crying with pain in my neck left side, it scared my friend who was asleep in her, room half to death. I don't know why, (still don't) but when I called my Dr. he sent me for the reg, xrays "again" which shows noting most of the time. He could not see why other than we already know that I have degen. disks. He has never done a bone scan though I have mentioned it on several different occasions. I wanted an MRI CT scan or something that would show why?? Sooo, He put me in the hospital for an MRI for 2days, Oh and the tech said that she couldn't get a good picture. but maybe it was good enough, he also said after the first reg xrays that maybe we call in Neurosurgeon?? I don't know why he said that?? after the MRI he came in my room and said that there were numerous nodules on my thyroid, Could that cause that kind of pain? He said he saw nothing that would cause that severe of pain. The pain is now just every now and then and not nearly as severe as that morning, but it did last for several days. I just want some relief,. That is all I want. I am to the point that even walking to the bathroom I am out of breath and trying to do anything is no use. I go Monday for a full Doppler and ultra sound of my neck and arteries. I am looking for a pulmonary and heart Dr that I can get in to see soon, will keep you updated. I don't believe that I am getting adequate care, or attention that I should be getting from a Dr that I have been seeing for so long, over 8 years. I take Lora tabs for pain and have been taking them for years becasue of a back injury years ago, and degenerate disk disease. I have asked him to see if there was somethng that I could take that may not be as harmful to my liver but he says that I don't need anything else, I have been to his office in tears, I don't want morphine, he said morphine pump. or Methadone, I want to be able to function, wash a dish. something. I am not trying to get high, I am sick, what is wrong with him??? Please help me to know what to do. I am scared alone and not being taken care of by the one person that I THOUGHT WOULD My Doctor!!
I cannot afford to go to an attorney to see if I have any legal rights. I know that I should have been told a long time ago that I had COPD not adult Asthma, but I wasn't. thanks for your prompt reply