No cure for COPD

There is currently no cure for COPD, although there are various treatments and/or options that can help reduce symptoms and prevent complications. The first step in COPD treatment is to quit smoking and learning to avoid lung irritants which can worsen the condition.In addition to quitting smoking, medications to help breathing such as bronchodilators, anticholinergic drugs, or corticosteroids may be prescribed. In some cases, where COPD is severe, supplementary oxygen may be beneficial. Oxygen is provided from an oxygen cylinder or concentrator and administered through oxygen mask or nasal tubing. Lastly, some patients with COPD can benefit from surgery where some of the damaged tissue is removed, allowing the healthy tissue to work better.

Natural Remedies
One of the common symptoms of COPD is the build up of excessive chest mucus and for this there are a number of homeopathic remedies that can help. Kali mur is one such ingredient and it is well known for its beneficial affects of the respiratory system and its ability to ease wet coughs. Similarly, Kali sulph is excellent at naturally treating phlegm coughs and sinus congestions, as well as reducing inflammation of the mucous membranes. Kali bich also works on soothing irritated mucous membranes, especially in the lungs, and helps loosen thick chest mucus.

Will know the test results on Monday the 10th of January!!

I will be going back to the University of Pennsylvania on January 10th to have a cat scan done on my lungs. This test will show how far my COPD has progress and what stage I am in with the COPD. It will also give the Doctors a better understanding of my COPD and they will make the decision to put me on the waiting list for the for a bi lateral lung transplant.

I should know from the Doctors of University of Pennsylvania hopefully by 3:30pm if I qualify or not. I know if I do qualify and have the operation, the road to recovery is long and I will need the support of my family and friends to get me though it. I am hoping that if I qualify it will be worth it and maybe then I will be able to breathe normal again.

Say a special prayer for me and for the doctors who are making a very life saving decision.

What Causes Cough in COPD?

A chronic cough that produces sputum or phlegm is a common sign of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. COPD is a lung condition that features problems with clogged airways and breathing difficulties. The condition is brought on by a combination of an excess secretion of mucus and an inflammation of the breathing airways. A chronic cough is often the first symptom noticed by people with COPD. How Your Respiratory System Works
Your respiratory system cleans itself and keeps you healthy by filtering out dust and other foreign particles inhaled while you are breathing. A protective layer of mucus covers the walls of the respiratory system. The mucus traps harmful substances, making it easy for the body to get rid of them. Tiny hairs known as cilia lining the walls move back and forth, pushing everything toward the nose and mouth where they can be expelled with a noisy burst of air. This is the cough mechanism in action.
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What Smoking Does
Smoking overwhelms your body's normal ability to clear out toxins. According to the Merck Manual, cigarette smoke is the main cause of COPD. The many hazardous substances in cigarettes irritate the airways and create inflammation. The lungs produce an overabundance of mucus, and the walls of the lungs become thick and swollen. Smoking also injures the cilia in the lungs and impairs their ability to move out the extra mucus and foreign particles. The mucus pools and clogs the lungs. The narrowed passageways make it difficult to breathe.
Treatment for Coughing and COPD
COPD causes permanent and progressive damage to the airways. The disease is treatable, but there is no cure. However, quitting smoking will slow the progression of the disease and reduce the coughing. If the condition progresses unchecked, the repeated coughing may become severely disabling. It will eventually take longer to recover from the attacks, decreasing the quality of life. Treatment of COPD includes drug and oxygen therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, enhancement of nutrition and pulmonary rehabilitation.

I have no "reserve" for holding my breath

I am a former smoker and Pharmaceutical industry person. I have COPD which limits the elasticity of lung tissue. I trying to build myself back up by swimming a half or to walk a mile a day in the pool. I have just discovered that i need to work even harder to go though the lung operation and I am trying to make my body stronger by going to rehab and swimming classes every day.
The problem is that I have no "reserve" for holding my breath for any length of time. I've tried meditation, deep breathing prior to swimming and just about anything else that I can think of including the Power Lung. After less than 10 seconds, I'm out and it's difficult to build up a cushion again.
Is there any workable exercises or tips that I can use to increase my lung power? Any help would be appreciated. If this has been covered before, I apologize.

“I am not strong enough for the operation”.

Today I went to the University of Pennsylvania to find out if I am qualified for a double lung transplant.




The news was not what I had hoped. But then again, it wasn’t the worst news either. I was told by Dr. Lee since I have been in the hospital so much this pass month “I am not strong enough for the operation”. Dr. Lee however, is given me I guess you can say a second chance. For the next month and half I have to loss a few pounds, stay out of the hospital if possible and gain my strength back. Dr. Lee said if I had the operations today in my current condition I most likely would not survive.


I know this news is not the best or what I had hoped for but I have not given up my fight for the Lung Transplantation. I would hope that everybody sees this as a second chance and I will strive to reach my goals that Dr. Lee wants.

Testing is over for Now!! Now we wait for the out come on 09/27/2010

Testing is over for Now!! Now we wait for the out come.
What happens after my pre-transplant evaluation?
At the end of your pre-transplant evaluation, and after the test results are complete, the Lung Transplant Team will meet to jointly discuss whether or not a lung transplant is the appropriate treatment for you. The transplant coordinator will then notify you of the Team’s decision.
Please understand that abnormal test results might require further investigation. The goal of pre-transplant testing is to ensure that you will be able to undergo the transplant surgery and recover without any significant risk of complications.If you are approved and are going to be placed on the organ waiting list, the transplant coordinator will tell you what you need to do while you wait for your transplant. This has been the longest ten months of my life, I'll fined out on September 27th 2010 from Dr. Lee team if i made it on the list.

Three major Tests in three weeks from today.

What is the test?
The ventilation-perfusion scan is a nuclear scan so named because it studies both airflow (ventilation) and blood flow (perfusion) in the lungs. The initials V-Q are used in mathematical equations that calculate airflow and blood flow. The test is used primarily to help diagnose a blood clot in the lungs, called a pulmonary embolus.
Today, ventilation-perfusion scans are rarely performed because a chest CT scan is a much more accurate diagnostic test for detecting a pulmonary embolus.
How do I prepare for the test?
About one hour before the test, a technician places an IV in your arm. A slightly radioactive version of the mineral technetium mixed with liquid protein is injected through the IV to identify areas of the lung that have reduced blood flow.
What happens when the test is performed?
The test is performed in the radiology department of a hospital or in an outpatient facility. You are asked to put on a hospital gown. Once you are ready, multiple pictures of your chest are taken from different angles, using a special camera that detects the radionuclide. For half of these pictures, you are asked to breathe from a tube that has a mixture of air, oxygen, and a slightly radioactive version of a gas called xenon, which can be detected by the camera, and which measures airflow in different parts of the lung. For the other half of the pictures, the camera tracks the injected radionuclide to determine blood flow in different parts of the lung. A blood clot is suspected in areas of the lung that have good airflow but poor blood flow. Except for the minor discomfort of having the IV placed, the test is painless. It usually takes less than one hour.
What risks are there from the test?
Many people worry when they hear that the liquid and gas used in this test are slightly radioactive. In truth, the radioactivity you are exposed to in this test is so small that there are no side effects or complications, unless you are pregnant.
Must I do anything special after the test is over?
No.
How long is it before the result of the test is known?
The results are usually available within a few hours, because the test is done primarily when you are suspected of having a potentially life-threatening condition (pulmonary embolus). The Second test is An arterial blood gas (ABG) test measures the acidity (pH) and the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood from an artery. This test is used to check how well your lungs are able to move oxygen into the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
As blood passes through your lungs, oxygen moves into the blood while carbon dioxide moves out of the blood into the lungs. An ABG test uses blood drawn from an artery, where the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels can be measured before they enter body tissues. An ABG measures:
• Partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2). This measures the pressure of oxygen dissolved in the blood and how well oxygen is able to move from the airspace of the lungs into the blood.
• Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2). This measures how much carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood and how well carbon dioxide is able to move out of the body.
• pH. The pH measures hydrogen ions (H+) in blood. The pH of blood is usually between 7.35 and 7.45. A pH of less than 7.0 is called acid and a pH greater than 7.0 is called basic (alkaline). So blood is slightly basic.
• Bicarbonate (HCO3). Bicarbonate is a chemical (buffer) that keeps the pH of blood from becoming too acidic or too basic.
• Oxygen content (O2CT) and oxygen saturation (O2Sat) values. O2 content measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. Oxygen saturation measures how much of the hemoglobin in the red blood cells is carrying oxygen (O2).
Blood for an ABG test is taken from an artery. Most other blood tests are done on a sample of blood taken from a vein, after the blood has already passed through the body's tissues where the oxygen is used up and carbon dioxide is produced.
Why It Is Done
An arterial blood gas (ABG) test is done to:
• Check for severe breathing problems and lung diseases, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• See how well treatment for lung diseases is working.
• Find out if you need extra oxygen or help with breathing (mechanical ventilation).
• Find out if you are receiving the right amount of oxygen when you are using oxygen in the hospital.
• Measure the acid-base level in the blood of people who have heart failure, kidney failure, uncontrolled diabetes, sleep disorders, severe infections, or after a drug overdose.
How To Prepare
Tell your doctor if you:
• Have had bleeding problems or take blood thinners, such as aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin).
• Are taking any medicines.
• Are allergic to any medicines, such as those used to numb the skin (anesthetics).
If you are on oxygen therapy, the oxygen may be turned off for 20 minutes before the blood test. This is called a "room air" test. If you cannot breathe without the oxygen. The last test is What is cardiac catheterization? This is a procedure to examine blood flow to the heart and test how well the heart is pumping. A doctor inserts a thin plastic tube (catheter) (KATH'eh-ter) into an artery or vein in the arm or leg. From there it can be advanced into the chambers of the heart or into the coronary arteries.
This test can measure blood pressure within the heart and how much oxygen is in the blood. It's also used to get information about the pumping ability of the heart muscle. Catheters are also used to inject dye into the coronary arteries. This is called coronary angiography (an"je-OG'rah-fe) or coronary arteriography (ar-te"re-OG'rah-fe). Catheters with a balloon on the tip are used in the procedure called coronary angioplasty (commonly referred to as percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]). Catheterization of the heart may also be done on infants and children to examine for congenital (kon-JEN'ih-tal) heart defects. And then on Sept 27,2010 I will be see Dr Lee at 1:30pm to see if i pass all the test.