Living with Emphysema: What are the next steps?

God! God only knows where this is going to end up or if anyone’s even going to bother reading it, because honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how this whole forum thing works, but whatever, let's just dive in.
I'm looking for anyone who actually understands emphysemahttp://www.mayoclinic.org/?section...lesti&bid=42-0 because my mom was recently diagnosed and, man, we are absolutely reeling. For years, doctors just gave us the runaround because they couldn't pin anything down, and now that they finally have an answer, they aren't being much help beyond handing out prescriptions and scheduling more checkups. The real question is: nobody can tell us how to actually *live* with this? My mom and our whole family are going through hell right now. I'm positive there's a way to manage this and live a semi-normal life, but how? I have no clue. It would mean the world if my mom could talk to someone who's actually dealing with this, and honestly, the rest of us need some kind of roadmap on how to handle everything. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I really hope someone reaches out. Best,

That is essentially one manifestation of COPD, which refers to lung diseases most frequently triggered by smoking. I assume your doctors have already emphasized that quitting smoking is absolutely critical; otherwise, the situation will only continue to deteriorate. Regarding medication, various bronchodilators are typically used, along with corticosteroids in specific instances, and other drugs depending on the circumstances—such as antibiotics or mucolytics. One should definitely avoid antitussives, which are cough suppressants. There are additional treatment modalities reserved for more severe cases, but we won't get bogged down in those details right now. If your mother doesn't smoke and is relatively young, she should certainly be tested for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and she ought to stay up to date with her flu vaccinations.

I happened to be browsing the forums the other day when I came across your post. I wanted to reach out because I’d really like to offer some advice and help my mother out as well. I have been living with UC for 15 years now, and at 45, it’s become a major part of my life.
It certainly isn't easy. Everything really hinges on how quickly you can get an inflammation under control, so I suppose the most critical thing is just preventing those flares from happening in the first place. Personally, I manage that through regular drainage procedures. Please send me a message once you see this; I am actually looking for someone to exchange experiences with so we might be able to support one another. Best regards, dustyharbor132

It’s a shame this thread was shut down—I suspect there are plenty of people dealing with this condition, much like those facing HBV, who could really benefit from sharing their experiences.