COPD FAQ

Is it common to treat clinical depression along with COPD?: COPD is a condition that effects the patients in whom it manifests in a number of different ways. Because COPD has such a detrimental effect on so many areas of your life then the body reacts in ways that may cause the patient to become depressed. The stress of not being able to take a full breath or anxiety of not knowing if you can climb a flight of stairs. Unfortunately these symptoms may actually make the COPD worse. Thankfully clinical depression is a treatable condition that can be managed with prescription medicines and a professional therapist.

I understand how COPD may get worse but what is the absolute worst case scenario?: Patients that do not seek treatment for their COPD or do not try to manage their COPD may run into a host of serious health problems. As the lungs begin to struggle to produce more oxygen in the bloodstream the heart tries to compensate by beating harder, causing significant strain to the body. The body can be trained to help fight those symptoms but for the most part oxygen treatments that increase the amount of O2 in the bloodstream is the only thing that can help.

There are procedures, such as a bullectomy that help for those COPD patients that have emphysema. The bullectomy removes the bullae from the lungs, which are small air sacs. By removing the bullae the oxygen can travel much easier into the larger pockets of the lung. Because of the emphysema these parts of the lung can become so enlarged that they may interfere with regular breathing.

My mother has COPD but wont quit smoking – she thinks it doesn’t matter.: Nothing could be farther from the truth, I promise. COPD is a condition that actually gets worse, gradually over time. Because it has the propensity to continue to escalating when there is foreign matter or fumes that can exacerbate the condition it is imperative to stop smoking. Now. Research has shown that even in the final and most dangerous stages of COPD that quitting smoking can have incredible results on the patients continued health and actually improve their overall condition.

What makes quitting smoking such a win-win is that quitting smoking in these days and times is so much easier than it was even a decade ago. Patches, gum, fake cigarettes, these are all great ways that can beat the habit and take back control of so many other areas of a patient’s life that their health will improve it’s almost suicidal not to stop – especially in the face of a condition such as COPD. Nothing could be better for your mom so I encourage you to take her to her doctor and have them explain just what exactly stopping smoking will mean for them.