I have pretty intense COPD, have to have the hose in the nose so I can

[WCGreen]

get enough O2.

Walgreen's contacted me tonight telling me that the Swine Flu Vaccine was probably going to be in by the middle of October. They said they would make sure I would get a shot since I am right smack in the middle of High Risk.

This particular store has had the same folks working there for over four-five years.

They really go out of their way to make the people feel like it really is a neighborhood pharmacy.

The other part of the store, not so much, but it is nice to find a pharmacy department that looks out for it's customers.

I was impressed.

[MrMickeysMom]

1. Breathe easy, WC...

I was a home care respiratory therapist before weaving into many other areas of the field. My heart always goes out to someone with COPD.

If you need any good pulmonary hygiene tips, I'm your girl... :-)

[WCGreen]

3. I'm going on six years now...

Have a very good pulmonary regime using a pneumatic vest that pounds my best like the old respiratory therapists use to do. Take a hole mess of pills.

We got rid of all the carpeting except for one room, lamented floors.

Any tips would be appreciated...

[eleny]

9. Good for you on getting the carpets out

We did the same since hubby has allergies and carpets trap so much junk. We went with laminate and I find them so easy to clean.

One other thing we did was change the insulation in the attic (our house is a ranch). The pink stuff and blown in stuff made his throat feel raspy. I found insulation made from recycled blue jeans. Now hubs feels so much better.

Keep up the good work! :hug:

[MrMickeysMom]

15. Sounds like you have the type ...

of COPD whereby you produce more secretions (perhaps chronic bronchitis?).

Remember, water throughout the day is a good thing to keep that stuff loose and mobile. Then, the way you take inhalers (IF you take them) should be something you know well. I don't know if you are taking any long acting bronchodilators that you inhale, but if you are taking things like Advair, Spiriva, or other metered dose inhalers, it's good to know how to enhance that technique to get the best out of these drugs when you dose yourself.

Smaller more frequent meals (graze!) is better than to fill your belly all at once and restrict your diaphragm.

Strength training (resistance bands, or smaller dumbells) are good to increase your upper arm strength. You should coordinate your activities of daily living with "the breath". It's not so much that the inhalation is the problem, but the exhalation. So, when you breathe out while moving, think of slow down the exhale by using "pursed lips".

If you already know this stuff... Good on you! :hi:

[WCGreen]

19. Some great tips....

I take this really cool drug they worked out for CF people. It's called Tobi and it is an inhaled anti-biotic that is specifically designed to battle the most typical bug that settles in with the junk in the lungs.

I had a fairly bad summer but that was because we were remodeling and also because it has been really wet.

I was on the transplant list but I stabilized after a bad case of ARDS in 2004...

[MrMickeysMom]

23. I wondered...

I said, "hmmm... sounds like it could be CF" before settling for chronic bronchitis guess.

Yeah, you need the vest and the Tobi, taking lots of the triggers out of the environment, and if your summer had as much rain as we did here in PA, no wonder, with the molds going nuts!

Glad to hear you've bounced back so well. You should probably have a PFT (spirometry) every 6 months to a year, depending on what your year's been like (AND... of course, insurance!)

Take care!

[WCGreen]

26. I forgot to mention that I monitor stats with a Pulse Ox which really

allows me to tailer my medical regime.

[Trajan]

7. I have some questions ...

I am 'mild' COPD from smoking 34 plus years - I have generally quit (Nicotine Gum), but I occasionally smoke a few if I go out ....

When I exert myself, I run out of air pretty fast .... I do have a prescription for QVAR and another inhaler I cannot recall, and
while they do help, they are expensive and I want to avoid them if possible ...

Is there any specific therapy or process that can help restore air capacity ?

Any specific exercise ? .. Yoga ? .... Exertion until out of breath ?

What works and what doesnt so much ?

[MrMickeysMom]

21. You know what I'm gonna say, don't you? :-)

Yes, you have to quit em. The loss of elastic fibers (if you have lost it in the airways) will progress if you don't put those things down.

I think Yoga is great, but you have to match your movements with your breathing, and not keep up with what someone else in the class is doing.

Of all the techniques to quit, I actually think "cold turkey" is as effective as anything, and if your use a bronchodilator (Ventolin, Proventil are short acting) or a steroid like QVAR or Flovent, you should get the technique down for using them and use a device in between your lips and the drug called a "spacer".

"Sniff and Blow" is a technique for increasing your endurance. You should use it when walking, climbing stairs and general exerting. Inhale (sniff) and exhale (blow through pursed lips). If you've ever seen those big weight lifters getting those gargantuan over their heads in the Olympics, you'll see them use the same technique. Modify that in ordinary walking and you'll ventilate better.

[WCGreen]

22. I quit smoking 24 years ago and after trying all the other techniques, I just quit.

that's what worked for me.

[Trajan]

31. Of course I knew ....

I smoke, on average, 1 cigarette a week .... It's actually like 4 cigs per month, smoked in one sitting ... then quit again for another 4 weeks or so ...

I know the 'Policrilex' gum has enough nicotine to keep me hooked, but I think I am close to just letting them go .... Then I understand it takes about 72 hours to 'cleanse' the system of nicotine, after which the desire to 'use' nicotine will diminish until it almost disappears ... I just have been too chicken to let go ....

The 'sniff and blow' is reminiscent of the 'cleansing breath' from Lamaze class ... inhale nose, exhale mouth ... I am OK walking: It's during more vigorous exertion, like running or climbing steps that I take a few breaks ....

Thanks for your response ... I am sure I am not the only person benefiting from your wise words ...

Thanks ....

[virgogal]

2. That is so nice to hear. Personal attention is so rare these days.

[Skittles]

4. hey you get that shot, WCGreen

or...shots is it? I'd like to get one but think the prioritization method used is good

[WCGreen]

5. It's only one shot.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Good for you

I need to call the clinic to see when they will have the flu clinics on.

[appamado amata padam]

8. Good -

it is refreshing, and (sadly) a surprise now, when workers in big chains go out of their way to help.

Best to you, and Peace.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

10. How old are you?

[WCGreen]

12. 51...

[wroberts189]

13. You know what your blood pressure is? high or low is good enough answer. nt

[WCGreen]

20. Pretty normal. 125/85

[wroberts189]

30. I am no doctor.....

But I would guess your weight is ok as well.

imho I think you will live a long life. My Grandmother was on a O2 tank for a while. Then did not need it. Lived to 82. Died from a stroke while making herself dinner. Raked the back yard till the end.

No one could stop her.

Exercise is good.. I am struggling on this myself.. but it releases certain chemicals. Make you feel good and gets you better as well. Is it ok for you to get out and fast walk a little everyday?

I hear morning is best for air quality. After a thunderstorm ..lots of ions ..clean air.

You have an indoor air cleaner? I have an electrostatic one from Sears .. its great ...easy to clean and does the job. Might help. Ions too.

I am totally going by mostly intuition here... check with Doc.

Good wishes too you.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

14. mmm, sorry, that's tough.

[wroberts189]

11. Walgreens is my store of choice as well ..but it depends on the local.

I wish you the best.

[Warpy]

16. I got a regular flu shot there today

It was given by a lady in a hijab. Nice gal, the phramacy manager.

I'll go back next month for the swine flu jab.

I love my part of town. It's diverse enough I don't miss that part about Boston.

Now if the laws would only be relaxed enough to allow street food and street musicians, I'd be a happy camper.

[Gman]

17. There's not a lot of them left anymore

that's the way it should be.

[snake in the grass]

18. saved for later

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. Your Walgreens is being very responsible...

I'm glad they're looking out for you...

:hug:

It's rare for any store to be that good.


K&R

[WCGreen]

25. Well, one could say that I am their profit margin...

But I have seen them treat others with the same respect and attention.

[marybourg]

27. Well ,you're lucky. At my Walgreens they seem to make a sport

of being disrespectful to elderly customers. Sold my shares of their stock and moved prescriptions to CVS. Not a whole lot smarter over there, but not so meanly nasty to the oldsters.

[Gulftrout]

28. Patrick Swayze

Died of pacreatic cancer brought on by smoker downers.

[Lisa0825]

29. Walgreen's was always very good to my mom too, so they earned my business...

and that was reinforced months ago when they announced that stores with clinics would be giving free visits to unemployed patients.