Very Weird but Very Wonderful
Mar. 25th, 2015 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisSo the breathing test sucked. It nearly killed me. It took me a full hour to recover. BUT, the effort was, apparently, totally worth it.
Turns out, since my last test, 4 years ago, my lung function has gotten substantially better! Really!! And, no, I don't understand it either.
The last test was just after a 6 week bout of pneumonia and before I ever took any breathing drugs and before I started swimming laps. I also learned that "we kind of expect people with COPD to get hit with a cold/pneumonia/bronchitis a couple of times a year." I haven't had any of that in 4 years.
I was led to believe 4 years ago that my lung function would only deteriorate from here on out.
Apparently we're singing a new tune now. Which is fine by me. The doctor suggested that we remove steroids from the drugs I inhale daily. (Yeah! I can now do professional sports!!) And then he asked me if I wanted to try a new drug that would replace both my twice a day inhaler and my other inhaler with one single inhaler for one dose a day. DUH! Sign me up, please. He said he wasn't sure my insurance would go for it, but let's give it a try. And keep swimming and come back to see him in 3 months. And, I was done!!
He didn't say anything about the 20 minute walk a day. He didn't even ask me about it. But, clearly, it's making walking easier and so I will absolutely keep it up anyway. I had thought, before this doctor, that taxing my lungs might not be the best for them. Clearly that was wrong thinking.
Then down to the pharmacist. They had gotten a head start on the new inhaler but... didn't have any. Tomorrow. 11:30ish. BUT they were able to confirm that my insurance was fine with it. $3.60 is my copay.
Soooooo all in all, I think this morning was just one giant pile of VICTORY!!!
Turns out, since my last test, 4 years ago, my lung function has gotten substantially better! Really!! And, no, I don't understand it either.
The last test was just after a 6 week bout of pneumonia and before I ever took any breathing drugs and before I started swimming laps. I also learned that "we kind of expect people with COPD to get hit with a cold/pneumonia/bronchitis a couple of times a year." I haven't had any of that in 4 years.
I was led to believe 4 years ago that my lung function would only deteriorate from here on out.
Apparently we're singing a new tune now. Which is fine by me. The doctor suggested that we remove steroids from the drugs I inhale daily. (Yeah! I can now do professional sports!!) And then he asked me if I wanted to try a new drug that would replace both my twice a day inhaler and my other inhaler with one single inhaler for one dose a day. DUH! Sign me up, please. He said he wasn't sure my insurance would go for it, but let's give it a try. And keep swimming and come back to see him in 3 months. And, I was done!!
He didn't say anything about the 20 minute walk a day. He didn't even ask me about it. But, clearly, it's making walking easier and so I will absolutely keep it up anyway. I had thought, before this doctor, that taxing my lungs might not be the best for them. Clearly that was wrong thinking.
Then down to the pharmacist. They had gotten a head start on the new inhaler but... didn't have any. Tomorrow. 11:30ish. BUT they were able to confirm that my insurance was fine with it. $3.60 is my copay.
Soooooo all in all, I think this morning was just one giant pile of VICTORY!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2015-03-25 07:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2015-03-25 08:55 pm (UTC)Very good news indeed and I'm glad the new treatment won't cost you the earth
xx
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Date: 2015-04-04 02:54 am (UTC)Also the new lung doctor is a real gem. So overall good good news.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-04-05 02:24 am (UTC)After my mom moved in, we had to bring her to the hospital for a really bad flare-up. While there, the Dr had suggested a drug called Theophylline. He said it was kind of a 50/50 chance it would help improve her breathing but she was willing to try it. Unfortunately, she was in the 50% that it didn't help and by the next day, the side effects had hit her so badly that she thought she was dying of a heart attack. Back to the hospital we went, where they kept her overnight for observation while the drug worked it's way back out of her system.
Even though these medicines have been "approved," sometimes I think that we're still all lab rats.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-04-05 02:26 am (UTC)