Announcing Heike

[Heike]

Greetings all, my name is Heike, I'm 64, married, originally from Germany (Berlin), living today in Texas.

As of today, it's official. My sister Petra, 66, has been diagnosed with Stage 1 COPD. So I'm here getting smart on COPD not only for her, but also because I feel I might be next (yes, I'm a smoker, ). Anyway, she'll be going back to the doc tomorrow, to get supplied with inhalers. Next week, she's going in for a sleep study, to determine if a CPAP will help her. She also plans tomorrow to get an E-Cig, and start cutting back on the amount of "real" cigarettes that she smokes. I'll follow-up in a few days once we know more.

[Cherylmcc]

Hi Heike - Welcome

I’m sorry to hear that your sister has COPD. I really hope that she can quit smoking. It really is very important. The inhalers will help her to breathe easier. Please keep us updated.

[kenaz]

Welcome Heike, I hope you will find some information and help. We are told that if we quit smoking that our lungs will do some repair of damage done. I was diagnosed End Stage 6/27/2002, doctors are quite befuddled since I should have had only 2-3 years to live. Today I am breathing well (on good days) and on bad days I am thankful for an air conditioned home to rest in. I am still very active but I do have rest breaks scheduled and when I don't rest my lungs and body react in an unfriendly manner. CPAP is a real blessing and I use 02 through it. Whenever I rest, II use the CPAP and 02 to recharge, I also sleep with it. I take Singular at night, Spiriva in the morning and Advair 500/50 morning and evening. I use Xopenex as a rescue inhaler and through the Nebulizor when needed, I also use Asmanex (an inhaled steroid) when my lungs are real tight. I have not used 02 for about 7 years except above 5,000' and through the CPAP when I lay down. I live in the desert so it is a major problem but I just started using Charcoal Filters in our furnace which helped greatly. I lost my sense of smell and taste 2 1/1 yrs ago due to a concussion so I need to be extra vigilant of my surroundings as I can no longer smell the triggers till my lungs are burning, which is real touchy. I have also developed severe Asthma so I get Xolair shots every 2 weeks.

This is the medical plan l,have been worked out by numerous doctors over the past 17 years and I follow it very closely however the very best advice I could give; QUIT SMOKING! I quit the day I got the diagnosis and thank God haven't had the desire for another cigarette since and I had been a heavy smoker for 40 years. Also be aware of environmental conditions and use caution when enjoying the great out doors.

This is how I maintain my health and our doctors cannot help us if we won't work to help ourselves. I wish you and your sister the very best and I will hold you both up in prayer.

Blessings, Ken

[Heike]

Thank you, Cheryl.

She's 7 hours ahead of me, so her day is almost over. Right off the bat, none of us became smokers overnight, so she won't become an ex-smoker overnight either. It might take months, if it even happens. But she is taking to the E-Cig fairly well. It's no substitute for the real thing, but it helps reduce cravings, and helps to reduce the number of real cigarettes she smokes. She's normally 2 PPD, she thinks today, her first day, will be just less than 1.5 packs. They also agreed to keep smoking limited to the kitchen and balcony (something I do, plus my office-room); BIL is also a smoker, so up to now, they've both smoked throughout the entire apartment, and have been breathing each other's second-hand smoke all day. For now, it's day-by-day.

[Heike]

Thank you, Ken. My husband is a CPAP user, not a smoker, but because of real obstructive sleep apmea. It took him a long time to get used to it, and he was snoring like a freight train before he got it (which was causing our marriage huge problems), but now that he's used to it, he won't sleep without it, and when he travels, he takes it, no matter how much of a nuisance it is.

[kenaz]

I am so glad that you are doing research and waging war, information is power. My wife would wake me up and tell me to breathe and I snored like a freight train. Our daughter has moved back home and I have a swing out under a tree for her to go and smoke. I will be cheering you and your sister on as you fight the battle.

[sue]

Hi and welcome!
A good diet and exercise also helps. I walked for 90 min a day. It took a bit to work up to that tho. I lost my husband 6 months ago so stopped walking and it has affected my breathing so i need to get motivated to start back up again.

[Heike]

Jul 25, 2019 23:00:39 GMT -5 sue said:

Hi and welcome!
A good diet and exercise also helps. I walked for 90 min a day. It took a bit to work up to that tho. I lost my husband 6 months ago so stopped walking and it has affected my breathing so i need to get motivated to start back up again.

Thank you, Sue. I'm terribly sorry for your loss.

My husband and I have been making it a point to do this at least twice during the work week, and both days on weekends. A good one-hour walk really pays off.

[Heike]

Thanks for the support and the kind notes. We're both staunch Christians (even though we acknowledge that smoking is a sin), so that has been very comforting for us. We both got E-cigs, and set goals, to cut our smoking in half. I made my goal for now, I'm at 10 real cigarettes a day, I shoot for at least an hour between cigarettes, and vape in-between. I vape the myBlu with Tobacco Intense pods (3.6%). Petra is halfway there, down from 40 cigarettes a day to 30 a day. I now firmly believe that there's more than nicotine in cigarettes that keeps us hooked; the myBlu is less than 100% satisfying. But, I've taken to it quite well. Since I'm smoking fewer cigarettes, I've decided to switch to longer cigarettes, Virginia Slims 120's. Tomorrow when I buy my carton will be the first time ever I've bought a carton for myself that didn't say Marlboro on the side. But I won't be saying good-bye to my Marb reds 100's; that's what I'll be going back to when I fly to Germany in October. My husband is still planning to come with me for two weeks, but I'll be staying an extra month on top of the month I already planned to stay. And Petra insists she still wants her Newports when we come. So that's how goes it, taking it day by day.

[sue]

I quit cold Turkey and after the first couple wks it got a whole lot easier and i don't miss it. I love having extra money. I quit in 2005

[kenaz]

I know the manufacturers and marketing companies are saying e-cigs are safe but I have been reading reports of harm due to super heated smoke and also a whole list of chemicals used in different mixtures. Like Sue, I quit cold turkey and after a few weeks I didn't think of them. I do chew tooth picks and chewing gum, just having something to keep my mouth occupied. We are also staunch Christians and I know it is damage and defilement to the Temple of Holy Spirit. I quit because I couldn't breathe but my wife had a different experience. She really had trouble quitting so every time she wanted a cigarette she would pray till the craving went away. After she had not smoked for many months, she said God impressed on her mind that through this deliverance she realized cigarettes had become her god. when she was worried, stressed or otherwise troubled, she would turn to cigarettes rather than God.
We are all different and we all have a journey we walk through this life but we care for one another and by sharing maybe someone can grab onto something useful for themselves. That is what this forum is all about.

I do applaud you for your desire to make better health choices and I will continue to hold you and Petra up in prayer.