Breathing difficulties cause long-standing cough

January 24, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My wife has COPD/emphysema. She is under the care of a well-respected pulmonologist. He told her when she was first diagnosed that coughing would be a forever symptom of the disease. However, when she coughs, many times during the course of the day, she will cough for several minutes at a time while trying to loosen and bring up phlegm. We’ve discussed this issue with the pulmonologist and he recommended a decongestant/cough medicine like Robitussin DM. It doesn’t seem to help so I was wondering if you know of any home remedies that can better help loosen the phlegm and allow her to expel it. Thank you.

DEAR READER: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term to describe a group of lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
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Stem cell controversy abounds

July 7, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Is there any treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using stem cell research here in the United States or overseas? I’m interested.

DEAR READER: There are two types of stem cells: embryonic and adult. Embryonic cells are taken from fertilized eggs or aborted fetuses and have been found useful for medical research because they have the capability of producing cells for almost every tissue in the body. Adult cells are not as desirable because they are designated for specific cells such as blood, muscle, skin and intestines and are difficult to harvest. Oddly enough, “adult” is something of a misnomer because people of every age have them.
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Medication dosing can be frightening

January 13, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a relatively healthy 75-year-old female who leads an active lifestyle. I am concerned that my pulmonary doctor wants to increase my Advair intake from 100/50 to 500/50 because a recent lung infection test revealed a worsening. I am aware that the latest news is that Advair is not recommended for long-term care of asthma. I’ve been on the medication for about 12 years and want to get off it. I’ve not had to take albuterol for several years and do not wheeze unless I have a sinus infection with drainage that gets into my bronchial tubes. This usually happens two to four times a year.

The only medications I take are levothyroxine 0.05 and supplemental calcium, omega fish oil and vitamin D.
What do you recommend regarding the Advair? Do I follow the pulmonary doctor’s advice to increase it, or what?
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Is painful biopsy necessary for ex-smoker?

June 26, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 60-year-old female. After smoking for 40 years, I was finally able to stop. Now I suffer from many illnesses caused by my smoking — emphysema, asthma, COPD and bulla disease.

My white blood count has been high for years, and a year ago I was referred to an oncologist, who promptly performed a bone-marrow biopsy. My count has been in the 15,000 to 17,000 range but never higher than 22,000. The oncologist wants to do another biopsy. He doesn’t say exactly what he is looking for but implies that it might be leukemia.
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Plant worker suffers respiratory difficulties

May 26, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Can you give me an idea or guess the problem that I have, as no one has yet diagnosed it? It’s a breathing problem that seems to be getting worse, but slowly.

My breathing is shallow, and I often count 20 or more intakes per minute. I quit smoking 24 years ago, and the problem was not there then. My wife often hears my breath from another room, and my camcorder microphone picks it up easily. I have grown used to it and often don’t realize the noise I make.

I have had a series of laboratory tests that all say there is nothing, but this condition can’t be right. My doctor says I definitely don’t have asthma, and he doubts that it’s pulmonary hypertension, though after reading about it, I do have some of the symptoms that are mentioned.
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Emphysema patient seeks help

March 13, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m a 72-year-old female with emphysema. I am on level 3 oxygen 24/7. My medications are a Combivent inhaler, steroid inhaler and 300 milligrams of theophylline. Do you know of anything more that would help me breathe easier, either holistic or otherwise? Are there foods I should avoid or that I should eat?

DEAR READER: Emphysema results from damage to the airways of the lungs, obstructing the flow of air on exhalation. Symptoms are exercise intolerance, loss of appetite, fatigue and shortness of breath. The most common cause for the condition is smoking. Smoke temporarily paralyzes the cilia (microscopic hairs) that line the bronchial tubes. [Read more...]

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Medical device not proven effective

February 13, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My father, age 93, suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). I have read about a device called a “lung flute.” Can this device be used to help break up mucus and clear the lungs? I’ve enclosed a Web-site link to the company that makes it.
DEAR READER: The Web-site link directed me to the Lung Flute’s manufacturer. Based on the information there, it appears the product is cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for collecting diagnostic sputum samples. This means that, after a cursory review, the device was found to do what the maker said it did without causing unnecessary harm. FDA clearance does not establish whether a product or device is effective. [Read more...]

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Daily Column

August 12, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
I’m 82-years-old and have COPD. My problem is that I suffer from a rash on my legs from the knees down. My doctor says it doesn’t look like eczema, but like blood under the skin.

I had my blood checked to see if it is too thin, but that test was negative. A thyroid test was slightly low, but I haven’t talked to my doctor about that yet to see if there is a connection. My medications are Spiriva, Albuterol and Armour thyroid. I was previously on Symbicort, but it made my tongue swell and become raw, so I was switched to the Spiriva that doesn’t work as well. I’ve been on the thyroid medication for 50 years and expect to have to take it for the rest of my life.
I really would appreciate your input.

DEAR READER:
Your Spiriva prescription has an uncommon side effect of rash for a very few individuals. [Read more...]

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