Feelings It always helps to vent! If you or your caregiver would like to write about how you really feel about any aspect of chronic lung disease, we will credit you with a year’s membership. Please send to: The Pulmonary Paper, PO Box 877, Ormond Beach, FL 32175. Memories: Having lived with COPD for…
Respiratory News Cipla, a pharmaceutical company based in India, has introduced Triohale, the first triple combination inhaler. Triohale combines three medicines that are recommended for use in people with COPD. It contains a long-acting anticholinergic–Tiotropium (brand name Spiriva), a long-acting beta-2-agonist–Formoterol (Foradil) and an inhaled glucocorticoid–Ciclesonide (Alvesco or Omnaris) which is currently used to…
Product Corner New POCs Coming on the Market Two new portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) recently made their debut. When they become available to the public this summer, there will be a total of eight POCs available for the oxygen user’s portable needs. FAA approval for use on the airlines is pending at this time…
Ask Mark … Mary Ann from Florida asks, I have heard Muscle Trainers are good for people with lung disease. Can you tell me about them? Mark says, Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) is a nice and sometimes useful adjunct breathing exercise for folks with COPD. Electrical muscle studies done about 15 years ago showed…
Traveling Tales DOT Requires All Airlines to Accept POC Usage Three years ago, the Department of Transportation (DOT) approved the use of five portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) during flight. The agency left it up to the airlines to decide if they would accept them or not. AirSep’s LifeStyle and Freestyle, Inogen One, Sequal’s…
Fibrosis File Researchers from Japan may have a new treatment option for people with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Information presented at a recent American Thoracic Society Conference in Toronto involved a Phase III clinical trial in which investigators discovered that a daily dose of pirfenidone could improve lung function and slow the progression of IPF.…
Calling Dr. Bauer … Dear Dr Bauer, I have emphysema and chronic bronchitis and many of my prescriptions say, “You should not drink alcoholic beverages while taking these medicines.” I am in a serious quandary as I enjoy one shot of Jack Daniels every evening. (It’s like Jack Benny being held up by a thief…
Home Oxygen and Equipment: Legislative Update About 1.2 million people who are Medicare benefici- aries use oxygen. January 2009 is right around the corner and as we go to press, there have been no changes to the ruling that you will own your oxygen concentra- tor after three years of Medicare payments. If you were…
Sharing the Health The diagnosis I have been given is Non-Specific Interstitial Pneumonia. I go to pulmonary rehab and wear oxygen 24/7. I desaturate while walking and require a non-rebreather mask to keep my oxygen saturation above 90%. I drive my car when my saturation is 94%. When I get in the car, I…