Ask Mark … Yet once again, we hear the story of a lady using oxygen, who was breathless and in extreme distress and whose lips were blue from severe lack of oxygen (hypoxia). Understand that in order for hypoxia to cause blue lips, your saturation has to be around or below 80 percent. When asked…
Ask Mark … Mike C. is interested in endobronchial valves and asks what the differences are between them. Mark replies, The Zephyr and Spiration endobronchial valves are designed to improve lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life for people with emphysema by bypassing the areas of the lung that are most affected by their…
Ask Mark … An Arkansas EFFORTS member tells Mark she is walking 10 minutes daily and asks why exercise is so important for lung disease? Mark replies, Folks with COPD and other chronic lung diseases can become trapped in what we call “the vicious or downward spiral”: You have trouble breathing when you move about.…
Ask Mark … Leila from EFFORTS heard that taking the antibiotic, Levaquin, for her bronchiectasis has many side effects and might not be the best choice for her. Mark answers, Levaquin, a class of drugs known as fluoroquinolones, has mental health side effects as disturbances in attention, disorientation, ag- itation, nervousness, memory impairment…
Ask Mark … Note: We would like to sincerely apologize for printing the wrong sequence of medication chart in our last issue! The outdated chart caused confusion and we regret the error. Hopefully, this will clear things up. Mark Mangus and Dr. Noah Greenspan, Director of Ultimate Pulmonary Wellness in New York City,…
Ask Mark … Mark has updated his Suggested Sequence of Using Inhalers chart in a collaborative effort with Dr. Noah Greenspan of Ultimate Pulmonary Wellness in New York City. The only inhaler not included is the new Trelegy Ellipta. It needs no “sequence”, except that it should not be taken within two hours after a…
Ask Mark Bruce B. from California tells Mark he was told that blowing up balloons was dangerous for those with emphysema but good for asthmatics. Those with emphysema risk bursting bullae blowing against too much pressure or even straining too hard holding their breath. Is this true? Mark answers, A bullae is an airfilled sac…
Ask Mark … My biggest problem with my lung disease is getting up stairs. Do you have advice on how to accomplish this a little easier? Vicky M., Florida Mark explains, Climbing stairs is one of the most challenging forms of exertion for most folks with breathing limitations. I know an exercise that may help…
Ask Mark … Rose Ann B. from EFFORTS asks Mark if it is possible to have her oxygen set too high? Will it make her more short of breath? Mark explains, The short answer is an emphatic No! If you are still short of breath while using a reasonable and adequate flow setting and are…
Ask Mark Fran from Colorado asks Mark to explain how Medicare pays for her oxygen. Mark explains, There are a lot of misconceptions about what Medicare will or will not pay, how much they pay and to whom they pay what and what happens to your equipment at the end of the 5-year…