Ask Mark … Sharon from EFFORTS asks what it means when her physician tells her that her lungs are hyperinflated? Sometimes her lungs feel so full, it feels like they could burst. Mark explains, Hyperinflation simply means there is too much air in your lungs than they normally would hold – it is…
Ask Mark … Ruby from EFFORTS asks, I am on Symbicort® and Spiriva®, is there a substitute for Spiriva that works as well, but isn’t as drying? My mouth gets so dry with Spiriva! Mark explains, Anticholinergics are a class of drugs that block the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain, allowing the…
Ask Mark Deb from Pennsylvania asks if Medicare will pay anything toward the purchase of oxygen equipment or does it only pay for rental? She is nearing the end of her five years with her current supplier and wants to buy her equipment rather than deal with the company that has the contract in her…
Ask Mark … Francine from Texas was concerned when there were blood streaks in her mucus and asks if this something that can be serious. Mark answers, Blood-streaked mucus is rarely a clinically significant problem. Many kinds of irritation of upper airways can cause the shedding of small amounts of blood. Unless you have been…
Ask Mark … Kay from Florida asks Mark if taking extra calcium helps with preventing osteoporosis. Mark replies, Calcium is the mineral that is essential for building and maintaining strong bones. It helps muscles work and nerves carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body. It can be found in yogurt, milk,…
Ask Mark Sally is concerned for her husband and writes, my husband has COPD and has been taking Symbicort and Spiriva for some time. He was placed on hospice/palliative care a couple of months ago and has been given ipratropium bromide and albuterol sulfate in lieu of Symbicort and Spiriva. What is the…
Ask Mark … IF you are on oxygen therapy, how can you tell if your carbon dioxide is too high? Mark Mangus, RRT EFFORTS Bo Mark Mangus RRT, BSRC, is a member of the Medical Board of EFFORTS (the online support group, Emphysema Foundation For Our Right To Survive, www.emphysema. net). He generously…
Ask Mark Sharon from EFFORTS asks about her husband who gets fre quent chest infections. Usually the infection clears after a course or two of antibiotics, but they are now returning five days after he stops the antibiotics. How do you get rid of these chest infections? Mark Mangus RRT, BSRC, is a…
Ask Mark … David from EFFORTS writes, My oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings stay around 92% to 94% at rest but during exerciseor activity, they drop to the mid 80s. They come back up within a minute or so. Am I hurting myself by not wearing my oxygen? Mark tells us, This is a subject about…
Ask Mark … Bob from Texas was recently turned down to have Lung Volume Reduction Surgery (LVRS) and asks if others have had similar experiences. Mark tells us, In LVRS, parts of the lung that are non-functioning due to emphysema are removed, allowing the remaining, non- diseased lung to expand and work better. Only around…