**Help my father was diagnozed with Pulmonary Fibrosis***?!
Question: **Help my father was diagnozed with Pulmonary Fibrosis***!?
Hello,
I need your help, my father was diagnozed with Pulmonary Fibrosis!.!.!. is there anything we could do to help him!.!. he is 72 years old and I love him!.!. Any alternative medecines out there!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
I need your help, my father was diagnozed with Pulmonary Fibrosis!.!.!. is there anything we could do to help him!.!. he is 72 years old and I love him!.!. Any alternative medecines out there!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Hi! I understand your concern for your fathers health and well-being!. I know a diagnosis of Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is difficult!. I am 48 years old and was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) in October 2006!. I also have COPD in the form of emphysema, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol!. To top that all off, I'm Bipolar!. In my case it's rather mild and I'm now in reasonably good health!. I have no idea how fast it is progressing!. I don't want to continue talking about me!. I just felt you needed to understand you are not alone!. I have researched PF a good bit!.
Honestly, the outlook for PF patients is rather grim!. Most patients diagnosed with PF die within five years of diagnosis!. However, much depends on the general health of the patient, what stage the disease is in and what it's progression rate is!. There is not a lot the doctors can do for this disease!. There is no cure, short of lung transplant!. Given your fathers advanced age transplantation is unlikely!. There is no FDA approved treatment, nor is there a nationally accepted standard of treatment!. Most treatments are aimed a one of three things: 1) slowing the progression; 2) improving oxygen exchange; 3) patient comfort!.
I am providing you with some links so you can get a better understanding of the disease and provide some comfort for yourself, your family and most important, your father!.
MedlinePlus -
http://www!.nlm!.nih!.gov/medlineplus/pulmo!.!.!.
American Lung Association
http://www!.lungusa!.org/site/pp!.asp!?c=dvL!.!.!.
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
http://www!.pulmonaryfibrosis!.org/home!.ht!.!.!.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
http://www!.mayoclinic!.com/health/pulmona!.!.!.
Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis
http://www!.coalitionforpf!.org/patients/s!.!.!.
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
http://www!.nationaljewish!.org/
National Jewish Medical and Research Center is the #1 respiratory hospital in the U!.S!.
I sincerely hope this is helpful!. I'm sorry that the information I gave you was not more hopeful!. I do try to be honest in dealing with these issues, even when the news is difficult or painful!.
Wishing you and your loved ones the very best,
TerryWww@Answer-Health@Com
Honestly, the outlook for PF patients is rather grim!. Most patients diagnosed with PF die within five years of diagnosis!. However, much depends on the general health of the patient, what stage the disease is in and what it's progression rate is!. There is not a lot the doctors can do for this disease!. There is no cure, short of lung transplant!. Given your fathers advanced age transplantation is unlikely!. There is no FDA approved treatment, nor is there a nationally accepted standard of treatment!. Most treatments are aimed a one of three things: 1) slowing the progression; 2) improving oxygen exchange; 3) patient comfort!.
I am providing you with some links so you can get a better understanding of the disease and provide some comfort for yourself, your family and most important, your father!.
MedlinePlus -
http://www!.nlm!.nih!.gov/medlineplus/pulmo!.!.!.
American Lung Association
http://www!.lungusa!.org/site/pp!.asp!?c=dvL!.!.!.
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
http://www!.pulmonaryfibrosis!.org/home!.ht!.!.!.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
http://www!.mayoclinic!.com/health/pulmona!.!.!.
Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis
http://www!.coalitionforpf!.org/patients/s!.!.!.
National Jewish Medical and Research Center
http://www!.nationaljewish!.org/
National Jewish Medical and Research Center is the #1 respiratory hospital in the U!.S!.
I sincerely hope this is helpful!. I'm sorry that the information I gave you was not more hopeful!. I do try to be honest in dealing with these issues, even when the news is difficult or painful!.
Wishing you and your loved ones the very best,
TerryWww@Answer-Health@Com
I am a little confused as to why someone gave Terry a thumb's down!. He gave you very good information!. I know, I have PF as well!. I am 54 years old and mine was diagnosed in March of 2003!. I was given 18 months to live and as you can see, I am still hanging in there!. In addition to what Terry has told you, there is something else you can do to help your father!.
Many of us with a terminal lung disease often don't die from our illness!. We die from other causes!. In your father's case, he will probably die from a secondary infection due to a cold or the flu!. You can help protect him by making sure anyone who has a cold or flu does not come to his home to visit!. Also make sure any visitors who do come to see him, wash their hands frequently before, during, and after their visit!. He needs to wash his hands many times during the day!. If he cannot wash his hands, get him some of the Purell Hand Sanitizer and make sure he uses it!. He also needs to avoid busy places like restaurants, casinos, grocery stores, etc!. If he has to go to one of these places, make sure he takes his hand sanitizer with him and uses it!. He also needs to be more aware of his surroundings!. He needs to watch out for people who are coughing or sneezing!. These germs are killers for people with compromised immune systems!.
One other thing you can do for your father is get him into pulmonary rehab as soon as possible!. They will teach him how to breathe more efficiently with the lung tissue he has left!. He will probably end up on supplemental oxygen, but that's OK!. Have him use it because it will help keep his organs and tissues oxygenated!.
As Terry said, short of a lung transplant, there isn't much hope for us!. But, he may live longer than people expect, if he is careful about staying away from sick people!. I am sorry for your bad news!. Just know that there are about 200,000 of us just in the US, and about 50,000 of us will die from this disease this year alone!. The other way you can help your dad is to donate money to research!. The only way a cure can be found is through research!. Good luck to all of you!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Many of us with a terminal lung disease often don't die from our illness!. We die from other causes!. In your father's case, he will probably die from a secondary infection due to a cold or the flu!. You can help protect him by making sure anyone who has a cold or flu does not come to his home to visit!. Also make sure any visitors who do come to see him, wash their hands frequently before, during, and after their visit!. He needs to wash his hands many times during the day!. If he cannot wash his hands, get him some of the Purell Hand Sanitizer and make sure he uses it!. He also needs to avoid busy places like restaurants, casinos, grocery stores, etc!. If he has to go to one of these places, make sure he takes his hand sanitizer with him and uses it!. He also needs to be more aware of his surroundings!. He needs to watch out for people who are coughing or sneezing!. These germs are killers for people with compromised immune systems!.
One other thing you can do for your father is get him into pulmonary rehab as soon as possible!. They will teach him how to breathe more efficiently with the lung tissue he has left!. He will probably end up on supplemental oxygen, but that's OK!. Have him use it because it will help keep his organs and tissues oxygenated!.
As Terry said, short of a lung transplant, there isn't much hope for us!. But, he may live longer than people expect, if he is careful about staying away from sick people!. I am sorry for your bad news!. Just know that there are about 200,000 of us just in the US, and about 50,000 of us will die from this disease this year alone!. The other way you can help your dad is to donate money to research!. The only way a cure can be found is through research!. Good luck to all of you!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
make another appointment with the pulmonologist and go with him!. take a list of your questions and concerns and have them answered BEFORE you leave the office!.Www@Answer-Health@Com