Lungs and Arthritis?!

Lungs and Arthritis?

My grandfather was told by his doctor that due to his arthritis, his lungs seem to be shrinking and it could cause breathing problems if not helped. The doctor gave him medicine to ease the arthritis but said he was unsure how it would affect the lungs and if the lungs got worse he could become a disabled man.

What does the doctor mean by disabled? Is this something I should be worried about severely and how can I help my grandfather diet and excersise wise? I'd appreciate any information you can provide.

One possiblility is that your grandfather may be suffering from an interstitial lung disease due to his arthritis. That would go along with the "shrinking" lungs, and as I'm sure you have already gathered would not be good news. If your grandfather has not already, it is very important that he makes an appointment with a pulmonologist (lung specialist). That way, proper treatment for his lungs can begin. These treatments probably won't cure the condition, but may help prolong the inevitable.

As to what the doctor may mean by disabled, if it is an ILD, eventually the lungs become stiff and small. The lungs start out with inflammation, then progress to fibrosis/scarring. Gases do not exchange as they should, and shortness of breath and low oxygen saturations follow. Your grandfather may end up on oxygen (oxygen can be beneficial in helping shortness of breath and also preventing pulmonary hypertention and heart failure), and if the disease continues to progress even with treatment, it can be fatal.

My daughter, who will be two in September, was diagnosed with an ILD at less than a month old. Thankfully for her, treatment really helped although nobody thought she could make it in the beginning. She has progressed from very severe lung disease (on the ventilator with dense consolidation of lung and very severely impaired gas exchange) to oxygen dependent 24/7 for over a year to just O2 at night and much milder lung disease (although hospitalizations are still common for her..... 3 this year so far). Treatment is rough and consists of huge doses of steroids among other things (much is still experimental) with lots of potential side effects, but for us treatment was definitely worth the risks. We are very pleased with my daughter's progress, but from experience, I can tell you that if your grandfather is going to go ahead with treatment, the best option is to seek aggressive treatment as early as possible.

As far as diet and exercise, these are very important...... Weight loss is common in ILD (if that's what this proves to be) and in other lung conditions also. Your grandfather may need to seek help from a nutritionist to help set up a plan to meet his nutritional needs. Health shakes such as Boost and Ensure can also be helpful in maintaining weight. Your grandfather also may want to consider a pulmonary rehabilitation program to help him learn to breathe most effectively to help him with exercise intolerance.

I am putting a few links below you might want to take a look at.

At any rate, your grandfather is very lucky to have you to help look out for his needs. He is going to need your continued support through this difficult time. Best of luck to you and to him. Take care.