Asthma/Emphysema/need help/advice!

[Guest guest]

I just LOST my health insurance.

I am 64, quit smoking 17 years ago. Have been asthmatic since about age 30,

emphysema probably started about 30 years ago. Late life pregnancy drove me nuts

at age 46 when the asthma was doubled and every single day I had trouble. My

spirometer was never above 200 then no matter what they had me use, but later

years it went up to 300 when I was feeling good, if pneumonia or seriously bad

colds I was praying for air to breath.

Now, for the past 2 years I have seen a decline but sometimes popping up to 300

with all the inhalers, and other treatments, I do not use oxygen. Lately, in

this past 6 months it has gotten harder, and in the past month even worse. My

spirometer can go up to 300 but most days 200 -270 with so many treatments using

the nebulizer and advair discus.

I am a little better but in September I could not walk more than 1/2 block w/o

being short of breath in the heat. Now I can walk in walmart all around the

store but if the cold outside or the heat changes things I can't breath.

So, anybody experience this? I think I'm seeing the beginning of the end but

that scares me of course! Any ideas about things I might be able to do now?? I'd

like to see my 16 year old grow up!

Gen