Chronic Lung Infection in 85 Year Old Mom

[Guest guest]

My very active 85 year old mom had been complaining of shortness of

breath for quite awhile. She has osteoporosis and back in October

2006 she suffered a compression fracture of her vertebrae. She has

always said that the her breathing changed after the fracture.

 

She finally went to her general practioner last summer (my dad had

been sick and he passed away in April of last year, which is why she

waited so long) and had chest x-rays and lung capacity tests and was

told that there was nothing wrong. She kept going back with the

same complaints and this year they finally sent her for a CT Scan and

MRI. They found that she has lung nodules, however, the PET Scan

revealed them to be non-active. At that point, her doctor

sent her to a pulmonologist.

 

I was there at her first appt and he addressed her compression

fracture, but when she asked if her back could be the cause of

her problems he said " no " . He says that she has a chroic lung

infection caused by post-nasal drip and put her on antibiotics

and inhalers. 2 weeks ago he put her on oxygen and now claims

that she has dimished lung capacity due to " kyphosis " , which is

the curving of the spine and can be caused by compression

fractures!!! That blew me away!!

 

She has definitely noticed a difference in her breathing and in how

she feels (much better). The oxygen is really helping but it's also

restricting her activities and she has already been saying that it's

a pain in the a**. At her most recent appt last Thursday the doctor

informed her that she may need the oxygen for the rest of her life

and he gave her a new inhaler, nasal spray and Singulair, which my

brother and I have told her not to take since there have been

reports of it being linked to suicide risk (she was given sample

packets by the doctor...they just hand the pills out like they're

candy!!).

 

I have given her N-A-C Sustain (N-Acetyl Cysteine) which my

partner uses whenever she gets a cold that settles in her chest.

She's been taking that for 2 weeks.

 

What, if anything, can my mom take that will help her so she

won't have to use the oxygen forever? Would acupuncture help?

She is open to any and all suggestions.

 

Thank you all

 

Cecelia