I have COPD and one chamber of my heart has a thickening in the wall. My left leg is swelling and feels numb when I am out shopping until I sit down and rest it. I have not been told what stage I am but, I can t shower, dry my hair and dress any more without resting to catch my breath between each one. I am about, that any action takes my breath away. I am seeing a doctor for my heart, another one for the COPD and my general doctor. They all work in the same big group of doctors but I feel they aren t telling me the whole story, just a piece of the pie from each one. How do get the whole picture and how each one is effecting the others.
Hello dear, thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your situation and problem. COPD is chronic, progressive disease of lung which can affect heart also. Your shortness of breath is mostly due to uncontrolled COPD. By your description, you are having very severe COPD. I advise you to consult another pulmonologist and get done PFT (pulmonary function test). This will tell you about severity of the disease. And treatment of COPD is based on severity only. You may need inhaled bronchodilators. Also enroll yourself in pulmonary rehabilitation center where chest physiotherapy and deep breathing exercise are done. These will improve your lung function. Also vaccinate yourself with adult respiratory vaccines like pneumococcal and influenza to prevent future respiratory tract infection. So consult good pulmonologist and discuss all these.