Yes ! @A MyCOPDTeam Member, while I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice, you go to a pulmonologist for respiratory issues as the lungs and the heart work hand in hand to keep you healthy.

When the lungs are messed up, it puts a huge strain on your body and your heart, causing fluid retention and often hypertension.

When you start to retain fluid without reason (i.e., you're not congested, you're moving around as normal), it's time to talk to the doc to make sure you aren't having any kind of underlying inflammation trigger a new issue.

Do you know what your oxygen saturation levels are? Often, you get fluid retention if you're not getting enough oxygen into your blood. Check out this article and see if it offers any helpful suggestions that you're not already doing, Sharona, ok?

ref: https://copd.net/symptoms/swelling/

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A MyCOPDT...

@A MyCOPDTeam Member - don’t forget chair exercises if you’re not well enough to walk between 5,000 and 10,000 steps a day. Check youtube for pulmonary rehab exercises to see if they will also gently help to fight your fluid retention.

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A MyCOPDT...

Hi, @A MyCOPDTeam Member.

I’m going to disagree with you about not wanting to know your numbers, because mine are pretty stable at 26% lung capacity even when I feel really crappy and am not processing oxygen well (i.e., my oxygen sat goes from 97-98 down to 94-95 and my being SOB is through the roof).

By knowing what’s stable, or not, I can modify what I do at home in terms of biofeedback, pursed lip breathing, walking more, or asking for @ antibiotics before things get critical) to help me feel better and be the best I can be despite the challenges.

I’ve been on palliative care since 1974, when I put my foot down over yet more ineffective surgery, and I’m doing ok.

I’ve also been told my best option is lung transplants (since about 2013), and I’m not willing to do that, either.

Lately, we’ve added diabetes, arthritis, vision issues and cirrhosis of the liver (NAFLD) as part of the ongoing inflammation / diabetes complications into the mix. Yet still my body keeps on ticking.

While palliative care / hospice means different things to different people, in my case it means that I don’t take medications that are going to cause new problems and create more difficulties than what they solve, but it doesn’t mean that I give up hope that stem cell breakthroughs or dietary supplements or ketone esters can’t improve my quality of life at some point.

For me, palliative care means that I recognize that life is finite, and that quality of life / independence is more important than life-at-any-cost, ignore the pain and complications of treatments just to get 5 minutes more on this old earth.

At this point, I’m still too mobile / independent for formal hospice, but I have my healthcare directive in place to ensure that my wishes are honored should I take a turn for the worse and be unable to direct my own care.

If you’re willing to read an essay on quality of care / end of life options for some guidance on how the medical service in the USA can aid and fail people with chronic health issues, please check out the book, “Being Mortal.” It was recommended by my life coach in 2015, and I found it very educational and helpful.

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A MyCOPDT...

As I've learnt the hard way over the years, sometimes the cure is worse than the complaint

JoeanneC thanks for your message. I need to explain to you though that I wasnt talking about everyday taking your 02 stats to see how your doing or what im doing when my stats get low. I do that all day long. My Dr. Wants me to get a lung function test, Where you breathe into a machine. Because i am so short of breath when im not doing anything. I havent had one in a long time. The last time I was 25%. I just wasnt sure if I wanted to know if it has gotten worse. My regular 02 stats are normally 92 at the highest and then go into the 80's when I just go to the bathroom. I cant go without 02.
Wow you have been on Palliative care since 1974. Thats along time. What all do they do for you? I am basically bedridden now because like I said my 02 stats get dangerously low when I hardly do anything.
Thanks so much for the info on the book. It sounds like something I need to read. Ive been enjoying reading lately. I just read recently, The COPD Solution. (When You Cant Breathe Nothing Else Matters) great book. Do they sell that book on Amazon? How long have you had COPD.