Hello, first time posting here. My mother-in-law just moved in with us, and I'm trying to learn about her COPD, but she honestly doesn't seem to know much herself (she says she is "early stage/mild", but seems to be further along than that). She was diagnosed 4 years ago with COPD. And heart failure 1 year ago. Among other health ailments.
She is on both short and long term bronchodilators, as well as oxygen when she walks (she walks for 1 hour, 2x a day), during the night (although, she still sounds awful at night) and rarely at rest. Her sPO2 ranges from 98% (rare) to 80% (once down to 60%, but we weren't home with her at the time). She has told me that she doesn't need oxygen until her sats go down to 80%? She is breathing hard and wheezy for quite some time when she comes home from her walks. She goes to COPD exercise classes. She also seems to be falling asleep while sitting at the table but "wakes" as soon as someone makes a noise. She calls it "passing out." Her doctor is checking it out, apparently. I"m not able to go with her to a doctor appointment yet as I have young kids at home with me. Any insight would be so helpful! She does not want to talk about it with me, and I'm left guessing everything. Thank you so very much.