If you have a loved one with COPD I have a bit of advice I would like to offer up. As a caregiver for almost 8 years to my mom who had COPD and recently passed I have been through the ringer and found out things that some people do know or should know about side things someone with COPD can get. I want to help anyone I can with this information. If your loved one starts to become delusional, lethargic, loss of appetite, forgetful. Don't think it's dementia or Alzheimer's, have them tested as soon as possible for CO2 retention. It's a blood gas test and it could prolong your loved ones life to do so. I thought for the longest time my mom had one of the above and fought for tests all tests came back normal. It wasn't till 2 years ago when she passed out and fell out of a hospital chair that they tested her blood gas and found out she was a CO2 retainer. It can be managed but once they become one you loose almost all chances for lung transplants or medical help and if not properly managed with a cpap or bipap the CO2 will take your loved one sooner then later. My mom hated her Cpap and took it off frequently. Her CO2 would go through the roof and in 2 years I had to call 911 20+ times due to it she spent almost 2 weeks a month in the hospital trying to bring it down. Please if your loved one starts to see people/things talks out of sorts or falls a lot have them checked ASAP. I just lost my mom to it. It started with her talking about things we already talked about or telling me something I told her and saying someone else said it. To her forgetting to drink to finding her unconscious. CO2 retention is very scary and once it starts it's a downhill slope if not monitored. I beg anyone experiencing this if you haven't had a conclusive test on Dementia or Alzheimer's and you want definitive results have them tested. The sooner the better in my mom's case it was too late by the time they caught it her blood gas levels were 125+ off the scales and keeping it down after that was the biggest battle because she would leave the hospital forget everything the doctors said and take her mask off that night. Please I beg you to watch your loved ones very close. Any questions please feel free to post and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability I have had a rough 8 years with COPD and 2 years with CO2 retention I know what I am talking about. I can tell you to also push to get your loved one a cpap called the trilogy they can blow off CO2 during the day and sleep with it at night. Thanks for reading and good luck!
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