Emphysema - anyone know anything about it? Know anyone with it?

[indiechick]

Mother just been diagnosed, she's in total denial and seems to be under the impression a dose of antibiotics will sort it out. I'm guessing (from my limited medical knowledge) that's not going to happen. Anyone have experience of this?
Background info; she's 64, obese and doesn't exercise, but has never smoked in her life.

Emphysema is a chronic respiratory disorder where the airways have lost their elasticity and therefore cannot exchange gases as efficiently. This leads to shortness of breath, and reduced exercise tolerance amongst other symptoms.
Breatheeasy have good info and the local hospital may have a support group. I will try and find a link.

Bloody hell. My dad's got this. he's housebound, attached to permentent oxygen, has fairly constant antibiotics and steroids. He's never been obsese, smoked 40 a day since he was 14, worked with asbestos aswell. A dose of antibiotics isn't going to make this disease any better. My dad has a specialist nurse from the hospital that goes to see him. It's really bad, I suppose it depends on how bad it is though. My aunt's had it for alot longer but she's up and around, has a few chest infections though.

Its a respiratory disease a degenerative chronic disease. She will have it fot the rest of her life, interesting that she has never smoked as it is a smokers disease! The worst case is home oxygen housebound etc.

Pulmonary rehabilitation can help people to live with it more comfortably though - emphasis on keeping trying, not giving up all but the most limited movement. It can be a very frightning disease to have, agree support groups if you can find one are a good thing.

God, thinks she's in for a massive shock when she realises what it means. Her dad died of it so I guess it could be heriditary. Thanks for the info, I'll see if I can find her some info on a support group. God knows what support I can offer, heavily pregnant and living 300 miles away, and I'm the nearest child.