Skip to content
Search
Search

BrandAMP By AARP What's This?

 

How to Talk to Your Doctor About COPD Treatment

Here’s what other patients want you to know

by Pulmonx (Paid Content)

A doctor talking to a female patient about her heart. A chest x ray is in the background

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Living with COPD or emphysema isn’t easy. It can be frustrating, especially if you are unsure of the best way to manage your symptoms. That’s why arming yourself with good, accurate information is crucial to getting things under control and living your best life. The first step is to talk to your doctor and work with them to find the best path forward. But where do you begin? 

Here are the essential questions to ask your doctor, plus how real patients have found success managing their condition.  

1. What is pulmonary rehabilitation, and how can it help me?  

Pulmonary rehab is a program that includes health education and supervised training in exercise and breathing techniques. It may also include counseling on good nutrition and smoking cessation. The program is designed to help you improve your strength, stamina and endurance, reduce shortness of breath, and increase your ability to remain active so you can continue to do the things you enjoy.  

Barbara's story. Pulmonary rehab is a very important component to get my health to the best I could make it. I was able to wean myself off oxygen by exercising to build stamina and strength but, even with that, I still kept the oxygen nearby, and my lung function was still pretty low.

2. Are there other options for treatment available to me? 

A variety of medications – including some delivered through an inhaler – are often a first step in treating COPD. Some of these medications work to relax the airways. This makes breathing easier and decreases inflammation that contributes to airway swelling and mucous production.  

However, as COPD or emphysema progresses, some medications that worked well can stop being effective. Your doctor may then prescribe supplemental oxygen. If symptoms continue to worsen, major surgery, such as lung volume reduction or a lung transplant, is considered a last resort. 

Patients should know that there’s a breakthrough FDA-approved device that fills the treatment gap between medication and surgery. The Zephyr® Endobronchial Valve procedure (aka Zephyr Valve) is a minimally invasive option. It reduces lung hyperinflation to allow patients with severe COPD or emphysema to breathe easier without many of the risks of surgery.1

Charlie's story. When you go into pulmonary rehab therapy, they ask you what your goals are. My goal was to swim again. To have enough oxygen to not be afraid to get into the pool. Two months after my valves, i went swimming for the first time in five years.

3.  What should I expect from the Zephyr Valve procedure?

This one-time procedure requires no cutting or incisions. Tiny valves are placed inside your airways leading to the hyperinflated area of your lung. These valves allow air to flow out of this part of the lung but not in, thereby deflating it. In turn, the healthier parts of your lungs can expand and function more efficiently. The result: Patients can breathe easier, do more, and enjoy life.1

a woman holding a baby with a quote. I asked my doctor about zephyr valves. He said the procedure wouldn't work for me. I told him we'd have to disagree. I went to a doctor that offered the valves and now I am doing so much better.

Empower Yourself with Information

If you or someone you care about has COPD or emphysema, you may need to bring treatment options to the doctor’s attention. With the right information in hand, you can be your own best advocate – or an advocate for a loved one. Know that the Zephyr Valve is a non-drug, non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment option. It can help patients with severe COPD or emphysema breathe easier, be more active and enjoy a better quality of life.1

Pulmonx, creators of the Zephyr Valve treatment, have a dedicated support line. You can call 855-615-COPD to ask a patient advocate about this option and find a doctor near you.  

Do you want to talk to your doctor about this treatment option? Here is how to start that conversation.

 

Important Safety Information: The Pulmonx Zephyr® Endobronchial Valves are implantable bronchial valves indicated for the bronchoscopic treatment of adult patients with hyperinflation associated with severe emphysema in regions of the lung that have little to no collateral ventilation. Complications of treatment can include but are not limited to pneumothorax (tear in the lung), worsening of COPD symptoms, hemoptysis, pneumonia, and, in rare cases, death. The Zephyr Valve is contraindicated in patients who have not quit smoking or are allergic to Nitinol (nickel-titanium). Please talk with your physician about other contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse events. Only a trained physician can decide whether a particular patient is an appropriate candidate for treatment with the Zephyr Valve.

Individual Results May Vary. 

1 Criner G et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018; 198 (9): 1151–1164