Question: My uncle has been placed in a home hospice program due to the severity of PF. He is currently on oxygen (6 liters setting). He also takes prednisone, some vitamins,a fluid pill and a heart med. He is 77 years. He is easily fatigued, especially when moving about the house or even dressing. He was adv . . .

Answer: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal disease with an average life expectancy of 3-5 years after diagnosis. This is an average, however, and many patients will live either longer or shorter depending on their individual circumstances. Hospice is usually started when the physician believes that a . . .

Ask an Expert: James Allen, Jr. MD, Pulmonary Fibrosis View full article

How to Deal and to Treat Parenchymal Fibrosis

Question: Good day! I could ask how to deal and to treat the person, that find out with parenchymal fibrosis and posterior segment in his right lung. Hoping for your fast answer. Thank You

Answer: Parenchymal fibrosis means scar that has developed in the lung tissue. When there is fibrosis just in one part of the lung, the usual cause is a previous infection (for example, pneumonia or tuberculosis). Aspiration (when food, a foreign body, or vomit gets into the lung) is another cause. The cond . . .

Ask an Expert: James Allen, Jr. MD, Pulmonary Fibrosis View full article

Question concerning my Brother-in-Law with PF

Question: My brother in law has pulmonary fibrosis and he`s on oxygen. When he walks a short distant his oxygen level is gone. Now his legs r swelling up , and when he goes to the bathroom either way pee or bowel movement he has blood in it,Should we be concerned ??? Please get back with me as soon as possibl . . .

Answer: Many patients with pulmonary fibrosis develop low oxygen levels (called hypoxemia) with walking or any exertion.  The fact that his legs are swelling also can be a sign of the heart being stressed by the low oxygen levels and the fibrosis. 

There are also other reasons for . . .

Ask an Expert: Nitin Bhatt MD, Pulmonary Fibrosis View full article

Serracor-NK

Question: Is SERRACOR-N K a viable treatment for pulmonary fibrosis and has it been tested in clinical trials. I am interested in taking it but need more info. I don`t want to take something that may cause other problems.

Answer: Serrapeptase has not been tested in well-designed randomized controlled studies in humans and there is currently no compelling scientific evidence that it has any benefit to patients with pulmonary fibrosis. In fact, there are at least two reports of patients developing interstitial lung disease aft . . .

Ask an Expert: Clay Marsh MD, Pulmonary Fibrosis View full article

X-Ray Interpretation

Question: A week ago,my wife had a pre admission chest x-ray for the surgical repair of her broken arm. Her x-ray showed some patchy density in the lateral base or ripple markers to the right base and through the surgeon`s nurse it was recommended that she have this checked out. Can you give me some further i . . .

Answer:

Patchy densities can be many, many things. Common conditions that cause patchy densities include pneumonia, fluid, and interstitial lung disease. Normally, a follow-up chest x-ray or CT scan can help sort out the cause.&nb . . .

Ask an Expert: James Allen, Jr. MD, Pulmonary Fibrosis View full article