You are not alone.  Depression is a common problem for patients with pulmonary fibrosis.  Common symptoms include feeling blue, loss of interest in activities that you usually enjoy, increased or decreased sleep, irritability, change in appetite, frequent crying, avoiding social situations and thoughts of hurting yourself.  The symptoms of depression may be mild, moderate or … [Read more...]

Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis is a rare progressive disease.  Patients may initially have mild symptoms of shortness of breath and cough.  But over time as the disease progresses, symptoms become more severe and more onerous.  Every day activities become a chore if not impossible.  Navigating the day-to-day challenges of IPF is almost impossible without a caregiver or a team of … [Read more...]

Providing care for a patient with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis can be difficult and challenging. And the challenge can go on for many years. It's important to prevent caregiver burnout and to maintain your own health as well. Here are three fantastic resources for caregivers to find support themselves. 1. National Caregivers Library (www.nationalcaregiverslibrary.org) This … [Read more...]

We live in an age of unrestricted access to information.  Compared to thirty years ago, patients now have the ability to sit at home and look up any question on the Internet.  Patients have access to the same information that physicians use.  The primary literature (scientific journals that report the latest advances) is increasingly open-source, which means that no … [Read more...]

Having a chronic lung disease can have an impact on many aspects of your life.  You may not be able to move as quickly or walk up hills.  However, with proper planning you should still be able to enjoy vacations and traveling.  Here are some important tips. Traveling with Oxygen for Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients For patients that require oxygen, it is important to plan ahead.  … [Read more...]