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H0llyw00d · Apr 23, 2009, 09:06 AM

My grandfather has reached the end stage of copd.. I was wondering what exctly does this mean? Also he keeps going through these dementcia like stages.. every couple of months or so he will go for a few days were he some what doesn't know people and talks a lot of crazy stuff mostly about his past. He will lay in his hopital bed and act like he is playing baseball with his sons and he hasn't played base ball in over 40 yrs. He also twitches and acts as if he is going into sesiures. He always comes out of these spells OK and realises he lost a few days but every time it takes longer for him to stop acting this way. Does this have anything to do with endstage copd and will he edventually be this way permantly?

tickle · Apr 23, 2009, 09:27 AM

Aside from reduced oxygen in the blood caused by the COPD, none of the symptoms of memory have anything to do with end stage lung disease.

Your grandfather has dimentia and that is all that is needed for these memory flunctuations. He is having happy memories, that is good.

The seizures could be from lack of oxygen to the brain, basically his lungs not operating properly and his heart having to work harder to keep up with the demands of his body.

This is not a diagnosis, Hollywood, but observances from my experience with quite a few COPD patients, new and not to so new.

The COPD will probably take him before his brain fails. In end stage COPD there is rising level of carbon dioxide, which takes over, having a calming effect until the patient expires. No one can predict when this will happen and if he is slipping into a dream state, then be with him as much as possible. You don't say how old he is, but COPD doesn't discriminate.

Tick