Does anyone here have a family member or friend that has Pulmonary Fibrosis? It is a disease of the lungs that causes scarring and eventually death.

Quoted: Does anyone here have a family member or friend that has Pulmonary Fibrosis? It is a disease of the lungs that causes scarring and eventually death.

What causes it?  Smoking?

The docs do not really know. There is a list of about 200 things that can cause it. Smoking, pesticides, asbestos etc.  The lungs keep scarring until you have no more lung capacity. People who have it need lung trasnplants or they are on oxygen 24/7 until they die.

Don't know anybody with it, but I worked on the settlement end of a huge asbestos class action; very common with exposure to asbestos.

My father died from Mesothelioma a year and half ago.  Never smoked a day in his life.

My father died 2 years ago in March from emphysema.  He smoked, but he also worked a job for 10 years were he was exposed to alot of asbestos.  He was in on the class action asbestos stuff, got alot of money from it, and I'm still due to get whats owed to him from here on out.

Quoted: My father died from Mesothelioma a year and half ago.  Never smoked a day in his life.

I'm sorry - meso is some very nasty shit.  From what I've seen its about a 3 month death sentence.  Asbestos exposure?

My dad was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis last august. They told him life expectancy is 2-7 years and that they thought he had had it for about 6 years. It was misdiagnosed a couple years ago and went untreated. This past August was his seventh year. I was just wondering if anyone new somebody who had it a long time. He is still alive.

My Dad had Idiopathic  Pulmonary Fibrosis.  Diagnosed at age 71, died at 76, 4 years ago.  Up until the point he was first diagnosed he had been walking 4-7 miles a day several days a week.  Hadn't smoked since he was 30.  Had he been under 70 he would have been eligible for a lung transplant, his heart was better thaan most 40 year olds, the Docs said his heart power gave him an extra year.  The physical he had before being diagnosed, he literally blew up the lung capacity measuring machine, even after the PF had set in.  They figure he had it for 2 years before he finally showed some impairment because he ws in such good shape.

Literally had not taken any sick days except for his gall bladder problems since his motor officer accident in 51 when he spent 2 weeks in a coma.

2-7 years unfortunately about right, Jerry Lewis, I believe has it but he is almost living on steroids, which is why he is puffed up like a balloon.  

Idiopathic PF means they don't know what caused it, no history of  asbestos  exposure, etc.  He did live in Los Angeles all his live, but if air pollution caused it why aren't more people getting it?

To be blunt, most die from heart failure before they  get to the inevitable  end result of the lungs being unable to respirate enough air to live on.

My Dad was up and walking the day before he passed away when my son and I were up adding a frame to his chair so it was easier to get up and down.  We also hadn't even unpacked his walker.  He came out and was helping us in the shop while we were cutting the wood on his saw.  Thankfully, when he went, it was a massive heart attack, and he was gone before the Paramedics arrived 3 minutes after the  call went in.  The parameds were shocked because he went so fast, he used to take my kids to visit the Fire Station, so they knew him.  

You need to make some decisions NOW.  Travel if you want, while you can. We lost that chance to take a trip visiting several train museums with him and my kids that we had always wanted to but never got around to it and then he couldn't fly and the roads went over 8,000 foot passes in the Sierras.  

Decide what you want to do and do it.  Like it or not, you are on a timetable.  Don't get morbid, that doesn't help anybody, but be realistic.  We decided that we would give no resusitate orders.  Frankly, it wouldn't add any more quality time and be attached to respirators forcing oxygen into lungs that weren't working.  All his family was local and we were spending a lot of time together.  My family and kids the night before and my brother and his kids that morning, as it happened.

PaDanby,
Thanks for the info. My dad does have IPF and he is 63. I am sorry to hear about your dad. Fortunately I have worked for my dad for the last 10 years. He lives 3 miles from me. I see him almost every other day. It has been hard to see him go down hill. I guess I am lucky that I have the relationship with him that I do. I am now trying to keep the business he started many years ago going.  Today I found out my mom has to have a CT scan because of a pocket of fluid that was found in her lungs at her MRI. The tech. asked her if there is a family history of cancer. The fun never ends. Thanks again guys for trying to offer me some help/information.

Quoted: Quoted: My father died from Mesothelioma a year and half ago.  Never smoked a day in his life. I'm sorry - meso is some very nasty shit.  From what I've seen its about a 3 month death sentence.  Asbestos exposure?

Yes, asbestos.  Never would get in on any suit.  I'm wondering if I can on his behalf.  He made it 3 years after surgery to remove one lung, part of heart, diaphram, lymph nodes, etc.  62 years old.

Pulmonary Fibrosis, simply put, "Dead Man Walking", but the amount of time is variable although not great by any measure.

I knew a guy that got Mesothelioma from doing work on mobile homes.  He had it for about three years before he finally died at age 32. Clinically he looked like an end stage COPD'er(Emphysema). Most cases I see of pulmonary fibrosis are usually traced to connective tissue diseases such as Scleroderma, Lupus, etc...  Only viable treatment with any hope of success is to have a lung transplant.