Customer Reviews

Life and Breath: Preventing, Treating and Reversing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw Dr. Schacter being interviewed on the Today Show in April while I was home recouperating from my third round of pneumonia in about 15 years. I ordered the book immediately and read it within a day of receiving it.

The information contained in the book was extremely helpful in educating me about how serious a chronic cough can be and how important it is to get appropriate treatment for anything that is related to your lungs on a timely basis. My sister is a severe asthmatic and I ordered a copy for her and sent it to her in California.

Following my bout of pneumonia, I have learned that I have a pulmonary nodule and again found the information in the book helpful as I have begun to navigate the ramifications of that health issue. When I was first diagnosed, I also emailed Dr. Schacter some questions and he responded to me personally which was certainly "above and beyond."

I highly recommend this book to anyone anyone with any pulmonary issues.

I happened to open Dr. Schachter's book randomly and began reading about the complications of cigarette smoking. As an ex-smoker (I quit after a "warning" heart attack several years ago and still dread the thought of lung cancer) I found the information both revealing and riveting. I read much more of "Life and Breath" and discovered a great deal of information that really hit home for myself and several people in my life - primarily the links between one's diet and home environment with asthma, heart disease, hypertension and some cancers. The book also surprised me with some common symptoms a person could easily dismiss as "nothing to worry about" but which could be clear signs of a totally unexpected lung disease. Most impressive was the doctor's writing style. It is delightfully engaging and very clear, presenting medical information as a skilled storyteller would. This was a pleasant surprise and greatly enhanced my enjoyment of "Life and Breath". I'm a mystery fan and this is a book I never expected to read. But once I got going, "Life and Breath" was as interesting as a good forensic whodunit.

Finally, a book to help patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The families of people suffering from COPD will have a better understanding of the disease after reading this book.

At the present time, COPD is not curable. However, by reading Life and Breath, it will help those suffering from COPD live longer, happier and healthier lives. The book will teach us how to better control COPD.

One is taught and is given a better understanding of the complete chest workup. Eating habits are gone over extensively, and we learn that by changing our diet we can breath easier and more normally.

Pulmonary protection and physical work outs will allow us to breath easier and realize it is never too late to give up bad habits. Treatment strategies for both asthma and COPD are outlined in the book and are extremely important.

I recommend this bood to doctors, COPD patients and their families.

Daniel J. Colona, NY

This is an excellent book for anyone suffering from or who has just acquired a breathing disorder. I bought it after coming down with a case of bronchitis that would not go away after several weeks. The book helped me realize the dangers of not getting the proper treatment for COPD. It also helped me be a partner with my doctor in the treatment of it. I understand the treatment decisions, the drugs used (and not used) and what to do to prevent a recurrance. The cost of the book is a small price to pay for being a knowledgeable patient.

I picked this book up because I was concerned about my husband, who has had a morning cough for about 2 years. The book was the catalyst to a whole lifestyle change for him! We went to his doctor, had him tested for COPD (he is in the early stages), he quit smoking, we ripped out our carpet, we've changed our diet.... I can't say enough about the value of this book. Read it!!!

Schachter's book is generally excellent, and I gave it only four stars because it is a bit outdated in the chapters regarding meds and their development; O2 and the various delivery systems available and the travel requirements for those using supplementary O2. The book was published in 2003 and there have been many changes in those three areas since that time. In all other respects, it is one of the best I've read. The chapters explaining the physical changes that occur with asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis and the ways those physical changes affect breathing are both detailed and relatively easy for the layman to understand. His explanations of the various medications that are used, what they are designed to do and how they are supposed to work are detailed and complete. I was particularly pleased with his acknowledgement that while medications can improve some aspects of breathing for COPD patients, lifestyle changes are the keys to a better quality of life: no smoking, daily aerobic and strengthening exercise and attention to diet and nutrition. He encourages routine spirometry testing for smokers as part of regular physical checkups in the hopes of helping doctors diagnose and begin treating COPD early when there is a much better chance of a good quality of life as the patient has time to make the lifestyle changes necessary.

This book was very informative, easy to understand, and covered the subject thoroughly. I really didn't have much idea what COPD was until I read this book. I recommend it highly if you have breathing problems.

A book of this sort is good insofar as it is technically accurate, and also if it zeroes in on your especial situation. As a non-scientist I am unble to judge the former, and my situation is that I was recently diagnosed with early emphysema. But I quit smoking 13 years ago, so all the pages devoted to quitting smoking were irrelevant to me. I have, however, spent a lifetime with heavy smokers, starting before my birth -- not that I can do anything about that now. Thanks, Mom and Dad, colleagues, friends, and current and former husbands!

There is a lot in this book about COPD, its causes, its course, varieties of treatment, & strateies for living with it. It is easy to understand and has a glosary, bibliography for further research, and good index.

Fortunately my condition has been arrested with the use of Spireva [mentioned in the book],but I will keep my copy just in case.

This is a fine and comprehensive guide to the subject. As a bonus, it offers that welcome oddity among medical books for the layman-good clear writing delivered with an easy-to-read light touch.

This book is a very good resource for people who live with respiratory issues. It is a great tool to help people become more knowledgeable about their condition and to learn to manage your life!
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