Gerry Raker
Biography
Name | Gerry Raker |
Nickname | gerry-raker |
Year of Birth | 1951 |
Gender | Male |
Location | Jonesville, Michigan |
Relationship | Patient |
Short Bio | I am a 68 year old male, healthy and fit other than IPF, not taking any prescriptions other than Ofev. I am very outdoor and mountain activity oriented. In October of 2014 I was in a serious equestrian accident, fracturing multiple ribs and suffering through a bout of pneumonia. I recovered physically soon enough but could not seem to get my wind back. I kept training to no avail and finally went to a local doctor, complaining about shortness of breath on exertion. Now, many doctors and tests later I have ended up at the University of Michigan pulmonary clinic with a diagnosis IPF (March 2018). My FEV1/FVC is 120%. My DL/VA is 60%. I use 10 l/m of oxygen to exercise and variable amounts during strenuous outdoor activity. I have also been diagnosed with Hypopnia and use a BiPap machine set at 13 and 9 cm. I was on Esbriet for a few months but could not tolerate the fatigue and skin reaction. My biggest problem is finding oxygen equipment suitable for using while active. |
Type of Diagnosis | IPF |
Treatment / Medical Facility | Michigan Medicine Pulmonary Clinic, University of Michigan |
Current medication regimen | Nintedanib, Ofev 300mg/day |
Supplemental Oxygen | yes |
Best advice for PF symptom management | Enjoy your memories, but forget about trying to be who you were. Be who you are and live in the now. Keep planning the future and pushing to do a little bit more than you think that you can. Pay less attention to your oxygen saturation monitor and listen more to your body. |
Are you currently taking an anti-fibrotic medication? | yes |
How did you find us? | PF News Website |
How long have you or the person that you are caring for had PF? | Who knows? Diagnosed in March of 2018. |
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