Before Apria set her up with a non-invasive ventilation (NIV) machine, Kim says she would regularly fall asleep during the day, due to exhaustion.
“I used to randomly be sitting there, having a conversation, and just doze out,” she says. “But since I’ve been on the NIV, I have not fallen asleep once during my daily work day.”
Kim describes the positive difference NIV has made in her life.
Kim’s exhaustion is common among people who benefit from NIV. Due to their breathing problems, they’re unable to take in enough oxygen, limiting their bodies’ ability to function properly.
With her NIV therapy, she’s able to breathe more normally again.
“When you can take that deep breath, it just feels so good,” she says. “Telling somebody who can already take that deep breath, they’ll never understand. I probably wouldn’t be doing half the stuff that I do now if I didn't have the NIV machine.”
Kim started her respiratory treatment with a CPAP machine, but based on her symptoms, it wasn’t quite the right fit.
“I ended up still going into respiratory failure,” she says. Her physician contacted Apria to start the transition to NIV. Tammy from Apria brought the NIV machine to Kim’s home.
“Tammy said I’ve got a new machine for you, she came here, hooked it all up and took my other machine,” says Kim. “My best friend is sitting on the back of my bed as we speak,” she added, referring to her NIV machine.
Healthcare professionals: Which of your COPD patients could benefit from NIV?