"Everyone has their own ILD."

People with ILD can have widely different disease trajectories. Some may progress slowly over years, and some progress more quickly within months from the time of symptom onset. Patients with IPF may have acute exacerbations of their disease, from which they may not recover to their prior baseline. Research is ongoing to understand why some people remains stable and others progress quickly. Your medical team will be doing everything they can to halt the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, some patients progress despite treatment.

Advanced symptoms 

Some of the common signs of progressive ILD include increasing fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and disability. Patients may find activities they did easily before become more difficult. Decreased appetite and weight loss are also common. Additionally, the amount of oxygen needed may also increase. It is important to alert your healthcare team about any of these changes. Your provider may ask you to come into clinic for a follow up visit. One of the most important components of the follow up visits is to ensure that your oxygen needs are optimized. GIven these increased symptoms, it is also encouraged to ensure adequate support (friend, family member, other caregiver) in the home to help you with essential daily activities.