I had stem cell treatment in March 2016 and noticed slight improvement but not enough to make a big difference. At this point I'm not sure if I would do it again. I am currently researching the Lung Volume Reduction Surgery at Duke Medical. I have an appointment scheduled for March 2017 to see if I qualify for the surgery. Two of my associates at Pulmonary Rehab have had this surgery and they are now off the supplemental Oxygen. However, they do use during sleep at night. It has made a big improvement in their lives. I will keep everyone posted on my outcome.

There are no stem cell treatments for COPD that have been proven to work. The companies that offer them have lots of testimonials from people who would have you believe that they came to the center weighed down by their O2, on inhaler after inhaler, unable to do anything but cough and gasp, and after treatment, they threw their O2 away, tossed their meds and went skipping down the sidewalk. Ask the people fronting these organizations for any proof that their treatment works, such as, increase in FEV1, reduction in use of O2, reduced medications, improvement in 6 minute walk, or even improvement in quality of life as measured by any of the clinically approved measures (St. George, CAT, etc.) and they get very quiet. My friend, Dr. Robert Sandhaus, a world renowned pulmonologist at National Jewish in Denver, calls it "snake oil". There's a reason neither Medicare nor any insurance company will pay for the treatment. And there's a reason they're charging $3000 to $10,000 for treatment: they want your money.

That said, most of the clinicians and researchers in COPD I know believe that the cure will probably have something to do with stem cells, and there are remarkable things being done in regenerative medicine at a number of universities and research centers, so there is progress being made. There just aren't any treatments now that have had any success.

I was wondering the same thing. I had some literature on it and talked to them but it sounded like it was iffy. Does anyone know anybody who has gone through their program?

please do keep us posted

Thank you I will. I am trying to find a study the military is doing for veterans.