How far have you gone to avoid air po... - Lung Conditions C...
How far have you gone to avoid air pollution?
Please select all that apply:
Hi everyone, time for another poll!
When air pollution is high, it can cause huge problems to people with lung conditions. We've heard stories of people going to huge lengths to avoid it. We'd love to hear what you've done to keep breathing clean air, and to hear about your tips for coping when it's bad - please feel free to share with us below.
Best wishes,
Ben
I am lucky as I live in a country village , the only problem is pollen from nearby crops
I try to avoid main roads with a lot of traffic
GP are at a lost as what to do, they need tobe aware of how dangerous having a lung condition can effect a person quality of life and normal tablets are not working... It's sad that patients are informing GP. At who's cost of life..
I felt unwell last week so stayed in the house and had groceries delivered. This week had a day in Fleetwood with no ill effects.
I was shocked to discover the drivers delivering your groceries are put at risk from pollution by their companies, Ocado,Sainsburys etc. Ocado refuse to fit cabin air filters recommended by vehicle manufactures to protect the drivers from exhaust fumes as "they are not a legal requirement and we have taken a business decision not to fit them ".
I don't know about the law regarding filters or if they are fitted by Morrisons who I used or how many HGV drivers throughout the country could be effected.
Ocado/Morrisons are one and the same as regards drivers (approx 3500) and vehicles. They just swap uniforms and have different liveries on their Mercedes Sprinter trucks. Because there is no law you could be travelling to hospital or school in a public vehicle in which the owners have removed the filters to save money ( they get blocked and have to be replaced). When I brought this to the attention of the Transport Minister Chris Grayling he said in the UK we have no standards re air filters or pollution levels "inside" vehicles. Drivers and passengers are basically inside a box breathing unfiltered exhaust from the vehicle in front. Unlike visible life saving seat belts and safety helmets air filters are hidden and you will never know you are at risk.
I do care about people like us who have lung conditions but if a law was brought out tomorrow it would wipe the roads of most traffic including 🚘
Well I will be writing to me MP to try and change this. Business don't care it's all about the bottom line. I am surprised a Union hasn't jumped on this to.
I live in a small village on a lane and well back from the main traffic. When I go into nearby SOA I don’t spend much time walking amongst the traffic. On my recent holiday I wore a mask in Vietnam and Hong Kong and generally avoided spending much time walking along roads with traffic in all of the cities that I visited.
littlepom. I’m amazed and in awe of your travels ,can I ask your type of c o p d. I dream of holidays and where if I could go to. Keep up your travels, ps which age bracket are you in.
Hi Janet. I don’t have copd. I have bronchiectasis and so the things that affect me can be different to those which give people with copd so much trouble. I am 68. Hopefully someone with copd will see this and will be able to advise you on the best way to take holidays with it.
Thank you for your very welcome reply, I have posted a few weeks ago asking if anyone was happy with their prescription, as for me nothing helps, but knowing you suffer with a totally different devil ,I wanted whatever it was that helped you to travel to such amazing places, but of course it wouldn’t, good luck for your future travels , take care. Janet.
I avoid going into town/traffic heavy environments!
I have to were a face respirator so that I do not breath in the pollution or I will have an severe asthma attack.
I stay indioors but have Windows and doors open and have no problens so far
Used to use a surgical mask in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Here in Kazakhstan is not so much sand but sometimes the dust is just as bad so always carry a mask with me
I avoid public transport and cover my nose and mouth when walking in pollution. I would like to go abroad, but can't afford to. I'd also like to move house, but am not in a position to.
I go to the seaside when it's possible or stay indoors
Bought an air purifier
I've had mine for years, it really does help
moved house to live abroad permanently lived near ici and british steel works for many years, developed asthma so moved to mountains of Spain.
That's a huge move. Do you mind if I ask where you moved from?
I don’t go out in the cold. Or in this heat, in fact I don’t go out . I am physically not too bad, but my emphysema has gone too far. Not enough breath, even my oxygen does not help. So I’m happy for those who love this weather enjoy it while it lasts.
Today I have an air purifier salt lamp and dehumidifier going still feel rotten
Most of us have no real control as individuals so I joined the Green Party as they seem to be the people who have a serious commitment to doing something about this problem.
I stay indoors and also bought a air purifier.. doesn't help I'm allergic to grass pollen and dust..
We no longer travel to London or other major cities and have tended to pop out early in the day and then be at home. Xxxxxx
Interesting. I live in a rural town so industrial and traffic pollution is moderate. My biggest issue is not with breathing per se but with rhinitis - I get very bad eye response in late spring/early summer and then I do take some precautions but mostly just pop an anti-histamine. Does the trick. Life this end is too short to change too many activities just to suit COPD. More significant for my emphysemia and bronchiectisis and mild asthma is temperature and humidity. Below 10C and above 65% humidity I can start to struggle. The same is true above about 27C if the humidity is high. Right now, although it is hot, the humidity is very low so I am good to go. I spend Dec/Jan/Feb is southern Spain however - lucky me! The temp and humidity there at that time are just about perfect. Seaside locations can produce a lot of ozone so that can be a problem of course.
Wood burners are a problem in winter. I have written to my MP about this with a view to weather or not the government may restrict them in urban areas. The environment minister is “on the case”. It’s a problem in London apparently I read in the media.
Despite having been diagnosed with COPD for many years now life must go on and I try live it as normal as possible with the aid of a cocktail of medications. If the air quality become worse than normal [and that’s not particularly good] then I have the ability to increase my doses of Bricanyl to 1 dose every hour as opposed to 1 dose every 4 hours thus enabling me to keep active.
I bought and wear a cyclists "smog" mask which filters out dust, pollen, exhaust emissions etc. In the winter, I wear a balaclava style motor cyclist helmet liner, which helps me to keep bugs at bay and stop s me gulping in cold air.
I live in a back street so there is usually little through traffic and pollution. However, when neighbours have barbecues or bonfires I have to go indoors and close all the windows.
I live in a tropical rural environment with very low air pollution, except when some local farmers burn off the rice stubble! You can't get away from some air pollution even in paradise!
I changed my car as my beloved old micra didn’t have a HEPA filter, I still drive on the ‘Recycle’ button as when I don’t, I can tell!
I live in a relatively air-pollution free rural village. I stay there as much as possible and if I leave the village I do so by traffic free back lanes. I now carefully avoid going anywhere near the city (Norwich) which means I have to miss out on several community and social activities.
I would have moved house as London is well-known for its "smoke", but being in my early 70s I feel that it would take about 3 years to find something suitable, and then the stress of moving etc., so I have now released some equity from my property in order to go abroad when I feel I really need to get away from the cold and the pollution. Looking at ads in the area where I live, this does not indicate central London smoke - as I am very near to Epping Forest. However, I am also near to a motorway - so if pollution is in the air, I wear a mask.
I'm planning to move house !
Current moor fires have been a huge issue, door and windows shut with temps of 30C outside ~ personal sauna !
I seldom have a window open - I live in the country and when the farmer sprays his crops, I go inside. I also wear a mask when having to be where it is dusty, like cleaning out the garage. My allergy shots keep me free of symptoms most of the time.
I thought it was just me. I had a life threatening asthma attack last year it frightened me so much. My lungs within 5 minutes filled with fluid no matter how hard I tried I could get air in me. Stopped smoking and I realised if I go out my lungs get wheezy. Never want an asthma attack again.
Hi,
I have purchased anot air purification system as I have more than just lung disease.
Ronnie
When you live by a main road and cannot afford to move, when you are in the middle of a city, you cannot think of the pollution or you will shut your doors, never go out, and still die of COPD!
I live in a small town in South York’s on the combined A 60/A631 which carries a huge amount of HGVs from UK, EU plus Turkey, Ukraine etc. Outside my house is a pedestrian controlled red light crossing in constant use with huge trucks reving and pouring out black particle rich smoke. I have contacted the L.A.a number of times and they have suggested they would be prepared to place a particle and gas monitor outside my house, after a number of years I am still waiting. They seem to be reluctant to monitor this site despite my requests. I realise that this traffic is important for trade and local workers but there are a number of alternate routes equally quick from the A1M, the M1, the M18 the M62 and local A roads that could be used by these trucks. Why cannot satnavs prioritise these alternate routes rather than just sending trucks through my and other local urban areas causing polution and risking the health of the local populace.
Surely that’s not to much to ask
All the air that I brather whether indoors or outdoors comes through a face mask. When I am out my air comes via a hose connected to an oxygen tank on the back of my wheelchair. Although there is a venturi valve at the junction of the tube and the mask. The O2 flow sucks additional atmospheric air up into the mask to mix and make the prescribed O2 dose. So I am still as vulnerable to diesel exhaust as ever before.
When I am at home my face mask connects to a hose via the same type of venturi valve and the hose leads to a machine that draws in atmospheric air and converts this into oxygen. The machine does have a micrometer filter for the air intake to remove pollen and dust and the supply is generally scrubbed of odours etc. Alas the weak point yet again is the venturi where preasurised airflow is mixed with the O2 and draws in dust, odours, pollens etc.
So alas even when wearing an oxygen mask 24/7 there is no escape from the same pollutions.
Regards, Rib
I am very lucky to live on the coast so air pollutants are a thing of the past. I used to live in Manchester on a main road and the traffic fumes were a killer.
I’m lucky, I live by the sea and away from mostbusy roads.
A little late for my reply, approximately 120 miles. From SW19 to a town in the Cotswolds
we have neighbours who have a wood burner and its terrible when they light it up is there a law or something on what they burn or dothey need filters
Try to walk through parks, away from traffic, when possible
When there's a lot of pollution in the air such is the way It's been the last 2 summers, I will wear an N95 mask. Here in Vancouver we have many Asian people who wear them so as not to spread/Or get an illness. No one even bats an eye....I would like to know what they are thinking though😂
I wear a surgical mask when need to but the weather has of lately affected my chest cough etc
I lived in Cyprus for a few years as much better there however the climate is more humid now which doesn't agree with me. Also lived by the sea but Asthma not much change Have COPD now. Much better in places like Switzerland. Finland. Scotland in the winter as air quality so much better. I travel by coach mostly for holidays and visiting friends and relatives. I do try not to go via London if I can help as even in the coach the pollution gets to me.
I live in a very clean air part of the country in a rural area and the air quality is very good. The last time I visited my daughter I travelled into London, used the Underground and had breathing difficulties. So I will avoid going into London in future. A great shame because I love going to the art exhibitions and the Victoria and Albert Museum etc.
I’ve gotan air filter
