its hard going to work with copd, breathless and tired all the time, what can i do ?

[puffless]

[Hidden]

Welcome, I dont suffer with COPD so cant help but I am sure someone will be along shortly to advise you. All the best - anniseed.

[puffless in reply to Hidden]

thank you anyway, annieseed

[scrobbitty]

Hi puffless - firstly welcome. Best advice would be to make yourself comfortable and then go to the BLF home page and go through their sections one by one, you will find excellent information there. If you have specific questions - try the search bar. If you still have questions, put it on here with full details and no doubt someone will try to give you their best advice.

[Lynne1955]

Hello and welcome.

Tell us a bit more puff less. It is hard, I work for myself and travel all over the UK, sometimes I think that's harder than if I was at a desk. So, it sort of depends on what you do, I suppose.

Lynne xx

[puffless]

I work as lorry driver, quite alot of unloading by hand and its for a company who expect 10 to 12 hours a day (not all driving, that would be against the law) 5 days aweek and its getting to much

[Hidden]

I am hoping that you aren't smoking!!

[phillips1]

That handball can be a killer sometimes. Keep taking your inhalers, watch your tacho and your mirrors. Them boys in blue don't take excuses. lol

Good luck with the job, Bobby

[puffless]

I stopped smoking 3 months ago.

[puffless]

I stopped smoking 3 months ago.

[Gordon57]

As mentioned, read all about it on the BLF website. Start at blf.org.uk/Page/Recently-di... and work your way through the many pages on the left as they apply to you.

Please don't go searching the Internet for answers, there are some really scary websites out there that give people nightmares. Stick to the BLF or NHS sites

Give the BLF helpline a call when they re-open after the holidays, it's 03000 030 555.and they are normally open 10am-6pm M-F. See what they can suggest as everyone is different and it's impossible to try and diagnose or advice via a forum like this. All we can do is give some general information and it will be up to you which direction you take. Ask the BLF for their information package too, it's free

COPD is a recognised illness and employers are duty bound to take this into account in finding more suitable work for you. You do not want to be overdoing anything and risking your life, if it's too much to cope with them step back and look at the situation from the outside, if you can. Imagine you were the one giving advice to a colleague. what would you tell them to do ?

Consider that YOU are much more important than the job. Not easy to take on board in this day and age. Finding something else isn't easy, but it's the sort of thing to be bearing in kind or you could end up in hospital, seriously...

Stopping smoking should help, eventually. It can take a while to clear the rubbish from your lungs and benefit from the easier passage the air into your body.

I guess you've already gone through medication with your GP, but discuss it with the BLF as well as not all GP's seem to be on the ball with lung conditions and think that chucking an inhaler at someone will be enough.

[Hidden]

Hi Puffless, I still work and yes I get tired and breathless and I work at a desk! As I've said somewhere else, I was told by the Occupational Health nurse that COPD is classed as a disability for employment purposes. My work originally allowed me to come in slightly later so I wasn't rushing to catch the bus that got me to work in time. The one I get now gets me in about 5-10 minutes late. Eventually though I've reduced my hours to 3 days instead of 5 (long story, but work allowed me to draw my work pension early). Lots of options available, don't despair.