Ever since I discovered the huff & cough exercises, they have made a HUGE difference to my life and the ability to clear my lungs.....I have severe COPD and so I find if I do a lot of deep breathing exercises generally, any time thoughout the day when I get a chance, its very beneficial to me. I still work so time is limited, and I have found that the very best time for me to do my breathing exercises is when driving to and from work, or when I am visiting customers for work. But is it OK do you think? Its been great for me and it works to clear the stuff up, but am I doing my lungs any damage by deep breathing in the car, re: car fumes?..No I KNOW its not the best place...but is it dangerous do you think?
Is it OK to do breathing exercises wh... - Lung Conditions C...
Is it OK to do breathing exercises when driving in your car?
Written by
Sohara
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
The ability to reply to this post has been turned off.
18 Replies
•
Hi sohara,How can you work with severe emphysema I can barely walk ten metres. Bengunn.
Hi Bengunn, I have had Brochiectasis since I was a young child......my lungs have gradually declined...mostly due I think to my not knowing about clearing my chest, and not being under a consultant, as after I had both lower lobes of my lungs removed, I just attended my GP when I had an exacerbation to get amoxicillin . I have my own business, and its a sedentary role . But actually when I read on here that people have severe COPD and cannot walk or have very bad sats, I am surprised...My FEV1 and my CT scan all say I have severe stage 3 COPD, as well as the bronchiectasis and emphysema. But I have no trouble walking for miles, just don't give me steep hills to climb..or at least let me climb them on my own where no one can her the dreadful SOB and puffing that goes on...but I can climb them, slowly...also my oxygen levels are good , but I have had Bronch and COPD for many decades......as I never had my FEV taken until a couple of years ago when it was severe...I cannot tell you how long I stayed at each stage of COPD, but I think since I have found this site and am now under a chest clinic I have improved things for myself dramatically.
In the old days, doctors were VERY reluctant to give out antibiotics, and when I got an infection I had to wait about 4 days for a Dr appointment and then get the medicine, and then only ever one 7 or 10 day course ...which never really did it for me...so that in no way helped my lung condition .
I think we are all in different states of health even though our lung status may be the same
Love Sohara
Your last para is so true Sohara, since using this forum it has become clear that although we ca be at the same level, it affects us differently. I was working at very severe (around 28%) but once I'd had pneumonia and lung function went down to 24% I found it difficult to carry on, despite having a sedentary job and being able to drive practically to the doorstep. Under 20% now, five years later. As it usually happens fairly slowly, sometimes you are able to adapt. Libby x
Hi Sohara.I hope you don't think I was inferring that you wern't ill. After reading your reply saying how long you have had both conditions you have my admiration for living with it since childhood.I have had emphysema for 7 years,lastmarch I fell and punctured a lung and had pneumo thorax,thought I 'd had it but survived.Since then I've had nothing but chest infections my sats have dropped to 84 at rest.On my last spiro test they refused to test me because sats were too low .My next test is feb so I hope to have improved by then.good luck with huff puff.Bengunn.
Bengunn I did not in any way think I was inferring I wasn't ill , we are all different...One thing that may help you guage your rate of decline , is that 40years ago, neighbours were having a 'race' for charity only about 1 or 2 miles round the block...I knew I could not run, but thought I would join in at a slow jog, which fast became a 'fast walk' but I hardly got anywhere and I ended up with a slow slow walk as the jogging had made me SO out of breath...now that was 40 years ago!!! I had never heard of COPD then ( actually I don't think anyone had,) but I have ALWAYS since a young child had 'chest problems' and I am still going strong...3 years ago I did that BODE test as I now had FEV etc to complete it...and it said I only had about 12months to go..yet I am still working, have a full and active life..OK my lungs are now much worse, but I can still climb at least one flight of stairs 2 if need be. So not sure how they work these tests out..but they are not right for everyone
I did reply to this earlier Flibberti, but I fear its got lost in the ether.
Thanks for you response, you are saying what I feel is correct, It is a handy time for me to do my breathing....
Love Sohara
hi sohara I have to ask whats does huff and cough involve cheers bill
Oh Toby since I learned about Huff & cough ( its a breathing technique also called 'The Active Cycle of Breathing') my lungs have improved beyond my wildest dreams...All those years before I used to want to be able to cough up the gunk that I knew was on my lungs, and never could by cough alone. NOW by doing this technique as many times a day as I remember too, my lungs are SO IMPROVED...I would implore everyone with COPD to learn the 'huff/cough' for me it was the single must important thing I learned for myself...there are other things, which you can learn about on here but this huff/cough is the best thing for me, and now I can clear my lungs properly and get up all the mucous ...I will try to find one link for you, but there are loads of vids on youtube.
youtube.com/watch?v=fqZUt3c...
Good luck
Lol - just watched this and coughed up some mucous without doing the exercise - the huffless cough certainly worked for me!!
qbjb( wow your name is not easy to spell !! ) That's the way to do it..wish all I had to do was look at the vid...huffing & coughing are very very tiring for me, but essential
my idea is to breath out hard rather than breath in but it will mk you cough and bring sputum up .
there is also thing called flutter goggle lots of imfo out there they are brilliand expensive but you should be able to getr on prescription if u ask doc or nurse they may say never ghheasrd of it ask them if they would kindly look it up because they are worth there weeight in gold
I do have a flutter Becraftygirl, but I don't have enough puff to make the ball flutter, it kind of moves, but does now make any vibration. I wish it would I believe they are brilliant, but I have read that some peoples blow is just not strong enough...welcome to the land of poor blowers :)
I think it helps if you have air conditioning in car and keep the window's closed!
I just wonder what you do with your feet and arms???Does the driver think you 're turning right or left when you raise your arm? do you do free wheeling when you lift your feet up? apart from those, it sounds like fun. do be careful, though!
the physiotherapist (who I have seen 3 times over a 2 and a half year period) said if you have not got time in the morning do in the car either in lay bye traffic lights. I am careful if driving tho as coughingviolently might end up with a driving accident. Katgie JJ
The ability to reply to this post has been turned off.
Not what you're looking for?
You may also like...
Extreme exercise or increase the steroids?
My breathing has been not so good for the last week and I've been coughing up more sputum than...
Breathing concern that is hard to deacribe
Hi everyone. I just wanted to ask if anyone has any helpful info about what's going on with my...
breath easy
i wish to help others with copd had it about 9 years started mild got little worse so breathing...
I HAVE FOUND THAT THE RECOMMENDED "PURSED LIP BREATHING" IS NO USE TO ME WHEN I AM VERY BREATHLESS
When I am getting very breathless I find pursed lip breathing does not seem to expel the trapped...
I can help people with copd
Hi my name is Norman I've have Copd since 2007 quite smoking 10 years now I was at 57% lungs...
Number of Huffs - does it matter?
Does sitting in certain positions affect your breathing
Mysterious chronic shortness of breath
Still have no diagnosis to why I have breathing problems and pain in my lungs when i breath
Active breathing and bronchiectasis
