Would anyone be so kind as to tell me the most common signs of copd please, was diagnosed 6 months ago now with mild....

[Daza70]

[Hidden]

Hi Daza. With mild copd you might not get any symptoms but if you do it will be increased breathlessness and perhaps wheezing. You might find hills and steps harder and it is possible that a cold is more likely to go on your chest and turn into a chest infection. Copd is a progressive disease but you can do a lot to slow it down. Stopping smoking if you do, a good diet and exercise are very important. Provided you follow this, and all things being equal, you will live to a ripe old age. You have been lucky (not in getting copd) but being diagnosed so early so you can work at keeping it mild. Many on here weren't diagnosed until they were severe but you can stop this happening to you.

[Daza70]

I gave up smoking when I was diagnosed, eat a healthy diet and take additional supplements to, as for excersise I ride 8 miles a day on my mountain bike to keep fit, do that seven days a week.... So this will slow the progression down?

[Leshere in reply to Daza70]

well done on the exercise. Evidence says there is a link between exercise and better health for those with COPD (and the population as a whole). see huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/... for example. However there is exercise and there is exercise. Consider both duration and intensity. I cycle often do 35 to 40 miles in a day. I can do this without more than a little puffing and a mild sweat by virtue of flat roads and plenty of gears. I suspect that the benefit is increased by giving my heart and lungs a work out and that involved greater intensity. There are indications that bouts of higher intensity with more relaxed periods of riding is most beneficial. So riding 8 miles a day is great but how hard do you push it. A suggested intensity is the level at which you can barely talk see unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%2... but not for the whole 8 miles. Personally I take it to what I can endure for a minute and then ease off (or stop if I reduce myself to a breath heaving spluttering wreck).

[Hidden in reply to Daza70]

Yes definitely Daza. Keep up the good work x

[CornishBrian]

Technically no. Your cycle rides cease to be "exercise" once they become established daily routine. You need to increase your distance or the severity of the terrain or something before you can call it exercise. Weird, I know. I used to spend a 15 hour shift walking around at work, plus other very strenuous activities but was told that I couldn't include this as part of my keep fit regime. You are on the right track though. Fitness and good food helps keep things on track....not sure about supplements though. If your diet is good, there should be no need for supplements....use the cash for better quality fruit, veg etc. I also have Angina and start radiotherapy for advanced skin cancer in May. No sunshine on my skin for 5 years. I was worried about vit D deficiency but have had help from a dietician who has assured me that my diet will provide everything I need.

[Offcut]

All of the above is good advice early diagnosis is good as you can make strides to keep it at bay (Pun intended).

Be Well

[peege]

Hi Daza. Yes, lucky you were dx early. Personally speaking I didn't get a referral for 4 years. Very annoying but can't turn the clock back.

I'm a great believer in supplements and don't believe we get what we need from a 'balanced diet'. That only applies to children over 5, and adults under 60 but not people with health issues.

There is a good little guide on Vits & supplements by an eminent nutritionist, The Pocket Guide to Vitamins by Angela Dowden. Very good info on dosage and what to avoid.

Since my regime of taking Vit B12. Vit C & Vit D3 I've only had 2 infections. More to the point, I recovered from them in much shorter time. They used to last months.

I up the Vit C to 1000mg 2 or 3 times a day when unwell to give the immune system a vital lift. Also I've taken a good quality multivitamin & mineral for years.

Many take Manuka Honey, a natural antibiotic.

Keep up with your clean living, eating well, exercise and Vits. Peeg