Walk very slow so as not to notice my breathing
Walk at a speed I’m comfortable with
Walk at a speed where I know that I’m breathing heavier
Walk as fast as I can without stopping
Walk so fast that I have to stop at intervals to regain my breath
What would you recommend?
hi ya I try to walk so I am breathing a bit hard . because I was told if I slow down so its comfortable .then next time you go slower . and you graduly slow down even more . keep on breathing
You should walk at a speed that makes you a little breathless and keep this up for 20 mins + You will find that your fitness will improve very quickly.. Good luck 
I walk as fast as I can, which is less than a few years ago. When I get breathless I keep going but do purse lip breathing then it seems to settle for a while. Problem comes if I'm on my own I panic.
Hi the-db, I have been advised by the physio to walk or do activities to what is a moderate level of breathlessness. This is number 3 on the Borg scale which they use. Needless to say everyone' level of 3 is different according to disease, fitness, age etc. He told me when I reached 3 on the scale, which goes from 0 (no breathlessness) to 10 (which is maximum breathlessness) to stop whatever I was doing and rest. My answer would be to walk at a pace which leaves you moderately breathless. However, and I stress this, you should go and see your GP, respiratory nurse or physio before doing anything more than you normally do, or are comfortable with. The information I got from the physio includes breathing exercises and techniques. They also run a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Course where you will get all the advice and information you need. You really should have been offered this so check with your physio department or health centre and they should be able to help you. I have not been on the course yet but loads of people think they are very helpful. Good luck and I hope this helps. hugs xx
Whatever is comfortable for you.
Hi Huggs - just a query on Pulmon.Rehab. to yourself or anyone else able to advise: I was referred to a pulmon. rehab. course in a local hosp (Darent Valley Dartford) and the physio called me as there was some confusion about them not having received the original referral from my GP. Anyway, that got sorted out but when I mentioned that I had Joint Hypermobility Syndrome (EDS III) and could not do repetitive, strenuous exercises, the physio said I would not be able to join her course as she advised people to do squatting and other repetitive type exercises on her particular course, that was her style. So I missed out. Does anyone know of any other exercises I could do for my lungs (apart from the huffing, etc) which are used in other pulmonary rehab courses?I have the BLF Exercise handbook which looks really good but unsure about what I can take on for my EDS condition. Thanks.
Hi stillmovin1, I am sorry that you have not had a good experience with PR due to your other health issues. I have not been on a course yet, so do not know of any specific exercises which would benefit you. I was told that at the start of the course everyone is individually assessed to see how well you will be able to tolerate increased exercise. This is likely to be in the form of a walking test,ie, being asked to walk a measured distance over a period of time. You are closely monitored during this process and any symptoms will be monitored and used as a baseline for future exercise. They said that exercise is the core of the programme and will be individually "prescribed" for me. This will involve endurance work, such as walking , using an exercise bike as well as other things. Now, I realise that this has not happened for you. If your physio was not competent enough to devise a programme for you then you might want to return to your GP for a referral to a more senior physio. I am quite sure that there are things that you will be able to do in a PR course other than squats or repetitive movements. I think your physio is either lazy or not competent enough to meet your needs, and you should definitely follow it up, and insist on getting help. That is what they are there for, and it might mean referral to a specialist physio. There is help out there, so keep trying and don't give up because you will benefit from it. Maybe the BLF nurses can point you in the right direction. Good luck, and keep trying because you deserve it. All the best. hugs xx
oops I think I sent my reply to peeg instead of huggs! you know what I mean...thanks!
No worries. Huggs is right though. No one should be telling you that you can't do their course because of the squatting! FHS. That's appalling. We do PR for our lung health via strength & stamina. Lots of people have dodgy joints so that would mean none of us would ever be able to go on a pr course.
What a cheek, I'm furious on your behalf.
Go back to your referrer & explain. There were plenty on my course with varied problems but the physios took care to support each & every one of them with great care.
I'm in SW London. I was referred by my GPs respiratory nurse. Then I was also offer a place on St Georges Hospitals course - I stupidly said no thanks I'd done one. I so wish I'd accepted another one. The courses may all be slightly different but fundamentally they are there to teach you about lung conditions as well as the exercise.
That person had done you a disservice. P
Thanks Peeg - good advice there! I will be seeing a new consultant at Dartford hosp in July so I will mention face-to-face what happened with the PR Physio and see what they think about that. Mind you, I am now a bit reluctant to see that particular physio as she could have it in for me....!!!!
I would sure hope a professional would not be that immature but I guess you never know. I think it is ridiculous that they cannot or will not alter their program to account for someone's needs that are dictated my other health issues or restrictions.
You practise walking at a pace you're comfortable with while doing pursed lip breathing, you'll gradually up your pace as you improve and get stronger.
Important to deep breath as you go, in through nose, out slowly through mouth. Good luck
I do agree strongly with you, huggs, on this one. I will go back to the GP and say I am not happy with the response I got. Thanks
Glad I was of some help., and even more glad that you are going to your GP. I'll tell you this if they try and get me to do squatting I'll not be able to get up again and that will be the end of that. Even though I have not yet been on the course I have talked at length to the physios which is why I know that everyone's needs are taken into account and a programme suited to them is devised. All the best and it would be good to hear how you get on. I have been seeing a physio for neck problems and although the course hasn't started yet they talk to me about it, so I have been fortunate so far. Good luck hugs xx
I've found that staying on my meds of Spiriva and Symbicort, always pushing myself physically and pursed lip breathing are of tremendous benefit and improve things immeasurably. Even if one weren't sick with this disease, one should push one's self; it's just good for you...., period.
As I always seem to say,this is a very individual disease.Before my consultant got to know me he told me to push myself as much as I could to walk.I did but on occasion got myself in trouble with breathlessness.He now knows this and advises me to be careful .It seems you need to find a better physio,one who knows what they,re talking about.Good luck.D.
db, when you get short of breath stop and follow this exercise to recover:
youtube.com/watch?v=wUr0YVZ...
But exercise you ought to, because it will, in a fairly short run, help you breathe.
I do some Chinese exercises with a weird name: the 8 pieces of brocade! These exercises combine the movement with the breathing.You start strictly within your range. I know it will help you. No need to get into too much shortness of breath; stop if you get that way. but do these everyday to change your energy level and your lung capacity.
here is the Wikipedia explanation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badua...
and here's the Youtube video, youtube.com/watch?v=KJeyZ43...
Hope it helps. Mike.
Hi walk at a speed where you have enough breath to have a conversation but not enough to be able to sing. This is your optimum exercise level. Less than this and you are not getting the full benefit of the exercise and more you will make yourself too breathless and distressed to no avail. Have a look at the Borg scale - google it. x
best advice I ever saw was in, "the ultimate fit or fat" by covert bailey also see regeneratinglungs.com ron
mild copd
What to do now?
Question for everyone with lung condition 
Struggling to breathe for 2 months - unsure what to do?
Work 
