COPD - Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme

[M_Belardini]

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering whether people have been able to get on a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme or not?

If so, what was good about it?

If not, like myself, why not?

Any replies would be really appreciated.

Kind regards,

Mark

[Hidden]

Hi there I've just had my first week of 8 on this course. The benefits are exercising improves your breathing. I completed this course 2 yrs ago and found it helped then You need to be referred by GP of consultant Can I just add tho not everyone feels the benefit.

[Hidden]

Good Morning to you! I am such a fan of pulmonary rehab! I care for my husband who has severe COPD. About five years ago he was very ill and ended up in hospital. I started to look into COPD and treatments available. I found out about the PR course and asked the doctor for a referral but was told that my husband was "too well" to go on the course!!! To cut a long story short he did go on the course and I think it saved his life. I know that it a big claim but it changed his outlook and gave him the information and knowledge he needed to deal with his illness.

He attended an initial assessment to check his levels so that he was fit enough to go on the course and then to compare the results at the end. His course was 8 weeks long, two hours,twice a week. The first hour was monitored exercise which is tailored to your abilities. The second hour was information all about COPD, treatments etc. He was so much fitter by the end of the course and had so much more stamina but equally had so much more confidence. He had met other people with the same condition - he wasnt the only person in the world with COPD!

I would say grab the opportunity with both hands and enjoy! Lots of love TAD xx

[Hidden]

Hi Mark

What is it your trying to find out.

Do you want to know how to get on a pr course or what people think of it after being on one

Mandy

[pollyjj]

Hi Mark, I have been really lucky, I have been to PR twice, once a good few years ago and then again last year after having pseudomonas and am going to try and get on another one. Each time I am ill for a long time I have difficulty motivating myself to do anything, whereas if I get on to rehab I will get in the car and go twice a week and I know it will be good for me and get me back in on track.

If you get the chance go for it.

polly xx

[aberdeenman]

hi mark im about half way through pulmonary rehab, one im on is 16 sessions I go twice a week. its all about education and exercise.

tam

[Puffthemagicdragon]

I've been on two. Both different. The first one was 2 hours a week in a group but you do excercises to suit you for an hour then1 hour of pulmonary education.

The one I am on at the moment is different. It's in a very well equiped gym. There is no actual time limit but I started of doing 1/2 an hour now do 1 hour. Once a month there is a two hour education session throughout the year so if you miss one you can always catch up anytime.

Initially I done 10 minutes on the treadmill. The last time I went I done 1 hour on it, nonstop at 2 miles/hour. Which means I walked 2 miles ( with ambulatory oxygen ). I couldn't do that outdoors though ! Not bad for a Stage 4 !

[Nanny1086 in reply to Puffthemagicdragon]

Brilliant ,,,well done .

[kimmy59]

I've been on two and am due one in June. In my area they recommend one a year, but in the next town for me they only allow 30 a year so they end up in my area. Helped me both times.

Kim x

[PollyP]

Would agree with the positives which folk have already written about, the PR course I did 3 years ago turned my life around....still benefitting by exercising regularly. Would also add that your practice nurse can refer you as well as GP. Also there can get a wait list, it took two years for me to be called for the course so get on the list ASAP if you are going to do it. Good Luck

[Ergendl]

I asked my GP in mid March to go on a PR course after hearing about them at a Breath Easy group. I am now on the waiting list. There are groups in several local towns up to 20 miles away, and I could be given a place on any one of these - luckily I drive and have a little Smart car. When I asked him, my GP said PR is very good but didn't know where to send the letter to as no-one asks to go on them in his practice!

[CornishBrian]

PR to me was the best medicine known to man. Went with misgivings...."What good is a gym to me?" attitude but soon changed my mind. It demonstrated to me how much potential I still had, how easy it was for me to improve my health and carry on living. It gave me friends that were in the same position as me, it gave me support and learning. I used to use a ventolin inhaler every week...after PR, I rarely use it at all....due to using breathing control to bring me back to normal...all of these were fantastic, but the best thing to come out of it was the knowledge. I no longer panic when I can't get my breath, no longer phone 999. I know that I can get it back by myself....PR, I love it.

[angse]

Hi everyone I have heard so many people benefiting from this course, hopefully mark you may be able to get on it, I was refused by nurse at my surgery, as not bad enough she said, I have had COPD for a year, it has got so bad so fast, I hate to admit this but I'm nearly in tears before I have to go out, the anxiety is severe, literally I can only take 10 to 12 steps outside then I have to stop for a while, I think my nurse should come out for a walk, she will see then, apprantly the pump I am on is strong Symbicourt 200 hope you all keeping well Annette

[FarmerD]

I have been waiting all winter for another PR course.I did one last year and only have high praise for them.Supervised excercise and loads of information about our condition and the spur to do stuff.I need the motivation because I,m such a lazy git lol and I simply forget to excercise.Roll on next one!D.

[Offcut]

I went on one in 2008 after lung failure. It was a fantastic help to me but did not get me to 100% but I could do more than I did before. I had a 3 ball exerciser that I barely got one ball half way by the time I finished I got all 3 up.

Last year I was told that another PR might be a good idea, but it was cancelled as they confirmed I am exercise intolerant now.

If you can get on one go for it!

Be Well

[FarmerD]

Probably,there was one or two really old bidies who needed to get out of their house for some exercise but Don,t quote me on that.D.

[Nanny1086]

Pulmary rehab has ,,,,,,,in my opinion saved my life ,,,,it's brilliant ,I'm lucky to have such caring nurses physio's ,they are brilliant and I will never be able to repay them for the help and advise and caring that they have shown to me .i was the first patient in my area to do the 8 week course ,that was after a spell in ICU with Septasyma ,the nurses took great care off me when I came out of hospital and when I was feeling much better they asked if I would be their first patient to do the course ,how could I refuse them ,,,,,I did the course ,,,,and since then I've had relapses in my health and repeated the course many times ,,,,,but after the first course I felt so much better I joined the gym and I started to go twice a week and I continue to do this ,I had lung function tests today at the hospital ,,,and the consultant was shocked suprised and amazed,,,,at the improvement I've made .ive gone from 63% ten years ago to 75% today !he said he will be encouraging all his patients to do the course ?thank you Pulmary rehab Rugeley team ,,,,,life savers ,