Anyone continue exercising regularly with COPD?

[michaelm700]

What do you do? Have long have you done it? Does it help?

thanks

[Gold13]

Michael700,Hi my name is Gold13. Yes I do muscle exercises and walk on a treadmill. Not everyday,Sometimes I just don't have the energy.are you on oxygen?I am,for 4 years now. I did smoke but I quit 4 years ago.I have a Total gym 500 and the treadmill.Good luck,I hope I was of help. Gold13

[Colours23]

No I don't exersize ,people all say u should!!, I like walking so I will do abit of that,the problem with Emphsema for me is No motivation ,so I find it hard to get out of the chair ,even though my life has been so active ,,,walk everyday,never sat down,the only way I can manage is take a steriod to get me out the chair.seems like I'm stuck there,no appetite ,so it's a struggle.

[Nanny1086 in reply to Colours23]

Hi ,please can I suggest you ask your GP to refer you to PULMARY REHAB ,I've done the course several times after severe chest infections and it's been a great help to me ,good luck .

[mskpjb in reply to Colours23]

Like you Colours I don`t have the motivation. When you live alone and have to drag an oxygen trolley around if you do go out, it`s difficult to even walk at a reasonable pace. I mean well, I bought hand weights and a stretchy band thing but they`re still sitting unwrapped. I think I`d use a treadmill if I had somewhere to put it and someone to erect it of course ! I`ve been on steroids this week and feel as though I could lift a bus AND I`m actually managing to eat, but all that will stop once the pred wears off. Stay well, Sheila x

[Colours23 in reply to mskpjb]

Oh how lovely to meet somone honest, instead of telling me what I should feel and do. Yes that's how it is ,steriods wear off its even harder to get out the chair, so I have started to take 1 or 2 to get me up and out 10 mg. what else is there?????!??

[punkyb in reply to Colours23]

I find it hard to get out of the chair without ever having had a steroid. I cannot imagine how it is for you. MY mom took steroids for awhile and it does not look like fun even though she sort of liked being on them. She blew up like a balloon for awhile but then got better. Well, I am off topic I guess but I understand the exercise dilemma. I bought a treadmill but have not used it yet, I began to one day and my daughter decide to call me just as I began . it was a great excuse to stop. Now I have to work up the desire again. I will admit that I do a lot of other work outside mostly so it is not like I sit all day. What I have noticed is I get muscle fatigue much quicker these days than I ever did before.

well bye for now

[Colours23 in reply to punkyb]

Y.es it's the motivation bit that holds us back,it's such a fight to go against it, when we know that being active is far better for us ,I know I feel soooo much better through walking I love it ,done it all my life,now I can't walk along the beach,I'm gutted as NHS will not give me ambulatory oxygen for outdoors, not low enough, so I have no choice but to buy my own to walk along the beach,waited a year now as I turned it down a year ago it was so large I could not lift it,I refused a trolley as I wanted to walk hand free with back pack,so don't listen to me ,not been tested on a hard walking surfice .im very active all my life.

[smudge01]

Yes I swim, since learning when I was in my 50's have tried to go a few times a week. Always use my blue inhaler before swimming but after about 5mins in the water find I am not bad. Have Asthma going for another breathing test in two weeks time find those difficult as breathing out just makes me cough. Dread them.

[Nanny1086 in reply to smudge01]

Hi ,I think we all dread the breathing tests ,but at least we can see if our breathing techniques are working and show any level of improvents ,

[freefaller in reply to smudge01]

Yes those tests are not easy are they? xxx

[Jjude]

Morning Michael, I exercise daily since i was told of the copd. before that I was just pretty active. Since doing breathing exercises and 3k on an exercise bike I feel much better. Sent for the BLF dvd to add a little more to my routine. So yes I do think exercise helps, even if its just a little exercise. Helps keeps us moving, motivated and fills an hour of my day.

xx

[Nanny1086]

Hi there , I was diagnosed back in 1992 ,at that time my hubby used to say "leave that I'll do it ,you'll only get short of breath and start coughing " so I spent quite a bit of time just doing a bit of light dusting and leaving the rest to hubby, then in 2008 ,after a spell in ICU ,I was discharged and told the COPD team of nurses would be in to see me ,they came most days for a few weeks ,and when I was loads better they asked me to do PULMARY REHAB COURSE ,,,,they had been soooo good to me and I trusted that they knew my limitations ,,,,I did the course ,which was brilliant ,,,and I have continued to go to the gym twice a week ,on average I manage quite easily to do ,3 Klm on the treadmill ( so far,,,,,, I'm aiming to get to 5klm ) 2+Klm on the bike ,3klm on the hand bike and 1000 meters on the rower ,,,,,exersise has saved me from a boring life sitting in the chair watching others do everything ,,,,,I really don't think I'd be here now at age 69 if I hadn't attended PR COURSE ,,,yes I still gave chest infections and can't exersise but as soon as I am better back I go to the gym ,last year was a complete write off for me dye to two falls and surgary on broken bones and a slight heart attack ,,,,if not for that,, I think I would gave reached my target of 5klm ,,,,,,so in answer to your question,,,,, YES I do ,,,and I love it ,,,,,,ask your GP to refer you to PULMARY REHAB you won't regret it , good luck and best of health ,

[michaelm700 in reply to Nanny1086]

Would have been 5k if not for the heart attack!

What an inspiration...thanks from all of us.

[Hidden in reply to Nanny1086]

Great reply Nanny1086.

[Sokrackers]

Hi Michael

I am a firm believer that exercise is one of the best ways to fight off lung conditions.

A year ago when diagnosed with severe COPD I was very limited with my mobility but started some 'mild' exercise and have continued to add to it over time now I can do a full hour gym class (apart from stopping to compose myself).

I can do so much more now and am leading a relatively normal life. When I look back to a year ago and see the improvement I am so grateful that I my life back again.

As well as feeling fitter and breathing better my body is stronger to fight off infections and my recovery time from illness has reduced - so for me it is a no brainer.

Just take it slowly and know your limits - little and often.

Take care and let us know how you get on.

SK

[Nanny1086 in reply to Sokrackers]

Couldn't agree more ,

[Neo7 in reply to Sokrackers]

Hi Sokrackers, What was your limitations before getting out of breath, and what are they now that you are doing exercise / thanks Neo

[peege]

Absolutely!

We used to have a member in her 50s called Lynne.

GWhat an inspiration she was. She was diagnosed severe. She quit smoking with the help of Champix. Got an allotment which she worked on when not at work, evenings & weekends. She regularly worked so hard and so well that she turned her severe into moderate. She supported many to quit smoking and / or exercise regularly.

She's no longer with us but not due to copd at all. P

[CornishBrian]

Exercise most definitely helps. I was housebound, spent all day in my chair or "resting" on my bed. I was bullied onto my first Pulmanary Rehab course. My intention was go once or twice and quit. First visit, even the chair based warm up left me gasping for breath and a wreck. Hal f heartedly tried some of the easier exercises, listened to the talk, had a cup of tea and two biscuits and was taken home.....I reluctantly went on the second meeting, warmed up and gently went on my way, picking where to exercise next. Then beside me was this little lady. She told me she was 88, oxygen bottle in a back pack and just out of hospital after having cancer in he mouth....and she was going for it. I followed her on the next few exercises and thought " Are you going to let an 88 year old lady beat you?"...No. So from that time on, I put my heart and soul into it. The change was dramatic. Real friends and companionship, laughs all the time but feeling fit, fit, fit. At the end my improvement staggered me. Been back a few times now. I just do the gym, don't stay on for the talks any longer. They gave me a good grounding of how to look after myself when I pick up a bug or something. No matter how poorly I become, I use my breathing control and even if I have to sit to do it, I go through the warm up and cool down exercises and do chair based routine with a couple of small coke bottles filled with water. After my first PR, I got a mobility scooter to get me down town or the park....my bed and chair was redundant during the day. Then after my second PR, I got an electric push bike to get me around....great, I can exercise and get home in an emergency. If the weather isn't fit to venture out, then my Wii Fit machine comes into play. An hour of tennis, sword fencing, ten pin bowling...anything to get me moving. You have a choice really.....take control of your condition or let your condition control you.

[Nanny1086 in reply to CornishBrian]

It's really life saving isn't it ,far better than sitting in the chair all day wishing you could do more ,,,,,,,now ,,,we ,,,can ,,

[Colours23 in reply to CornishBrian]

You are inspiring

[Nanny1086 in reply to Colours23]

Thankyou ,

[freefaller]

I don't have COPD but I have a friend who has and she walks and sings - not necessarily together. Singing is good for your lungs and walking is just the best exercise. There is a BLF pamphlet and DVD on exercises which are good too. At present despite having a recent flareup - which may be allergy related she is doing well. When you start exercise do a little and often and work up gradually. Try your local gym to see if they have special exercise classes for people with lung conditions.

Sian

xoxoxoxo

[ptliverpool]

A few months after I was diagnosed( I have COPD and Bronchiectasis) I was lucky enough to be sent on a pulmanary rehab course. It helped so much that I wanted to stay forever on the course and because they were not very busy they let me do another one. After that they referred me to my local gym were a specialist physio guy

showed me what to do and monitored me for 14 weeks. That was all 15 months ago and I am still going to the gym 3 times a week. I am lucky because my Husband wanted to keep fit too so we go together.

My last consultation at the Hospital showed an improvement in my breathing and they were very happy with me. I herdly ever need my sabutamol now and just use Spirivia once a day and my nose spray to stop the nasel secretions going down to my lungs.

Exercise definitely recommended.

[DecD]

Hi, MichaelM

Just an endorsement to the positive comments re exercise. The BLF exercise DVD is on this site - just search for the key to press to have it sent to you. What hasn't been mentioned directly is the fact that, when you've exercised just a little, your self confidence increases in the leaps and bounds you can't make physically. If you can get a referral to a Pulmonary Rehab course, you will learn how to exercise properly, and have a good time doing it. The course is twice a week for six weeks. First one hour of light exercising under the watchful eyes of the specialist nurses, then an hour's worth of good advice from professionals on subjects such as diet, medicines, lifestyle, expectations, etc. All this amongst people who have the same condition, so are easy to talk to.

If you are someone like me, who can't exercise without feeling that you're fading fast, you can do the exercises whilst breathing from the oxygen-condensed air bottle next to you and the canula in your nose, and nobody lifts an eyebrow. I am very positive about PR ~ it's fun !!

Take care,

Dec

[Hungryhorse63]

Definitely PR I'm now running 5K even after an infection. The more you do. The more you can do its amazing.

Go for it xx

[Moi62]

Hi I think you have all the positive replies you need and hope will motivate even if it is only a start. My lung collapsed in December and I have severe copd but have done a PR course but preferred to carry on swimming and have followed that up with the gym. I go between 3 and 5 times a week. Use 6 machines to do light weights , walk for a mile on the treadmill and then do 10 lengths in the pool. My aim is to build up slowly to longer and harder if you know what I mean. At least in the gym I feel safe if I get out of breath etc also definitely helping mental state. Hope this helpful and good luck! X x x

[Tranh123]

Lift weights and walk a little. Doing it for 30 years. Helps my attitude a lot.

[hobbledehoye]

Yes. I have last night posted my history & experience. Hope it helps.

[grannyjan]

I have been a gym member for a lot of years, before my illness started. Since being ill have had long spells off, but always gone back and built up slowly. Last oct I was rushed to hospital with acute pancreatitis, got put in a coma and was on life support. My family were called in one night as they thought I would not make it. Obviously I did, and was told I had a strong heart, and that is probably what helped me through. My joints might be knackered, my lungs are certainly knackered, but thanks to the exercise my heart isn't, and for that I am grateful. I have just started back to the gym and the pool since last oct, but I will build up slowly, and keep it up. Can I also say that it is good for depression and low mood, so although getting started can be really hard, even the smallest amount helps.

Gjan x

[FarmerD]

Exercise as much as you can,if you don,t use it you will lose it!D.

[piggi]

I used to exercise a lot - gym and weights classes. Think I had COPD even then without knowing and started to feel that I couldn't keep up. I stopped. What a shame. Now I am diagnosed FEV 37% - stopped smoking - started exercising again. Swimming - when I first went back I thought I would drown for the first few lengths and now I have built up to 30 lengths. I have to stop and catch my breathe quite a lot but it feels so nice to be doing it again and I feel a lot better for it. It has also built up quicker than I thought it would. Started going in the gym and use some light weights. Made me realise I was always sob without taking any account before so I'm just going to push along now and see what my readings are the next time I have a pulmonary assessment. A little regularly and drag yourself into it. It really lifts your mood too. piggi x

[spleenless]

Yes it does help. With COPD the more you do the more you can do. I try to walk every day. I'm now doing 2 km a day. I also have an elliptical exerciser I use when the weather isn't so good. After my walks I feel really good. By all means whatever kind of exercise you want to, do keep doing it. "The more you do, the more you can do" is really true.

[Scud]

I did 2x6weeks at pulmonary rehab and found it very beneficial it helped in many ways as well as the exercise you were with other people who shared some very good tips on coping with copd, I would recommend you give it a go I'm now waiting for a place to do another course

[ptliverpool]

The Spray is Mometasone Foroate and it comes on prescription only.

I don't know if it actually stops infections but it certainly helps me by stoping the mucus in my nose from going on to my chest. Like everyone else I think that everyone with a lung condition should be refered for Pulmonary Rehab best thing for us all.

Pauline