Female 57 years old moderate COPD.

[tmichl10]

I'm confused and nervous I'm not sure if. My shortness of breath is from COPD or my mental health. My chest is tight. Just learning how to live with this disease and keep my job and my sanity any help and advice is welcome

[velvet55]

Hello tmichl

Probably a bit of both...so welcome to this great forum, where the members will help you out with advice, information, and even may make you smile.

Perhaps you may want to give us a little more detail about yourself ( entirely optional ) and ask away about anything that we may be able to help you with.

Hope to hear from you soon

[tmichl10 in reply to velvet55]

I work with at risk youth and I love my job but it can be very stressful. I am mother of 2 grandmother of 3 and ex wife. Without going into too much detail my at home life has been quite stressful and I have been seeing a therapist. I did not go to work yesterday and I slept all day. I feel guilty because I probably could have gone to work. And although I get continuous praise for the work that I do and have done the last 6 years I fear losing my job because of missed work.

[velvet55 in reply to tmichl10]

Hi T

Copd can make you very tired , and you perhaps have to learn to slow down a bit....remember you have to look after yourself before you can be of help to anyone else.

Your family must offer you support, l know as a Mum and grandma l am forever running round helping them, but you must not let them put to much on your shoulders.

As for work, l would see your occupation health department and see how things in the workplace, could be adjusted for you.

Lastly don't feel guilty about your day off work if you were exhausted....the place won't fall down without you....but you may if you don't take care of yourself.

xx

[Jessy11]

Welcome to our forum tmichl 😀

We're a friendly bunch & will advise you if we can. We discuss many topics here as well as lung conditions.

Please feel free to share you're worries with us if you would like & we'll try our best to help.

Take care & hope you decide to join us 🌺

[diesel12]

Hi, I was diagnosed in February and was really scared, I was 59 and also moderate. I continue to work full time and enjoy life to the full. The only difference is that I have to pace myself a bit. Have you seen or spoken to OHS? they are very supportive and will advise your employers on adjustments they can make to support you in the work place. Stop smoking (if you do) exercise (I walk at lunchtimes) and try to eat healthily it should help you stop any progression or at least slow it down. I read on here that anxiety can be associated with copd and that makes sense to me.

Shout out if you have any questions, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here xx

[tmichl10 in reply to diesel12]

Thank you. I quit smoking after diagnosis in June. I walk 1/2 mile 5× per week and leg lifts, wall push ups, small lunges 4 to 5 x week. I work 9-10 hours per day 5 days a week but it seems every third week or so I shut down for 2-3 days and then I can go at it again.

[velvet55 in reply to tmichl10]

Hi T

Sounds to me as if you are pushing yourself to much....as you are finding out, you can only do this for so long, then your body gives up , and makes you rest.

You have to make adjustments in your life, work, home, balance, and stop overdoing things...None of us with copd are Super Woman any longer.

Make time to get some rest, regularly.

xx

[guytane]

I was 4 years ago dident even know wot copd was I was given up my job thinkin that's it am guna die when I read about it then I got positive read up about it then I tried acupunchere breating exercices keep fit know I don't even think about it doing well in my job its not all doom and gloom u tube copd and you will want to kill your self reading up on it its a death sentence but its not thers lotts you can do if your fit and fight it read my breathing exercise on here take care

[guytane]

also you r probly having panic attaks which makes your chest tite I did when I found out just chill I know its hard but its just another war in your life we all get wars and fite it and win

[Pam1952]

Good morning and welcome. I, like you, am new to the group and I, like you, was diagnosed at 57. I am now 64 and continue to work 7 days a week, but in a much more relaxed environment than yours. I have struggled with a general anxiety disorder from being a child, so I know how confusing it can be determining which condition is causing your symptoms. I do find that the more I can keep my anxiety in check, the better and I constantly check my posture and make sure that my shoulders aren't somewhere around my ears! One very important thing that I've discovered since joining the group is that I've been breathing incorrectly for years! There's some great advice on breathing exercises for COPD on the Internet and they also work really well for anxiety, and if you're feeling a bit more energetic there's a great U Tube video.

Good luck and best wishes. XXX

[Sarahem1965 in reply to Pam1952]

Hi Pam1952 and everyone else as well.. I'm wondering if you'd mind helping me find that u tube video on breathing.. Thanks

[Pam1952 in reply to Sarahem1965]

Hi. If you just do a Google search for lung exercises, it brings the Utube videos up. 😊😊😊

[MichelleT51]

Welcome! I have had to cope with worsening COPD for sometime. The best thing I've learned is how to breath properly.... real belly breathing, as opposed to the short shallow breathing that I used to do which could so easily result in me gasping for breath when the fear would then send me into a full grown panic attack. Look up "belly breathing exercises" on Google, I'm sure it could help you too.

Good luck!

Michelle x

[punkyb]

Welcome I don't talk much but I listen well...lol

[Moyz]

I used to do an awful lot of sleeping , like 16hours a day !!!!!! I thought as u do my body needed it for some reason , ot wasn't until I shared this with my Doctor that she said I was depressed , really I said , not on a conscious level I thought, anyway it turned out I was , childhood stuff so deeply buried I didn't even realise it my self. I had some therapy no drugs I don't like them ,and although it was tough at times going back over stuff of 65 years plus ago I can honestly say I'm free , it dosnt remove what happened back then but I have a healthy perspective on it now and can honestly say I don't think about it any more and I only sleep when I'm tired not to run away from things. Good luck moyz

[suej2251961]

bless you