Going to the Gym

Hi Guys, hope you're all doing good ??I am seriously thinking of going to the Gym I have never been to one in my life !!!! I do my breathing excersises and try to do as much walking ect as I can ,but I am determined to try and build my lung function up its 28% now has been for a couple of years ,I am so out of breath all the time its really getting me down!! I am also on oxygen 15 hours a day , so was wondering anybody go to the gym using oxygen ??? And what sort of equipment do you use ??? Determined to be a fitty !!! Haha by the way I am 64 !! But young minded !! Was in the pub trade for years so had to be a bit crackers!!!! Haha xxxx

[Hidden]

Hi Caz, good positive thinking

Do check with your doc, respiratory team, and the gym of your choice if they are all happy for you to go ahead with this.

If its the hospital gym referral they are probably ok with using the oxygen but I am unsure how it would be with other public or private gyms.

Do you know of the Donna Wilson videos on you tube? These are excellent to help improve lung functioning. You could do these on those days you don't make it to the gym.

youtube.com/watch?v=fDUAIiO...(Not working as expected?)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

also this one for starting : youtube.com/watch?v=8mldmbA...(Not working as expected?)

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanx for answering I have go ahead off my specialist ,and yes I use Donna's videos a lot think she's brilliant !! Xxx

[Hidden]

Hi - I used to go to the gym and they were fine re my using oxygen (I use liquid oxygen (Helios) for ambulatory). One thing I would suggest is that you take hand sanitizer with you as gyms are pretty 'germy' places what with folk sweating all over the place. I would suggest you have your 'flu jab first too if you haven't yet had it. I prefer a treadmill and some free weights at home as I found getting ready for the gym and traveling back and forth put me off - but some folk prefer it as it gets them out of the house. I'm similar in age to you at 63 and was originally fev1 29%. I increased my fev1 - it's currently 43% and my breathing and energy levels are so much better - however I still need as much oxygen as always. Whatever exercise you do and wherever you do it the main thing is to do it regularly, frequently and to keep it up over time. I've been exercising hard for almost 9 years now, it's tiring and sometimes feels like a drag, but I have never had a loss in fev1 - always stable or a gain, so it's well worth the effort.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Brilliant hun !!!! Hope I can do as good as you xxxx

[Hidden]

Morning Caz I'm the right side of 60 lol 59 ...i was diagnosed in Jan this year with a lung function of 49% ... I never exercised in my life was always at work ...i retired in April ...in January I started walking slow on the flats then over time have managed hills and walking between 10 and 15 kms a day...i then started a little run in between exerting myself but not beyond capability...i then started a rehabilitation programme in May which was amazing then my doc referred me to the copd circuit at my local gym never been to the gym either ...i was put on to a programme active lifestyle as the copd circuit wasn't enough for me ...my hubby and I now go to daily gym session 2 hours a day where I use treadmill bikes electronic stepper weights and whatever else takes my fancy if we don't go to the gym we walk ..i know we are all at different lung capacities age weight etc...but the active lifestyle ticket is a 3 month membership for £68 and I can attend any class I want if I feel the need to ...speak to your doc about rehabilitation or copd circuit within your area ...there is a few ppl that are the gym with 02 and disabilities that don't hinder them they go at their pace and enjoyment and really that's what it's all about it's a way of meeting others just clean the equipment before and after you use as some ppl don't care about others and that's wrong ...im guna shurrup now as I could write an essay I wish you well in yourself and looking forward to hear how you get on hugs Angie xxx

[skischool in reply to Hidden]

Caz Good luck in your search for fitness and improving your lung function and quality of life I bet working in the pub trade kept you pretty fit.Angie is our Gym hero on here and what she does not know about the kit and exercises is not worth searching for.

If you want an active lifestyle Angie,you can cut my grass for free.it will save you £68 lol.........skis

[Hidden in reply to skischool]

Once you develop your own muscles skis cut your own blades darling lol x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you wow !! You are a fitty !!! Brilliant !!! I will have a word with my Doctor xxxx

[2greys]

Way to go I increased my FEV1 through exercising from 37% to 50%. Definitely worth the effort. It does take a modicum of self discipline. I do mine at home, to avoid bad weather, with a static cycle to warm up for 10 mins .and then on to my rowing machine for 30/40 mins each day. I will walk 2.5 miles (including 2 steep hills) for a meal at a pub and walk back home after. I also work full-time still, so I am still very active and have 3 years on you @ 67.

I wish you well on your quest to gain fitness. Take note of the advice regarding Antibacterial Hand Gel when going to a gym, it is quite cheap, you will never know who has been touching the equipment before you

[Hidden in reply to 2greys]

Morning Mr 2g hope you and the lovley lady are well xx

[2greys in reply to Hidden]

Fit and well thank you. Did the pub trip in record time yesterday. 40 mins each way.

[Hidden in reply to 2greys]

Good on ya such a fitty lol

[Magpuss]

I started by asking to be referred for pulmonary rehabilitation, my doc put in a request and I received a hospital appointment with the physio team for an assessment 'about' five weeks later. The assessment involved questions about previous illnesses, general health and medication plus a six minute walk test. Details of the PR class nearest to me arrived the following week with a start date for the week after. Some areas have waiting lists though so it can take much longer to get started. The class sizes, type of equipment and such like varies, the outcome doesn't appear to. Everyone says that they feel the benefit, enjoy the classes and wish they could continue going when they reach the end of their six to eight week course. The course I was on lasted for eight weeks, there were two classes each week, one lasting for two hours and the other for an hour and a quarter. A six week course of two, two hourly classes each week seems to be 'the norm', with one hour for exercise and the rest of the time spent learning more about our lung conditions, medications and so on. At the end of my course I asked to be referred to the cardiac and pulmonary classes at a community gym, where there are two one hour classes each week and they'll continue for as long as I want to keep turning up.

It's well worth speaking to your doc about PR classes. Good luck

[skischool in reply to Magpuss]

i spoke to my doctor in Febuary about a pr course,also to my so called long term conditions team,it is only September so maybe i am expecting things to happen to quickly lol.It truly is a post code lottery out there,but as you and Angie and 2 greys say they are well worth investigating...................skis and unfit cat

[Magpuss in reply to skischool]

Oooo, that's not good. I know patience is a virtue Ski's but -be a devil and start nagging your doc. You should at least know wether or not you've been put onto a waiting list. In the meantime you and scruffy could make a start with some gentle stretching exercises, I'm sure scruff's wouldn't mind showing you how it's done. Then - you might like to tempt her with something a little more strenuous such as a reasonably brisk walk round the garden dragging a piece of string for her to chase. Do get on to your doc though without fail.

[skischool in reply to Magpuss]

My dear Magpuss,my local nhs trust is infamous in its failure to provide proper respiratory care and rehabilitation to all of its clients,no amount of nagging or threats changes their attitude or response to our needs,those who are unfortunate enough to come under their care are normally shuffled off the planet quite rapidly,hence my recent demand for all of my needs to be met by another trust.

I am in no way going to allow my Scruffy cat to drag either me or my hernia friend into the garden for a game of chase the string or find the mouse or any other feline pastime,i shall of course follow your very good advice of partaking in gentle stretching exercises involving the rotation of my GP's neck until i have achieved a sufficient level of personal satisfaction....................skis and caged cat

[Magpuss in reply to skischool]

Ooooops yes, sorry - I forgot about your companion 'Hernia', must take care not to disturb him. It was scruffy who was supposed to chase the string - I pictured you dragging it for her but perhaps not.

Hope your demand to be transferred to a different healthcare trust is successful and any exercises practised on the neck of a GP gives you some relief, and enormous pleasure.......Magpuss and Annie mogs.

[casper99 in reply to skischool]

The GP bit, made me laugh. Cheers, hahaha. xx

[Hidden in reply to Magpuss]

I have done the PR classes brilliant still do these excersises at home xx

[Inamoment]

I have one week of PR left. It has done me the world of good, breathing is rubbish but you can't expect everything. I was thinking about gyms but as I struggle to do three mins on a bike it seems a bit pointless. I can do some of the exercises at home. I have a tablet with a timer, stairs, chairs, and what I think it a shotput ball thing. That plus walking covers most of it. Just have to make I do it. Possibly get an oximeter? Just to make sure I have some oxygen in my blood.

[katieoxo60]

Hi Caz , good idea. There are some gyms in towns /cities that specialise in lung improvement courses worth enquiring with your practice nurse or GP they may be able to get you a referral quicker than trying yourself. Best Wishes x