COPD - appetite

[JigsawAddict]

My partner has COPD. His appetite can fluctuate greatly depending on how he's feeling. Some foods affect his breathlessness more than others. When possible he'll spread what he eats through the day but it can be really difficult when he has something for dinner that he would usually enjoy, and then he struggles with breathlessness after. He does not have big meals. Any suggestions? Are there any foods that people have found don't affect them as much? Thank you in advance for all your help.

[Clinker]

sometimes it’s difficult getting a happy medium on eating and breathlessness, whenever I am having a difficult few days I tend to eat things that don’t need chewing like soup and rice puddings . Hope it helps take care.

[JigsawAddict in reply to Clinker]

Thank you

[Ern007]

I have COPD along with other conditions - some days I have no desire for food, other I have hungry feeling most of the time, comes with the conditions I think. I think eating can make breathing worse, in particular with a heavy meal.

[JigsawAddict in reply to Ern007]

Thank you

[jackdup]

I try to stay away from foods that can cause gas and carbonated drinks for the most part. Often with COPD your lungs are hyperventilated so they put pressure on your diaphragm which it turn can put pressure on your stomach and large intestine. When you eat gassy food or drink carbonated drinks it can cause bloating which puts pressure on your diaphragm which puts pressure on your lungs making it more difficult to breath.

[JigsawAddict in reply to jackdup]

Thank you

[garshe]

I failed to eat my Sunday lunch yesterday. Then enjoyed. Trifle. And rice pudding anything soft. I have an exasperation of my Copd at present on 4th lot of antibiotics. My oxygen respiratory nurse calling today and I have the back of the whole team. Can't seem to shift it ,have not been out since September. Other days I can eat a full meal but I take each day as it comes. Good luck.xxSheila 👍

[JigsawAddict in reply to garshe]

Thank you for your reply ❤️I hope that it eases off soon. Best of luck xx

[Alberta56 in reply to garshe]

Thinking of you, Sheila. Love and best wishes, Chris xxxx

[garshe in reply to Alberta56]

Thanks Chris. Hope you are well xxlots of love xx.Sheila 💕💕

[Alberta56 in reply to garshe]

Hi Sheila, I'm well at the moment, but inundated by what seem like endless medical appointments, for self, husband and even daughter. She broke her wrist quite badly recently and needs mum to go with her to fracture clinic. It's healing nicely, thank goodness. My appointments are just check-ups, but I can't go out much because of the cold. Our local shopping centre (Braintree Village) is all open air and the wind whistles through it, even in the summer. It would not suit you at all. I hope you'll soon start to feel better. It's been long enough. xxxx

[Ergendl]

Consider doing a simple food, activity and symptom diary with date and time to see if some common patterns start to show over time.

My late husband who died in 2003 through problems with severe COPD, found bleached white flour and cows milk caused him bloating and breathlessness. We first identified this when we holidayed in Rhodes in 1990, when bread was still a golden brown and milk came from sheep and goats rather than cows. He lost over a stone in weight during the two week holiday.

These foods may not the culprits for you. So a simple diary may help you spot the ones that are.

[Numptybrain]

I don’t have COPD but I do have breathlessness and I tend to eat small softer food, soup, complan, jelly’s etc or a small plate of vegetables even cauliflower broccoli carrots etc.

Wendy x

[Bilbo71]

Yeh I'm very similar, just a great shame to be faced with a sumptuous meal only to say "sorry I can't eat it". Simple meals are ok..

[Nula2]

Hi Jigsaw 🙋‍♀️, although I have a very good appetite there are some foods I find hard to eat. Can eat sourdough bread toasted as I can chew it until its a mush before I swallow. Eat bananas and nut butters. But don't eat boiled rice as impossible to chew it any smaller. Tend to avoid potatoes as I find they are on the heavy side for my stomach. Fish I find easier to eat and veggies like cauliflower, broccoli and well cooked carrots too, so long as I chew them for a good while. I eat dark chocolate as you can just let it melt in your mouth. I am lucky as I still have an appetite but hope you can find something that suits your partner 🙂🤞xx

[Oshgosh]

sometimes a bit of what you fancy does you good.but smal portions.

I going to try 2 small pieces of garlic bread for lunch.

[Turnipgirl]

My father had copd but he didn't know he had it.

When he died back in the April of 2021 it said on his death certificate that he had died of heart failure caused by untreated sleep apnea and copd.

Copd and sleep apnea are easy to treat and all that was unnecessary!