I was diagnosed with severe COPD 6 years ago age 61 , I never really had any symptoms at that time or for 4 years after that. However 2 years ago I moved from a London suburb to the east of England and my symptoms have materialised very quickly. It can be quite frightening as I live on my own and can easily get depressed and anxious. It’s also coming to terms with the fact I can’t do what I used to even as little as 4 months ago.
I walk roughly 3 plus miles a day, eat healthily and gave up smoking 6 years ago. When I walk I find it difficult to breathe as my nose constantly runs, I feel like my breathing doesn’t catch up with my walking and it is so uncomfortable and frightening. I can’t walk and talk anymore or carry shopping without my lungs going into a kind of shock and feeling very heavy. Generally I have gotten a lot worse in the last year. I have been to the doctors and the nurse who have given me a different inhaler Anoro Ellipta. I take an antihistamine too as I swear I’m allergic to something or am I kidding myself and it’s COPD
Sorry for the long post , first time and guess I’m rambling lol
Guess I’m asking does anyone else have trouble with runny or blocked nose/throat( airways feel blocked) and lungs that don’t keep up with life?
Welcome to the forum.perhaps try an additional or alternative antihistamine.Perhaps slow down,wallk at a speed to accomodate yr breathing = move yr goalposts.
If u look on aluk website as theres lots of info.
I find " controlled breathing- pursed lips" my saviour. If u walk slower,using this,u might find it a bit easier x
If I purse my lips anymore it'll look like I kissing everyone lol. Yes thank you I do purse my lips, I do also find the weather plays a role with my difficulty breathing.
Yes I will ask the GP for the stronger prescription antihistamine, thank you.
I really appreciate your input and you replying to my post. Xx
hi thank you , yes I do all that including wearing the scarf . I went to that a while back thank you , its how the symptoms have escalated in such a short time X
totally agree with previous poster. Making allowances for breathing means making adjustments. At 79, copd since59, I can do everything now that I could do 20 years ago, but at a very much slower speed. Recently one full day to change 4 old trvs. Should have been easily a 4 hour job years ago. Get the picture? In todays 8 degrees I cannot walk more than 4 metres without gasping for breath and yet 38 metres in 24 degrees.
Suggest you get referred to a respiratory specialist, have your meds reviewed, above all do keep as active as possible subject to your limitations. There is much help on this forum.
Hidden says he or she walks around 3 miles a day, according to my recent COPD assessment Hidden is as fit as a flea! I asked the assessor (a nurse of some sort, never see the same one twice) that as I manage up to a mile, can speak a whole sentence, can actually get out of bed even, there's absolutely no way I would be granted an appointment with a respiratory specialist, nor be assigned to to a "respiratory team". So nothing will be done until I'm almost dead? I asked. Correct, she said.
Don’t give up about respiratory nurse appointment. Earlier this year I attended a pulmonary rehab course ( following recommendations from super folk on this forum ), after which the physio leading the course explained that we could access help from the respiratory nurse as needed. By phone I could talk and explain the situation and offered a trial of a different inhaler. x 🤗
Hello Trevor, Good to hear from you. Following an assessment the Pul. Rehab lasted 12 weeks with twice weekly 2 hourly sessions led by a physio and assistant with a small group of 6 people.
Included in the 2 hours were exercises lasting about 40 minutes, talks, over a cup of tea, from physio covering anatomy, physiology; how to manage breathlessness; inhalers; diet etc..
The exercises certainly improved my strength, mood and well being and still do them at home. MY COPD a is between mild to moderate. My breathing improved a little as well. It was fun doing this with a group of people and music was played and electric fans used if the weather warm.
The final assessment showed an improvement for all of us. I also applied for an exercise referral at the local gym. The physios also confirmed that we can could contact the community respiratory team if needed.
Hope you enjoy the Pul. Rehab and wish you every success.
My runny nose used to be confined to the winter months, but it's now year round. I'm beginning to find it at least as disabling as shortness of breath, if not more so. Ambulatory water-boarding I call it.
Sounds like you have been lucky in getting away with just a few of the recommended procedures, almost accidentally, whereas now you need to take them very seriously and knuckle down to them. You've reached the place, probably the only place, were you will find plenty of people ready to help you along the road to a long and happy life. Good luck from Don & greedy Smudge xx
hi and welcome , I know you take an antihistamine but have you been given any allergy tests at all .
I wonder if there is something in your new area or house ?
I know some grass and birch tree pollen set me off , but that’s in spring .
Any mould ? Wood smoke ? Pets ?
When you are out and about , even with a runny nose , try and breathe only through your nose . There are nose unblocking exercises on you tube . Breathe in gently , then out gently , pinch your nose for 5 , release then breathe in very very gently .
When you are walking and feel the need to mouth breathe , stop, gain control , gentle nose breathe then continue .
Gentle , gentle nose breathe the rest of the time .
UK residents can access the ALUK helpline , number on the site .
But go back to your health professional , I tried a number of inhalers before I found one that helped .
Have you taken a blood or sputum test to see if you have an infection ?
hi I think also you should check out allergies as well. It’s certainly odd your symptoms increased so dramatically moving to a more rural area. Hope you can establish the cause of ghe change x
Like your experience, my lung problems got a lot worse in the last couple of years and I can highly recommend the Pulmonary Rehab programme. i am just coming to the end of my 12 weeks. If you havnt been on it, its well worth going. Half the time on exercise and half educational, plus a lot of support from the staff and chat with other patients with lung problems. I have learnt a lot and feel more confident about coping with breathing difficulties now - there is usually a waiting list but get your GP to refer you if you havnt been on one. Best of luck.
Most people only shallow breath just using the upper chest muscles, the main breathing muscles is the diaphragm. I was taught diaphragm breathing on a pulmonary rehab course and subsequently reinforced by respiratory physios, they showed me the importance of the out breath being twice the length of the in breath, oblong breathing tip to reinforce this and others like blow before you go, I can manage 10 yards across the road to the local shop but can only carry one carton of milk otherwise I’m gasping for breath and have to stop and rest, so I opted for a mobility scooter for any trip longer than that. Do you struggle with breathing when doing everyday tasks at home, if so ask you GP for a home assessment. Don’t focus on what you used to do, concentrate on what you can do now and how you can make it easier and try not to be too self conscious and worry about what others may think.
Hi chook, to me it sounds like you might want to try different inhalers to find the one that suits you best. Also with copd I have always been told 2 things I shouldn't take and they were antihistamines and cough medicine. Don't know why I didn't question it at the time 👍😉
good morning hidden it sounds very much like you do have copd the symptons you describe are typical you obviously keep healthy which sounds good but l advise to go to the dr and get sound out and put on a approprate inhalers once on them you should start feeling more comfortable breathing
Hi Hidden. There is great advice here. I also have much trouble with runny nose and laboured breathing. Welcome to this forum and wish you all the best for 2024 xxx
Hidden means that this poser has left the forum 😳, can't help wondering why after all the excellent replies. Oh well, I wish you good health for 2024 JJ_7
Not a total waste of members kindness because if anyone ever writes 'drippy nose' in the search bar this post and it's great replies will pop up forever more. 🥂
When you had your COPD diagnosis, were you also tested for asthma? I had 6 years of incessant winter “colds” before I was diagnosed with COPD and late onset asthma. My runny nose reduced when I continued my hay fever nasal spray over the winter months; I don’t think you need to be allergic to anything in particular to get rhinitis, but it could be linked to underlying asthma (which might explain the laboured breathing, which I find is often associated with weather changes).
I suffer from moderate/severe COPD. Recently (Sept) I got an infection that went to my chest. My immune system was not what it should be due to a catastrophic Flu last Dec 2022 when I got Type A flu and Sepsis and ended up in a coma. The recent episode put me in a coma for a second time! The diagnosis on discharge was exacerbation of my COPD. I got Pneumonia and Covid too whilst in the CCU! Up until now I had only ever been diagnosed and treated for my COPD by my GP and the Surgery's Chest nurse. To be fair the various treatments may have been appropriate although I didn't get on with dry dust type inhalers. However, this time I was thankful for being transferred to the Respiratory High Dependency ward. I was very fortunate to see many different respiratory consultants. My COPD is now being managed via the respiratory out-patient department and the Community Respiratory Integrated Service (CRIS). I have used many different inhalers and to be honest I felt that some of them didn't make any difference. I am now still using Salbutamol Inhaler as required and also two puffs twice a day of Trimbow. This is a relatively new inhaler. I am not sure if it is helping because COPD is a progressive disease and therefore I don't believe any inhalers stop it but they seem to slow it down. This treatment will probably change again in the future. You say you have moved from a suburb to a country location. It is quite possible that your new surroundings, flowers, fauna and any airborne pollutants from industrial plants could be affecting you. I get hay fever more now than I ever did but put that down to becoming more sensitive to grass especially freshly mown. I strongly recommend that you ask your GP to refer you for specialist consultancy opinion as they deal with chest diseases daily. Since being treated by the specialists I have had an HRCTScan of my chest to check for many conditions with one being Bronchiactisis. I have also just used a sleep recorder to check night-time breathing and oxygenation. Probably sleep apnoea as well! I turned down Pulmonary Rehab (PR)when initially offered when I was discharged from hospital. I was having enough issues with mobility due to muscle wastage etc a second time around. I have since been referred for PR which I am looking forward too. Playing the waiting game now.
I don't really suffer greatly from a blocked nose. I do suffer from candidiasis from using the Trimbow Inhaler. I get a very dry mouth and furred tongue. I am taking Carbocisteine to increase and reduce mucuous production and thickness. Makes coughing up of phlegm easier. It works too!!! I have a rescue pack consisting of Prednisolone and antibiotics. Unfortunately didn't work for me the last time but has been successful on flare ups previously. You could also speak to your pharmacist and ask their advice. If you are like me you maybe taking medication for other conditions so I would be careful about what you use. I only use what is either prescribed or recommended by my doctors. I apologise for the long way round of replying to your post. You must have proper specialist treatment. Your GP may have got it right but you would be reassured by seeking specialist advice and you get the opportunity to discuss all of your symptoms as they are probably related.
I have similar problem and I was also prescribed the same inhaler to use every day. However, I do not feel the inhaler is helping me much. I agree with Patk1 re slowing down walking speed. I also stop asa I feel getting out of breath - try to do the same. Living in London and obstructing the pavement by stopping (I always try to be out of the way to other people, as I do not want them to hit or push me aside). Occasionally, I even resort to pretending to look at my mobile phone or to clear my nose. Silly it may be!
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