Hi all,I now know I have moderate hyper-inflation and an 'unfurled pulmonary aorta', also moderate...
Anyone else similar? And how do you manage ?
I notice that I get breathless on stairs. Can't push exercise like I used to eg cycling and running, both I love..
Appreciate any thoughts on where you are at, and if it's possible to prevent worsening...
Hi Turquoise19 - Sorry I have no idea about the aorta.
How you breathe is crucial for hyperinflation. There are two main exercises which help. The first is pursed lip breathing where you breathe out gently through pursed lips as if blowing out a candle. There are lots of youtubes showing you how.
The other is diaphragmatic breathing where you breathe in to the lowest possible level of your abdomen. If you lie down and put one hand on your belly and the other on your upper chest, then when you breathe in the hand on your belly should rise up as your lower lungs fill with air. Others may be able to explain this better than I have but again there will be youtube demos to help you.
Other than this, in general always try to emphasise breathing OUT, rather than in. When we have respiratory conditions and difficulty breathing, we tend to breathe into the top of our lungs - this traps air below which takes up lung space where incoming air should be able to go.
I have bad hyperinflation and no idea if it is reversible at all. Don't thing Ive ever managed to reverse mine but just manage it as above. Good luck! 
Thanks v much for your reply 02, I have Bern trying these a little bit, from other research.
Can I ask how you manage in day to day though, like walking up hills or exercising. I am ok at rest. Just notice quickly on stairs or in poor performance exercising.
Do you feel restricted in exercising?
Thanks v much
Heavens yes! Very restricted but I keep working on it. I walk a minimum of 15 minutes a day on flat ground (back to front of my house) and go out for walks occasionally but would never feel able to walk more than a mile. Im on ambulatory oxygen for exertion, which basically means walking as everything else, moving around the house, gardening, lifting weights (2xweek), diy etc etc don't make my O2 desaturate. So walking up hills is helped by the supplementary oxygen - couldnt do it without!
On stairs, I can walk up one flight (without ambulatory O2). I learnt from a member here ages ago to blow out on the up step then let the air come back in in between - a kind of puff out for each step. I think this fits with what I said about breathing OUT in my previous reply. You can experiment and see how this works for you. I rest at the top to let my O2 come up again as one flight will desaturate my O2 but not below 90%.
I suspect you are not as advanced as myself. I am now late severe, probably around 35-6% fev1. Diagnosed at mid-moderate stage in 2000 so Ive been living with it for quite a while.
In terms of other exercise, I do various things during the day - stuff like I learnt in PR like sit-to-stands, calf raises (tiptoes up and down). Have you been referred to pulmonary rehab? Not only do you get exercise training from very experienced respiratory physiotherapists but you learnt loads to during information sessions after the exercise. Many many here have done PR and with only a very few exceptions I think people have found it very very helpful. Highly recommended.
Yes thanks again for your extended reply. I have a consultant review on Monday, so going to ask about this then. I am working on the out breaths as you say, know the main thing is trapped air on the out breaths.
May I ask what you think caused yours ? And if it is always progressive ?
Life is progressive, innit?! Everyone's lungs deteriorate a bit as they age. I think someone replied about this on a recent post. People with copd just deteriorate a bit quicker but they can slow this down with exercise and good diet - lifestyle stuff. And if you look after yourself you can live a long life and are just as likely to die of something else.
I think there were a range of things which contributed to my dx. Smoking certainly, 10 a day for 20 years, quit at 40, diagnosed at 54. But also smoking cannabis, working as photographer with toxic chemicals in badly ventilated darkrooms. And I have always wondered about an incident where I slept in a bed covered in flea powder in my 20s during a bad infestation from a stray cat. I woke the next day with dreadful chest pain and for the first time in my life bronchitis which rapidly turned into asthma. And yet I never wheeze to the extent that my consultant decided I couldn't actually have asthma. But he sent me for a FENO test anyway and it did show asthma. What I wonder now is whether I had some early copd type damage which progressed from there. Guess I'll never know. 😂
Good luck at the consultant's. Let us know how you get on
Thanks 02 yeah it would be good to touch base again.
Ps What is your oxygen saturation at night like?
Not sure. Resting baseline during the day is usually 93%, or occasionally one degree either way. So I think at night it would be somewhere around 90% - not brilliant, but Ive chosen not to worry about that. If it was below 88% I'd of course worry. Turning in now, take care
Take a look on aluk website - controlled breathing with pursed lips.theres lot of useful advice on there
Thanks Pak1, have tried to look this up but doesn't come up. Can you name the website more fully ? Much appreciated
Asthma Lung UK website.lots of useful information.x
Ah thanks
Try to exercise as much as you can. Even when you're ill you can do leg raises on the sofa- just helps to keep muscles a bit active, ready for when you can get out walking again. PS weren't O2Trees' replies brilliant. Worth reading whichever lung condition you have.
That's very kind Alberta56! Exercise is everything. I know I wouldnt still be here without it. Your point about doing leg raises when you're ill is so important then, as you say, you don't have so much to catch up on when you get better.
Yes thanks v much. I do find Health Unlocked so helpful if also scary for where to from here... I do exercise a fair bit, though finding it v demoralising that I can't maintain my previous fitness nor even gain any more fitness.Do you have hyperinflation too Alberta?
I have bronchiectasis, but I found O2Tree's posts very relevant. Reminded me I shouldn't be sofa surfing, even when I feel rotten. In some ways I think I've been fitter since I had a heart attack 13 years ago and became conscious of the need to exercise. Sadly I've never got back on my bike again for various reasons, but I done various fitness things. At the moment it's walking.
Well done for that Alberta, know it can feel so demoralising!!
I don’t think hyperinflation can be reversed as it’s all about air trapping. The lungs actually get bigger over time because the air remains inside. I’m in the same boat re exercising. So unbelievably demoralising. I never quite knew how important high internists cycling, swimming & running were for my mental health until it’s all be taken away from me about 6 months ago. I don’t know if I’ll ever accept this new slow style of walking as my only exercise!
Oh boy, yes,sounds very similar. Can I ask what seems to have caused yours ? We're you also doing a lot of exercise before ?
Copd caused by smoking. I checked your bio - do you have copd? I was doing so much exercise until I ended up in hospital at Easter. Up to that point I very much had chronic bronchitis but had it under ‘control’. Prior to Easter believe it or not I surfed 5 times a week & now I’m an old man, strolling around. I’m 40 so this is heartbreaking. The idea of doing this for another decade or two, whilst getting worse..no thank you!
I'd request referral to pulmonary rehab via gp asap and an appointment with respiratory physio PW_R
Thanks PW. Yes I have a consultant respiratory appointment this Monday, going to ask them. V helpful. Have you found them helpful?
I have see 3 respiratory consultants and they just give you another new inhaler. My numbers are only showing mild obstruction so they think I’m being disproportionately effected. Might be complicated by some degree of underlying asthma. I guess you need to figure is it coming from heart or lungs?
I thought you only get PR if you are moderate or severe? I see you have multiple lung conditions- are you on oxygen? How do you cope? Sometimes I feel it would have been easier to take it I was older & had lived my life. Whereas it seems work, travel & sports seems to have disappeared over night.
Ye I feel v demoralised about that too. I really miss long cycles n the country n being able to push myself
I don't have multiple Lung conditions. I was very fit before needing an ablation for a heart issue atrial fibrillation. Then regained some fitness during covid. Had a second ablation in 2022 which was 3hrs intubation. Only thing I can think is that this caused my lung hyperinflation...
I'd ask for PR as it may help you get fit enough to recommence sport u enjoy.plus it combines education with activity.iits not easy,at any age,to give up what u enjoy I'm not on 02 but have bipap ventilater(NIV) which helps to bring 02 levels up as they do drop when tired or unwell. Yes mylungs + Airways are v badly damaged. I take it 1 day at a time
Thx Pal, when you say PR do you mean physiotherapy rehab ? Will deffs ask for this tomorrow
Pulmonary rehab x
Thanks PW. No I don't have COPD. I started on Health Unlocked with Atrial Fibrillation. After my 2nd ablation said to them I can't get any good exercise back, plus lost my singing voice (under sedation for 3hrs). Plus with an Echo monitor down your throat. So only thing I can think caused mine is this.
I don't smoke and the lungs themselves are clear. I also miss being able to push my exercise v much. After the first ablation this was OK, though still had some AF episodes
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Singing for your lungs.
