home temperature for copd patients

[dirose]

What temperature should the home be kept at , both for day, and for night, ideally please, I am a COPD sufferer, recovering from a lung infection. ?

[Carol_ALUK Partner British Lung Foundation]

Dear Dirose

The recommended temperature in the living room is 21°C (70°F) and 18°C (64°F) in the bedroom,for further information please see below

blf.org.uk/Page/How-weather...

Hope this helps

Kind regards

Carol

[carer999]

Does the same apply for IPF suffers?

[Hidden]

Hello Dirose. There are recommended temperatures but they do not suit all. I like it warmer than that and I know others who like it cooler. It is a case of seeing what fits you. x

[dirose in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou auntymary and everyone that replied, it all helps, I like it realy warm too, and noticed in the hospital it was so warm day and night you only needed the lightest of sleepware and a thin sheet on your bed. It must have been 80oF + !

[Tallyman]

Need a window open whatever temperature getting asleep in the bedroom only how it is for me not a recommendation only a thing that works.

[Hidden in reply to Tallyman]

I think its just what is recommended as a guideline for patients with damaged lungs. Some patients would incur an exacerbation if sleeping with a window open when temperatures outside were -5C for instance.

[AbbyRudi]

The reality is that it's up to the individual. My husband complains if the temperature is anywhere near 18 degrees and is most comfortable around 16; even at that he often has the fan running. I freeze and he's too hot. He uses the fan when he is breathless laboured breathing makes him sweat because of the amount of energy he uses. That said, his legs are always cold because of poor circulation, so they stay covered whatever the room temperature.

[sassy59]

Pete likes the house warm throughout and he would kill me if I opened a window in this weather! I like a cooler bedroom but wait until warmer weather to open a window. Everyone is different and getting a balance can be problematic when hubby has copd and wife has hot flushes! Stay well all. xxx

[dirose]

Thankyou for all comments, most interesting, my husband likes much cooler conditions than I do, but he does not have copd.

[derrylynne]

I have very severe emphysema and keep the house at about 73F (22c) by day. I turn it down a notch at night but even then it is only down to about 70F (21c) at night. I would never open a window as that would make me worse. But, we are all difference. The main advice is that copd patients should not have their home cold as that would cause an exacerbation.

[Hecter]

I have asthma.Last week at my asthma review the nurse told me that the temp of my bedroom should be 20 and that is why I wake up at night coughing and gasping for breath.I have no central heating and my bedroon is usually about 8.No wonder I have problems.Keep warm

[Gingerapple in reply to Hecter]

Hi Hecter, how are you this morning? How do you keep warm with no central heating? Thinking of you!

[dirose]

Really!! now I am not so surprised, because I find I too suffer at lower temperatures, and sometimes have breathing probsm, on waking in the morning when the air is cold. Thjank youifor this information, everyone should know about it really.

[MeJust]

And then there is the question of can you afford to have heating on constantly both day and night. OH has copd and we have heating on a timer. He works full time myself I work part time and run the home. He was home from work last week due to a chest infection and the house tends to be chilly during the day as I am home in the afternoon and can feel it even with the intermittent hot flushes (sassy59). He also has rheumatoid arthritis and I have osteoarthritis. We looked into claming housing benifit as well as tax credits but weren't eledgible for any. So we just put our woollys on when at home during the day.

[dirose in reply to MeJust]

But putting your woolies on, son't warm the air that is going into your lungs will it?

[MeJust in reply to dirose]

I know dirose. But we really don't have much choice, despite my OH working full time (occupational health have been into work to make addaptations for him) he is a man who has always been very active and now feels frustrated at times because he says he finds it hard to do things he used to. I work part time now and run our home home. I used to work 42 and a half hours a week as a cleaner and then had 10 hrs traveling a week on top as well as running our home. My hours were cut in more than half and duties supposed to be amended (recomended by occupational health) due to the fact that staff were cut in my place of work so we had to take up the slack so to speak and my arthritis got worse. So now that I am working part time money is tighter and as I said before we are not entitled to housing or council tax benefit or tax credits. We just get by each month as by the time all bills are paid, traveling to work, fuel for OH's car ( heating and electric alone cost £120 a month at least) even though heating is only on from 5 till 7 in the morning and then from 4 till 10 in the evening and that is with thermostat at 21 at these times. I even looked into cold weather payments but I dont think we qualify for that either I know for a fact that we are not the only ones in this boat as a lot of people seem to be struggleling to get by financially. Basically to heat our home in the times we are at home all day ie weekends and myself in the afternoons( but I dont mind sitting with a jumper on, although it means I usually end up getting a chest infection and I need to try and keep myself healthy as my gp says for OH) Have had a chest infection since september having had major abdominal surgery in august last year, had 2 lots of antibiotics, second visit to gp got the impression I was wasting their time and felt like a hypochondriac so havent been back again (2nd gp said my chest sounded clear) although still coughing up phlegm. We would have to cut back more than likley on food to be able to heat our home more. Sorry for long post and for boring you.

[dirose]

I do sympthasise, and I know what you mean about bothering the GP, I feel the same way. I get cold weather payments so does my husband, he is semi disabled, are you shure you cannot get this or other benefits?

[MeJust in reply to dirose]

We are both working my OH works full time I work part time and run our house. My OH has a blue badge due to his copd he has rheumatoid arthritis also while I have osteoarthritis. We were just told we have enough income.However my hours were reduced to part time last year due to my osteoarthritis so we might apply for working tax credits but I don't really hold out much hope.

[Hidden]

My home is kept at 19 which I was told to by my therapist in the hospital as as to date I have not had any attacks in the morning which. I use to have one most morning if I get to hot I go sit by the back door for a min or two plus then the temperature go's down as since I came out out of hospital I have not gone back to bed so I sleep on the sofa I do not us any blanket no quilt and I find I am grate in the mornings up to date so try you home at 19c