Power breather anyone?

[northernlass]

I started using a power breather a few days ago as pul rehab said they were ok and I'd bought it a while ago and never seemed to have enough 'puff' to use and wasn't sure if it would be doing more harm.

I am managing ok and have already turned it up a notch, I do feel able at the moment but have recently finished steroids and anti's so thought I'd srtike whilst I had a bit of 'oomph' and it will hopefully improve my walking capacity.

Has anyone else used them?

According to the instruction dvd, they are available on prescription but I had never heard or seen them before I purchased from the sunday paper BUT then again, until recently haven't been doc's much and apart from asthma nurse doing spirometry test yearly and a pul' rehab referral, I've had nothing from the Doc's and I was diagnosed in 2006. To Doc's credit, he did say that the rehab team had more time to spend with me than him.

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My consultant was against the idea said something about inspiratory and expiratory and ok for asthma not copd so went with that as medical advice. Still finding lots about this so might be wrong

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this is amazing info - less deep the breathing, more oxygen in the body !!! thanks, Stitch - am breathing easier already

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My husband bought one a couple of years ago and never really felt the benefit - but based on the link above I am going to have him read it and hopefully will inspire him to try again! Thanks tad x

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Is there any stuff not from the people flogging it. Would like the BLF view as well aaron

as they have their own medical experts.

[jojam]

My consultant has said that they are not suitable for everyone and advised against them for COPD paitents.

Best wishes

Jo

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I wouldn't want to use one as I have very severe COPD. This means that my breathing and accessory muscles are already seriously overused. My collar bones are always sore because of this, which I believe is quite common in those with advanced COPD. The last thing I want to do is 'exercise' and overuse them even more. Also I would worry about more air trapping. SOB doesn't bother me too much, I get it but tend to ignore it. I walk for a mile every afternoon unless weather is diabolical. I start out at a reasonable pace, but by the time I am half way I can only do 3 or 4 steps at a time with quite long stops to regain control of my breath. I don't mind this as I no longer work so have all the time in the world. I just wish I could live out in the countryside, as the traffic noise and fumes get on my nerves. I do love being out of the house though, so for me this is preferable to a breathing exerciser. Besides, my friend tells me I still have a great pair of legs lol, so I will keep doing the daily walks

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Hi Stitch

I do the walk because it allows me to do other things by staying stronger. Because I don't have to be or get somewhere by a particular time, it matters not whether it takes me 30 minutes or 2 hours, I just do that rough distance. I go half a mile from home and then back, so I am 'homeward bound' by the time I am really struggling. I have my phone and taxi fare in my pocket in case I 'get stuck'. Because I do the same walk daily, people know my face and will stop and say hi. Sometimes cars toot - I would like to think its because I'm attractive lol, but puffed up and puffed out I know they are being supportive and spurring me on. It raises my spirits and I hope it keeps my bones strong too. Some days it can be hard going. I do it in the late afternoon so that I can just sit around afterward when I am exhausted. I usually recover over an hour or so. I do it because, if I am honest, I am scared of the 'grim reaper' and intend to make him wait a very long time for me.

[northernlass]

Thanks all, very interesting reading.

I have started to monitor my peakflow reading daily so I can see if it is going to help, I shall update after a couple of weeks. The rehab team said they have a present for us next week and as I took along my powerbreathe so they could approve the way I was using it and they said it was a lung strengthener so maybe a more simple device that does the same job, will update the pul' rehab' thread accordingly later.

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I don't think it did have a DVD but I did send him the link (he is more likely to read his email!!) and he said "Good Idea - I had forgotten about that!!" So thanks TAD x

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Hi northernlass - that will be very interesting to follow. As you are using a peak flow metre I take it you are asthmatic as opposed to COPD etc? (Just clarifying as peak flow isn't any real use for COPD'ers).

[northernlass]

Hi al thanks for your views and comments, since I wrote this, I have been very breathless and not used it since Monday, had to go doc's as have eye condition that though unrelated is sometimes triggered off by steroid use and eye has been bothering me but it's been diagnosed as conjuntivitus only.

I told her that I was really breathless today and she put the oxygen monitor on my finger and the reading was 99% so I am more confused than ever, I also told her about my shoulder which suddenly started clicking and aching a lot a few weeks ago and the pain was going down my arm on Monday, she said it's a 'bruised' shoulder and not to swim etc but didn't seem to link it to my copd which is interesting as noted a few comments re shoulders.

I also mentioned the Daily Mail 'bell' article and she asid it wasn't available on the NHS and that she couldn't guide me as it's only been done a few times and is a very new procedure.

I may be being paranoid but sometimes I think they assume the 'ignorance is bliss' and 'don't commit' to anything approach.

My sis who has had asthma since childhood cannot believe that I have never been referred to a specialist.

Sorry if I'm repeating myself.

Oh and the peakflow meter was given to me by the asthma nurse I think as she is the one who does my yearly sats and that's what the doctor used on me a couple of months ago when I went for a blood test to check if I was getting arthritus as achy most of the time, result came back showing to quote the doc 'some rheumatism' but he dismissed this also as a likely cause.

I am having a rant aren't I, sorrry all. I WILL get back to my powerbreathe tomorrow, there, that's a bit of PMA!