Newbie

[welllaners]

Hi all, I have just been diagnosed with COPD and would appreciate any advice on what to do health wise. I guess I am in the early stages, I get slight shortness of breath, but am prone to lung infections.

Thanks for your time.

[KD12]

Hello Wellaners, welcome to the site

Iam kind of new to all this too but exercise, good nutrition and protecting yourself from cold, flu and infections seem to be the main factors to bear in mind. Perhaps some more experienced members will be able to guide you through a more detailed approach but in the meantime I wish you a nice evening and hope you're keeping well.

Take care

[welllaners in reply to KD12]

Many thanks KD12

[Darob63]

Don't stop moving. Whatever you can do for excercise, do it. Be a student of your stressors. Know your triggers and avoid them. Stay on track and on time with your med and if you need to lose weight lose it now.

[welllaners in reply to Darob63]

Many thanks Darob63

[J365cub in reply to Darob63]

Don't think your cough will get better on it own!!!! Go to your Dr. asap when your spit turns from clear to green or yellow because that's the beginning of bronchitis and bronchitis is the beginning of pneumonia and pneumonia is what gives you COPD!!!!!!!!!! Don't fool around with it, go to the Dr right away before it turns to pneumonia and have him give you two scripts of antibiotics like Leveque 750mg for 7 days and prednisone to help you breath for the 7 days. Then tell him you want an extra set of this stuff so you have on hand as you don't realize your sick till its to close to the weekend and you can't get to him before next week and he knows you will be really sick when you finally get your meds! If he won't give you an extra set of meds to have on hand for that emergency then ask the nurse for a sick apt. for today! If they won't do those things for you ,you need a new Pulmonary Dr. because they all know how it works. The more times you get pneumonia the more times you will get it again sooner because your lungs become compromised and your Lungs and ammine system becomes weaker! A good Dr know this and should be willing to help you stay healthy by educating you on this COPD disease! I have been fighting it for 25 years now as I smoked 3 pks. a day for 30 years and stopped dead 25 years ago because I couldn't breath good any more. I'm 80 now with both lungs radiated 8 years ago but the emphysema still keeps progressing even you stop smoking! Good luck with your Dr. Read all you can on this and stay active as much as you can stand. the more the better. Jerry

[welllaners in reply to J365cub]

Many thanks Jerry, it doesn't help when your local GP loses your first prescription for new meds. almost a week and I still haven't got them!

I will ask the doc for emergency antibiotics and prednisone.

As I don't drive I walk everywhere, I get a slight shortage of breath after walking a mile, my friends say I walk fast, so would that be classed as good exercise.

Is there any information about what exercises I should be doing to help my condition.

Once again many thanks.

Steve

[Georgia-B]

Exercise as much as possible, Every day. Try to walk, do some resistance exercises with hand and ankle weights. The more you do, the more you will be able to do. You need to keep your lungs working as well as they can. Take your meds religiously, try not to stress, as this just leads to breathing difficulty, stay away from sick people (coughing, sneezing, etc). Colds can easily turn into major difficulties for COPD sufferers. I wish you all the best. Some days will be harder than others, others, not so bad.

[welllaners in reply to Georgia-B]

Thanks Georgia, is COPD a downward spiral, or is it manageable at a certain level?

[Georgia-B in reply to welllaners]

Yes, I am afraid it is. It is a progressive disease, so the sooner you grab hold and walk, exercise, eat right, stay active, use your inhalers as directed, the better. There are 4 stages to COPD. Stage 1 is mild, Stage 2 is moderate, State 3 is severe and Stage 4 is very severe. I was diagnosed about 10 years ago with Stage 1, and have since then progressed to Stage 4. It is manageable to a certain point, but not curable. I would give anything to be able to say it was curable.

[welllaners in reply to Georgia-B]

Thanks again Georgia, I started on Ventolin a few months ago before I was diagnosed, The specialist is prescribing me something stronger, even though I don't use the Ventolin very often, should I use the stronger inhaler, even though I don't feel I need it and should I use it all the time?

How did stage 1 affect you Georgia.

I have had 2 bouts of bronchitis earlier this year, apart from them and a slight shortage of breath after walking say a mile, a few dizzy spells now and again, I don't feel too bad.

I hope you don't mind me asking you all these questions, but my doctor and the specialist didn't give me any information on this disease.

How are you Georgia. Have you someone to help you.

[J365cub in reply to welllaners]

Every time you let it flare up you go down the stairs one more step and you will never get back to where you were before you let it flare up you! The minute you realize you are getting Bronchitis start the Levofloxacin 750MG for 7 days so it doesn't turn into pneumonia as pneumonia turns into COPD!!!!! Once you have been told you have COPD you can not get over it by your self, you need help with antibiotic's like above!!!

[J365cub in reply to welllaners]

The only way to manage it is with help from a Dr. You must start the antibiotics the instant you know your getting sick again! You can't bet it on your own without these antibiotics! I know this now that I finally got COPD. I tried to bet it on my own as I was a very strong healthy guy all my life but I smoked. Every winter I would get a hard cold that lasted for a long time before I shook it. That gave me COPD. Buy if I would have gone to the Dr and got antibiotics I probably wouldn't have COPD today as I stopped smoking at 50 and now at 80 I have bad longs with COPD get the antibiotics to have on hand over the weekend when you realize your really sick and don't stop exercising because you need strong lungs to fight off the COPD Jerry

[welllaners in reply to Georgia-B]

Thanks again for replying Georgia, I need to get some kind of exercise regime in place. I don't drive, so I walk everywhere, I have a rowing machine in the spare room, which I am going to dig out. Any other suggestions or just chats would be great. Thanks for helping me understand this disease and for keeping me sane.

It doesn't help when my local GPs lost my first prescription from the consultant. Its a week tomorrow since I took it into them.

Seems like no one is bothered, apart from all the good people on here.

Many thanks

Steve

[Georgia-B in reply to welllaners]

Walking is the best exercise, rowing machine would be good. If you are in the early stages of COPD, make walking an aerobic exercise - up the intensity and try to get your heart pumping. In the later stages, you will not be able to walk as fast or as far, and by strengthening your heart and your muscles now, you will have it easier later. Any type of resistance training will build muscle, which is what you need to improve oxygen flow.

Contrary to what I have read in a couple of these replies, you do not "get" COPD from having pneumonia, or a cold, or bronchitis. These things will cause excerbations if you do have COPD, but will not cause COPD. Number one cause of emphysema is smoking. Next is environmental exposure to toxins, such as working in a factory or area where there are toxic fumes in the air. I was a heavy smoker for many years. Quit 18 years ago and was diagnosed about 10-12 years ago. Stage 1 wasn't so bad. Just mild shortness of breath when exercising or doing to much. I was still doing 5 and 10K races, walking about 7 -10 miles a day at a good clip, and working full time without too much effort. As the years progressed, I found it harder to do these things, I retired from work in 2009, but was still able to do most activities that I like to do. I have a pulomonogist who I see annually, or for any excerbations, and I am given a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) every year. I am also on nocturnal oxygen, have 2 maintenance inhalers, 1 rescue inhaler, and a tablet that I take. The past 3 years, the progress of my disease has speeded up quite a bit. I am no longer able to do runs, can only walk for about 40 minutes at a slow clip before needing to rest, can barely tolerate hills or stairs, and have had pneumonia or bronchitis at least once for the past 3 years. It is so difficult to protect yourself from this stuff during the cold and flu season, but so important that you try. After each excerbation, you never bounce all the way back to where you were, so each time you get sick, the diseases progresses some more and things become yet more difficult.

If your doctor is not very responsive and willing to work with you and make suggestions and try new exercises, breathing exercises, meds, etc, it may be time to change doctors. You really need a specialist in Pulmonology to help you manage this. You also need a PFT, which will tell you how your lungs are functioning and what stage you are in. If you are just in stage 1, you could have many good years left to enjoy the things you like to do. Find yourself a good doctor, work with him/her to get your meds and exercise program going, rely on friends and family for help when needed, and keep on truckin'. My mantra is "the less you do, the less you will be able to do". Try to remain stress free, as stress definitely makes it harder to breath. Keep as calm as you can, let the little things go, and try to enjoy life to the fullest. I refuse to give up yet. Walks can be hell, but the alternative is much worse. I put myself first now. My main job now is to walk daily and exercise daily. The housework, shopping, cleaning, laundry takes second place. My husband is so helpful with everything, and I have his complete support and a daughter that is always there when I need help with something. Hopefully, you have a good support system. Enjoy all you can, do all you can, make yourself stay active and enjoy life.

[welllaners in reply to Georgia-B]

Thanks Georgia, I think my doctor is open to suggestions, he has made me monthly appointments for breathing tests at the local Surgery, he has given me a powder inhaler to use alongside my Ventolin. He wasn't pleased when I told him the surgery had lost the prescription from my Consultant! So the powder inhaler was his best guess, until they can get a replacement prescription from the consultant, so annoying having to wait over a week.

I have just got stuck into the garden, which I have been putting off for some time.

I do not intend to let this disease get me down, I'm going to fight it all the way, which is mainly down to your guidance and inspiration.

I have my son living with me at home and my daughter lives 10 miles away, so I do have good family back up.

My brother drives me to all my appointments as I don't drive, so he's always there for me.

I guess its setting up an exercise routine and sticking to it!

Do you walk in all weathers?

Well back to the garden, once again many thanks for replying, I hope you are well and coping with the heat today.

Best regards

Steve

[Georgia-B in reply to welllaners]

Not so much heat here, Steve. Western Washington can be pretty bleak sometimes. We had a beautiful May, but then our summer kind of disappeared. Very cool, grey, and pretty wet this year, although things are supposed to be looking up later in the week. Sure hope so, as I definitely am a sunshine person.

As to walking in all weather, yes I do. I don't feel I really have a choice in the matter. When it is raining, or really humid or cold and icy, I go to the Mall fairly early in the morning and walk, The mall near here actually has a mall walking program, and they unlock a couple of the doors at 6:00 a.m. for people who walk. You would be surprised how many people do it. A lap around the mall is just a little over 1 mile, so I try to get around at least 3 times. Sometimes I will take a break and sit for a few minutes, then finish up.

Glad to see you do have a good doctor and a good support system. That is so important. Hope things go well with you. Take care, and never give up.

[welllaners in reply to Georgia-B]

Hi Georgia, I got re-directed to this site via British lung foundation, I automatically thought it was a UK site.

I live in the Lake District in the UK, its 30C today which is very unusual for us!

I'm a keen amateur photographer and usually walk for miles when I am holiday in France. I haven't been this year yet, waiting to get the Consultants out of the way first.

I have an appointment next Tuesday for tests, Then the following Wednesday to get the results with a private Consultant paid for through work, so its a second opinion really.

Well I will need to get some wet weather walking gear now, everyone's going to think I have gone mad walking in the rain! But as you say look after number one from now on.

Thanks again Georgia, take care of yourself.

[rubyred777]

Welcome to the site.😊 You've been given good advice. Don't forget the flu jab. Also hand sanitizer is important. When you go in shops or around other people. Combine all the advice you've been given, and you have a good plan. We're here for you. Any questions you may have. 😊 Rubyxx

[welllaners in reply to rubyred777]

Thanks Rubyred, its good to know I'm not alone.