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Does hypoxia lead to heart illness?


 

If you or your loved one have COPD, you may be familiar with the term hypoxia. To better understand how hypoxia impacts your body organs and tissues, including the heart, let’s first talk about how COPD can cause it.

COPD and hypoxia

In the body, oxygen goes into the lungs and is carried by the alveoli into the blood. The oxygenated blood then travels to various body organs and tissues, which all need oxygen to function well. In lung damage due to COPD, the lungs may not be able to take in enough oxygen. Thus, blood from the lungs may not be able to supply enough oxygen to body organs and tissues, causing hypoxia.
Some of the most common symptoms of hypoxia include:

  • Confusion

  • Very fast breathing

  • Increased heart rate

  • Shortness of breath

  • Changes in skin color, such as a bluish tinge

  • Sweating

  • Weakness and lethargy

  • Coughing and wheezing

Note that these symptoms can vary from person to person. Severe hypoxia can be very harmful, so seek medical attention immediately.

Hypoxia and your heart

One of the most important organs affected by a lack of oxygen is the heart. The heart muscle, which needs oxygen to keep it pumping, is markedly sensitive to fluctuations in oxygen levels. Lungs that are damaged and do not function well make it more difficult for the heart muscle to get enough oxygen. This is one of the reasons why COPD is often associated with heart illnesses.
Acute or short-term hypoxia causes an increase in heart rate along with mild hypertension. This is due to the reaction of certain physiologic mechanisms that control heart rate and regulate respiratory activity to maintain gas concentrations in the body.
In the long term, however, hypoxia may cause damage to the heart and circulation. One of these conditions is pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension is an increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation. The right side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood into the lungs to pick up oxygen. This oxygenated blood then travels back to the left side of the heart to be pumped to body organs and tissues.
People with long-term hypoxia are prone to vasoconstriction (narrowing) of the pulmonary arteries. This results in the build-up of pressure in these arteries, which causes the right side of the heart to pump harder. Such stress can then cause the heart’s right ventricle to become damaged and weak, and thus unable to pump enough blood into the lungs. This condition can later on lead to right heart failure.
Additionally, a person with COPD may also be predisposed to mild heart failure. Research shows that about 20-70 % of COPD patients develop heart failure. Such a condition may be due in part to increased inflammation in the body along with the damage caused by lack of oxygen in certain tissues.

Can heart illness be prevented in COPD?

The answer is yes, it can! One of the things you can do to protect yourself from heart disease is to work closely with your doctor to create a treatment regimen that prevents COPD from getting worse. Lifestyle changes, like quitting smoking, weight management and regular exercise will also have a big impact. It’s also a good idea to regularly monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Always follow your medication and oxygen therapy regimens, and talk to your doctor if you experience any changes with your symptoms.
 
 

7 Things to Do First When Diagnosed with COPD

 

Ambivalence, helplessness, hopelessness – these may be among the most common emotions you feel when you first learn about your diagnosis. You may be wondering how your life will change with a chronic illness, or still be in shock at being diagnosed with COPD.

First, know that it’s normal to feel this way. Being diagnosed with a chronic condition is no easy thing. Chronic illnesses, like COPD, can be frightening because you probably don’t know what it is.

Your doctor will most probably give you a brief introduction about your condition--a few facts about the disease and what you should expect--but this brief interaction can never fully answer all questions at the back of your mind. And it is this fear of the unknown that can make COPD more daunting.

At first, maybe no words can assuage how you’re feeling. But you shouldn’t let these initial emotions overcome you. Being proactive about your diagnosis can have a big impact in making you feel less hopeless and more in control.

Let’s take a look at the first few things you have to do when you’re diagnosed with COPD.

1. Know more about COPD
As the saying goes, knowledge is power! Free your mind from excessive worrying and instead get to know more about your condition. Read about your condition, its symptoms, prognosis, and medications. Explore available medical treatments for COPD as well.
Learn about COPD from other people living with it. Seek out COPD support groups and patients, and get to know them and their routines. Understanding your condition and knowing how to manage it can help you cope properly.
More importantly, make sure to include your family and friends through this journey. COPD is not something you have to keep to yourself. Having a reliable support system is essential, and you will surely need it through the ups and downs of your condition.

2. Make healthy lifestyle changes immediately
Quality life with COPD is not impossible. But to achieve this, you have to make healthy lifestyle changes. Topmost priority here is that you have to stop irritating your lungs by quitting smoking. You should also avoid exposure to other irritants like second-hand smoke, dust, chemical fumes and air pollution that can trigger COPD symptoms.

3. Mind what you eat
You also have to pay attention to what you eat. This is because some foods can worsen your condition. For instance, milk and other dairy products can increase your mucous production. Knowing which foods to stay away from and which foods to stock up on can help you avoid flare-ups and keep an ideal weight.
Of course, you have to consume the right amount of carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals, and water. Usually, your doctor will recommend checking with a nutritionist for a more appropriate diet.

4. Develop a daily routine
Compliance with your treatment regimen is essential. In this early stage, a good tip is to make a checklist of your daily regimen and routine. This includes taking medications (and their corresponding doses), checking oxygen levels, doing breathing exercises, taking supplemental oxygen, running certain diagnostics, and other treatment recommendations from your physician. Though it may be quite tedious at first, eventually this routine will become natural and you won’t need any reminders for each of these tasks.
You’ll also have to learn how to schedule activities throughout the day to avoid pushing yourself to exhaustion. Develop a routine where you can still complete your daily living tasks, such as personal care, cooking, exercise, and even some work, while still factoring in the needed rest and treatments. You may also need to make some adjustments inside your home so you can conserve energy.

5. Prepare for medical expenses
Expect an increase in medical expenses in the coming months. Aside from medications, you will most likely need frequent clinic visits or hospital visits. Know your insurance plan and be familiar with what is covered and what is not to avoid unnecessary expenses. Explore your monthly expenses and see where you can save up. You would need to budget accordingly and save to avoid financial problems in case you need urgent medical attention. It’s also a good idea to check for financial assistance offered in your area.

6. Establish a support system
As mentioned earlier, it’s important to let your loved ones know about your diagnosis. Aside from offering much-needed emotional support, your family and friends can also lend a hand in times when you badly need assistance. Additionally, letting the people around you know about your condition will urge them to modify any actions that can trigger flare-ups or be bad for your condition. This includes smoking, putting on strong fragrances, and using strongly-scented products around the house. Adding CODP SERVICE GROUP ON FACEBOOK.

7. Work closely with your doctor
Managing a chronic condition requires a treatment plan that you can develop with your health care team. With the help of your doctor, you can create an action plan that is achievable. Explore available treatment options and discuss these with your doctor. Know the pros and cons, and whether these alternatives can be applicable to you. Discuss any fears or concerns you have as well.

Developing open communication lines with your doctor is crucial as you deal with the different changes due to COPD. Take note that COPD is a progressive disease and your treatment plan may need to adjust eventually.

So, there you have it! These are among the first actionable tips you should do once you’re diagnosed with COPD. Taking this advice to heart can allow you a more stress-free adjustment into having COPD.

Robert Matchette and Being Happy Despite COPD
 

Having COPD is quite a life-changing experience, and with all the symptoms and challenges it brings, it could easily get you down. Not for Robert Matchette, however. This talented guitar-picking guy looks all jolly and light-hearted, and from his guitar videos and our interview, it seems like he’s one of those who doesn’t let COPD rule his life.
 
Let’s get to know more about Robert and his COPD story below.
 
Robert and the start of his COPD
 
A hospitalization back in 2012 revealed the diagnosis. He had been a smoker for years and this hospital incident made him realize that he had to stop. “I found out in December 2012. I stayed in the hospital for five days and then they told me I had COPD. I was already in Stage 4. I quit smoking that day,” Robert recalls. He was 52 years old.
 
Any patient would be shocked to know that his initial diagnosis is an advanced one. This being said, the next few months and years weren’t easy on Robert.
 
At first, I went to a clinic that was doing research and got free medications to do a study,” he says. When the medications ran out, “I filed for disability in June of 2014,” recounts Robert. “I had to do this to be able to get medications for free.”
 
The succeeding year wasn’t so great either. “I was having a really hard time with life. In 2015, I got admitted to the emergency room 13 times! I was having too many flare-ups. I thought I’d almost died back then. It was really scary.”
 
Robert didn’t give up however. In 2016, he went for a treatment that still had conflicting evidence in the medical field.
 
Stem Cells
 
“In April 2016, I got stem cell treatments. And I think they are working,” quips Robert.
 
For those who aren’t quite familiar with stem cell treatments, this type of therapy involves introducing new adult stem cells into damaged tissue. Stem cells are cells that are able to divide and renew themselves over long periods of time. They also have the ability to mature into cells with a specific function. When stem cells are introduced into damaged tissue, they have the potential to treat the disease or injury.
 
Currently, however, there is conflicting evidence to the effectiveness of stem cell treatment for COPD. But for a number of patients like Robert, this therapy seems to be helpful.
 
“Stem cell therapy only helps 10-20%,” says Robert, “but when you are fighting for your life, it’s a big difference.”
 
A happy life
 
When asked how he is right now, Robert says that he feels great. “COPD is a drag and it’s hard to breathe from time to time, but at least I’m able to play my guitar and have a life.” Simple things like his guitar, plus getting to wake up everyday with the love of his wife Kathy, is enough to make Robert happy. 
 
He currently deals with COPD symptoms by taking medications and doing breathing treatments throughout the day. Now at 58 years old, he hasn’t gone to the ER since August of 2016, so all in all, life is good for Robert. “I’m just blessed to be alive right now and I could not be happier,” he says.
 
We thanked him for sharing his story, and not surprisingly, this light-hearted fellow says, “If I can help one person, it is worth it.”
 
You can check out Robert Matchette and his awesome guitar music through his Facebook page at http://bit.ly/2m0PTfp and his Yotube channel at http://bit.ly/2qx97Po.
 

6 Tips for Dealing with Friends and Family Who Don't

Understand Your COPD
 

Unlike common illnesses such as fever, hypertension, or diabetes, some unusual chronic conditions aren’t always easy to understand, especially for those around you. And this includes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

A lot of people are clueless about what your illness might be like. Most of the time, you’ll get that bizarre look or probing questions from your friends (and even your family) about COPD. Sometimes you’d feel like they have totally changed their perception of you because you have COPD. It’s quite common as well to get feelings of sadness, being ignored, secluded, or basically just misunderstood, all because of your condition. Many COPD patients may also have to deal with significant others who cannot fully comprehend what this chronic lung problem is.

What you can do is be the one to help them understand. Bridge the gap and do your best to be patient with them at the start. Eventually, they’ll get to understand and won’t be indifferent to your condition.

1. Know your facts
Arm yourself with knowledge. For sure your doctor will educate you about your condition, but don’t just confine yourself to the basic facts. Know more about your condition by reading through official health organization’s websites. Check out patient materials available at your doctor’s clinic, do your research and join COPD forums. All of this will help you get to know more about COPD. This should not only help you explain things to your significant others but also help you understand your condition better.

2. Break the news the right way at the right time
If it’s your first time to tell your family and friends about your condition, when, how and where to tell them is very important. Avoid being hysteric when telling them about your COPD. Sit them down and tell them the facts you know about your health. Tailor your message to the person you’re talking to. Encourage them to ask questions and try to clear any misunderstandings. This way, you’ll avoid any misconceptions about your condition.

3. Stick to important details
Try to be specific about COPD: what it is, its symptoms, treatment and prognosis. Avoid being too verbose by adding unnecessary details. Giving direct specific details helps them understand your condition much easier. You can add more confusion if you add in too many unnecessary details, like talking about possible complications and using medical jargon.

4. Describe how you feel
Letting them know about how you feel on a daily basis, like when you get up in the morning, how you easily get tired performing tasks, and how you frequently get breathless will allow them a clearer perspective of what you’re going through. Explain that these are all effects of the lack of oxygen in your lungs. This will also make them understand what changes to expect from you and what they can help you with.

5. Show them your medications and any equipment you’re using
Some people get to understand better if they see what you need to take for your condition. Show them your inhalers, your oxygen concentrator, and describe how they work. This way, they’ll also get to know what to do if ever you need any of these medications.

6. Invite them to a medical appointment or support group meeting
Perhaps the best way to clear their minds of uncertainties is to bring them along with you on your next medical appointment or support group meeting. This way, they’ll have a deeper understanding about COPD. They’ll be able to meet other people with the same condition and possibly even learn more from them and their loved ones. They’ll be able to see the frustrations and troubles you are likely facing in your life.

Gaining as much emotional support from your significant others is essential to your well-being. Allowing them understand your condition by giving them the right information and describing your condition from your perspective can greatly help!

Frequent headaches with COPD? Here’s Why

 

Like many chronic illnesses, COPD tends to affect different systems in the body. If you have COPD, you may already be acquainted with the more common complaints of coughing, chest tightness, breathlessness, and pain. For many, however, it comes as a surprise to discover that COPD headaches can also be a common effect.
 
When you start experiencing headaches along with COPD, it's important that you seek medical help so that the discomfort can be addressed. At the same time, speaking to a doctor will allow you to deal with complications that may arise due to your COPD.
 
How to know if your headaches are due to COPD
 
Headaches, in general, differ in severity and duration. The discomfort can also be caused by a great number of things so it may be hard to determine whether they are caused by COPD or not. If you experience a dull and throbbing headache upon rising in the morning, it could be associated with COPD. Other symptoms to look out for include the following:
 

  • Wheezing

  • Chest pain

  • Choking upon waking up

  • Extreme shortness of breath

  • Low oxygen reading

  • Rapid breathing

 
Having these symptoms that frequently occur around the same time as your headaches could mean that your headache is caused by COPD.
 
What Causes COPD Headaches?
 
Morning headaches are commonly experienced by COPD patients who are at the later stage of the disease. It can also be a common discomfort among patients who get oxygen therapy while they sleep. This is because of a number of reasons:
 

  • The blood has too little oxygen due to lack of oxygen intake

  • The blood has too much carbon dioxide

  • A combination of these two factors

 
A lack of oxygen combined with too much carbon dioxide in your body makes for a bad headache. A lack of oxygen intake can then cause hypoxia, which can be a major cause for COPD headaches. Frequent morning COPD headaches can also be due to excessive amounts of carbon dioxide in the blood.
 
In rare cases, people who get nighttime oxygen therapy usually have too much oxygen in their blood, which may also cause headaches in the morning.
 
Treating COPD Headaches with Oxygen Therapy
 
When it comes to treating these headaches, the best way to do it is to manage the pain and discomfort. Since this type of headache is often associated with hypoxia (or when your body is deprived of oxygen), the best thing to do is to increase the oxygen you take in, which can be done with the help of oxygen therapy. The correct dose and frequency of oxygen use will be prescribed by your doctor.
 
Taking the right amount of oxygen will mostly help prevent COPD headaches. You'll notice that the symptoms of your headaches will improve or altogether disappear once you’ve taken in the right amount of oxygen.
 
If you’re not yet on oxygen therapy and frequently have headaches along with the symptoms above, it may be time to ask your doctor if you need supplemental oxygen.
 
Other Ways to Treat COPD Headaches
 
It's also worth noting that there are other factors that may lead to COPD headaches. One common cause is when you have breathing problems while you sleep. As a result, your quality of sleep gets disrupted since you are unable to sleep smoothly throughout the night. When you wake up the next morning, you could be experiencing difficulty in functioning properly. Whether or not you have COPD, sleep deprivation can cause headaches.
 
In some cases, sleep apnea may also lead to COPD headaches. Such a condition is pretty common among COPD patients. It is identified as a frequent episode where you encounter shallow breathing or even when you stop breathing while you are asleep. If untreated, this could eventually manifest as hypoxia and cause frequent headaches. In order to treat this, you will have to use a system known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to help you keep your airways open. Sleep apnea is a serious condition especially if you have COPD, so if it’s a possible cause, it’s important to have yourself diagnosed and treated.
 
While there are over-the-counter pain medications that you can use, these are not advised to be taken more than twice week. Instead, you may opt for one or more of the following remedies to help alleviate headaches:
 

  • Get more sleep

  • Avoid COPD triggers like smoke, dust, and chemicals

  • Exercise regularly

  • Do some breathing exercises (like yoga and meditation)

  • Avoid sleeping in

  • Invest in a good pillow

  • Watch your caffeine intake

  • Drink peppermint tea

 
If you regularly encounter COPD headaches, it may be best to speak to your doctor about the best way you can both work at managing the pain better. In some cases, your headaches may not actually be related to COPD. So if your headaches become too frequent and bothersome, it’s best to have your headache evaluated by your doctor.  
 
Since there are several other reasons why you could be experiencing frequent headaches, it's important that your doctor rules out each possible cause so you get the proper treatment.

3 Morning Problems with COPD and What to do about them
 

A lot of people with COPD wake up to troublesome symptoms that often turn a beautiful morning into a curse. But you can make your mornings less upsetting by doing some of the useful tips we’ll share below. Read on and start your mornings right from now on!

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can result in a number of symptoms that can adversely affect your life. What’s more, COPD patients often experience these symptoms early in the morning. Ranging from mild cough to severe breathlessness, these complaints can hinder you from performing even simple morning rituals and tasks. For individuals suffering from more pronounced, severe COPD, these nagging symptoms force them to stay at bed or even skip their usual rouotine. If not properly managed, these symptoms can aggravate the economic burden that COPD imposes and can have a considerable impact on the quality of life.

According to a 2013 study, five of the most common symptoms experienced by COPD sufferers in the early morning include:breathlessness, phlegm production, cough, wheezing and chest tightness.

Dealing with early morning COPD symptoms
If you are suffering from COPD, chances are you might experience these symptoms at some point in your life. However, you should not allow these symptoms to ruin your day and stop you from living your life.  How do you do that? Here are some common morning symptoms and what you can do with them to start your morning right.

1. Breathlessness
Have you ever experienced feeling very exhausted and breathless after having a good night’s sleep?
This is not an uncommon symptom with COPD. What actually happens when you sleep is that your breathing tends to become very shallow. When you wake up, the lungs need some time to recover and breathe ‘normally.’ The degree of breathlessness depends on the level of lung impairment. That means, if you have a decreased lung capacity, you may experience more pronounced shortness of breath as compared to those with normal lung capacity.
Taking your medications on time and avoiding skipping medications can help you prevent this symptom upon waking up. If breathlessness becomes more common and severe, make sure to check with your healthcare provider as you might need to have adjustments in your medications.
Plus, if your doctor has prescribed you with supplementary oxygen therapy, make sure that you get enough oxygen through the night. This can be done by checking that you have the right flow rate and does (LPM). You also have to make sure that your cannula or mask does not get dislodged through the night.
Some may require breathing aides or machines at night to prevent breathlessness. It is also great if you can schedule your day well, attempting to minimize physically draining activities in the morning.

2. Wheezing and chest tightness
As result of obstructed airways, you may experience wheezing, characterized as a musical sound or whistling on breathing. It can be accompanied by feelings of chest tightness. These two symptoms are often associated with mucus obstructing the airways, and at the same time, the muscular tightening that may come with COPD. It is important that you do measures to clear your lungs of mucus plugs. The next item contains some tips you can do for easier lung clearance.

3. Phlegm buildup and productive cough
Perhaps, you too have also experienced waking up to clogged airways. This unavoidable symptom of COPD is caused by the changes in the lung’s structure. However, you can get rid of morning phlegm much easier by following your doctor’s advice and with proper medication.
Drinking plenty of water every day can help thin your mucus. Another helpful tip is by drinking something very cold then followed by a gulp of very warm water to loosen up mucus. You can also learn to do postural drainage techniques. These are quite useful in dislodging phlegm buildup. You may also check with your doctor if using external solutions or mechanical assistance devices (like oscillatory vests) could be helpful in loosening up mucus buildup.

There you have it, some of the most common COPD ‘morning symptoms’ and how you can manage them. Never let these nuisances ruin your day! Always remember that you deserve to have a great day and a great life to live!
 
 

5 Important Things Women Need to Know About COPD
 

During earlier times, COPD has affected more men than women. Today however, we have seen a large increase in the number of women having COPD. And this isn’t just because of an increase in women smokers. If you’re a woman, there are some important things you need to know about this chronic lung disease and how it affects you. 
1. Women are more at risk for COPD than men
Recent studies have shown that women have a higher risk for developing COPD compared to male counterparts. There may be a variety of reasons for this, some which are discussed in the items below. Aside from these, more women are being exposed daily to harmful respiratory pollutants. And this isn’t just from cigarette smoke.
More and more women are going into jobs that increase their exposure to lung irritants. Fields such as glassware, painting, ceramics, and textile processing all use certain chemicals that may be harmful to the respiratory system. Continuous exposure to these can cause long-term lung and airway damage.
2. Women are more likely to be affected by respiratory pollutants
Respiratory pollutants like cigarette smoke, harsh chemicals, and engine fumes affect both men and women. However, data has shown that such inhaled pollutants have a stronger impact on women. This is because a woman’s respiratory system is much smaller than a man’s. This difference in size means that the lungs and airways of women also have less respiratory muscle for air to move inside and out. Such a physiological make-up results to having a higher concentration of irritants in the lungs when they are taken in. This can ultimately lead to more damage to lung tissues.
Additionally, the nicotine from cigarettes may be processed differently in women. Research has been investigating the role of the female hormone estrogen in this, and has identified a difference in how nicotine is broken down in women. Data shows that estrogen may cause nicotine to be broken down to potentially more harmful compounds. This means that women who are smokers are more greatly affected by the adverse effects of cigarettes.
For women with COPD, this may mean that you are more prone to the effects of lung irritants and pollutants, and thus may possibly have higher chances of frequent flare-ups when exposed to such triggers.
3. Women have to pay more attention to breathing symptoms
Because of their innate sense of being caretakers, many women tend to overextend themselves and put their needs last. One negative result of this is that they tend to ignore symptoms of sickness in themselves. Whether diagnosed with COPD or not, women have to pay attention to any kind of breathing symptom much as they would to other disease symptoms. Remember, the earlier COPD is diagnosed, the better your chances of stopping its progress using medications, oxygen and other treatments.
4. COPD symptoms affect women’s quality of life more
Many women with COPD experience many of the symptoms more often, especially shortness of breath. This means that COPD may have a higher impact on their quality of life. Additionally, respiratory symptoms and fatigue can affect various aspects of everyday life, and it may be more challenging for women to adjust to these changes. This could lead to anxiety and depression. Studies have also shown that these conditions usually go untreated or are under-treated in women with COPD. 
5. Getting social support is important for women
Women may need more support and social connections to help cope with the condition. However, not all women are able to have the support they need. This can lead to adverse effects on physical and emotional well-being. Thus, social support, as well as interaction, is important for every woman with COPD.
The fact remains that there truly is a gender difference on how COPD affects men and women. If you are a woman diagnosed with COPD, or are a caretaker or a loved one, it’s important to make sure that adequate care and treatment is available. This also means ensuring that you get the right oxygen treatment suitable for your needs!
 

My Story with COPD
 

After coping with COPD for 27 years, I still feel living is an ongoing privilege and celebrated turning 77 this year. We rise up every day, we rise to the occasion of our lives and to the goodness of others, and their lives. Life is simply a gift. It offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more. We are all damaged. We have all been hurt. All of life is a process of recovery that never ends. Yet we each must find ways to accept and move through the pain and to pick ourselves back up. Your mind is a powerful thing and when you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.

Raised in a denomination that promotes healing through prayer, I never took medicine or went to a doctor during my childhood. Although I did not continue with the beliefs of that denomination, it clearly impacted my mindset and lifestyle on pain and disease and I seldom saw doctors throughout my life.

I loved school and learning, skipped 2 years, graduated from high school and went away to college at 16, then bought a one-way ticket and moved to Hawaii at 18. I worked in television and advertising for several years, met numerous stars and celebrities, attended many red carpet parties, and hobnobbed with the rich and famous in Hawaii, Hollywood/Beverly Hills, and the Desert (Palm Springs area), known as the Playground of the Stars. I even enjoyed a summer romance with Doug McClure, who I later learned had COPD & died of lung cancer in 1995 at 59. Career wise, I needed something more challenging and in 1968, I went to work with Thomas T. Anderson, selected as one of the Top Ten trial lawyers in the United States, winning judgments of up to $130 million for his clients. He taught me well.

In 1990, I moved to Rancho Santa Fe and lived with my daughter at her ranch house where she kept her horse in her backyard. While she was vacationing, I took care of her animals. The first morning I picked up a flake of hay and climbed the small hill to the horse’s corral, I became severely SOB. The next morning when I awoke, I could not breathe unless I sat upright. Referred to a pulmonary doctor and tested on an ancient spirometry machine in his office, I was diagnosed with “Asthma vs. COPD” & was told to avoid animals because of allergies. At that time, I also asked the doctor about smoking and he said it was okay as long as I smoked outside. Sadly, while it seemed like we all smoked in those days, the old TV ads that declared to women “you’ve got your own cigarette now” are still resulting in new cases of COPD and other tobacco-related illness in those women as they have aged.

I was treated with medications used for both Asthma & COPD and was able to continue working for many years. Most of those years I lived in the Desert and was not able to see the San Diego pulmonary doctor very often. I also lost my insurance for a period of time and participated in clinical trials to obtain free medications. In 1995, I went to work with William Shernoff, the “pioneer” of bad faith law and accompanied him to his 4-month trial on behalf of the American-Samoan government involving hurricane damage for which he received an $86.7 million insurance bad faith verdict. After working 15-hour days, often including weekends, we were totally burned out & Bill decided to take a sabbatical. I never fully recovered and eventually started doing independent contract work, limiting my hours though it continually became more difficult to work. In 2002, I took an early retirement and in 2005 when I became eligible for Medicare, I needed a surgery for an Umbilical Hernia Repair, extending Supra-umbilical. The implanted defective Kugel hernia mesh patch was recalled by the FDA a month later. While this resulted in approximately 2,600 lawsuits, few doctors would undertake this complicated repair and none would touch me with my COPD so I live with a large recurrent umbilical hernia, and now two incisional hernias.

At the end of 2007, I moved back to Coronado, experienced a severe exacerbation and my diagnosis was changed to solely COPD. I immediately quit smoking cold turkey, changed doctors, developed a personal diet plan for healthy eating, lost 80 lbs. in 2 years, did pulmonary rehab, and educated myself with everything I could find on COPD. Information is liberating. and knowledge is power, enabling you to communicate more effectively with your doctors. I also learned the best way to help ourselves is by helping others while maintaining a positive attitude of gratitude. It all works!

About 3 years ago, I finally experienced another reversal, with a 21% improvement in my FEV1 at 37% and my 5 years of oxygen therapy was discontinued. That eventually stabilized around 30%, dropping to 27% at one point & returning to around 30%. Three years ago, at age 74, I fell in love and found the body achieves what the mind believes! After my total hip replacement surgeries in 2011 & 2012, I was never able to walk independently & had used a wheelchair & walker for over 2 years but I just didn’t want to be handicapped when I met this man, so I put away all aids and have walked independently ever since. I have done pulmonary rehab twice but am limited in my exercise due to my comorbid conditions. Due to my very limited lung function, my pulmonary doctor says I’m too old for transplants or any further surgeries so I just do the best I can with each day and enjoy every moment. Some people think that to be strong is to never feel pain. In reality, the strongest people are the ones who feel it, understand it, and accept it.

While you might take a lot of wrong turns before you find the right path, live with intention, listen hard, continue to learn, and practice wellness. Don’t stress over things you can’t change. Life's too short. If you want to have continuous joy in your life, here is the secret: Give your life away. Stop focusing on your problems and aches and pains, and start focusing on helping others. The more you give your life away, the more you find it. The more unselfish you become, the more joyful a person you’re going to be. Live a life where you make a positive difference each day. To those who help with gentle hands, Life is full and to those who care with compassionate hearts, Life is good beyond all measures.

 

Have COPD? Why Your Iron Levels are Important

​

Everyone needs the right amount of certain minerals for good health and proper body functioning. Having chronic conditions like COPD means that it’s crucial to ensure that you have the right amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs to function optimally and maintain your health despite any symptoms.
Minerals like calcium, zinc and magnesium all play a role in keeping your body healthy. These roles range from proper bone function to keeping the immune system healthy. Iron is one of the most important minerals needed in the body. To understand why it’s so important to have adequate iron levels especially for those with COPD, let’s first talk about its functions in the body.
Iron and its role in the body
Iron’s main role in the body is as a component of hemoglobin. As you may know, hemoglobin is found in the red blood cells, whose main function is to carry oxygen and nutrients around the body. In the lungs, the oxygen you inhale gets passed on to the hemoglobin found in red blood cells. Oxygen then binds to this hemoglobin molecule, which then carries it to the many cells and tissues around your body.
Without iron, the body cannot make hemoglobin, and thus, oxygen from your lungs cannot get to various body organs. This means that even if you inhale enough oxygen, there still isn’t a way for your body to use it up if you don’t have enough iron in your red blood cells.
For people with COPD, this means that it’s important to make sure that your iron levels and your hemoglobin count is within the normal range.
What happens if you lack iron? 
If you lack iron and your hemoglobin levels are way below the normal range, this could mean that you have iron-deficiency anemia. Your doctor can diagnose this by asking you to take a blood test.
If you have low iron levels, this may be caused by various reasons. One reason is that your diet may lack iron and you regularly do not eat foods rich in iron. Another possible reason is that you may be losing blood through bleeding inside the body. This can happen if you have conditions like a bleeding ulcer, hemorrhoids, or heavy menstrual periods. Some medications, like aspirin, can also cause prolonged bleeding. Lastly, another reason (though more rare) is that your body cannot absorb iron normally. Conditions like celiac disease or surgeries where a part of your small intestine or stomach has been removed can cause improper iron absorption.
Iron-deficiency anemia may not be noticeable at first. It usually starts out as a very mild condition whose symptoms can even overlap with COPD symptoms. This means that you may not immediately know that you have iron-deficiency anemia.
Most people only suspect that their iron levels are low when the condition becomes worse and when symptoms become more noticeable. Some symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia include the following:

  • Increased fatigue, especially during physical activity

  • Frequent tiredness, weakness and dizziness

  • Frequent headaches with no apparent cause

  • Feeling cranky, grumpy and irritable

  • More frequently feeling short of breath

  • Difficulty focusing on things that you’re doing

  • Having a paler skin color than usual

If you’re having the symptoms above and you suspect that it’s not caused by your COPD, it’s best to have yourself diagnosed by your physician. He will ask you to undergo some blood tests and ask you about your symptoms. After which, he will then be able to diagnose whether your iron levels or normal or not and how severe your condition is.
How is iron deficiency treated?
If your doctor establishes that your iron levels are low and you have iron-deficiency anemia, he will prescribe you with iron supplement pills. Make sure that you follow the right dosage and frequency to get your iron levels back to normal. Your doctor will also try to determine the cause of iron deficiency and prescribe the appropriate treatment if needed.
Remember to keep in mind or have a copy of all the instructions for taking iron pills. Certain foods, for example, can affect their absorption in the body and thus make them less effective. Some foods and medications may also increase the amount of iron absorbed from these pills, and may make you at risk for toxic effects. This is why it’s important to understand all of your doctor’s instructions and ask questions if something isn’t clear.
What else can you do?
After your doctor’s visit, you’ll have to take the iron pills for a certain number of days or weeks as determined by your doctor. He may ask you to go back for a follow-up visit to check if your iron levels are back to normal after the period prescribed for taking the pills.
After this period, you may be advised to keep up your iron levels by ensuring that you take in iron-rich foods regularly. These foods include red meats, chicken or beef liver, oysters and mussels, sardines in oil, veal and ham.
All of this information are general advice on iron levels and iron deficiency anemia. Having COPD along with iron-deficiency anemia can cause you to become more easily fatigued than usual and may pose greater risk to your health than if you only have either of these conditions alone.
 If you think you have the symptoms mentioned above, and if they may not be due to COPD only, it’s best to talk with your doctor to determine if you have iron deficiency anemia.
 

11 Things You Should Know About Supplemental Oxygen
 

By Mary Rose Kitlowski, founder of Running On Air, and has a rare lung disease called Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)

Breathing. It’s one of the easiest things in the world to do — until you can’t. If you’ve never had to wear supplemental oxygen, there are a few things you probably never thought about people going through just to breathe. When you can’t breathe, the process to get supplemental oxygen can be difficult and frustrating. When people get easily short of breath, even everyday things like showering or grocery shopping can become overwhelming or even impossible to do. There are challenges everyone on oxygen faces. Here are some things about supplemental oxygen you should know.

 

1. Getting supplemental oxygen is harder than you’d think.

It seems like it should be pretty straightforward. A person can’t breathe, so they get supplemental oxygen. It isn’t that simple. In order to get oxygen, someone has to go through several tests to show the need for oxygen. Apparently gasping for air at your doctor’s office just isn’t enough.

One of these tests is a six-minute walk test. The idea is to walk as fast as you can on a completely flat surface for six minutes to see if your oxygen levels drop. A pulse oximeter is used to measure the oxygen saturation levels in the blood. You may have had one put on your finger at a doctor’s appointment. Most people are in the 98-100 range. To qualify for supplemental oxygen you have to be at 88 or lower. The problem with this is it doesn’t take into account issues like what if a person has an injury that prevents them from walking fast enough? And the test doesn’t include other real life situations like stairs or inclines, higher altitude or even carrying things, like the oxygen tank or portable oxygen concentrator (POC) you’re trying to qualify for.

Believe it or not, people who find themselves easily out of breath moving around their house or taking a shower have had their insurance company tell them they don’t qualify for supplemental oxygen. Do the insurance companies really think the nose cannula with its five-plus pound carrying accessory is a trending fashion statement everyone is trying to get for free?

 

2. You can’t always get what you want. Or need.

Once you are approved, it doesn’t mean your needs will be met. Apparently the only obligation is to supply people with enough oxygen so they don’t die. A person’s requirements are not taken into account, like age, mobility, work (my sister was told by her oxygen delivery person that “People on oxygen don’t work”), strength, etc. No one is usually offered a portable oxygen concentrator (POC). Tanks and a home unit are what everyone gets. Now POCs are not for everyone. They just don’t generate enough liters of oxygen to meet the need for many people. And if a person requires a continuous flow (instead of only on inhalation), the POCs that offer continuous are typically too heavy. For those who can use POCs, they usually have to buy them outright, which is thousands of dollars, all out of pocket.

 

3. Ball and chain.

Wearing oxygen is like having a ball and chain. When people are home, they have a much longer chain (tubing/hose) so they don’t have to drag the ball around with them. When they leave home though, the chain is shorter and the ball is in tow. Whether a person uses oxygen tanks or a POC, it is still something they have to carry, roll and lift. These devices can weigh anywhere from four pounds up to 20 pounds.

Since I carry a purse, this means I’m leaving the house with a bag across both shoulders. I carry water with me everywhere, so my purse isn’t light either. Before I got used to my POC, if I was out all day my shoulders and back would be hurting after an hour or two.

 

4. It’s like being on a leash.

Several times a week my head is jerked back because my hose has caught on something. Sometimes it’s the car parking brake, sometimes it’s a door knob. Sometimes I get up and start walking, forgetting that I need to pick up the POC and take it with me.

My husband and friends have offered to carry the concentrator for me. While I appreciate the thought, their faster pace will just have me struggling to keep up or being pulled by my nose cannula.

 

5. You’re on a timer, so plan ahead.

Whenever you’re out of the house, you’re on a timer. Whether it’s a tank or a POC, the oxygen will stop flowing at some point. It’s important to plan ahead even when going out for a couple hours, let alone a trip. Some people don’t even take trips once they are on oxygen. The magnitude of tanks that might be needed can be overwhelming and even hard to get from the oxygen company.

My POC has two battery sizes. If I’m just sitting, the smaller battery will last around four hours and the larger one around eight. When I’m working out or doing races the small one last about two hours and the larger one around four. When I do the New York Marathon on November 5, I’ll have to change my double battery part way through.

I also require three different chargers when traveling. The one that plugs directly into the concentrator and will charge whatever battery is attached, the one that charges a battery not connected to the concentrator, and the car charger so I can keep the battery charged on long drives.  It takes a while for the batteries to charge, which means I am typically charging two at night.  If I’m out all day then I’ve used at least two batteries.  I can charge the one attached to the POC while I’m sleeping and using it.

 

6. How can anyone sleep through this?

The first time I slept with oxygen, I was surprised by all the noise and the lights. I use a POC. With my head against the pillow I could hear the intake of air every time I inhaled (my system is pulse, which releases air when it detects an inhalation). Plus the machine itself makes a loud clicking noise every 20 seconds or so. And that’s on top of the motor’s continuous hum.

And then there’s the lights. There’s a rather bright green light on the adapter part of the cord that’s plugged into the wall. The machine has to be plugged in because the battery won’t last the whole time while sleeping. There’s also a green light on the display panel that lights up every time it detects my breath.

The other issue is getting wrapped up in the hose. I wonder if anyone has strangled themselves (or come close). I find I have to tighten the tubing under my neck so the cannula stays in my nose. Lying on the pillow makes it harder to stay in place. Then when I roll over, I have to make sure I’m not wrapping myself in the hose or laying on it in such a way that it pinches off the flow of air.

 

7. Trusting your life to a machine.

It’s scary to rely on a machine to breathe. It’s important to have a backup. If you lose power the home system won’t work. If there’s a problem with the tank regulator one might not get the oxygen they need. And of course, what if there’s a mechanical failure?

On my recent trip to Scotland, I had two double batteries and a regular battery. One night while sleeping the POC stopped detecting my breath. I’m not sure if the cannula was dislodged or it was a problem with the machine. I woke up because I was having air blown up my nose that didn’t coincide with my breath. The machine does this after a while when it doesn’t detect inhalation. I adjusted the hose and took some deep breaths, but it still kept blowing air when it felt like it. I started panicking – slightly. This was the second time the POC had done this. I tried what I did previously, but that didn’t work. I turned the unit off and just slept without the oxygen since the pulse oximeter showed my oxygen levels were OK. In the morning I tried taking the battery off and putting it back in and this reset the machine.

It was scary to think that I might be stuck for several days with no oxygen and not have any on the seven-hour flight home. Luckily, it was just a temporary hiccup.

 

8. Lines on my face.

Every morning I wake up with indentations from the tubing across my checks. My checks are also a little irritated from having the tubing rubbing against them so much.

 

9. Shower challenges.

The first time I took a shower with my oxygen I was in Colorado. I had to wear my oxygen 24/7 because of the altitude. I wasn’t sure how to shower with the POC. I figured water would run down the tubing and I wanted to make sure it didn’t get into the POC. I put the POC on the toilet lid since it was next to the shower and ran the tubing a little lower so any water would just collect and fall on the floor.

It got me thinking that most people shower with a home unit, which is plugged in and running. Now the home unit is probably not in the bathroom, and the longer tubing makes it pretty unlikely that water will reach the unit. It did make me wonder, though, if anyone has been electrocuted because of their oxygen.

There’s also the tripping hazard of the tubing. I had to make sure it was long enough so I could reach the water, but not so long that I could step on it.

 

10. You may need oxygen when flying.

Even though someone may not need oxygen on a daily basis, there is the possibility that they need it when flying. I was surprised when someone first mentioned this to me. On my next trip to California I checked my oxygen levels and they were in the upper 80’s. My husband’s levels were a little lower too, but his lungs are OK and his pulse oximeter reading was 95 instead of 98. This explained why every time we go to California I land with a headache. I haven’t had a headache since I started wearing oxygen on the plane.

You can’t take a tank on the plane though. And if you use the airline’s oxygen, it is expensive. Some oxygen companies will give their customers a POC for traveling only. Yet unless you are approved for everyday supplemental oxygen, you won’t get insurance coverage just for a plane ride.

 

11. Wearing oxygen doesn’t give us any advantages.

On a plane ride home with my friend Leslie after a Disneyland race we got to talking to the guy sitting next to us. He asked if the oxygen gave me any advantages. No. It does not. I am not winning any races because I have the “advantage” of a six to eight pound device that blows oxygen up my nose. It doesn’t even level the playing field. All it does is allow me to move a little faster than I can without it, and recover faster when I stop.

Those of us on oxygen wear it because it helps us do everyday things. We don’t gain any advantage from it. It just allows us to do some of what everyone else takes for granted. Without it some of us would not be able to leave our homes or even our beds.

 

I hope this gives you a better idea of what it is like to be on supplemental oxygen, or even the hoops some people have to go through just to qualify for it. We all enjoy our freedom of movement and often don’t give it a second thought, until that freedom is limited.

Why some people is still alive and kicking with 70% SPO2？

 
Generally speaking, the standard to judge hyoxemia is whether the oxygen saturation is lower than 90% or not. If lower than 90%, it is very dangerous. But there are some people whose SPO2 is 70%, and they are alive and kicking. Why this happen?
Let’s  start with SPO2 and PaO2.
What  is SPO2 and PaO2?

  1. PaO2


We know the combination of hemoglobin and oxygen is reversible, see below picture
Pao2 is the oxygen which dissolve in water in molecule form. But the oxygen is hard to be dissolved in water, so the dissolved oxygen in blood is little, and it is far insufficient if just depend on the water to carry oxygen. That is why the blood need to carry oxygen by hemoglobin with chemically combined. Thus there are oxyhemoglobin(with oxygen) and reduced hemoglobin(without oxgen).
From this reversible combination, we can see PaO2( the little dissolved oxygen in the blood) decides the combination and separation of oxygen and hemoglobin.

  1. SPO2

SPO2 = Oxygen Content/Oxygen Capacity
Oxyhemoglobin represents the oxygen content, and the total of oxyhemoglobin and reduced hemoglobin represents the oxygen capacity.
Combining the picture 1, we can understand:
The higher of SPO2, the higher of oxyhemoglobin ; the less reduced hemoglobin, the higher oxyhemoglobin.
Suppose the total hemoglobin is fixed, the SPO2 reflects the oxygen content, however the oxygen contents decides whether our body is lack of oxygen or not directly.
 
Clinical application of SPO2 and PaO2
 

  1. Why we always say it is very dangerous when your SPO2 is lower than 90%?


S curve is the Oxygen Dissociation Curve. When the PaO2 is 100 mmHg, the SPO2 is 99%. When our body appears the anoxia, and the PaO2 will decrease from 100mmHg to 60 mmHg, if the SPO2 decreases from 99% to 90%, there is no big change for oxygen content,  the oxygen is enough for our body; if the anoxia aggravates, and the PaO2 decreases from 60 mmHg to 45 mmHg, the SPO2 will break through the critical value, and it will fall to 70% rapidly, and the oxygen content will decrease rapidly, it will make our body be lack of oxygen.
Besides, Oxygen Dissociation Curve has another two good application for clinical diagnosis.

  • PaO2 can only be checked by arterial blood gas analysis which is an invasive test, but the SPO2 can be checked by noninvasive test like oximeter. When the oximeter shows the SPO2 is lower than 90%, it means the PaO2 is lower than 60 mmHg. In clinical, respiratory failure can be diagnosed without arterial blood gas analysis.

When the PaO2 is higher than 60 mmHg, the fall and down of PaO2 has few effect on the SPO2. But when PaO2 is lower than 60 mmHg, the slight change of PaO2 can lead the acute change of SPO2.
Therefore, when assess the PaO2 or assess the pulmonary ventilation & pulmonary gas exchange，there is a big error if judge by SPO2. The most valuable info is the critical value 90%　
 

  1. Why some people is still alive and kicking with 70% SPO2？

The answer is the SPO2 70% is normal for the people who live in high attitude area.
For example, in low attitude area, 100g total hemoglobin can offer 90g oxyhemoglobin to meet our body needs, and the the SPO2 is 90%. But in high attitude area, the Pao2 falls , 100g total hemoglobin can only offer 40g oxyhemoglobin, to compensate to 90 g oxyhemoglobin, there are two ways:

  1. Increase the ventilation, increase the PaO2 in the pulmonary alveoli, it can make the oxyhemoglobin to reach 90g and SPO2 reach 90%. That why people will feel the tight gas when they are just on the plateau.

  2. The hypoxia-inducible factors can increase the red blood cells, the total hemoglobin increase to 150g, and make the oxyhemoglobin to reach 90g. At this time, the SPO2 is 90/150=60%

Though it looks that 60% is low in high attitude areas, but its oxyhemoglobin is enough for body use.  This is also the reason for the people who live in plateau with only 70%, and they do not feel gas tight.

  1. In clinical, when correct the acid-base imbalance, why emphasize the Acid rather than alkali?

When the blood is under weakly-alkaline environment, the combination of oxygen and hemoglobin is tighter, and is not easy to be separated. When PH is normal, the PaO2 of 45 mmHg is with 70% SPO2, when PH is up to become more alkali, the PaO2 of 45 mmHg can be with 80% SPO2.
It is not the higher the better for SPO2, the blood needs to flow to other tissues from Lung, but the high SPO2 will remind that the oxygen in the blood is not easy to separate from hemoglobin and then enter tissues. It will make the tissues be lack of oxygen.
So, Improper supplemental of alkali can lead to hypoxia. That is why emphasize the Acid rather than alkali? In the Oxygen Dissociation Curve, when PH is up, the ODC will move to left

How Chinese Traditional Medicine defines COPD?
 

Chinese Traditional medicine believes that COPD belongs to the lung-distension. Mainly derives from the harmful to air passage, due to the damage of collaterals in lung, Lung smoke burning by poison gas and dust ect. The lung is burned by the smoke makes lung qi obstruction, lose Channel capacity, Airway Obstruction, stagnation of qi activity ,thus leads to the cough.
Its common inducements are wind and cold. The main pathogenesis of the disease is the wind - cold attack. In clinical, it can appear as Purple, edema, loss of consciousness, cough and sputum, shortness of breath, breathlessness ect. During the acute exacerbation period it can be associated with type 11 exhalation. The pathological factors are mainly the combined action by blood fatigue, retained fluid and phlegm. The symptoms like Lung deficiency, Pathogenic Factors, Phlegm fatigue resistance, lead to the Lung qi kui sluggish, pathogenic factors kui lung, retention in chest, making Lung inflatable full. Generally speaking, COPD is the result of accumulation gradually, its course of disease stretches, and it can be recurrent attacks, also it is hard to be cured.
According to the maternal and child relationship between Spleen and Lung, we know lung governs Qi and the spleen is the source of Qi. So whether the spleen is strong or week, it decides the rise and fall of Lung Qi. The Lung Qi deficiency is mostly because of the weakness of the spleen and the stomach.
Promordial Qi roots in the kidney, it is mothered by congenital essence and nourished by acquired essence. So the tonifying spleen can help the kidney to absorb the Qi. The fatigue of respiratory muscle mainly due to the phrenic muscle is weak and weak as well as its “caving”
The spleen is the root of acquired constitution and spleen governing muscles, lung governing management and regulation. So If the spleen is strong, it will transfer the essence of the grain to all over the body. If the spleen is strong, the muscles are powerful. If the spleen is weak, it can’t transport enough nutriment to our body, thus leads to the deficiency of Qi and Yin, the dystrophy of the muscles and the emaciation, disorder of nutriment. Thus causing the fatigue of respiratory muscle. Also, if the spleen is weak, it will cause phlegm stagnation and blood stasis, that’s why the patients has die blausucht.
According to Chinese Traditional medicine , the therapeutic Principle to treat COPD shall be guided by reinforcing earth to generate metal, and be treated with the strengthening of the spleen, invigorating the spleen to benefit the lung and warm the kidney. Also dissipating phlegm to activate blood.
There are many other Chinese herbal medicines which are good to the patients. To those decoctions, ginseng can reinforce vital energy. Pharmacological research confirms that the total saponins in ginseng can improve the contractile force of diaphragm; The Astragalus can invigorating spleen and replenishing Qi, the Chinese Taxillus Twig can help the astraglus to tonifying Qi; Radix Bupleuri can ascending up spleen-qi and yang, well Improve the subside of the respiratory muscle;  The pericarpium citri reticulatae can regulating qi-flowing for eliminating phlegm; The Chinese yam can invigorating the spleen to benefit the lung; The Atractylodes and   poria can invigorating the spleen to prevent the source of phlegm.The Ligusticum wallichii can promote Qi to activate blood, the Ligustrazine has a calcium channel blocking effect, so it can suppressor cell Ca2+ + internal flow, which will be helpful to improve the functions of diaphragm muscle.
Combined therapy of chinese medicine with Normative rehabilitation training and nursing, it can Increase the patient's appetite, improve the digestibility, Improving nutritional disorders, Effective Relief respiratory muscle fatigue, Improved pulmonary ventilation, improve the life quality of the patients and slow down the progressive lung function, Meanwhile, the traditional Chinese medicine therapy is easier, economy, with less side effect. the patients compliance is good. There are many advantages and even better than the western medicine
 

5 Best Oxygen Therapy Accessories
 

If you’re on oxygen therapy, there are now a lot of ways to make oxygen use easier and more convenient! If you’re one to be the more mobile type, you may have already found that using a portable oxygen concentrator is a godsend. Aside from this, there are also various other accessories you can use to make oxygen therapy more comfortable and trouble-free.
 
Below are six accessories that will come very handy anytime during your oxygen therapy:
 
1. Extension tubings with swiveling connectors
 
The nasal prongs or face masks can be too short for a person who wants to walk around the house. Ask a supplier for extension tubings. Some of these can be as long as 15 meters, allowing you to move more freely.
 
 Pair the nasal prongs or mask with a swiveling tube connector to allow the tubes to roll freely and avoid tangling themselves. This swivel is sometimes called a “Christmas tree connector.” This setup can be very convenient when using your home oxygen concentrator, making you move about the house more easily without the tubes twistingaround each other or tangling up. It also readily attaches to oxygen tubing and cannulas.
 

2. A water trap
 
As oxygen passes through the humidifier, condensation can develop and collect within the tubings. Once water is present, it's likely to remain there until the tubings are removed and emptied. An in-line water trap fits between the tubing of the concentrator and your cannula. It works to collect the condensation into a chamber and prevents it from reaching the prongs or face mask. It’s very helpful because it prevents you from breathing in too much moisture or even water droplets!
 
When you’ve installed one into your equipment, be sure to check it frequently. Remove the water regularly to prevent getting a noseful when it’s filled! For maximum effectiveness, locate the trap close to the person's end.
 
3. A portable pulse oximeter
A pulse oximeter is a device that measures the oxygenation level in the blood. It works by shining an infrared light on a finger or toe. Although the readings can be a few seconds delayed, it still allows for immediate monitoring of the person's oxygen saturation. Unlike other ways to measure oxygen levels, this device is painless and non-invasive (no needles involved). This can be very useful in checking how effective the therapy is at a certain time. A small, battery-operated model is now available in many stores.
 
4. Ear protectors
 
You know how sore it feels on the skin when the tubing stays behind and above your ears for long! Though they seem very simple, ear protectors can actually make your oxygen use more comfy! They’re soft tubes made of foam cushions that wrap around the tubing. You then position them in the area where the tubing sits above your ear, and you instantly have something that helps reduce soreness and chafing in the skin. Plus, this accessory not only makes oxygen use more comfy for you, but also helps keep the tubing in place.
 
5. Extra batteries and an external battery charger
 
One of the best features of using a portable oxygen concentrator is its batteries. It's always a good idea to bring an extra set of batteries when traveling. Include an external battery charger in the travel kit as well. An external battery charger allows the user to charge the backup battery while the other one is being used on the oxygen concentrator. This practice can good for the battery life of some types of batteries.
 
All these accessories are just add-ons to help make therapy easier for a person with COPD. But the main goal is to make sure that the therapy is safe and effective. Always talk to your doctor before making any adjustments to your oxygen flow.

GOLD Guidelines to Treat COPD Updated
                                                                           

By Eli Hendel, M.D. / @Lung_doctor , Health Professional

In 2001, a consensus of professionals in the treatment of chronic pulmonary disease (COPD) released the first version of the Global Initiative for Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD), with the purpose of establishing a consistent approach to a disease that still has significant world mortality. COPD is also a significant cause of worldwide disability.
The GOLD guidelines were revised in 2006 and again in 2011. Further refinements were made to the guidelines in 2015. Now there is another revision in 2017 as experts continue to learn about this condition.
Most doctors who diagnose and treat chronic lung disease will tell you that, unlike the new treatments that continue to evolve in cardiac medicine (because of new discoveries in the many diseases classified as heart disease), there’s really nothing new in COPD. So why the need to update the guidelines?
The many new issues
In the past, almost all of the definitions used to diagnose COPD focused on its most common cause: cigarette smoking. The guidelines have now been revised to recognize the importance of “host factors.” This includes the unique genetic make-up of each individual, which can explain why some patients have accelerated aging and, consequently, abnormal lung development.
Experts have known for years that some individuals have a deficiency of the enzyme alpha-one antitrypsin (AAT). This enzyme counteracts another enzyme called neutrophil elastase, which inhibits the normal elasticity of the lungs. As a result of AAT deficiency, the lungs lose their elasticity and emphysema develops. What has been surprising is the discovery that large numbers of people have the gene for this deficiency, even if it is not expressed until adulthood.
Some other familial observations suggest that there is a genetic basis for the production of matrix metalloproteinases, which are substances involved in the potential destruction of the lung matrix.
Another interesting finding is that smoking during pregnancy, in addition to posing a number of known risks to mother and child, was also found to specifically raise the risk of abnormal lung development in the developing baby, by negatively priming the immune system.
The effect of exposure in the workplace on the development of COPD was apparent from data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Researchers determined from this survey that an estimated 19 percent of individuals had COPD that was attributable to the workplace (workplace exposures), and 31 percent of individuals diagnosed with COPD had never smoked. Note that until this data was interpreted, it was assumed that asthma was the only workplace-related pulmonary disease.
Another 2017 GOLD report update and change pertains to the effect of air pollution. The effect of air pollution is still considered relatively small compared to cigarette smoking in causing chronic lung disease, except in children, where it is now noted to have a significant impact on lung development.
Perhaps the most notable change in the present GOLD report is the realization that the most prominent factor in accelerating damage to the lung is the effect of accumulated exacerbations. Previously it was thought that constant exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke was the continuing source of inflammation that causes the damage. Experts now realize it is the accumulation of exacerbations, comonnly referred to as flare ups, that is mostly driving inflammation and damage to the lungs in chronic lung disease.
It is apparent that one exacerbation will trigger an inflammatory process that doesn’t simply end, even after effective treatment. This phenomenon may help to explain why, among all heavy daily smokers, only a minority will go on to develop COPD.
This “amplified inflammation” may be at least partially genetically determined and then extended by oxidative stress. We now also know that this lung inflammation may persist, even in some people who stop smoking.All of these recently noted findings have further solidified the importance of prevention of disease progression, by anticipating and preventing exacerbations.
A new subset of COPD patients
One new subset of individuals with COPD was identified based on the elevation of a subtype of white blood cells called eosinophils. These are cells that play a role in allergies and were thought to be prominent (elevated blood levels) only in asthma. It is now apparent that some individuals with COPD who have high levels of eosinophils should be treated differently from standard COPD care, with much more emphasis on the use of inhaled corticosteroids. Usually inhaled steroids are the mainstay treatment of asthma, not COPD.
Another new approach is that the classification of COPD (mild, moderate, and severe disease) does not just take into account spirometry findings, like in the past. An earlier revision of the GOLD included a grid that specifically factored spirometry findings of vital capacity and subjective symptoms of shortness of breath. This was done by a questionnaire called the Modified British Medical Research Council Assessment of Shortness of Breath (mMRC)
Now, the latest 2017 revision includes an additional factor that has been added to those two metrics: whether someone has experienced a minimum of two exacerbations in the previous year. This is considered to be a better formula for assessment and treatment decisions.
One final change worth noting is that oxygen is no longer recommended as a routine treatment for stable COPD patients. The new indication for supplemental oxygen is the diagnosis of severe resting hypoxia in a COPD patient.
COPD continues to be one of the most dominant causes of high mortality and high cost to healthcare. The GOLD current ABCD treatment parameters will likely continue to be refined based on future research.
 
 

Warning Signs--You Have to Go for Hospital or Doctor Visit

 

Many COPD patients want to avoid any trip to the hospital as best as they can. And this is quite understandable! But at times, a trip to your doctor or to the hospital (aside from your regular check-ups) may be unavoidable. 
So how do you know that it’s time to see your doctor or rush to the hospital emergency room? Here are some signs.
Wheezing and difficulty breathing
Feeling breathless other than your usual pattern can be triggered by a lot of factors like increased physical activity, lack of oxygen intake, or fatigue. Wheezing, on the other hand, may mean that your airways are becoming narrower, which could signal a coming flare-up or a possible infection.
If you often notice feeling suddenly breathless, it may be time to see your doctor. This is because it’s best to inform him of any changes in your breathing patterns. Also, he can help determine the cause and whether you may need an increased dose of oxygen supplementation.
You can also take steps to help lessen breathlessness. These include getting used to doing exercise by taking on a regular exercise program. There are also breathing techniques that can ease breathlessness.
If you’re frequently experiencing wheezing, make sure that you’re taking your bronchodilator medication regularly. If it still gets worse, or if it comes with symptoms like increased phlegm and fever, this can warrant a doctor or hospital visit.
 Excessive, persistent coughing and changes in your sputum
Coughing is near-normal for those with COPD. But if you notice that you suddenly are coughing more or have a cough that doesn’t go away, it may be time to get yourself checked. Coughing may be a possible sign of a flare-up coming, so it’s best to see your doctor as precaution.
Additionally, if you’re experiencing changes in your sputum, it may be a warning sign as well. Any change, like an increase in the amount or a different color or smell than usual, can signal an infection or a worsening condition. This means you have to get to your doctor for help.
Signs of a respiratory infection
For most people, fever, colds or flu can be easily treated at home. If you have COPD however, such conditions have to be medically managed well and treated right away. This is because even mild respiratory conditions can lead to more serious infections like pneumonia, or even something worse.
It’s important to get the right medical treatment and follow your doctor’s or hospital’s advice for quick recovery and to avoid any other complications. 
Signs that you have to go to the hospital emergency room
There are also some instances where you need to get medical attention, fast! These are usually signs of a flare up, or that your condition is getting worse. Don’t wait to go to the hospital if you’re experiencing the following:

  • You have chest pains. Chest pains can be a sign of a problem with circulation, other than the usual COPD lung problems. You have to immediately go to the hospital for the medical staff to determine the cause.

  • Your fingers or lips get a bluish color. A bluish color of your skin means that certain body areas lack oxygen. If your fingers or lips become blue, this means that your blood oxygen level is too low.

  • You feel confused or dazed. Feeling confused and drowsy could be a signal of too much carbon dioxide in the blood, or a problem with your oxygen levels. Going to the hospital immediately can help sort out the cause.

  • Extreme respiratory distress. This includes suddenly feeling too breathless or a sudden quicker breathing rate. If you took your medications and they still don’t work against this, a trip to the hospital may help relieve your symptoms.


Knowing when to see a doctor or go to the hospital is important. This is especially true if you want to prevent your COPD from worsening. So, don’t hesitate if you think you need medical help!

Seasonal COPD triggers: What to Watch Out for in Every Season

 

 

 Every season brings new excitement! Different landscapes, activities, flavors and foods are just some of the things to look forward to! But if you have COPD, this may also mean that every season brings different triggers!
Here are the triggers you may have to watch out for every season.
Winter triggers
Cold air. The cold air in wintertime can become quite dry. Dry air can irritate the nasal passages and airways, which can trigger a flare-up. Avoid the outdoors, and if needed, keep your time outdoors brief, like going from the house to the car. It’s also best to keep your mouth and nose covered when venturing outdoors.
Circulating pathogens. Bacteria and viruses that cause conditions like flu, colds and pneumonia commonly circulate during cold weather. This is because most people stay huddled indoors, which increases the chances for these microbes to be transmitted from one person to another. Getting a cold or flu can lead to pneumonia, causing an unscheduled trip to the hospital. Try to avoid crowded indoor places. If needed, wear a mask to lessen your chances of catching respiratory conditions.
Smoke from the fireplace. While lighting a fire can make you feel warm and toasty, the smoke from wood can be a trigger for COPD. Additionally, molds may grow on the wood and be released into the air when preparing the wood for a fire. Try another heating method instead.
Spring triggers
Pollen. Those freshly blooming flowers may be pretty, but they’re a COPD hazard! Pollen counts start to increase in the spring and continue on until summer. The best way to go around this trigger is to be well aware of pollen counts in your area. Whenever they’re high, its best to stay indoors and shut the windows. If you really need to go out, wear a face mask and make outdoor time brief.
Spring cleaning dust. Spring is a time brush off those wintery cobwebs that have accumulated over the cold months. But spring cleaning may not be a great idea for you. Stirring up all that dust could bring on a flare-up. The best way to go about it is to ask someone to do the spring cleaning for you. And while they’re at it, stay in a different room or a friend’s house. 
Summer triggers
High humidity. Summer brings a lot of heat together with high humidity. This can make the air thick and difficult to breathe. Try to lower humidity indoors by keeping the windows closed. You can also keep the air conditioner on (if it doesn’t bother you) to counteract hot, humid air.
Freshly-mowed grass. Mowing the lawn can bring the scent of freshly mowed grass. While this is a pleasant scent for some, it may actually be a trigger for you. Additionally, walking or riding the mower over freshly cut areas can stir up dust, resulting in a flare-up. If possible, try to avoid mowing the lawn. Ask a family member or friend to do it for you. Additionally, it’s best to stay indoors while your next-door neighbor’s lawn is being mowed.
Dehydration. Having a lung disease means that you have to get adequate fluids. Lack of fluids, especially on hot summer days, can dry out your airways and nasal passages. This makes them irritated and easily prone to spasms. Drink lots of water and fluids can help keep your airways adequately moist.
Autumn triggers
Bonfire fumes. Autumn is a great time to sit around bonfires and celebrate the season with family and friends. Beware, though, of bonfire smoke! Smoke from wood can irritate the airways and can be a trigger for COPD.
An extended hay fever season. Though the leaves are turning brown, pollen season from summer may go on. Pollen from ragweed, as well as form other late-blooming summer plants and trees, may still have high amounts in the air. Again, it’s best to wear a mask when venturing outdoors.
Molds and fungus. Either from firewood, plants or other sources, molds and fungi can be released into the air and be potentially inhaled. Some may even cause disease. Stay away from possible areas that harbor fungi and molds, and always be cautious when handling wood or materials where these microbes can grow.
 
Sure, these triggers may be cause to be more careful, but remember that there are many ways to deal with them. And, as long as you’re careful, you can still get to enjoy celebrating every season!

Why Do I Need a Humidifier Bottle with my Concentrator?
 

If you’ve been prescribed with supplementary oxygen, chances are, you're still getting to know how your equipment works. If you’re wondering what the bottle of water strapped to your concentrator is for, it’s called a humidifier bottle.
One of the most common adverse effects of supplementary oxygen is getting dry nasal passages. The severity may vary from person to person. Some get extreme dryness, accompanied by sore nostrils and scabby nasal membranes. This could lead to frequent nosebleeds as well. On the other hand, some people aren’t affected so much, with only a slight discomfort being felt.

What does a humidifier bottle do?
As you’ll notice, this bottle contains water. Oxygen from the concentrator passes through the humidifier and through the water in it. This serves to moisten the oxygen from the concentrator. Otherwise, the oxygen leaving the device would be very dry, causing irritation to the nasal passages.
 
Tips for optimal use of your humidifier bottle
When using a humidifier bottle, there are a few things you should do to ensure that your humidifier is used correctly.

  • Use distilled water. Unlike other types of water, distilled water doesn’t contain minerals or other added substances. Drinking water, mineral water, and even tap water can contain solutes that can build up and cause a decrease in efficiency of the humidifier and your device.

  • When filling the humidifier bottle with water, only fill up to the level indicated. Filling it with too much water can result to water flowing into the concentrator. This can cause damage to the device.

  • Be vigilant with water levels. If the water in the bottle falls below the minimum level, refill it right away!

  • Clean the bottle daily. Remove the remaining water from the day before, and wash the humidifier bottle and lid with a mild detergent. Rinse very well, making sure that all of the detergent is removed. Wipe thoroughly with a clean cloth.

  • Change the water regularly. Do not reuse water that has been in the humidifier for more than a day. This could contain microorganisms that have grown and may be potentially harmful.

  • When attaching the humidifier, make sure that the lid is firmly secured, and the humidifier is properly connected to the oxygen source.

  • Firmly attach your cannula or mask tubing to the end piece on top of the humidifier bottle. You can now turn on your concentrator, and you should feel the oxygen flowing from this part.

 
Though most humidifiers are disposable, with proper care, you can reuse yours to some extent.
 
Some Considerations when Using a Humidifier
 
When using a humidifier, there are some things you’ll have to consider, such as:
 

  • The humidity rate. You may need to adjust the humidifier setting to one that you’re comfortable with. Many users report a rate of 2 LPM. However, you may adjust the setting higher or lower to cater to your individual need.

  • The climate you’re in. If you live in a place with a very dry climate, you may need to adjust the humidity rate to a higher one. In contrast, if you live in a hot, humid area, a lower setting may be more applicable.

  • The type of concentrator you’re using. If you use a pulse flow concentrator, you may not be able to use a humidifier. This is because the device may not be strong enough to adequately push the oxygen through the water in the bottle. They are unlike the lovego portable oxygen concentrators, which offer the continuous flow oxygen at any flow.

Now that you know about humidifiers, you’ll understand that they’re an essential part of your device. Taking care of your concentrator means that you’ll also have to ensure proper care for the humidifier attached!
Do you have any tips on using humidifier bottles? 

Oxygen overdose--Is this possible?
 

We all know that our bodies are made up of cells and all cells need oxygen to live. All around us, oxygen is freely available in the air and helps us perform our daily tasks by making our cells stay healthy and well-nourished to perform their particular functions.
If you have COPD and are on supplementary oxygen, this means that your doctor wants to make sure that your cells get enough oxygen despite any decrease in lung function. As you can see from your prescription, your doctor has specified the amount of oxygen he believes is optimal for you.
 
How does oxygen get into the body?


Whenever we breathe, oxygen enters our bodies. In an estimate, around 2,000 gallons of blood travels through miles of blood vessels (around 60,000 miles) every day. This process makes it possible for the blood cells to pick up oxygen from the lungs and transport it to the different organs in our bodies.
Generally, we can summarize the oxygen intake process into three main parts:

  1. We take up oxygen from the air into the lungs.

As we breathe in air, oxygen enters the lungs through small sacs called alveoli. What happens here is that the gas form of oxygen undergoes a change by being dissolved into a solution within the blood’s plasma found in the alveoli of our lungs.
 

  1. The oxygen goes into the red blood cells.

After diffusion in our lungs, oxygen is now carried into the bloodstream. Remember, oxygen is not carried in the plasma, but is transported by the red blood cells which contain hemoglobin. Oxygen is bound onto the blood’s hemoglobin and thus is carried it around the body.
 

  1. Delivering the oxygen to the different parts of the body.

Now that oxygen molecules and hemoglobin are joined together, oxygen is now ready for delivery to the cells all throughout our body. Hemoglobin detaches the oxygen molecules it carries as the red blood cells pass through capillaries found in the tissues of various organs of the body.
 
So, is it possible to overdose on oxygen?
 
Though an overdose on oxygen is quite rare, yes, it is possible to get an overdose! If you breathe in too much oxygen beyond what your body requires, you will have a condition called hypercapnia. This happens when you are unable to exhale carbon dioxide because of too much inhaled oxygen.  Generally, oxygen toxicity can be classified by the organs affected under four main systems, namely, the central nervous system, pulmonary, ocular and muscular. The following are symptoms you might experience, letting you know if you are experiencing oxygen toxicity.
 

  1. Central Nervous System

  • Nausea

  • Dizziness

  • Seizures

  • Vertigo

  • Lip-twitching

  • Convulsions

 

  1. Pulmonary/ Respiratory

  • Frequent coughing

  • Shortness of breath

  • Increased blood flow to the lining of the nose

  • Fever

  • Jerky breathing

  • Tracheobronchitis

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome

 

  1. Ocular/ Eyes

  • Loss of vision (retinopathy)

  • Fibrosis

  • Cataract formation

  • Myopia (nearsightedness)

  • Bleeding

 

  1. Muscular

  • Twitching; usually of facial muscles

Your main goal in receiving supplementary oxygen is to continue with your usual activities as normally as you can. So to maximize the beneficial effects of your oxygen therapy, you should work with your health care providers hand in hand by strictly following their prescriptions and not go under or beyond the amount prescribed to you. Choosing to be proactive by being cooperative with your doctor can play a major role in improving the quality of your life!

How portable oxygen therapy can reduce social isolation
 

One of the downsides to having COPD is the social stigma and isolation that comes with it. Though not all patients may experience this, many can relate to the changes in their social lives after being diagnosed. Some patients often opt to stay home and limit socialization, while some altogether try to avoid interaction.
 
Social stigma and isolation in COPD
COPD comes with a variety of symptoms that may be better dealt with at home. Aside from this, many of the symptoms are visible and can be easily observed by people around. Frequent breathlessness, coughing up phlegm, difficulty in moving about, and frequent fatigue can also be some of the reasons that make social interaction challenging.


Additionally, these visible effects of COPD often make patients feel stigmatized by the people around them. Many have experienced feeling awkward or uncomfortable in social situations because of the look that people give them, or because they are singled out in a crowd.


Such a stigma can also stem from the misconception that COPD is a self-inflicted illness due to smoking, and that COPD patients are at fault for getting the condition.


This perception often makes patients feel “judged” by society, causing them to withdraw inward and try to avoid getting into instances that require much social interaction.


Even in the home or family circles, some COPD patients tend to feel “judged” and misunderstood. This is especially in groups or with people who do not understand the nature of their condition and may be ill-informed.
Such stigma can push patients to isolate themselves and try to avoid
Portable oxygen therapy and better socialization

Various studies have been conducted about social stigma and oxygen therapy use. According to these studies, the use of supplemental oxygen systems is one factor that contributes to awkwardness in social situations. Thus, this is one reason why many people are hesitant to use it.

There are different types of portable oxygen systems. From tanks to compressors, many of these also come with various sizes and portability to suit varied preferences. Older models as well as oxygen tanks make it much more difficult to move about. Bulky oxygen tanks, for example, can be embarrassing for some as they attract unwanted attention. As such, they can also limit mobility and make it difficult to go places on your own.
The good news is, there are many newer models that are much smaller and are easier to lug around. Such oxygen systems are built with mobility and convenience in mind, making them a more discreet choice. This is especially suitable for people who wish to frequently go out, travel, or socialize more.

Here are some social benefits of using a portable oxygen concentrator:
 

  • The ability to better manage daily activities by yourself, including errands outside the home.

  • Better and freer movement when going places, thus reducing reluctance to go out and interact.

  • It reduces self-consciousness, allowing you to worry less.

  • It improves tolerance to physical activity, making you more able to walk around or go places.

  • It lessens the incidence of breathlessness and fatigue, making you more confident to interact with others.

  • Gives you more energy and less anxiety.

 

Plus, all of these benefits also improve oxygen adherence, helping you maintain a better state of overall health.

This being said, a good portable oxygen concentrator is a must-have if you want to go out more frequently, have a better social life, and be healthier emotionally!

6 best benefits from oxygen therapy in COPD
 

If you’ve just been prescribed oxygen for your COPD but are a bit apprehensive, don’t fret! Your doctor knows it’s best for you, and you should, too!


Here are six of the best benefits you can get from oxygen therapy for your COPD.
1. It improves your quality of life
Many COPD patients on oxygen therapy can attest to the tremendous improvements it has brought them. Getting the right amount of oxygen means that your body tissues will be able to function better. This helps improve overall health and energy, meaning that you can do normal daily activities much easier. It also helps you sleep better and improves your mood. This also means that you’ll feel less fatigued and more energized to go about your day.
 
2. It increases mental alertness
Oxygen is needed by the brain to function optimally. This is why some COPD patients who lack oxygen find it difficult to focus and concentrate. Getting oxygen therapy supplies your body and brain with the right amount of oxygen it needs. This means you’ll be able to think more clearly and have better mental alertness. Some patients also report that stress levels are improved once they were on oxygen therapy.
 
3. It decreases symptoms of breathlessness
Many COPD patients find that breathlessness is one of the most bothersome symptoms. It is also the most limiting, as it prevents one from getting adequate exercise and can even interfere with social interaction. Oxygen therapy reduces the level and frequency of breathlessness, and also helps even out your breathing during exercise as well.
 
4. It boosts sexual performance
One common complaint of male COPD patients is sexual impotence. This is mainly due to very low oxygen levels in the blood. Supplemental oxygen can readily treat hypoxia, thus improving blood flow and oxygen supply throughout the body. A study found that 42% of patients who received oxygen therapy for at least a month had a reversal of sexual impotence.
 
5. It increases capacity for exercise and physical activity
Many patients with chronic lung conditions have poor exercise tolerance. This further adds to the challenge of getting physically active and engaging in exercises to keep the lungs and body functioning well. Getting enough exercise is a significant aspect of optimal COPD treatment. Using supplemental oxygen as prescribed by your doctor, especially during exercise and physical activity, will significantly improve your endurance and performance. It can also decrease breathlessness, and thus permits longer and more intense physical activity.
 
6. It helps prolong life
Studies have found that patients using long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) when used at least 15 hours a day can help prolong life, especially in patients with severe hypoxemia (low levels of oxygen in the blood). Additionally, COPD patients who use LTOT at least 18 hours a day have been found to live two times longer than those who do not use oxygen. This is why it’s important to strictly follow the appropriate dose and length of time for oxygen therapy prescribed by your doctor.
 
These benefits from oxygen therapy will surely help improve your health and day-to-day routines. 

Busting the Myths about Oxygen therapy
 

Oxygen therapy has helped numerous COPD patients achieve a better quality of life. Yet many others, when prescribed with oxygen therapy, may feel apprehensive due to a number of myths they may have heard about it.
Many people with chronic lung conditions may have various misconceptions about using supplemental oxygen. Such false beliefs can make patients hesitant to take on oxygen therapy, and thus miss out on the benefits that oxygen can bring to their condition.
Let’s explore some of these myths and set them straight once and for all, so you don’t have to needlessly worry about (and dread) oxygen therapy.
 
Myth # 1: People who use oxygen are limited to their homes and can’t go outside
Truth: Oxygen therapy has come a long way. Various oxygen concentrators are made for moving about, and can actually help you lead a normal life even when venturing outside the home. Portable oxygen systems like Lovego portable oxygen concentrators allow a more mobile and active lifestyle. Be it running errands downtown or traveling to the next city (or country!), such equipment allows more freedom while still supplying your oxygen needs.
 
Myth # 2:  All COPD patients will eventually need oxygen
Truth: The need for oxygen is determined individually and will depend on the condition your lungs are in. If lung damage is not too severe, and if there isn’t an excessive decline in lung function, oxygen therapy may not be needed.
If steps are taken to slow COPD progression in the earlier stages, like immediately quitting smoking and being committed to an exercise program, lung function may be preserved and thus supplemental oxygen may not be needed.
 
Myth # 3: Oxygen is flammable
Truth: This misconception is one of the more common myths about oxygen therapy. Oxygen in itself is not flammable, but is merely combustible. This means that it doesn’t easily catch fire (flammable) but merely supports burning substances (combustible). This still means, however, that care must be taken whenever oxygen is in use.
 
Myth # 4: Using oxygen can make you addicted to it
Truth: Oxygen is prescribed to meet your body’s need for oxygen if your lungs cannot deliver enough of it to the various tissues and organs. Thus, using supplemental oxygen satisfies this need. It’s a misconception, however, that using more oxygen makes you addicted to it. Addiction, like in cases of narcotic drugs, is altogether a different situation, where the body has irrational cravings, and compulsive use of such substances makes your body crave for more.
Using supplemental oxygen does not make your body want to take in more of it. Though when you discontinue using it, you may feel short of breath and fatigued, this simply means that your body is unable to get enough oxygen on its own.
 
Myth # 5: Once you start taking supplemental oxygen, you’ll never stop needing it
Truth: Though oxygen use may need to be continued for a certain time, many COPD patients have decreased or altogether discontinued using supplemental oxygen once their conditions have become more stable. This isusually after taking on an appropriate exercise regimen and even pulmonary rehabilitation, along with proper medication. Though this may take time, it’s entirely possible.
Distinguishing false beliefs from facts will give you more control over your therapy and save you from needles anxiety. Being well-informed about supplemental oxygen will ultimately help you get the most out of your therapy. If you are in doubt, you can always raise any questions you have to your physician or health care practitioner.
 

Continuous vs. Pulse oxygen concentrators
 

When you consider to buy one oxygen concentrator, you need to know what type of machines will be suitable firstly. Just as we talked last week, the portable oxygen concentrator and the stationary oxygen concentrator will be the main choices.  While making choice, another knowledge point you shall keep in mind as well,  that is what is the difference between Pulse and Continuous oxygen concentrators.
For the stationary type, they are all continuous, but for the portable type, they can provide oxygen via continuous flow, pulse flow or a combination of the two. 

Continuous oxygen concentrators deliver oxygen at a constant rate. This rate remains constant regardless of any changes in the user’s breathing.  That is to say they offer the patient with a continuous supply of oxygen. They are much like a faucet turned on. Water continues to gush out even if no one gets the water being released. This type is preferred by some patients who have very poor respiratory effort and a low oxygen level although some oxygen is wasted while the patient is exhaling and the supply can be used up quickly but do offer the patient mobility and freedom. Among the machines in the market, Lovego LG101 and LG102offers the continuous oxygen all the time.
 
The pulse-dose(on-demand )portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) which release oxygen based on the user’s breathing and inhalation. They are the smallest, often the size of a briefcase or picnic cooler and weigh about 2kg. Their ability to conserve oxygen and not waste it is key to keeping the units so compact as the oxygen supply will last longer. Their size allows them to be sleek and come with easy to carry bags allowing the flexibility to take these units almost anywhere, even to high altitudes, as long as there’s sufficient battery run time until the next opportunity to recharge it. The common machines are Kingon P2, Airsep POC, Inogen POC
 
Another type of POC combines pulse and continuous-flow to meet a wider range of patient needs. These dual-supply concentrators can provide a larger volume of oxygen than smaller pulse units, however they need bigger, heavier battery supplies (otherwise the battery run time is reduced) and they are heavier, between 5 and 10kg. These dual-system converters often come with built-in wheels or a cart to make them easier to carry and move around without compromising the patient’s mobility. The Esclipse 5, Simplygo, Lovego LG103 ect belongs to this kind.
 
We know there are different brands with slightly different characteristics in the market, but the most important thing for the patient to consider when choosing which type of POC to have is their medical needs around the supply of oxygen they need( we’ve already mentioned in the article last week)
With continuous-flow, oxygen delivery is measured in LPM (litres per minute). With pulse-flow delivery is measured by the size (in millilitres) of the ‘bolus’ of oxygen per breath, referring to the burst of oxygen released when you inhale.
Other important considerations include the maximum oxygen percentage it can achieve, the number and increment of settings for adjusting oxygen flow, battery capacity and power cord options for recharging. 
Your oxygen requirements during sleep is another variable. Usually pulse-flow oxygen concentrators are not used by patients while they sleep, as sometimes the machine is not able to detect when the patient is inhaling, as night-time breathing is low and shallow. Sleep apnoea patients are specifically not advised to use Pulse-flow units as they usually require a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) mask. For patients without apnoea, the use of portable concentrators during sleep is increasing as their preferred choice. We think continuous-flow mode is considered safer for night use and they can offer enough oxygen all the time, thought some oxygen has wasted, they can meet the needs.

Choosing the Best Oxygen Concentrator for your Oxygen Needs
 

If your doctor has just prescribed you with oxygen therapy, you surely have a lot of questions in mind. And if you’ve started looking at oxygen concentrators, you can get overwhelmed with all the different types and terms you’re faced with. 
Choosing an oxygen concentrator can seem like adaunting task, what with all the many options, brands and confusing equipment parts. Here are some points to help you decide what type of concentrator is the most suitable for you and your lifestyle.

Choosing the right type of oxygen concentrator

There are a number of equipment that can do the job of providing you with the supplemental oxygen you need. Liquid oxygen, oxygen tanks, and oxygen concentrators are your main choices.
An oxygen concentrator, however, is your best bet. Aside from being more economical in the long run, it’s also more convenient and doesn’t need any refilling, like oxygen tanks or liquid oxygen. 
Once you’ve decided on getting an oxygen concentrator, there are a number of things you need to consider:


1) Required flow rate - What oxygen flow rate has your doctor prescribed? Will you be needing a high flow rate? How many liters per minute (lpm) would you require? This is the most important consideration when choosing an oxygen concentrator. Different models have different settings. Some may have certain limits to the needed liters per minute, while some may only be able to provide a certain flow rate.           For example, your doctor will write or print 3 L/min, 3 liters/min or 3 LPM in the the prescriptions. That means 3 liters 90% saturation continuous oxygen per minute. Please be attention: all oxygen prescriptions are issued by continuous flow with 90% saturation.
( If the device doesn’t meet above oxygen saturation, that kind of device is useless for you. Please inquiry the vendor clearly. Some vendors just write the biggest oxygen flow and don’t write the saturation details which might mislead customers)
Surely, It’s best to discuss your oxygen needs with your doctor so he can help guide you as to which types of oxygen concentrators are suited for you.
 
2)Portability - Will you be spending most of your time at home, or will you be leaving the house frequently? If you’re more likely to be home most of the time, a home oxygen concentrator may be more suitable. These are usually less expensive, but are usually bulkier than portable ones. This makes them difficult to lug around if you’re going places. If you think you will be getting out of the house a lot, or even traveling to other places, a portable oxygen concentrator is best. These models allow more freedom of mobility, and are easy to bring along on trips via care, plane, boat or other transportation means. 

3)Length of use - How long will you need to use oxygen each day? If you’ve been advised to take supplemental oxygen for a large part of the day, or if you will be needing constant oxygen even at a low flow rate, it’s best to choose a concentrator that offers a longer battery life. This allows you to continue through your day without the fuss of changing out batteries or recharging. Spare batteries are also available, which you can charge while another battery is in use. You may also want to opt for a unit that can be readily plugged in when you need to use it at home. 

4)Physical activity - Will you be engaging in various exercises or physical activities? If so, there are models that may be more preferable than others. Some portable oxygen concentrators can easily be brought along during walks, exercise or when doing other physical activity. Plus, pulse oxygen concentrators are also available to readily adjust to fluctuating oxygen needs during intense physical activity. 

5)Size and weight - This is also important if you see yourself moving about your home from one room to another, or even going out of the house doing errands such as grocery shopping. If this is the case, an oxygen concentrator that is lightweight and not too bulky may be preferable for you. 


LoveGo’s wide range of oxygen concentrators offers you a lot of options to choose from. Our 1-10 LPM models come in both stationary and portable units, which can cater to varying needs.
 

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Service dogs: How they can Help Patients with COPD
 

If you think that service animals are limited to assisting the blind, think again! They can actually provide help for people with various conditions, including COPD. If you’re having much of a challenge with certain tasks throughout the day, you may consider getting help from a service dog.
 
Service dogs are specially-trained animals that are able to follow certain commands and perform various tasks. They undergo rigorous training like obedience training and manners for them to have the right temperament for helping patients.
 
Service dogs usually wear a specific harness or jacket for them to be identifiable from usual pets. Plus, service animals may be allowed in places where ordinary pets aren’t allowed, like in certain restaurants and shops.
 
What can a service dog do for you?
 
Having a service dog can make your life much easier. They can help you with a variety of things, both during at home and when going outside the house. Here are just some things they can do:
 

  • Carry around oxygen - If you’re on supplemental oxygen, you know how challenging it is to lug around your oxygen cylinder or concentrator. If you have a service dog, he can actually do the carrying for you! With your literally lighter load, it won’t be too difficult to get out of the house with your oxygen in tow!

 

  • Get things for you - At time you may find it too much effort to go from one room to another (or even go across the room!) to retrieve things. This is where a service dog can be useful at home! As long as the items are familiar to him, he can get things that are out of your reach. These include everyday items like car keys, gadgets, the remote control and maybe even your medicine kit!

 

  • Do simple things around the house - With COPD, you know that it’s important to conserve your energy when you can. A service dog can perform simple tasks at home, like switch the lights on or off, open and close doors, and maybe even switch on various electronic appliances.

 

  • Get people for you - If you’re out and about, and are with family or friends but get separated, your service dog can go find a specific person and lead them to you. In emergency cases, he can also bark to draw attention and get help. This can be very useful in instances where you need assistance from other people.

 

  • Encourage physical activity - You’ll have to walk your service dog regularly, and you’ll benefit by getting more physically active! Daily walks can help you improve your exercise tolerance and thus keep you healthier as well!

 

  • Ease stress and anxiety - Many service dogs are great companions, too! Studies have found that having a constant pet companion can ease depression, anxiety, fatigue and stress, which many COPD patients are prone to. Having a dog can also help you cope much easier with having a chronic lung disease.


What things do you have to consider when thinking of getting a service dog?
 
Getting a service dog is a serious commitment. This is why there are some things you need to consider when deciding to get one. First, it’s best to make sure that you have ample time to take care of a dog. These include feeding, grooming and regular walks. Another thing is that you should have sufficient resources to support his needs, like food and medical care.
 
One main consideration is that you have to make sure you can tolerate the animal dander.  Though this can actually be managed with proper grooming, it’s still better to get an all-clear from your doctor. Talk with him about your interest in getting a service dog so he can help you decide if it’s right for your particular situation.
 
Getting a service dog to help you with day-to-day tasks can prove to be a great choice! Aside from making things easier for you, a service dog can also help you achieve better physical and emotional health. Plus, you’ll also have a warm, constant companion who will surely add cheer to every day!
 

3 Healthy COPD Desserts You’re Sure to Love
 

Staying healthy with COPD may mean that you have to change various aspects of your lifestyle. One of these would be your diet.
Aside from upping your intake of fresh, healthy foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, you also have to avoid certain foods that are high in sugar and sodium.


Though those with COPD need more energy because of the effort needed in breathing, this doesn’t mean that you can start eating foods with empty calories. Empty calories are those from added sugars and solid fats because they provide you with nutrients that aren’t really very useful for your body.


Many popular desserts, however, like donuts, cakes, cookies and other pastries count as foods with empty calories. And if you’re one with a sweet tooth, trying to avoid these sweets may prove to be heartbreaking!


The good news is that there are desserts you can make that can be both healthy and yummy! Check out these healthy COPD desserts below to start indulging your sweet tooth!


Creamy Choco-Berry Bowls
Aside from being packed with antioxidants, these fruity bowls are sure to satisfy both your health and your sweet cravings!
Ingredients:

  • 2-3 cups fresh raspberries, strawberries or blueberries (or a mixture of these)

  • 8 ounces low-fat yogurt

  • 2 ounces dark chocolate chips

 
Preparation:

  • Fill two bowls with 4 ounces each of yogurt.

  • Place fresh fruits on top of the yogurt.

  • Place the chocolate chips in a separate microwaveable bowl to melt.

  • When melted, top each yogurt fruit bowl with a drizzle of melted chocolate.

  • Enjoy!

 
Banana Nut Ice Cream
 
Forget about commercial ice cream laden with fat and sugar. This frozen dessert delight is sure to be your next go-to for sweet, cool and nutty stuff.
 
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of toasted chopped nuts (any nuts of your choice will do - almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc.)

  • 5 ripe bananas

  • Peanut butter or dark chocolate chips (optional)

 
Instructions:

  • Slice the ripe bananas into half-inch slices.

  • Place in a freezer bag and freeze until completely solid.

  • When frozen, load the fruit slices into a food processor or blender.

  • Blend for about a minute or less until you get a creamy but still a bit frozen texture. Don’t overblend as this will cause the frozen bananas to melt.

  • Transfer to a bowl and top with chopped nuts. You can also add in some peanut butter or dark chocolate chips if you prefer.

 
Pumpkin Pie Pudding
 
This scrumptious dessert contains only half the fat of most other puddings, so there’s no need to feel guilty if you want to chomp down more than one cup! Plus, you can also substitute the sugar with calorie-free stevia for an even healthier dessert!
 
Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs

  • 2 cups 2% reduced fat milk

  • 1 cup canned pumpkin

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar or 1 teaspoon liquid stevia

  • 1/4 cup cornstarch

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice

 
Instructions:

  • In a saucepan, whisk together sugar/ stevia, milk and cornstarch.

  • Boil the mixture for three minutes with constant whisking.

  • In a bowl, beat the two eggs.

  • Pour about half of the boiled milk mixture into the bowl and mix with the eggs.

  • After mixing, pour back the milk-egg mixture into the pan.

  • Whisk the mixture continuously while cooking over medium fire for about three minutes or until the mixture becomes thick.

  • Remove from heat and stir in the salt, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.

  • Prepare about six custard cups and evenly place the warm mixture into each.

  • Cool and chill for about 30 minutes to an hour, or until the pudding has set.
     

Having COPD doesn’t mean you have to forego all of the sweet stuff! Take your pick from these easy dessert recipes and start whipping them up toda

3 Fun Activities You Didn’t Know You Could Do With COPD 
 

If you think having COPD limits your chances of fun, think again! Though any chronic lung disease comes with its challenges, there are many patients who’ve been able to overcome barriers and still go on living an active lifestyle.
If you’re fit enough to go outdoors and perform physical activities to a certain degree, then don’t let your COPD stop you from getting into fun activities with family and friends. Also, thanks to portable oxygen like the lovegoportable oxygen concentrator LG101  and LG102, many outdoor activities can now be possible for you to do.
Here are some fun activities you may have thought weren’t right for you, but if you’re fit enough, they may just become your next planned outing!
Hiking
If you’re able to exercise well and manage walking about, you may want to try hiking. Various patients with lung disease have actually taken to hiking as one of their hobbies. Aside from being rewarded with beautiful scenery, spending a day outdoors can be good for your overall health. Plus, you’d also be keeping yourself active, which is great for your lungs.
Start with a short hike that isn’t too challenging. Be sure to monitor your oxygen levels, and check your oxygen equipment before leaving the house.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, you may find hiking to be an enjoyable activity. Who knows, you may even be planning to go on hikes regularly!
One great way to plan a hike is to invite friends, family, or other outdoorsy people with you. Staying in a group can make it more fun, plus, you get to share unforgettable memories with people close to you.
Amusement Park Rides
A day spent in an amusement park is most likely to be a great way for some family fun. And who says you can’t go on that ride with your kids or grandkids? While some rides may not be for the faint-hearted, there are many more that are great options for people with lung disease.
Be it the roller coaster or a tunnel ride, your family will surely be delighted that you get to go with them. If you need oxygen, there are rides that allow for securing your portable device alongside you.
Some tips for getting the most out of your day in an amusement park would be to keep yourself hydrated and to pace yourself accordingly. Also, it’s best to check the weather and go on a cooler day. It’s also more preferable to go on a weekday, as there would be less people, which means you’ll be waiting in line for a shorter time.
Swimming
Yes, you read that right! Swimming is a great activity since it’s a low impact activity. You don’t need to exert much effort as the water makes your arms, legs and entire body feel lighter. This makes it much easier to move about in the pool.
Swimming doesn’t put excessive strain on your joints like running or jogging. Plus, it also benefits your heart.
If you use portable oxygen, you can actually place it in a floater to pull along with you while in the pool! Just make sure that any water doesn’t get in, and be sure to secure it well to the floater.
Always remember that it’s best to get an all clear from your physician before you try to do any of these activities. Your doctor will help you decide whether you’re fit enough to try these activities.

5 Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Your Lungs
 

The lungs are among the most vital organs of the body. Any kind of damage to the lungs can cause serious illness, and as you may know, any kind of lung disease is quite a challenge to have.
Of course, you already know the basics about your lungs (who doesn’t?). But, do you know everything about them? Here are six facts that may surprise you.
 
1. The lungs are the only organs that can float.
The lungs are filled with millions of tiny sacs called alveoli. These structures are the sites where the oxygen we take in is delivered to the blood, in exchange for taking up the waste carbon dioxide we exhale. Plus, even if we try to exhale all the carbon dioxide, these sacs always retain about a liter of air. This makes the lungs able to float on water.
 
2. The body loses water when we breathe. 
The air we exhale contains not just carbon dioxide, but also water vapor. This collectively makes us lose about half a liter of water daily, simply by exhaling! When at rest, we exhale about 17.5 milliliters of water per hour. During physical activity, however, we lose up to four times of this amount! This is why keeping hydrated is very important, especially if you have a chronic lung disease.
 
3. Our lungs have “taste receptors” too!
A study in 2010 from the University of Maryland discovered that the human lungs contained taste receptors that could detect bitter tastes. The research showed that whenever the lungs encounter a bitter taste, these receptors would cause the lugs to widen and relax.
This accidental discovery holds a huge potential for drugs used to treat asthma and other respiratory diseases. Such treatments could take advantage of the function of these taste receptors, allowing better delivery of medications deep into the lungs.
 
4. It’s not possible to breathe and swallow at the same time.
At the base of the throat, there at two tubes located close together -- the esophagus and the trachea. The esophagus leads to the stomach, while the trachea is an air passageway leading to the lungs. When you swallow, a small flap called the epiglottis automatically goes in place to cover the trachea. This prevents any food from entering the lungs.
Interesting, huh? This link, however, may also be the reason why people with a chronic lung disease may have difficulty swallowing. According to the American Thoracic Society, this is because COPD sometimes disrupts breathing-swallowing patterns, which was based on a small study comparing patterns between healthy people and those with COPD.
 
5. The human body has about 1,500 miles of airways!
The airways begin in the nasal passages, to the throat (pharynx), then to the windpipe (trachea). From here, the airways split into the left and right bronchi, which further branch out into bronchioles.
If all of these were lined up from end to end, they would span 1,500 miles! That’s about 241.40 kilometers, and is a long way to go!

We hope you enjoyed reading these lung facts! And hey, we hope you they’ll encourage you to take good care of your breathers!

4 Lifestyle changes you can expect to have with COPD
 

If you’re newly diagnosed with COPD, you have to expect that the symptoms of this condition may greatly affect your usual routine. Aside from religiously following your medication regimen, using your oxygen as prescribed by your doctor, and quitting smoking (if you are a smoker), there are other lifestyle changes that you can make to stay healthy and prevent the condition from worsening.
Here are some lifestyle changes you should consider to better manage your COPD.

Learn to pace yourself
The main symptom of having a chronic lung condition is having difficulty breathing. This leads to other symptoms like wheezing, feeling breathless, and quickly feeling tired and fatigued. These often make it difficult to perform the usual tasks you used to do daily.
Remember that it’s alright to slow down and take your time doing any activity. Take frequent breaks and don’t stress yourself out by expecting to accomplish too much in one day. Plan your activities in such a way that allows you to take rests in between and not feel too rushed. Pacing yourself will help you manage your energy and prevent any exacerbations due to stress.
Adapt a healthier diet
One of the best ways to maintain your health and strengthen your immune system is by eliminating unhealthy food and sticking to more nutritious options. Taking medications without ensuring adequate nutrition is not an optimal way to manage any condition. Adapting healthier food choices will provide your body the nutrition it needs to fight off the disease from getting worse. Plus, eating fresh foods rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants will help prevent COPD from progressing into later stages.
Keep in mind that people with COPD need more calories to supply the lungs and surrounding muscles with ample energy for breathing. Changing your diet to reflect more nutritious food choices will provide your body with the energy it needs to breathe properly and keep fatigue at bay. In some cases, your doctor may also recommend certain dietary supplements to help boost your health.
Eating right will get you on track to better health, and your body (and lungs!) will thank you for it!
Be emotionally prepared
Having COPD means that you can no longer do all of the activities you used to enjoy before having the disease. This, along with the many changes to the routines you’re used to, and being slower and more cautious than before, can make you feel upset that you’re missing out on much. Plus, the many symptoms of COPD and the threat of exacerbations and respiratory infections can make you feel constantly anxious about your condition. All of these can contribute to emotional stress and depression.
The best thing to do is acknowledge these fears, concerns and feelings, and share them with your physician and your loved ones. Your doctor will evaluate whether you need interventions to keep depression at bay. There are many methods that can help you cope with these negative emotions, including meditation, relaxation techniques, medications, and even social support groups. Adapting a positive attitude and doing things to cheer yourself up can massively help you manage your emotions.
Get used to seeing your doctor often
Living with a chronic lung disease means that you have to visit your doctor regularly, even when you feel well. Your doctor will want to monitor your response to medications and how you are feeling, thus, you can expect him to schedule you for regular appointments ranging from twice a month or monthly depending on your health status. You should also expect to get acquainted with clinic and hospital visits, various screening tests to check on your condition, and possibly even appointments with other health care professionals like respiratory therapists.
Bear in mind that all of these are for your own good, with the goal to prevent the progression of your condition. It’s best not to skip any doctor’s appointment, and keep your doctor’s and other health care providers’ contact numbers handy in cases of emergency or when you have questions about your condition.
COPD may bring a lot of changes to your life as you used to live it. It’s always a good thing to anticipate these changes and accept them with a proactive, positive attitude toward your condition.

Be inspired by Russell Winwood, the “COPD athlete”
 

Having COPD can be overwhelming at times. There are days when you get to the point of feeling tired of dealing with the many challenges that a chronic lung condition brings.
If you feel like COPD is taking over your life, you may get a bit of encouragement by reading about Russell Winwood, a stage IV COPD patient who competes in races, marathons and even in Ironman events! Let’s get to know Russell below!
Russell is from Brisbane, Australia, and has had COPD since 2011. “I’ve had a good life thus far but have had a few health issues along the way,” states Russell in the opening pages of his blog.
 
From asthma to marathons
Russell has had various health conditions diagnosed. Having asthma as a child, he remembers taking various medications to control the symptoms. “I took a variety of medications, like Theo Dur, Becotide and Ventolin,” he recounts, “These medications undoubtedly would have been more effective had I been more diligent with taking them.”


Despite having asthma, he took to smoking in his early teens. “I’m not sure why as I knew it was bad for me, but I continued to be a social smoker until I was 36,” he says. It was only in 2002 that he decided to quit smoking, after a very serious stroke and a realization that he had been given a second chance at life.


Aside from quitting smoking, he started eating better, eased up on alcohol, and tried to lose his excess 20 kilograms in weight. To do this, he took up cycling, which he claims made him feel fitter, “like a 36-year-old should feel.”
 
Additionally, he took to joining triathlons after encouragement from a friend. He admits that he was hesitant at first, but the sport grew on him. In the next eight years, he has joined various marathons and triathlons, including half Ironman events.
 
A full Ironman triathlon typically consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a 26.33-mile run, raced without any breaks whatsoever. Plus, there is a time limit of 17 hours to finish all three events. A half Ironman has half the distances of the full Ironman covered by swimming, biking and runningThe COPD diagnosis 
It was in 2011 that Russell observed that exercise was becoming more difficult. His training times were slowing down, and he had to constantly pause to catch his breath. A visit to his doctors gave him his next health blow -- he had COPD.
 
He was told that his lungs operated only between 22-30 % of the capacity for his age. A scan of his lungs showed a build-up of scar tissue due to asthma and chest infections. This build-up had also caused his airways to become very narrow, thus affecting his breathing.
 
As if this wasn’t bad enough, he was also told that he might be needing a double lung transplant soon.
 
The race (and life) goes on 
Despite his diagnosis in 2011, Russell didn’t let COPD stop him from doing what he loved. When asked how he dealt with COPD, he says “I rebuilt my life through positive lifestyle changes that included many hours of exercise and good nutritional choices.” He was told that the best way to prepare for a lung transplant was to be as fit as possible. This prompted him to get more serious about improving his health.
 
All his healthy habits and exercising paid off when in May 2012, nine months after his COPD diagnosis, he was able to complete his first full Ironman event. That’s 140.6 miles, or a full 226.3 kilometers, and for a COPD patient, this is an incredible achievement!
Today, at age 50, Russell still competes in various triathlons and cycling events. Despite being at stage IV COPD, he says that he is lucky enough to be able to do what he does.


Sure, he has bad days too, “days when simply brushing my teeth, showering or just getting out of bed can leave me breathless,” Russell shares.  “Where my body may fail me, my mind takes up the slack as I have a very strong mind and simply repel any negativity.  I make the most of the good days and cross my fingers that the bad days and race days don’t align.”
 
Russell seeks to share his story and encourage COPD patients to take on an active lifestyle through his blogging. “Hopefully my blogs will give some insight into the benefits exercising has had in combating my COPD,” he says.
 
According to Russell, “You don't have to compete in Ironmans to improve your quality of life. You just have to exercise as much as you can and build your exercise capacity.”
 
You can get to know more about Russell through his blog www.copdathlete.com and connect with him through Twitter.
 
*Photo credits from Russell’s blogwww.copdathlete.com

Antioxidants for COPD: Is there really any benefit?
 

If you have COPD, you’re surely on a continuous quest to better your health and are always on the lookout for things you can do to prevent your condition from progressing. You may have heard about antioxidants and their possible benefits. Here, let’s talk about what they are and how they can help boost your lung health.
 

What are antioxidants? 
Antioxidants are substances that prevent oxidation. Oxidation in the body’s cells usually leads to damage and disruption of normal cellular activities. Over the long term, such damage could lead to decline in tissue and organ functioning.
Inside the body, oxidation is commonly caused by compounds called free radicals. Antioxidants can counteract the effects of free radicals by preventing them from affecting healthy cells and tissues.
One of the most common examples of antioxidants is Vitamin C. Other vitamins, such as Vitamin A and Vitamin E are also antioxidants. And the good news is, you can find them in various natural foods such as fruits and vegetables.
The body also produces its own antioxidants up to a certain amount. It’s still best, however, to supplement these with antioxidant-rich foods for a better health boost.
 
Oxidative stress and COPD
Oxidative stress is a condition wherein there is an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in the body. In such cases, there may either be more oxidants that cause damage or lesser antioxidants to counteract the oxidants’ harmful effects.
One of the most potent sources of oxidants is cigarette smoke, which is also one of the leading risk factors for COPD. A high level of oxidants in the lungs causes oxidative stress. Over the long run, this leads to damage at the cellular level, which then causes destruction to structures such as the alveoli, or the air sacs in the lungs responsible for delivering oxygen to the blood.
Additionally, oxidative stress also plays a role in airway inflammation, which is prominently seen in COPD patients.
 
How can antioxidants help with COPD?
The effect of antioxidants on COPD has been studied extensively. Though using antioxidants to treat various diseases is still a controversial issue, research has shown that they may have potential benefits for COPD.
Certain investigations hold the theory that, since oxidants and free radicals are very much implicated in causing COPD, taking in antioxidants has a huge potential to help treat the condition.
Some studies have found that the intake of high levels of antioxidant vitamins along with other antioxidants was associated with a slight improvement in lung function, though it was unclear if such an improvement was directly caused by these vitamins.
In another study, taking in low levels of Vitamin C resulted in a very small increase in lung function. Another study, however, has shown that lower levels of Vitamin C can possibly cause an increase in oxidative stress. These conflicting results have caused Vitamin C as a supplement not to be recommended.
 
What you can do
All in all, although the role of antioxidants in treating COPD has not yet been clinically established, many studies have proven that they have a huge potential in benefiting COPD patients.
But don’t rush to the pharmacy for vitamin or antioxidant supplements just yet. Your best bet is to take in natural antioxidants intrinsically found in various fruits and vegetables.
Some of the fruits richest in antioxidants are berries like wild blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and raspberries. Apples, prunes, cherries and plums are also great sources of natural antioxidants.
Other power-packed sources would be veggies such as kale, spinach, artichokes, pinto beans, black beans, red beans, broccoli and Russet potatoes. Herbs like cilantro, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, ginger, and thyme are also great antioxidant sources to add to your meals and drinks. And let’s not forget green tea and dark chocolate, too!
 
Start incorporating these foods regularly into your diet and you may just notice your COPD symptoms improving!
 

Lifestyle changes as a COPD caregiver
 

Having a loved one diagnosed with COPD can be tough. Aside from seeing him or her have to adapt to the many changes of having a chronic lung disease, it’s also a good idea to anticipate the changes it can bring to your own lifestyle. 
Most primary caregivers for COPD patients are usually a family member, such as a spouse, sibling, son or daughter. If you are tasked to care for your loved one, knowing what to expect can help you be more organized with your time and your loved one’s needs. Here are some changes you can anticipate as a COPD caregiver.


Less time for yourself
Being the primary caregiver can take up a huge chunk of your time. On a daily basis, you will have to assist in meeting your loved one’s needs for medication, physical activity, and help in chores and grooming. You will also need to set aside time for accompanying your loved one to doctor’s appointments and other health-related visits. You will have to make sure that all his or her medications, as well as oxygen, are taken properly and won’t run out. Tending to all of these can significantly lessen the time you have for yourself and for your usual activities. 
Manage your time well and keep a running schedule so that you can check the most appropriate periods to carve out time for yourself - be it for a break, for errands, or for things that you usually do.
 
Anticipate tough times
To put this simply, expect to get tired, both physically and emotionally. Caring for someone can be exhausting, especially if you have other things to tend to as well, such as a job and a family, not to mention your own needs. During emergencies and hospital admissions, your loved one may need you more, so expect to give more attention and time.
There will be times when you feel a burnout coming up, or feel increasingly fatigued and in need of a break. Talk to your loved one and set boundaries. Discuss your expectations and theirs, and talk about what you’re comfortable and capable of giving. Knowing what you both expect from your caregiving relationship will help set boundaries and prevent burnouts and breakdowns.
 
You always have to plan ahead
Dealing with COPD means that you have to anticipate every little detail of the day ahead. This is especially true for trips outside the house, events that your loved one has to attend, and the daily schedules for both you and the patient. If you expect to be unavailable for a period of time, you have to get someone to cover for you.
Being increasingly organized can help make planning less challenging. Set a checklist for everything you need to prepare for the day, for when your loved one goes outside of the home, and for times when someone else may have to cover for you. It’s also helpful to always have information ready regarding your loved one’s medications, who to call during emergencies, and what to do when exacerbations happen.
 
You need to learn all that you can about COPD
One big thing when being a caregiver for your loved one is that you will have to embark on a journey to knowing and understanding COPD. Expect that you will always tend to look up information about the disease, whether it be online, through books, or by asking more questions from the doctor.  Look for sites of official COPD organizations and scroll through their informational brochures. Get copies of COPD guides and resources. It’s also a good idea to have a list of questions you have about COPD patient care so you’ll be ready with what to ask during doctor’s appointments.
 
Know that it’s best to share the burden
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, always share your thoughts and feelings with other family members. Chances are, some of them may be willing to share in the work or set aside time to care for your loved one while you can have time for yourself. You can also consider hiring outside help, such as professional care coordinators and caregivers, for days when you won’t be available. Aside from these options, many COPD caregivers benefit from joining support groups. These groups allow you to connect with people in similar situations, share stories, and inspire and encourage one other.
 
Though being a caregiver is a huge responsibility, keep in mind that giving your time and effort is the best way to show your love and support for your family member with COPD.

What COPD patients want you to know
 

Many people may wonder what it feels like to live with COPD. Oftentimes though, what they know about the disease can only be the tip of the iceberg.


Having COPD brings many challenges. Activities that seem easy to do can be a struggle, and even the simple things we take for granted (like breathing) can be a burden to them. COPD not only affects the patients who have them, but their family and friends as well.


For those who have COPD, explaining their disease to someone can be challenging. Here are some things they may want you to understand about their condition.It takes me a lot of preparation to get out of the house
Before I take trips outside, I need to think out and plan everything, even if it’s just to get groceries. I have to consider simple things people don’t usually give a thought to.  Is there comfortable parking space? How long a walk is it from the car to the entrance? Is it too dusty or polluted outside? Will the weather be good all day? Are there stairs in the place I intend to go to? 
Though I’d like to go out and do more, I just can’t rush to do everything I want because I have to plan my every move and anticipate any triggers.
 
I may be emotionally sensitive
COPD and the changes that come with it have been difficult to adjust to. Though I’ve accepted that I am limited with the things I can do, at times my condition makes me feel more anxious or down.
Please understand that I may be overly sensitive at times, so please choose your words well when talking to me. Be supportive and try putting yourself in my shoes before judging me.
 
I do things much slower
I know that I’m slow because it takes me a lot of effort to do even the simple things. Taking a shower and getting dressed takes up much of my energy. On some days, just getting out of bed can leave me tired and breathless.
I can do some chores at home and walk around when we’re out, but please understand that I have to take frequent breaks. The things you can easily do very quickly usually take me twice or thrice the time to finish. When in public, I always need to have somewhere to sit nearby. When I need to stop and catch my breath, your being patient with me means a lot.
 
Coughing and other symptoms can be embarrassing for me
My condition often comes with wheezing and coughing fits, and I can’t predict when the next one will happen. These fits are very embarrassing for me especially when we’re out in public. People will stare at me and even move away like I have an infectious disease. When you’re with me, please act normally and simply offer support.
 
I have to be very cautious
A lot of things can trigger unwanted symptoms and exacerbations. Even just a change in weather, a spray of perfume, or a bit of smoke can be a bad thing. I have to be very careful not to expose myself to these triggers. This means I have to carefully choose where I go and what I will be doing. You can be supportive by helping me anticipate and avoid these things.
 
I’m scared
Having COPD is scary to me. I have to be overly careful to prevent exacerbations, and I never know if the next one will require a stay in the hospital. I’m anxious every time I exert a lot of effort because it may lead to excessive wheezing and breathlessness. I’m fearful that my condition will get worse, so I have to
 
Your help is much appreciated
Though having COPD comes with many challenges, things are easier because family and friends are there to support me. Anything you can do to help me exert less effort --like opening the door, offering to carry my things, or bringing me something I need--is very much appreciated. Even the act of showing understanding toward my condition without any judgment means a lot to me.
 
Having COPD can prove to be quite a trial, but with much support and understanding, patients can live with less anxiety and embarrassment, and have a more positive outlook on life.
 

Useful techniques to bring up mucus and clear your airways
 

Having a large amount of mucus is one of the many challenges COPD patients have to deal with. Though mucus itself is not harmful, its accumulation in the airways can make breathing more difficult. Not clearing out mucus can also lead to inflammation, worsening of symptoms, and more serious infections in the lungs. This being said, bringing up mucus and clearing your airways is essential to keep your lungs healthy!

Here are some techniques you can use to effectively clear out mucus from your airways.

Deep coughing
As compared to the usual cough, which may not be able to bring up mucus, deep coughing allows a more effective expelling. To do this, take as deep of a breath as you can manage. Hold it for about 3 seconds, then, gather force from your stomach muscles then cough deep from the lungs. This deeper pressure helps loosen up sticky mucus from the airway walls and force it out.
 
Huff coughing 
Also called huffing, this technique can work if deep coughing fails to bring up the mucus. Huff coughing involves three mini-cough that serve to vibrate the mucus upward to be expelled with a  single final cough. To do this, you first have to take a deep breath. Then, maintaining your voicebox open and your mouth shaped liked an “O,” gather force from your abdominal muscles to make a short “mini-cough” that sounds like a “ha.” Take in a small partial breath, and again do another quick “ha.” Repeat this once more for the third “ha.” Finally, take in a full, forceful breath of air, and give a single deep cough. This final cough should then bring up any phlegm from the airways.
 
Postural drainage
This technique simply involves staying in several positions where gravity can help to move out any mucus for easy expectoration. Some of these positions include lying on your stomach, lying on your side, sitting with a pillow behind you, and sitting with your torso slightly bent over a pillow. To do this, stay in the position recommended by your health care provider for about five minutes. Take in slow breaths through your nose, then let them out slowly (twice as long through your mouth). Wait for the phlegm to loosen up for easy expectoration.
 
Note that the best time to perform this method is in the morning to clear out mucus buildup during the night. It can also be done before bedtime to reduce coughing and to sleep better. It should not be done just after a meal, as certain positions can cause vomiting. Postural drainage is commonly used with chest physiotherapy as an effective way to loosen and cough up mucus.
 
Chest physiotherapy 
Chest physiotherapy is a method where a caregiver or respiratory therapist “claps” on certain areas in the torso to help loosen and bring up phlegm. To do this, a certain postural drainage position is chosen. Then, the caregiver will form the palm of his hand in a cup-like position and repeatedly clap over designated areas in the back and chest. The vibrations caused by clapping over the lungs and airways will help loosen up sticky mucus. This technique usually takes about 5 to 15 minutes depending on how easy it is to loosen up the phlegm.
 
These four techniques are the most recommended to help bring up mucus and keep your airways clear. Aside from these, there are also devices that can help. You can also use a combination of the above techniques to further make coughing up more effective.
 
Remember, keeping your airways clear is one of the most basic things you can do to maintain better health and keep infections away.

Preventing and Dealing with Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
 
 

People with COPD know that breathing is challenging enough, and having an upper respiratory tract infection can make it even more difficult. Infections in the upper part of the respiratory system include viral infections like flu and the common cold, and bacterial infections that cause flu-like symptoms. Catching infections like these not only make COPD symptoms more difficult, but also increase the risks for developing a more serious lung infection.
 
So how can you avoid getting infections like these? Here are a few tips.
 
Stay away from crowds
Avoid places with crowds, especially during the colder months as flu and cold viruses have greater tendency to circulate at these times. Choose to go shopping or do errands during less busy hours to avoid getting in contact with too many people.
 
Wash hands frequently
Whether from a trip to the grocery store to a walk in the park, you never know what germs are lurking in shopping carts, benches or anything you touch. Plus, doing transactions that involve hand contact, like getting your change, can be modes of transmission for upper respiratory infections. Always wash your hands with soap and water whenever you can, especially if you’ve come from a place with lots of people. Additionally, keeping an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a good idea when going out and having no quick access to soap and water.
 
Get vaccinated
Having COPD means that you are at a higher risk for flu and pneumonia. It is recommended that those with chronic respiratory conditions be vaccinated against pneumococcal disease once, plus get the flu vaccine every year. Discussing the needed vaccinations with your doctor is advisable and will allow you to raise any questions or concerns you may have about vaccination.
 
Boost your immunity
Strengthening your immune system is an important aspect in keeping infections away. Getting a good night’s rest and eating nutritious foods can help support immunity and increase your body’s chances of fighting off an infection. Managing stress and getting enough exercise can also help improve your well-being and keep your body in better shape for blocking microbial attacks.
 
At times that a cold, flu or other upper respiratory infection seems to be unavoidable and you think you’re coming up with a bug, here are some ways to deal with an infection and prevent it from developing into a full-blown lung infection.
 
Keep your airways clear
Clogged airways are not just bothersome, but also contribute to difficulty in breathing. Always try to clear out any mucus from your airways. Allowing mucus to stay for too long can encourage bacteria to grow and lead to a more serious infection in your lungs. There are various techniques and devices available to help cough up mucus and keep your airways clear. Ask your doctor about these.
 
Stay hydrated
Drink lots of warm fluids and water not only makes you feel better, but also helps mucus become less sticky. It also helps relieve nasal congestion and prevent blocked nasal passages. Warm water and clear broths are best for colds and flu.
 
Stick to your meds
It’s important to continue taking your medications and sticking to your regimen. Your regular medications help prevent exacerbations and also make breathing much easier, which you need most especially if you have a cold or flu.
 
Talk to your doctor about other medications
There are various non-prescription medications you can take to relieve cold and flu symptoms, like acetaminophen or other pain relievers for body pain, and nasal decongestants for clogged nasal passages. Its best, however, to talk to your doctor for advice on which medications are best for you and that do not interact with your COPD medications.
 
It’s important to do your best to prevent getting upper respiratory infections because these worsen COPD and can lead to pneumonia and more serious lung infections. It’s also a must to manage colds and flu well and go to your doctor immediately if you know you have the symptoms. With COPD, your health is your biggest priority and its best to always be cautious of contracting any infection.

New hobbies for COPD this New Year
 

Many people welcome the new year with various rituals and resolutions, and most usually, these involve getting into a better state of health. For those with COPD, it’s a good idea to think about how you can improve your health and at the same time be happier and more productive. One way to do this is by trying out new hobbies that promote well-being and also get you moving. Here are a number of new hobbies you can resolve to do (or at least try) throughout the year.
 
Museum and gallery hopping
If you’re one who loves art and culture or is simply curious about these, you can make it a hobby to check out the museums and galleries in your area. Going out can help you maintain being physically active, and walking around a museum or gallery can also help. Plus, these places usually have benches and chairs where you can sit down whenever you feel tired or need a break. Looking forward to seeing new artwork and learning about various aspects of culture can also help you feel more enthusiastic and positive.
 
Do Tai chi, qi gong or other gentle martial arts
Tai chi and qi gong are ancient Chinese martial arts that promote proper breathing, relaxation and proper energy balance in the body. Studies have found that these activities significantly help improve COPD symptoms and help patients maintain better overall health.


Learning to do either tai chi, qi gong, or similar exercises can be a bit challenging at first, but know that the benefits you get are going to be worth it. Building such activities into your daily routine can also help you be more focused and energized throughout the day. It can also help you tolerate physical activity, stay healthier, and can help reduce the occurrence of exacerbations. Try looking for classes held in your area or looking for instructors that can do one-one-one lessons with you to help you get started. Joining classes also help you socialize and meet new people.
 
Photography
If you’re one for snapping pictures, making photography your new hobby is a great idea! All you need is a good quality camera and some creativity and you’re all set! You can opt for taking still life photography, nature photography, or be interested in taking pictures of people. Whatever the type you choose, snapping up those artistic pictures can help get you more mobile, since you mostly have to move about when looking for appropriate subjects to capture. Just be sure to pace yourself gently when going about and take a rest whenever you feel like it. Doing photography can help you be more enthusiastic about life and the objects around you, which contributes to emotional wellness and keeps away anxiety and depression. Who knows, your photos can even get interesting enough to earn you a bit of cash on the side.
 
Be a tourist in your own city
If you haven’t yet explored all the nooks and streets in your area, then maybe it’s time to start getting out and about. Exploring the points of interest in your locality which you may not have been to yet can get you moving and increase physical activity. You can assign yourself to visit a particular site every week or two, and can bring family or friends along with you. Aside from being an interesting way to get to know your city more, this can also be a great bonding time with your loved ones!

These are just a few hobbies that you can start doing this new year! Taking on new hobbies and activities can help you feel more productive and energetic, and add to the things you can look forward to. Aside from being good for your health, taking on any of these can also take your mind off your symptoms and make you happier!
 

Some 2016 breakthroughs and developments for COPD
 
 

Scientific innovation and research has continuously led to development of various medications and new treatment methods for COPD. Studies on the disease have also yielded promising findings regarding diagnosis, more effective screening, and earlier detection of the disease. As this year comes to an end, let’s take a look at some of the breakthroughs for treating and diagnosing COPD.
 
White blood cell research helps identify COPD risk
Research has found that a certain marker in white blood cells can help identify patients who have a higher risk of COPD getting worse and not responding to treatment. This marker, called neutrophil extracellular trap (NET), forms in the lungs of patients and is related to a higher risk for COPD exacerbations and more infections. COPD patients with higher amounts of NET in their lungs were also more likely to have worse lung function and a lower quality of life.
Identifying patients who have high NET levels can help health care professionals identify patients who have a higher chance of their COPD getting more severe. It also helps determine if patients may need other medications for their condition. Currently, further research is under way for determining what can further be done for patients who have higher levels of this marker. 
 
New procedure to improve quality of life
A study has found a new method for improving the quality of life for patients with emphysema, one of the conditions that constitute COPD. This procedure involves implanting very tiny coils into a patient’s lungs.
In people suffering from emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs are damaged, causing limitations in breathing and lung function. Implanting small coils help improve the elasticity in the lungs, making patients more able to exhale completely. It also helps prevent the collapse of the airways. In the subjects observed, this procedure was able to significantly improve breathing and lung function. Additionally, it also helped improve patients’ ability to exercise and perform daily activities. This treatment procedure appeared to mostly benefit those with more severe forms of emphysema, and possibly avoided the need for lung transplantation.
 
Development of new inhalers for treating lung conditions
Current research is being done to develop advanced types of powder inhalers to treat asthma, COPD and other pulmonary diseases. Using a combination of various principles in the fields of nanotechnology, engineering, aerosol science and drug delivery, a team at the University of Arizona has successfully designed various dry powder inhalers for treating respiratory diseases, including COPD. These principles, coupled with innovative designs for inhaler devices, present promising advances and more effective medication delivery methods in treating COPD.
 
New approach for COPD detection and diagnosis
A new method developed by researchers allows for being able to diagnose COPD earlier. A simple 5-item questionnaire, along with a PEFR test (peak expiratory flow rate), has been found to be effective in detecting COPD in people who may not know that they have the disease.
Early diagnosis of COPD can greatly help in preventing the disease from worsening. Also, early detection allows health care professionals to offer treatment and advice for improving a patient’s condition. This simple approach can help patients reduce the risk for frequent exacerbations and immediately adapt a healthier approach to dealing with COPD.
 
Research into COPD has come a long way. These developments in 2016 allow practitioners to detect and treat COPD more effectively. Additionally, these also provide patients with more options for managing and treating their condition, ensuring easier management of COPD, and ultimately, a better quality of life.

Staying healthy with COPD this holiday season
 
 

The holidays are an exciting time for everyone, but sometimes all the cheer and festivities may bring additional stress, especially if you have a chronic condition like COPD. The additional tasks and long to-do lists may often bring about anxiety and make you easily fatigued. Plus, being fearful of having an exacerbation can add to the list of worries you may have.
 
Despite all these, having COPD shouldn’t stop you from joining the celebrations and enjoying the holidays with your loved ones. Here are some tips for staying healthy and avoiding exacerbations this holiday season.
 
Determine your priorities 
All the hustle and bustle can have your list of things to do growing longer and longer by the minute. Parties to attend, gifts to wrap, decorations to put up, shopping to do, dishes to cook, and rooms to clean — all of these demand your time and energy, and trying to attend every event or shopping ‘till you drop can take its toll on your lungs. If looking at your list already makes you feel overwhelmed, it’s time to stop a while and think about which things are the most important for you to do. What parties do you really find meaningful to attend and which can you skip? What chores can be put off until after the Christmas season? Do you really need to cook all those dishes? Determining which tasks and events are most important to you allows you to cross out those that you can forego. This saves you time, energy and sanity and lessens the risk of exacerbations from fatigue or stress.
 
Anticipate triggers
For COPD patients, it is second nature to look out for any triggers that might cause an avoidable visit to the hospital. The holiday season, however, may come with double the chances of having an exacerbation due to the increased number of triggers. Things like scented candles, pollen from the tree, and dust from decorations and ornaments can irritate your airways and lungs. Always being aware of the items around, especially when going for parties at family or friend’s houses, can help you prevent irritants from getting into your lungs. If necessary, you can inform your host ahead of time that you have COPD and that such triggers can be harmful to your health. This can help them put away irritating materials before you arrive.
 
Always be prepared
The holiday season involves a lot of going around and about, so it’s always best to be prepared for anything that might contribute to airway irritation. Always dress warmly and appropriately. Cover your mouth and nose with a mask or scarf to prevent you from inhaling the cold air. If you bring your supplemental oxygen with you, keep the hose under your jacket or shirt to warm the air before it gets to your nose. Make sure that you have an adequate supply of oxygen, and ensure that you always have your medications with you, including emergency inhalers or medications for exacerbations. Also, dressing in layers is a good idea for easier temperature control.
 
Don’t push yourself too hard
Many people find themselves exhausted during the holiday season because of the surge in excitement coupled with a lot of things to do and events to attend or plan. Amidst all the hectic activities, it’s still best for COPD patients to take it slow and be aware of their energy levels. Overdoing it can lead to fatigue and can increase the chances of having an exacerbation. When attending events or hosting one in your home, give yourself time to prepare. When going places, take the time to get ready and travel to the venue. Have someone assist you whenever you need help, and take it easy on yourself if you are not able to arrive on time. Feeling rushed and out of time will only add to anxiety, which can harm your breathing.  There are limits to the efforts you can contribute, and know that friends and family will understand your situation and will cut you some slack, so don’t push yourself too hard.
 
Get all the help you need
Lastly, don’t hesitate to ask for help! If you feel that there is just too much to be done, get assistance from family and friends. They can help do chores around the house and get it ready for a party, they can help you do your shopping or even be available to drive you around. Kids and teenagers can also help you do simple chores like cleaning and putting up decorations. When someone offers to help, don’t be shy to accept. During this busy season, you need all the help you can get so that you don’t end up having to take your emergency medications and dealing with an exacerbation.
 
Remember, the holidays are for bonding and spending quality time with family and friends. Take it easy on yourself, manage your energy well, and breathe easier by following our tips above to make your holiday season more enjoyable!
 

Why you loss energy and loss muscle strength

​

People always feel fatigue when have COPD, which lead the loss of energy and muscle strength. Do you know the reasons?

Loss of energy

In people with healthy lungs, normal breathing doesn’t take a lot of energy. In fact, healthy people only use energy to breathe when they inhale, to inflate the lungs; exhaling is more or less a passive activity because healthy lungs are elastic and push air out on their own when they spring back to their normal position.
With COPD, the lungs lose that elastic quality, so you have to use extra energy to force air out of your lungs. You use twice the energy just to breathe. You also have to breathe more often when you have COPD, because the air that’s trapped in your lungs reduces the volume of air you can take in with your next breath. The gas exchange is less efficient, so your body doesn’t have as much oxygen to fuel itself.
COPD patients use more calories to breathe, and that leaves fewer calories to nourish the muscles. On top of that, many COPD patients find that they’re too tired to prepare or eat meals, so their caloric intake drops even as their bodies use up more of the calories they do take in to do the job of breathing.
This energy drain is so significant that some COPD patients may use as much as ten times more calories than healthy people. Unfortunately, the energy drain also makes it harder for people with COPD to get the nutrition they need. The digestion process itself takes a great deal of energy, so people with COPD often don’t feel like eating. Medications used to treat COPD can affect appetite, as well. And preparing food can be tiring, so when people with COPD do feel like eating, they’re more likely to go for prepackaged  convenience foods, which can contain sodium and other ingredients that aren’t good for either their lungs or their overall health.
 
Loss of muscle strength

The lack of oxygen and sufficient calorie intake leads to loss of muscle mass and strength. This is why exercise is such a critical component of a comprehensive treatment plan for COPD. Aerobic exercise like walking or riding a stationary bike helps bring more oxygen into your body and tone your muscles, including the muscles involved in breathing. This kind of conditioning has been shown to reduce symptoms of being short of breath and improve overall quality of life for COPD patients, no matter how far their illness has progressed.
Exercise has other benefits of particular importance to COPD patients, too. COPD is often accompanied by heart disease or circulatory problems, and exercise can help make your heart and circulatory system stronger; exercise is known to help control blood pressure and improve the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently. A regular exercise regimen improves sleep quality, which helps you feel more energetic, and it promotes better posture, balance, and flexibility.
Exercise also is effective in counteracting many of the emotional effects of the disease. Forced inactivity can lead to a sense of isolation and depression; exercise is a proven mood brightener and self-confidence booster.

Newly diagnosed with COPD? Here are important terms you need to know
 

If you’ve just been diagnosed with COPD, chances are you’re still adjusting to the various changes needed to manage your condition. As if these changes aren’t baffling enough, the numerous terms that your doctors and health care providers use can be even more confusing. There’s a whole new language that comes with COPD and respiratory conditions, so here we’ve compiled a list of those medical terms that may sound very foreign to you.
Bronchodilators
These are medications used to open up and widen the lung’s airways by relaxing the muscles that make up these airways. Examples of bronchodilator medications are albuterol (Vospire), ipratropium (Atrovent), salmeterol (Serevent) and albuterol/ipratropium (Combivent).
Cannula/ Nasal cannula
A nasal cannula is a lightweight, plastic tubing intended to be placed just inside your nostrils. These connect to your oxygen device, allowing oxygen to flow from the device into your nose and lungs.
Chronic bronchitis
This is a COPD condition where there is long-term swelling of the bronchi, the tube-like structures that conduct air into the lungs. Swelling or inflammation of the bronchi usually causes cough where lots of phlegm is produced (productive cough). This can also lead to difficulty in breathing. Chronic bronchitis usually persists for at least three months duration over a period of 2 years.
Corticosteroids
These are medications that have actions which are similar to a certain group of hormones produced naturally in the body. When given for COPD, corticosteroids work to decrease inflammation, particularly in the bronchi and other respiratory structures. These medications can be taken by mouth or inhaled. Examples of corticosteroids are fluticasone (Flovent), budesonide (Pulmicort) and beclomethasone (QVAR).
Dyspnea
Dyspnea is simply shortness of breath or having difficulty in breathing. It is one of the most common symptoms of COPD.
Emphysema
This is a COPD condition where the alveoli become damaged due to abnormal enlargement and thinning of the alveolar walls. Alveoli are the tiny air sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide is exchanged between the lungs and the blood. Emphysema is progressive, meaning that it usually worsens over time. It causes difficulty in breathing because the alveoli do not function well to exchange gases between the lungs and the blood, causing a lack of oxygen in the body.
Exacerbations
These are also known as flare-ups, or instances when your COPD symptoms become worse. If this happens, your doctor may usually adjust certain doses of your medications or require changes in your medical treatment.
Hyperventilation
This refers to very fast, rapid breathing, which can often happen when you feel panicked, nervous or anxious.
Hypoxia
A state where there is too little oxygen in the body tissues. COPD can cause hypoxia, which could lead to other complications if not managed properly.
Inhaler
A small, portable device where a medication is placed to be inhaled. Inhalers usually deliver medication to your airways in just one to two breaths.
Nebulizer
A device that converts liquid into a fine spray or mist for inhalation. Nebulizers are an effective way to get medication into the lungs.
Oxygen therapy
If your doctor thinks that you aren’t getting adequate amounts of oxygen, oxygen therapy can provides your body with the needed amount of oxygen to reach the right levels. Oxygen therapy can be prescribed for you to use for a number of hours a day to 24 hours in more advanced stages.
Oxygen concentrator
This is a machine used for oxygen therapy. It works by getting oxygen from the air and concentrating it to be delivered via a nasal cannula. Oxygen concentrators can be stationary and portable. Portable oxygen concentrators (POC) allow you the ease of bringing them with you when moving about or going outside your home.
Pulse oximetry
This is an easy, painless test that measures if the oxygen levels in your blood are adequate or within normal. To do this test, a device with a sensor is placed on your fingertip (or ear) and a light measures the oxygen level in your blood. The device used in this test is called a pulse oximeter. 
Spirometry
A spirometry test is the most common type of pulmonary function test (PFT) that helps measure how well your lungs are functioning. It measures how much air you normally inhale and exhale, especially the amount of air you can forcefully breathe out. It is typically used to diagnose lung conditions like COPD. It is also used as a routine test to monitor how serious a lung condition is, and how patients are responding to medications and treatment.
 
These terms are commonly used when your doctor, nurse, or other members of your health care team will talk to you about your condition. Though these terms may seem foreign at first, you’ll easily get acquainted with their meanings when you encounter them more often.
 
We hope this article helped you understand the various terminology used with COPD.

Have COPD? What you should know about pneumococcal disease
 

If you’re living with COPD, there are a number of risks that you have to be aware of more than the average person. Having COPD means that you have to be more cautious about catching other illnesses, especially infections, as these can cause more serious effects considering your condition. One such condition that poses a high risk would be pneumococcal disease.
 
What is it?
Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae, also referred to as the pneumococcus bacteria. People who get infected by this bacterium can have a number of harmful conditions, like pneumonia and infections of the middle ear. It can also cause blood infections (sepsis) and bacterial meningitis.
You can get infected with pneumococcal disease by person-to-person transmission through respiratory droplets. This means that the bacteria can enter your system when people who have the disease sneeze, talk or cough close to you. You can also acquire the disease by getting in close contact with people who are infected.
 
The risks for those with COPD
Pneumococcal disease is a serious condition and can affect people of every age. It usually requires medical treatment and hospitalization to be able to cure the infection and manage symptoms. In particular, the disease can be very severe and life-threatening for people with certain conditions such as asthma, chronic heart disease, diabetes mellitus and COPD. Those who have these conditions are also at a higher risk for infection.
Pneumonia, in particular, can cause complications for those with respiratory conditions, as it worsens already existing symptoms like difficulty in breathing. It also causes cough, chest pain, fever and chills. Some serious complications of pneumococcal pneumonia include airway blockage, infection of the area surrounding the lungs and chest, fluid and pus in the lungs, and swelling of the outer covering of the heart (pericarditis). These conditions can be life-threatening for elderly people and for those who already have existing lung conditions like COPD.
Other types of pneumococcal disease, like bacteremia and meningitis, may also be more challenging to treat in people who have chronic conditions and are already taking a lot of medications.
 
What you can do
It’s important to be aware of the risks associated with pneumococcal disease, especially if you have COPD. One of the most important things you can do to prevent getting infected is to get vaccinated against this condition.
Health authorities like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all adults age 65 years old and above be vaccinated. It’s also important to get the vaccine if you are below 65 years old but have COPD, asthma, heart conditions, diabetes mellitus, or are a smoker.
There are two kinds of pneumococcal vaccines: the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). Those with COPD and other chronic conditions who are 19 to 64 years old are recommended to have the PPSV23 vaccine. Once these persons reach 65 years of age, they are then to consult with their physician to receive a dose of PCV13.
Getting vaccinated against pneumococcal disease can greatly protect you from the risks and complications of a serious infection. Though there may be chances that getting this vaccine may have some mild side effects, keep in mind that the potential risks of acquiring pneumococcal infections are greater and more serious.
 
If you are considering getting vaccinated, talk to your doctor about this. The vaccine can be given to you anytime of the year, and may even be covered by your health insurance.

Mobility devices for COPD: Should you get one?
 

COPD comes with the challenge of adjusting to new ways of doing your daily routines. You may find that many symptoms, like feeling fatigued and out of breath, make it more difficult to move around at home and outdoors. It’s important, however, to be able to maintain your mobility for overall health.
One way to help resolve this dilemma is to consider using a mobility device. Such devices, like wheelchairs, are intended to help you get around much easier, while not being too hard on your body. Some of these devices also allow you to go outdoors more frequently and get more exercise.
 
How you can benefit from mobility devices
Mobility devices help you do just that — be more mobile. This means that they allow you to be less restricted with movement, allowing you to conserve your energy for more important activities such as personal hygiene, doing necessary chores, and spending quality time with your loved ones.
Many of these mobility devices also help you continue having an active lifestyle as much as possible. Walkers, for example, provide support while walking short distances, promoting exercise and encouraging you to walk more. Scooters also help get you across longer walking distances, allowing you to keep up if your family wants to spend time at a park or in the mall.
 
Choosing the right type for you
If you think a mobility device can greatly help you, it’s important to know what your options are. Knowing about the different types of mobility devices and their features can assist you in choosing the right one that fits your needs and lifestyle. Here are some of the most commonly used mobility devices.
 
Walker
A walker is basically a frame made to provide support while walking. To use this device, you typically hold on the upper part of the frame while moving, pushing the frame forward as you walk. This allows you to maintain balance and stability while also supporting some of your weight to make it easier for you to walk around.
 
Rollator
A rollator, or rolling walker, is simply a walker with wheels. It is similar to a walker, with a frame for you to hold on to, but with about three or four wheels. Many of these devices also have a built in seat where you can sit and rest when you get tired. Though rollators may be heavier and bulkier than the usual walkers, their wheels allow them to be easily moved around.
Studies have shown that COPD patients, especially those with moderate and advanced stages, were able to get the most benefit from rollators. The study found that this type of device allowed the patients to walk greater distances for longer amounts of time. If you can’t decide between a rollator and a walker, try both of them out and see which feels more natural and easier to handle, as preferences may vary with each individual.
 
Wheelchair
Wheelchairs are among the most common mobility devices, as they can be used both indoors and outdoors. Manual wheelchairs may usually require more physical effort and are mainly used when a caregiver is around to push it for you. For this reason, motorized wheelchairs are preferable for COPD patients, as less effort is required to move it around. Such wheelchairs are typically easy to maneuver and provide much-needed independent mobility, especially for those in later stages. A wheelchair is also a great option if you are on oxygen, as many of them come with a unit for carrying portable oxygen devices.
A downside to using a motorized wheelchair is that it somewhat bulky and may be difficult to transport in a car. If you have someone around to help you, though, the device can be brought when going to various destinations such as the mall or grocery store. Also, if you live in a house with stairs, movement around the home with a wheelchair may be limited to only one floor.
 
Scooter 
Scooters are a big help when walking longer distances. However, they are usually restricted to outdoor use because of their bulkiness and the large amount of turning space needed. Alternatively, there are also smaller scooters available for indoor spaces, which are also much readily transported when going on errands or trips. Scooters also have a longer battery life than motorized wheelchairs.
Knowing the different types of mobility devices can help you decide if they work well with your daily routine and lifestyle. Learning about their features and deciding if any of them can help you maintain physical activity even with COPD is something you have to consider.
It’s also worth noting that these mobility devices are a way for you to get around more and be physically active. Don’t use having a wheelchair or any other device as an excuse to forego physical exercise. These devices are available merely to help you be more independent and do your activities and chores better.
 

COPD and pain management: What you should know


 

Aside from managing symptoms like difficulty in breathing, many people are not aware that COPD also comes with other issues, such as dealing with pain. Research on COPD patients has shown that about 60 % suffer from chronic pain, yet pain management is not often discussed in guidelines for COPD management.
 
Currently, however, more and more health care practitioners are beginning to realize that management of chronic pain is important in COPD. Chronic pain means that the pain persists for a long period of time and is constantly present, usually affecting daily life.
 
Causes of pain in COPD
Pain in COPD may either be directly or indirectly caused by the condition. In some cases, chronic pain is due to the extra effort exerted by the muscles in your chest area during breathing. Also, the lungs may be more blown up, causing increased pressure on the chest, diaphragm and even the spine. This is why you may be experiencing pain around these areas, especially when you do certain physical activities that require more effort.

Another cause may be osteoporosis, a condition where your bones become thinner and weaker. Many COPD patients are affected by osteoporosis, possibly due to the inflammation experienced, medications used, or various other factors like smoking and poor diet. This condition may increase your chances of bone pain and fractures, especially in the chest area when coughing may be severe.

Other causes of pain, which may or may not be related to COPD, include:

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Neck, shoulder and arm pain

  • Back and hip pain

  • Pain in joints due to arthritis or other conditions

  • Chest pain due to muscle strain or broken ribs during severe coughing bouts

  • Sciatica and lower back pain

 
Additionally, the stress and anxiety of having COPD and handling its symptoms may make you more sensitive to various types of pain.
 
People with COPD often report that the pain they experience may at times be unbearable and difficult to tolerate. They say that the most common locations of pain are found in the chest, neck and shoulders.
 
Medications you can use
 
There are various medications you can use to relieve the pain associated with COPD. Some of these are over-the-counter medications, while some require a prescription from your physician. Even if you opt to take over-the-counter medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist if these medications are alright for you to take and do not interact with any other medications you are taking.
 
Here are some types of medications used to manage pain:
 

  • Acetaminophen – This drug is available over-the-counter and is often used for mild to moderate pain. Take the right dose as recommended on the label, as overdosage may cause liver problems.

  • NSAIDs – Also known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs are commonly used to lower fever and treat varying degrees of pain. Some of them are non-prescription, while others require a prescription form your doctor. Examples of commonly used NSAIDs are ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin and celecoxib. When taking these medications, be sure to take them with food as they have the tendency to cause gastric irritation and even stomach bleeding when taken too frequently.

  • Opioid analgesics – Also called narcotic analgesics, these medications are used for moderate to severe pain. These drugs require a doctor’s prescription and are highly regulated since most may cause drug dependence. In lower doses, however, they can effectively treat COPD-related pain without being habit-forming. Examples of opioids include codeine, morphine, and hydrocodone.

 
Using pain medications too frequently may not be advisable, as prolonged use may make you more tolerant to their effects, thus requiring stronger doses later on. If, however, you are in constant, unbearable pain, talk to your doctor to find out which medications are best for you.
 
Non-pharmacologic methods to manage pain
 
Aside from taking pain medications, there are also other ways to help manage pain. Such methods may be safer and are a better alternative to frequent intake of painkillers.
 

  • Massage – Ideal for muscle and joint pains and also helps you relax.

  • Heat packs – Help promote circulation to various tissues and organs.

  • Ice packs – Ideally used for types of pain that involve swelling and inflammation.

  • TENS – Also known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, TENS targets pain in specific body areas that may involve nerve and muscle pain.

  • Acupuncture – This alternative treatment is an effective way to lessen pain in target points of the body.

  • Tai Chi, Yoga or meditation – Such techniques help lessen stiff muscles and joints, and can help relieve chronic pain by allowing you to relax more easily.

  • Physical therapy – Involves various techniques that can aid in coping with chronic pain.


The above techniques have been found to be very useful for patients with COPD. Plus, such methods work well together with medication or other treatment forms.
 
Having COPD may also mean looking for effective ways to deal with chronic pain. If the pain you are experiencing becomes intolerable and highly interferes with daily activities, it’s important to talk with your doctor and discuss your options for pain management.
 

New devices and wearables to help manage COPD
 

Managing COPD may be a challenge at times, but luckily, we now live in a highly technological era where a host of devices and gadgets are being developed every day to help make our lives easier.                            
Being a COPD patient, you can now get your hands on clever new devices and wearables that help monitor and manage your condition. Such devices make it easier to keep an eye on important signals your body is giving you, such as any fluctuations in blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and even an ECG measurement! Read on to learn about the newest wearables to help manage COPD.
 
WristOx2 
This wearable device is actually a wrist-worn pulse oximeter that records highly accurate readings of the wearer’s heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. Such data are important, especially because COPD comes with an increased risk of heart disease. The device can be worn anywhere, from the hospital to the home. Once data is gathered, the device then wirelessly transmits information to the hospital or health care provider for monitoring.
Product developer Nonin Medical highlights the WristOX2’s features that are “ideal for remote wireless monitoring, ambulatory monitoring, and cardio-pulmonary monitoring.” The device also boasts of its extended range of up to 100 meters, enhanced memory, durability even for rugged ambulatory environments, and accurate technology even for recording data in challenging conditions.
 
NIOV System
The NIOV or Non-invasive Open Ventilation system is a compact, innovative device that helps you take in more air and oxygen. It only weighs one pound and can be worn strapped to the waist or other body area, thus making it easier for the user to move around. This makes it easier for hospital patients to be more mobile and for home-care patients to be more independent, thus promoting a better quality of life.
Developed by California-based company Breathe Technologies, this palm-sized device delivers a better combination of oxygen and air, allowing COPD patients to breathe in more easily with lesser effort. Studies on such a device have also found out that it has been found to decrease health care costs, lessen disease exacerbations, and ultimately improve patient outcomes over the long run.
The NIOV system is particularly useful for patients in the later stages of COPD. It has won various awards and is now widely used by many hospitals, health care institutions, pulmonary rehabilitation centers, and for home care.
 
HealthPatch MD
The HealthPatch MD is a small, wearable device placed on the chest of chronically ill patients for their health care providers to monitor various parameters. The device weighs only 10 grams and is only 6 millimeters thick, making it a comfortable fit for patients compared to bulky and obtrusive monitoring equipment. This small “patch” is able to get and record continuous data on respiratory rate, heart rhythm, heart rate variability, physical activity/ inactivity, and posture, and detects any fluctuations in important parameters. Plus, its advanced sensors and technology can even record clinical-grade ECG measurements! Upon data collection, the device transmits information wirelessly to the patient’s mobile device via the Philips HealthSuite Digital Platform. The data is also sent to the patient’s health care providers for monitoring.
Designed and developed by Philips in collaboration with Salesforce and Radboud University Medical Center, the HealthPatch MD is intended to be worn 24/7 by patients, allowing their health care providers to be alerted whenever problems arise. Such a system allows a complete overview of a patient’s condition, especially for those who have just gone home from the hospital and for those with frequent exacerbations. It also allows the health care provider to instruct the patient to take steps to manage any symptoms without the patient having to return to the hospital for any unnecessary admissions. The wearability and reliable accuracy of the HealthPatch MD benefits those who are chronically ill with COPD and other respiratory conditions, and may even have the potential to save patients’ lives.
 
These three devices simply show how modern technology can enhance traditional health care. The ability to gather patient information and transmit it in real time allows both health care providers and patients to tackle any fluctuations and complications before they can become serious. Additionally, having lightweight, wearable systems to help manage COPD is quite a breakthrough, easing the challenges that come with a chronic disease and overall improving the patients’ quality of life.
 

Sleeping better with COPD 
 

Having COPD comes with various signs and symptoms, and one of the most common is being unable to get a good night’s sleep. The lack of oxygen you may experience while lying down results in sleep impairment, causing you to wake up struggling for air and being unable to go back to sleep. This lack of quality sleep can also lead to being more fatigued the next day, a weaker immune system, and being unable to maintain proper weight.


Fortunately, there are things you can do to sleep better despite having COPD. In this article, we’ve rounded up a number of ways that can help you get a good night’s sleep and keep your health in better shape.


Check your sleeping position. Changing your sleeping position can have a large impact on your sleep quality. Lying down can be uncomfortable for patients with COPD because the airways usually have difficulty staying open. Some patients work around this by propping themselves up on higher pillows, since an upright position makes it easier to breathe. This position, however, can also be quite uncomfortable as the hours pass, possibly disrupting sleep. Your best bet is to sleep on your side. This position keeps the airways open and prevents any pressure on the throat, thus minimizing the chances of breathing problems while you snooze.
Keep your head higher. Aside from checking your sleeping position, you can also check whether your head is in the right position when sleeping. When you sleep on your side, make sure that your head is supported well and propped up higher by comfortable pillows. Keeping your head elevated prevents airway restriction that may lead to serious breathing problems. Using one to two pillows can help provide adequate head support to maintain open airways.
Look into your medications. Though its usually the symptoms of COPD that affect sleep quality, there are times when your medications could be contributing to your nighttime woes. Talk to your doctor about your medications, and ask whether any of them may have side effects that lead to sleep disruption. You can also do your own research and look up the side effects of your medications. If you notice that a certain drug may be causing your sleeping difficulties, ask your doctor for an alternative drug. Note that you should always consult your physician when attempting to stop or switch medications. You may also ask your doctor for any possibility of adjusting your medication schedule, so that any drugs that can help you breathe better can be taken at night.
Don’t go to sleep hungry. Attempting to sleep with a growling stomach will only further aggravate your sleeping difficulties. If it’s been a few hours after dinner and you still feel hungry before bedtime, snack on some high-protein food, like nuts or cheese. Try to avoid carbohydrate and sugar-rich snacks before bed since these stimulate your metabolism, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Also, avoid any caffeinated drinks starting in the afternoon. Don’t drink soft drinks or other carbonated beverages, either, which can cause trouble breathing from the gas that pushes up on the diaphragm.
Meditate and do deep breathing. Meditation and breathing at least 15 minutes before going to bed can help your body and mind wind down and relax. You can do this by simply sitting quietly and taking long, deep breaths. Focus on your breaths for at least 5 to 10 minutes, and feel the tension from your body ease up. Aside form putting you into a state of relaxation, this practice also helps clear up your airways of any mucus that can make breathing more difficult once you lie down.
Use supplemental oxygen. If you are on supplemental oxygen around the clock or for a number of hours a day, don’t turn it off at bedtime. Having supplemental oxygen while sleeping helps keep your blood oxygen levels stable, allowing you to sleep better throughout the night. If your doctor prescribes oxygen only on an “as needed” basis, ask him or her if using supplemental oxygen at bedtime may help you sleep more easily.


Aside from following these tips above, you can also make sure that your room is conducive to sleeping. The temperature should be cool, while the room should be completely dark. Having a sleep schedule also helps, where you go to bed at the same time each night. All of these can help you sleep better and be more energized the following day!

Staying positive despite COPD
 

All the medications and health precautions that come with COPD can leave you feeling overwhelmed and troubled with all the changes needed. These, plus the stress of coping with the bothersome symptoms of the disease, can leave your emotions out of control. When left unchecked, these emotions gone haywire can lead to anxiety and even depression, leaving a strain on your mental and emotional health. Fortunately, there are things you can do to ease the blues and stay positive despite COPD.

Choose a good physician. Having a great doctor means that you can communicate openly with him or her, and are not hesitant to trust his or her opinions. A good physician can provide sound medical advice while still being able to put you at ease and make you feel better despite your perceived difficulties regarding your condition. This type of relationship with your doctor can have a positive impact on how you view your condition, especially if your doctor is able to put you at ease and make you see the bright side of things.

Set a daily goal. Being able to achieve something every day can boost your morale and give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Set a slightly challenging yet achievable goal that makes you look forward to getting up the next day and doing it. No matter how small your goal is, like walking a bit more every day or doing one more chore, every accomplished goal is a sign of progress and can help keep you feeling more productive, more capable, and less anxious about your condition.

Have a new hobby, or resume an old one. If your condition has stopped you from having any hobbies, now can be the right time to start thinking about what your interests are. Even if some hobbies, such as playing sports or frequent traveling, can be off-limits, there are numerous other things you can keep yourself busy with. Creating crafts, gardening, and puzzles, and even yoga and Tai chi can help keep you occupied while also being great for your mental, emotional and physical health. Additionally, many hobbies can be done with family members and friends. This means that you get to spend more time with your loved ones, too!

Practice positive thinking. Everything is a matter of perspective, so they say. Having a positive outlook can only come about by practicing positive thinking. Many studies have shown that a positive attitude can make patients cope much better with their condition, leading to a more rapid recovery or a slower progression of the disease. Though at some moments, it may be difficult to dispel darker thoughts, doing positive self-talk and getting used to positive affirmations can be accomplished with continuous practice. Identify negative thoughts and change the way you perceive such thoughts. Check in constantly and be aware whenever a negative thought creeps in. Then, find something positive about the thought, or try to assure yourself that things could be worse and that something good will come out of the situation. In time, you’ll see that you’ve become more optimistic about things and not tend to worry too much.

Find ways to laugh more. Be it sharing jokes or watching a good comedy movie, it’s easy to find ways to laugh more. When you laugh, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel more relaxed, feel less pain, feel more at ease, and be less stressed. This shows that there may actually be a basis to the saying “laughter is the best medicine.” Also, remember that to some extent, how you act can influence how you feel and think. Thus, seeking out ways to laugh more can actually make you a happier, more positive person. Try joking around with your family at the dinner table, or watch funny videos on the internet. In no time, you’ll end up laughing at yourself, too. You’ll see that it really isn’t that difficult to cheer yourself up!

Staying happier and keeping negative thoughts at bay isn’t really that difficult. Once you get used to thinking and staying positive, you’ll notice that you actually feel better about your condition. This will also help you stay motivated and energetic despite the symptoms of COPD.

What happens when you breathe
 

We talked about many tips to live a better life when battle with COPD. This week, let’s return back and see what happens when we breathe:

Air enters through our mouth or nose, the epiglottis opens to allow the air into our windpipe, and the air travels through the bronchi into the bronchioles, which look like the branches on an upside-down tree, getting smaller the farther into your lungs they go. (The bronchi and bronchioles together are often referred to as bronchial tubes.) At the end of each of these branches is a cluster of microscopic air sacs called alveoli that look like bunches of tiny grapes or soap bubbles. Each little sac — there are about 300 million of them in a healthy lung — is covered in small blood vessels. When you inhale, the blood in the pulmonary capillaries is high in carbon dioxide and low in oxygen. The oxygen in the air you breathe in is absorbed from your air sacs into your blood, and the carbon dioxide in your blood is transferred into your air sacs. You then expel the carbon dioxide from your body when you exhale. And your blood carries its new load of oxygen to your heart, your brain, and the rest of your body. (This process, known as the gas exchange, because it’s the exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide, is illustrated in above picture.) All this takes only a fraction of a second, and your body does it all on its own, an average of 15 to 25 times every minute while you’re resting. That’s because your medulla, hypothalamus, and cortex send and receive signals from your lungs and special cells throughout your respiratory system that continually monitor oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. And when you hold your breath, your brain sends a signal to your lungs ordering them to start breathing again.


Your central nervous system has a variety of specialized cells that monitor the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. These cells send signals to your brain when the levels are out of balance. Some of these cells are located in your aorta, the largest artery in your body, which begins at your heart. Some are located in your carotid arteries, the arteries on either side of your neck that supply oxygen to your brain. Still others are located in your brain stem. The cells in the brain stem pay particular attention to the carbon dioxide level in the fluid that encompasses your brain and spinal cord. If too much carbon dioxide is in this fluid, your lungs receive a signal to increase the rate of breathing and to take in deep breaths. When the carbon dioxide level drops to an acceptable level, your breathing rate returns to normal.
 

How to purify the air in your home naturally

 

Most people with chronic lung conditions like COPD spend a significant amount of time indoors. Though the air is usually safer indoors and contains fewer pollutants and allergens like dust particles and pollen, certain chemicals can be present indoors and affect the quality of your air. It may not be very noticeable, yet sometimes; an increasing frequency of flare-ups can be attributed to a low indoor air quality.

Fortunately, there are things that you can do to make the air in your home cleaner and more pure. Here are some ways to do this.

Light some beeswax candles. Pure beeswax candles can purify the air around your home. When lit, these candles give off negative ions, thus counteracting positive ions like those of dust, allergens and other toxic contaminants in the air. Additionally, beeswax candles do not give off smoke and burn more slowly than the usual paraffin candles, making them an excellent choice for your home. Take note that if you are on oxygen therapy, you shouldn’t light candles in the same room when you are on oxygen.

Use a Himalayan salt lamp. These salt lamps are actually a huge crystal block of pinkish-colored rock salt. The lamp is made by hollowing out the inside of the rock salt crystal and placing a bulb. The bulb then emits heat, which releases negative ions from the salt into the air to neutralize toxins and contaminants. Himalayan salt lamps also give off a faint pinkish glow that helps promote a calming atmosphere. This being said, such lamps don’t just cleanse the air of allergens and toxins, but also contribute to any room’s decor.

Use an indoor air filter. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters effectively work to remove particles like contaminants, pollutants and dust from the air in your home. You can install one in your central air system, or you can also use them on portable air purifiers. HEPA filters should be regularly changed depending on the frequency of use and the amount of particulate matter that collects onto it.

Eliminate sources of toxins and air contaminants. One simple way to improve air quality inside your home is to remove any materials that may emit chemicals that can irritate the airways. Stick to household products that are natural and organic. Keep away items that are made of synthetic fibers. Prevent the build-up of excessive moisture in rooms, and thoroughly air out corners, walls or furniture where molds can easily grow. Preventive measures such as these are important and contribute significantly to an improved indoor air quality.

Use activated charcoal. Also known as bamboo charcoal, activated charcoal is an excellent compound that works to absorb odors and toxins from the air. It is usually packaged in a linen bag for home use, where it can be placed in strategical locations around the home to pull out allergens, odors, pollutants and even moisture from the air. It can also be reused again and again or a couple of years, provided that it is left out in the sun once a month. Activated charcoal is a great choice for purifying indoor air and removing nasty odors.

Grow air-purifying plants. Plants give off oxygen and freshen the air, yet there are many kinds that go the extra mile and naturally filter out toxins from the atmosphere. Among chemicals that such plants can take in are xylene, benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia and toluene, all of which are harmful air pollutants, especially to those with lung conditions. Many of these air-purifying plants also grow well indoors and require little maintenance. A plant called the “Peace lily” is among the best types of indoor air-purifying plants. Other plants that can be used for this purpose are cornstalk dracaena, golden pothos, English ivy, and various species of Chinese evergreens.

Having clean air in your home isn’t so difficult to work out. Using a variety of the methods above can significantly improve the air quality in your home, resulting to an increase in health and well-being for your entire family.

The Benefits of Tai Chi in COPD
 

As you may already know, COPD patients can benefit from moderate exercise. Though staying active is a challenge for those living with COPD, it has been proven that staying active is the key to a better quality of life. Though some patients prefer activities like walking or other forms of mild exercise, studies have shown that gentle exercise techniques like yoga and Tai Chi offer the most benefit. This is because such exercises involve both the body and the mind, and thus can help alleviate many of the symptoms of chronic lung conditions.
Tai Chi has been studied by various researchers and has been established as beneficial for patients with chronic lung conditions like COPD. If you’re wondering whether Tai Chi is an exercise for you, let’s start by getting acquainted with what it is and what its benefits are.
What is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi is one of the ancient Chinese martial arts, referred to as the “internal” or “soft-type” of martial art. This is because Tai Chi is mainly concerned with slow, graceful movements that intend to harness the qi, or the life force. Today, Tai Chi is practiced by over a hundred million people worldwide, mainly for its health and spiritual benefits. If you have COPD, practicing Tai Chi regular can present a variety of benefits that can help you live a better, longer life.
Benefits of Tai Chi

  • Improves exercise capacity. A study published in the European Respiratory Journal has shown that Tai Chi is able to improve exercise capacity in patients with COPD. Those who underwent regular Tai Chi sessions were able to tolerate longer walking and physical activity. Additionally, these patients also described a better quality of life after doing Tai Chi regularly. This shows that Tai Chi is indeed beneficial to COPD patients, and has been suggested as an alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation programs. With Tai Chi, you may be able to do more of the physical activities you love and get to spend more time with your loved ones.

  • Improves lung function. Tai Chi has also been shown to improve lung function in COPD patients. As you may know, a decline in lung function is one of the main health issues with COPD. Decreased lung function is linked to increased difficulty in performing everyday tasks, worsening symptoms like difficulty in breathing, and more frequent exacerbations, as well as complications like heart failure and other circulatory problems. In a Hong Kong study, COPD patients who practiced Tai Chi regularly were found to have significant improvements in respiratory function. This means that Tai Chi can help prevent any decline in lung function, and can help you be more able to avoid exacerbations and complications.

  • Slows disease progression. Because Tai Chi has a positive impact on lung function and activity tolerance, it can help alleviate COPD symptoms and prevent them from worsening. This means that disease progression is slowed and serious complications to the heart and other systems can be prevented. Tai Chi’s relaxing effect, as well as its calming body movements, can help increase blood flow to various areas, increase mental concentration, and improve physical strength. All of these effects can then contribute to overall health and a better quality of life.

How can I practice Tai Chi?
To practice Tai Chi, you can start by learning about it through videos on the internet. Various websites also offer information and beginner’s lessons for you to get acquainted with the practice. There are also many instructional articles on how to start doing Tai Chi.
The best way to start learning, however, is to look for a Tai Chi class near you. The guidance of a Tai Chi instructor, along with the support from classmates in a class, can greatly help you begin correctly and master the right techniques. Look for a local instructor who understands your condition and can help you begin with techniques that are gentle and easily tolerable for your situation. It’s also best to talk with your doctor when starting out with any new exercise, as well as starting with Tai Chi.

Improving blood oxygen levels naturally
 

COPD brings with it the challenge of having very low blood oxygen levels. Because of this, every increase in your oxygen levels will count. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to increase your blood oxygen levels naturally.

Stay calm and practice mindfulness. Staying calm and relaxed can help make breathing deeply much easier. Various relaxation techniques, like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, can help lower stress levels and train you to breathe properly. This in turn allows your body to take in more oxygen. Shallow breathing limits the amount of oxygen in your blood, while deep breathing increases blood oxygen and increases energy. When practiced regularly, such techniques and deep breathing will come naturally, and you’ll notice your oxygen levels begin to improve.

Surround yourself with plants. Plants give off oxygen, thus, placing live plants inside your home can help make indoor oxygen more readily available. Aside from this, the added greenery in your home can help liven up the atmosphere. Choose plants that are easy to maintain and do not readily bear flowers to avoid any pollen indoors. There are many plants you can easily grow which need only minimal sunshine and water to thrive, such as Chinese evergreens, areca palm, and money plant.

Eat more greens (and other veggies). Vegetables, being plants, are oxygen-rich foods that can help increase blood oxygen levels. Raw vegetables are a better option, so salads with a lot of greens and mixed veggies are a great meal addition. You can also steam or saute your veggie mixes and add spices to add variety to how they are prepared. Spinach, kale, bell peppers, celery and carrots are great choices to start with.

Increase iron-rich foods in your diet. Iron is the mineral in your blood responsible for binding to and carrying oxygen around. Eating iron-rich foods can help improve your blood oxygen levels. Green leafy vegetables like kale and celery, along with meat, fish and poultry, are excellent iron sources. Be sure to regularly consume any of these foods, along with a balanced diet to ensure proper iron levels and maximize your blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity.
Stay hydrated. Taking in enough water is essential not only to your overall health but also to help improve your oxygen levels. Water contains oxygen in its structure, thus allowing you to help your body maintain adequate oxygen levels.

Drink nutrient-packed fluids. Aside from water, you may also want to add other beverages to your diet. Fresh fruit and vegetable juices are an excellent choice as they contain the right vitamins and minerals that you can take in easily. Combining two or more fruits and vegetables during juicing also enhances the amounts of nutrients you get. Such vitamins and minerals are readily used by the body to aid in maximizing the blood’s oxygen carrying capacity.

Cut back on the salt. Reducing the amount of salt in your diet is beneficial to your blood pressure and can reduce your risks for various conditions. Aside from this, it can also improve your oxygen levels by lessening the load on your kidneys and circulation. Try cutting back on salt when cooking and eating, and make your meals tastier with the use of beneficial spices like oregano and turmeric.

Following the above tips and incorporating them into your lifestyle can greatly improve your blood oxygen levels the natural way! Try them now and we’d be happy to hear about your experience!

Tips for more comfortable oxygen therapy
 

Oxygen therapy is essential for many COPD patients. Though it is life-saving and offers many benefits, being on oxygen for hours at a time can cause some uncomfortable effects. Mouth, nose and throat dryness are common. Some patients may also experience nosebleeds and skin irritation. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make oxygen therapy more comfortable.

Use a built-in humidifier. A humidifier is a bottle attached to your oxygen concentrator. It contains distilled water which helps moisten the oxygen before it is inhaled. This allows lesser chances of your nasal passages, mouth and throat getting too dry from the oxygen. Remember to change the distilled water in your humidifier every one to two days to keep bacteria from building up and preventing any chances of respiratory infection.

Try using a room humidifier. Additionally, you can also use a room humidifier to add moisture to the air around you. This especially helps when you are sleeping, allowing moist air to be inhaled even if you breathe through your mouth. Make sure to keep your room humidifier clean to prevent it from harboring any dust, mold or bacteria.

Use a nasal spray. Nasal sprays can greatly help lessen the dryness felt inside your nose and throat. A lot of brands are commercially available and can relieve any dryness. These usually contain a saline solution, which replenishes the moisture on your nose and throat membranes. These sprays are packaged with a nozzle for convenient spraying into the nostrils. Follow the instructions and frequency of dosing on the package to effectively keep nasal irritation at bay. Make sure to also clean the nozzle with clean tissue after every use.

Use a nasal gel or lubricating jelly. Nasal gels, as well as lubricating jellies, are also available from the pharmacy. These products help prevent the escape of moisture from your nasal passages, thus preventing crustiness and irritation. Apply a thin coating on the inside of your nostrils and below your nose using a clean finger or cotton swab. You can apply this as often as three times a day. Remember to avoid using products that contain petroleum, as this is a fire hazard when used near oxygen tanks.

Try a moisturizing balm or sesame seed oil. Similar to using nasal sprays and gels, a moisturizing balm keeps the dry, sensitive skin inside your nostrils intact. This allows protection against dryness and skin breaks, which can cause nosebleeds. Use the tip of a clean finger or a cotton swab to apply just the right amount of balm on the inside of your nose. A thin coating of sesame oil can also help, with its anti-inflammatory properties being beneficial to prevent irritated skin.

Keep your equipment clean. Maintaining proper care of your oxygen concentrator, as well as the rest of your oxygen therapy equipment, can also help make oxygen therapy more comfortable. Additionally, it’s best to wash your humidifier, nasal cannula and rubber tubing every week. Use a mild, cleansing detergent and water. Rubber tubing and nasal cannula also have to be replaced every one to two months.

The above tips can help you get used to oxygen therapy without any of the uncomfortable effects like dry nasal passages, throat and mouth, as well as nosebleeds and irritated skin around the nose. Also, staying hydrated and consuming enough fruits and vegetables can help keep your skin from getting too dry and flaky.

The importance of getting enough oxygen
 

Having a chronic lung condition like COPD can leave you wanting to understand the importance of getting enough oxygen. At first, you may have been wondering why your doctor has prescribed you with oxygen, and why most people with COPD need it regularly. Patients who are found to have very low oxygen in the blood need oxygen therapy, and depending on oxygen levels while active or at rest, your doctor will determine how many hours a day you will need to be on oxygen therapy. Some patients may only need oxygen while doing physical activities, while some may need it almost the entire 24 hours.
 
So why do you need to follow your doctor’s prescription for oxygen? Why is it important to get the right amount of oxygen? Though not all COPD patients need oxygen therapy, majority of patients in the later stages do need it. Getting enough oxygen can help you be better able to do your daily chores and other physical activities. It can also help reduce difficulty in breathing, along with reducing the strain on your heart caused by low oxygen levels. Getting adequate oxygen can also help you be able to sleep better and feel better throughout the day.
 
Aside from the above reasons, read on to find out why getting enough oxygen is important.
 
Adequate oxygen helps prevent hypoxemia and hypoxia
All of the body’s tissues and organs need oxygen to function properly. Hypoxemia, or a low level of oxygen in the blood, causes a lack of oxygen in various organs. This low oxygen level in body tissues is called hypoxia, which occurs when the blood carries inadequate oxygen to tissues and organs during circulation. Mere minutes of insufficient oxygen can lead to tissue and organ damage, especially to critical organs like the brain, heart and liver.
 
Hypoxia can manifest as various signs and symptoms, like having shortness of breath, a very rapid heart rate, very fast breathing, coughing, sweating, and changes in skin color, such as having bluish or purplish skin.
 
Hypoxia and hypoxemia can readily be treated with adequate amounts of oxygen. To prevent such conditions, its best to follow your treatment plan, do your best to prevent flare-ups, and get sufficient amounts of oxygen as advised by your doctor. It’s also good to stay physically active and be on a nutritious diet.
 
Adequate oxygen helps prevent complications and progressive organ damage  
When your body cannot provide enough oxygen, many of your tissues and organs start deteriorating. This leads to a number of complications that can severely make your condition more difficult to manage. Some of these complications are progressive pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale (a type of heart failure), and secondary polycythemia. Other conditions also include heart problems like arrhythmias or irregular heartbeats, and possible ischemia, or a lack of oxygen supply to the heart. Experts have found that adequate oxygen therapy can help reduce the risk for such complications by stabilizing oxygen levels throughout the body. This leads to reduced chances of pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and other complications.
 
Adequate oxygen prolongs survival 
Studies have found that COPD patients on long-term oxygen therapy had higher chances of prolonged survival. This is, by far, one of the most important reasons why you have to comply to your doctor’s orders of getting adequate oxygen therapy. Not getting enough oxygen, or voluntarily under-dosing the amount of oxygen you get, can decrease its effectiveness and limit the benefits it can offer. Thus, if you are having problems complying to the right dose of oxygen, or having trouble receiving oxygen throughout the day or when going out of the house, its best to discuss alternative ways to receive adequate amounts of oxygen with your doctor or health care provider.
 
All in all, getting enough oxygen has been found to reduce the severity of COPD symptoms, prevent complications, reduces hospitalization, and ultimately improves a patient’s quality of life. Having enough oxygen ensures that every organ in your body gets the right amount of oxygen it needs to function at its best.
 

Developing Coping Strategies
 

COPD is one of those conditions that produces highly individualized symptoms, and the right strategies to cope well with your COPD may not be the same strategies that work for someone else. As you become more familiar with COPD and how it affects you and your lifestyle, you’ll find some tips and techniques offered by others that work beautifully and some that don’t quite fit your needs.
 
Here are some steps that can help you develop your own coping strategies
 
Research COPD. Knowledge is power, and the more you know about COPD and how it’s affecting you, the better prepared you are to adapt to your changing needs.

See your doctor every six months. Regular appointments are the easiest way to monitor the progress of your COPD and your general health.

Know how to use your meds. If you don’t use your medications properly, you can’t manage your COPD symptoms as well. If the instructions are confusing, ask your doctor or pharmacist for clarification.

Follow your exercise and diet plans. Staying fit and making sure you get the proper nutrition can do a lot to keep your COPD symptoms under control.

Find ways to enjoy life. Even if you can’t do some of the things you used to, there are still things you can enjoy. Learning new skills and exploring new activities help keep your mind sharp and your spirits up.

How to increase appetite in COPD
 

Having COPD comes with various effects like easily getting fatigued and difficulty moving around. For some patients, COPD also comes with a loss of appetite that could cause lack of proper nutrients and weight loss.
Many COPD patients report that this lack of appetite is due to food not tasting as great as it used to. Others say that fatigue often gets in the way of preparing meals and eating, and sometimes it’s quite a challenge to chew, swallow and breathe at the same time. Additionally, some COPD medications can also affect appetite.
Though not given enough attention, a loss of appetite in COPD patients is an issue that needs to be resolved. When you aren’t eating enough, your body cannot get the right nutrients it needs for energy and for functioning as normally as possible. This in turn leads to more fatigue and can subsequently result to a worsening inability to move about and do physical activity.
A lack of nutrients can also make it more difficult to breathe. This is because COPD patients need more calories to engage the muscles needed in the breathing process. Thus, it is essential that you get enough nutrients and calories to support breathing and keep your body functioning well. If a loss of appetite is increasingly becoming an issue, here are some things you can do to get yourself to eat more.

Rest before eating. If feeling tired or fatigued is the main reason why you don’t feel like eating, a nap or scheduled rest time before eating may help give you enough energy and drive to eat a meal. If preparing meals gets you tired, ask for help from a family member or friend.


Add some appetite-boosting herbs. Herbs like ginger, cinnamon, ginseng, dandelion, fennel, tarragon and peppermint are known for their appetite-stimulating properties. Some, like ginger and fennel, can be added as spices, while others, like peppermint or dandelion, can be drank as tea. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if these herbs are safe to take with your medications.


Choose recipes that are attractive and easy to make. If the thought of preparing food makes you feel tired already, its best to choose recipes that you find interesting yet easy to make. Stir fries, one-pan meals, and other easy cooking methods can get you delicious meals that are worth looking forward to. Try adding in colorful ingredients like different-colored veggies that make food look more flavorful. You can also opt to prepare food in a different way than you usually do. Cooking your food in various ways can make meals seem more appetizing. Add spices that smell good to entice your appetite. You can also prepare meals that are freezer-friendly for you to just throw in the freezer and reheat at any time.


Keep your favorite foods handy. If you don’t feel like eating during mealtime, you can instead eat some of your favorite foods, as long as they’re healthy. Knowing that your favorite foods are available can help stimulate appetite. Keep a good supply of them in your fridge or pantry so that you can easily access them. Also, snacking frequently throughout the day can help stabilize metabolism and thus make you feel hungrier during mealtime.


Get regular exercise. Even light physical activity, like walking for about 15-20 minutes, doing yoga, or other light physical activity, may be able to help you feel hungry and thus, have the appetite to eat. Physical activity can also help you more easily absorb the nutrients from a meal.


Keep a variety of fruits at hand. Some people find that eating more fruits can help boost appetite. This is because strong fruit flavors, like those in peaches, figs, apricots, and dates, help stimulate appetite. Fruits smoothies, fruit-flavored snacks, and dried fruits are good choices as well.


Keep your dining area pleasant and stress-free. Mealtime should always be a relaxing affair. See to it that your dining area is free from noise and any disturbances. Use your best dinnerware. Place some flowers and add some fancy place mats. You can even play soft music in the background! Knowing that you’re going to have an enjoyable meal with your family can help make you look forward to eating.

 

Depression worsens COPD symptoms--Shared from ScienceDaily news


 

Debilitating symptoms from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can worsen in patients who also experience depression, research suggests.

A new study, published in journal CHEST , demonstrates a link between an exacerbation of COPD in patients and depression.

Patients who had pre-existing depression or developed depression after COPD diagnosis were more likely to experience heightened COPD symptoms, such as increased breathlessness, reduced exercise tolerance and hopelessness.

Patients with the obstructive lung condition and depression also performed worse than COPD patients without depression in exercise tests, showing a pronounced loss in performance in their daily activities.

The results have implications for healthcare practitioners who could potentially screen for mental health problems periodically in those patients with a history of difficulty coping at home, poor adherence to therapy or experience of a recent bereavement, in a bid to reduce COPD-related hospital readmission.

Lead researcher Dr Abebaw Mengistu Yohannes, Reader at Manchester Metropolitan University, an expert in COPD and mental health, said: "We have found a previously unknown link between the brain and COPD. Mental health can have repercussions elsewhere in body, in this case, exacerbating the negative effects of COPD and poor prognosis in health outcomes.

"Essentially, we can treat the brain to treat the lungs and this is something health practitioners should be aware of when working with COPD patients.

"It creates a strong argument for vigorous screening of mental health problems in patients who are admitted in the short term for exacerbations of COPD. Managing mental health problems associated with COPD should be an important part of the management plan for the short term as well as the discharge planning with longer-term follow-up."

The research looked at 1,589 patients over a three-year period. It found that more than half did not experience any depressive symptoms. Almost a quarter of COPD patients were classified as permanently depressed while 14 per cent developed a 'case' for depression during the three-year follow-up.

COPD patients were asked to complete a six-minute walking test and quality of life scale. Those with depression performed worse in exercise tolerance and impaired quality of life than COPD patients without depression. Researchers concluded that depression in COPD is chronic and inadequately treated.

How to prevent COPD from worsening
 

Although COPD is not curable, the next best thing is to prevent the condition from progressing to a later stage. With proper maintenance therapy and a number of habits to incorporate into your lifestyle, you can take a good approach to keeping COPD symptoms at bay and prevent it from worsening. Here are some steps you can take:

Eat well and maintain ideal nutrition. Patients with inadequate nutrition have been found to be more prone to breathing difficulties and reduced strength in the diaphragm and in muscles surrounding the lungs. Additionally, patients with low body weight may have more difficulty in exercising. Because of this, it’s a fact that a balanced diet rich in proper nutrients can help in the fight against COPD difficulties. Knowing what to eat and what to avoid is also crucial. Stay away from foods that may contribute to worsening of symptoms, such as salt which can retain water in the body and cured meats which contain nitrates that can worsen COPD. Choose natural sources of protein instead, like lean meat or fish, and enrich your meals with more fruits and vegetables that contain many of the nutrients needed to boost your health. Also, choosing the right foods can help you maintain the right weight, as being overweight can put more pressure on the lungs.

Stay away from smoke and fumes. Having COPD means that it’s crucial to check the quality of air you breathe. Make sure that your home and work environment is free from irritants like dust, chemical fumes, and even cigarette smoke. Exposure to such irritants can cause flare-ups, possibly making you have more trips to the hospital. If people around you smoke, talk to them about smoking somewhere else, like outdoors, to minimize chances of inhaling cigarette smoke. This being said, it’s also important to stop smoking if you are a smoker, as smoking can contribute to rapid progression of the disease.

Get the needed vaccines. For patients with COPD, getting vaccinated against influenza and pneumonia is important. These infections can severely impact lung functioning, and can make patients with COPD seriously ill. During flu season, it’s important to take measures to prevent getting the disease. Stay away from people who have the flu, and make it a habit to wash your hands often. If family members are sick, it’s best to avoid going near them and using the same utensils and plates.

Make sure to conform to your medication regimen.Depending on the COPD stage your condition is in and the symptoms you frequently feel, your doctor will prescribe you with a variety of medications that are best for your condition. These medications will help keep symptoms at bay and prevent exacerbations. Sticking to these medications and taking them at the right time is very important if you want to prevent COPD from getting worse.

Increase your physical activity. Staying active can keep your lungs healthy by strengthening the muscles needed in breathing. This being said, regular exercise can help prevent worsening of COPD. If you have difficulty exercising, talk to your doctor and start slowly. You will find that physical activity gradually gets easier to manage once you start. Other activities that require physical effort, like climbing stairs, can also get easier on your lungs once you start exercising.

Consume more antioxidants.  Studies have found that oxidative damage from free radicals may have a link to the worsening of COPD. Consuming foods rich in antioxidants may help slow the progression of COPD and protect your lungs from any tissue damage from oxidative factors. Brightly-colored fruits, along with green tea and chocolate, may help provide you with a significant amount of antioxidants.

With COPD, one ofthe most important treatment goals is to maintain adequate lung function and preserve healthy lung tissue. Taking the steps above can massively reduce the chances of COPD progression to later stages.

Helpful advice for COPD Self-care
 

Do you have COPD and aren’t sure how to handle your medications and oxygen? Maybe you’ve just been diagnosed and are overwhelmed with all the changes. Or maybe you’ve been living with COPD for some time, and have wanted to learn about how you can care for yourself more efficiently?  Most COPD patients know how you feel, and many of them have been successfully able to manage their conditions and still lead healthy, meaningful lives. Here are some tips to guide you with learning how to do self-care more efficiently.
 
Monitor yourself continuously. One very important aspect of COPD self-care is monitoring yourself continuously. Every day, you have to assess how you are feeling, what symptoms are bothering you, how your energy levels are doing, and how you are responding to medications. To do this, it’s a good idea to keep a journal and set aside a time every day to jot down what you have observed with yourself. You can also write about any physical activities you did or plan to do, and how you feel about them. You can also make a checklist regarding how you feel and what symptoms you have experienced on a particular day. You can then print out this checklist and make a lot of copies, so that all you have to do every day is tick off what feelings and symptoms are applicable. Keeping a journal or record can be very useful — it can help you pinpoint any patterns, any triggers, or simply give you and your health care team a preview of how you have been doing for the past days or weeks. This can be very useful during hospital admissions and physician visits.
 
Know all about your treatments. In COPD, various treatments are given to optimize breathing and, increase oxygen levels, and lessen the occurrence of symptoms and attacks. It’s quite important to know what your medications are and what each one of them does. Bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and other medications can be included in your daily regimen. Knowing what each of these medications are, how they act, how they should be taken, and what possible side effects they cause can help you be more observant of how your symptoms react with each medication. Oxygen therapy is another essential aspect of COPD treatment.  Depending on your needs, your doctor will prescribe you with the oxygen concentration and duration you need to take every day. You may be required to be on oxygen for at least 15 hours, and even up to 24 hours. Knowing your options regarding oxygen therapy can help you decide how to manage this aspect, such as when you are going out of the house or when having to travel.
 
Make a checklist. Having COPD means having to take daily medications, use your oxygen for certain times of the day (or always), keep track of any symptoms and make sure you have done your exercises and other supplemental treatments. A great way to remind yourself about the items you have to do every day and keep track of the medications and treatments would be to make a checklist. List down all the things you have to do for your condition every day, with a check box beside each item that you can mark when you’ve done it. Aside from functioning as a to-do list, a checklist is also a handy tool that makes you keep track of everything you’ve accomplished for the day.
 
Know how to manage stress and reduce anxiety.Relaxation and breathing techniques such as belly breathing and visualizing can help you manage stress and keep negative emotions at bay. To do belly breathing, simply look for a comfortable place to sit, relax your shoulders and upper body, then breathe in slowly through your nose, counting to three while you allow your belly to expand as much as it can. Then, place your lips in a pursed position, and slowly exhale to a count of six while allowing your belly to flatten. Do this several times until you feel relaxed. It also helps to think about or visualize your happy place. This could be a place during your childhood, or a place where you are happy with your loved ones. Think about the sensations you will be feeling when in your happy place. As you breathe in and out slowly while visualizing your happy place, you will find that you will be at a very relaxed state,
 
Advice when doing activities. Before you do any activity, it’s important that you evaluate how important that activity is and how you are feeling before doing the activity. A good idea is to ask yourself some questions before any activity, such as: “Why do I need to do this activity?” “What time is the best time to do this activity?” “Do I have enough energy to do this activity?” “Are there any ways to make the activity easier?” Asking yourself these questions can help you determine the importance of the activity and whether it is a big priority.
 
Know how to move around the home efficiently. When moving around the home, it’s important to conserve your energy and do things slowly. When doing chores, sit down while doing them whenever possible, such as when preparing food, cooking and doing dishes. When doing chores that require moving around, don’t rush; stop whenever you are tired. Try switching between easy chores and difficult chores to avoid getting too tired. Also, its best to keep frequently used items within reach around the home, such as plates, cups, and other things you use daily.
 
Advice on bathing and dressing. Choose a time for bathing when you have the most energy. It’s best to have a chair to sit down on during your shower to keep you from getting tired. Keep the temperature to moderate rather than too hot, as the steam may add to any breathing difficulties. Aside from this, it’s best to shower or bath when there is someone in the home to help you if any emergencies or incidents arise. Dry yourself off with a robe instead of a towel to preserve your energy. When dressing, lay out everything you need within reach, which you can also do the night before. As much as possible, sit down while dressing and choose loose fitting clothes.
 
Ask your doctor or health care team to outline a self-care plan for you. Your physician, along with your health care team, knows what’s best for you. With their years of experience treating COPD patients, they can help you with self-care by drawing out a plan where you get to learn what to do regarding various aspects of your condition, along with everyday aspects of life. They can even show you how to do various things, such as monitor your symptoms, use your oxygen effectively, and do exercises.
 
Keeping all of these tips in mind will make it easier for you to care for yourself and prevent any COPD attacks. If you live alone, make sure that you have easy access to emergency numbers, as well as having a friend or relative to call whenever you need help. Remember that the person who can take care of you the most is yourself, so knowing how to do self-care is important whatever conditions you have.
 

Reduce your risk of COPD
 

Millions of people are diagnosed with COPD every year. If you know someone who has COPD, you may already be familiar with the challenges encountered in managing the condition. Normally, lung function peaks at early adulthood, usually in the twenties, then after that begins to decline. This is why we have to take care of our lungs, especially as we age. If you are continuously exposed to factors that cause a decrease in lung function, you may be putting yourself at risk to COPD.

There are quite a number of factors that can increase the risk to COPD. Among these include genetics, race, clinical factors and even environmental factors. What is important though, is the fact that COPD can be prevented by working on factors that are within your control. Here are some things you can do to decrease the risk for getting the condition or even slow down its progression.
 
Stop smoking! It is a known fact that smoking is among the primary risk factors for COPD and other respiratory conditions. Smoking damages healthy lung tissue, decreasing its capacity to carry air and infuse oxygen into the blood. It also wreaks havoc on other body systems, making you more prone to other illnesses. Because of this, the importance of quitting smoking has been emphasized time and again. The good news is that, when you stop smoking, there is an immediate benefit for your lung function. Plus, any difficulty in breathing is lessened to some degree. If you need help in quitting smoking, you can ask your physician for advice. There are also some medications that aid in smoking cessation.
 
Get active! Regular physical activity can strengthen lung function. Frequent physical activity that encourages moderate to high levels of exercise has been shown to slow down lung function decline. This, in turn, lowers a person’s chances of having COPD. Additionally, studies in smokers have found that high levels of physical activity were able to help in decreasing lung function decline. This simply highlights how regular exercise can help stave off COPD for those at risk, while also slowing down progressions and lessening exacerbations in people who have the disease.
 
Steer clear from lung irritants. This goes on to say that you have to avoid environmental pollutants that make you cough, especially cigarette smoke and smog. Children who are exposed to irritants like secondhand smoke have been found to have an increased risk for asthma, infections and COPD when they get older. Stay away from places where smog concentrations are high. Avoid using household items that give off chemical fumes, such as cleaning solutions. If places with air pollutants are totally unavoidable, opt to wear masks that keep you from inhaling such particles. It’s also best to avoid inhaling any smoke from burning coal, wood or any other material.
 
Adapt some dietary improvements. Aside from helping you maintain a healthy weight, eating right can help add healing components to your diet, such as fish, fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and veggies contain components that help decrease inflammation in the body, along with antioxidants that fight off tissue damage. The healthy omega-3 fats in fish like salmon have been found as well to help decrease inflammation in the lungs, resulting in improved lung function. Omega-3 can be taken in as well from other foods and fish oil supplements. Additionally, taking in 600 mg of Vitamin E every other day has been found to cause a 10-percent reduction in COPD risk.
 
Keep away from respiratory illness. Frequent episodes of flu and colds can attack the integrity of lung function. Do your best to reduce the number of times you get flu, colds and other respiratory illnesses. This can be done by taking measures to strengthen your immune system and preventing transmission of infections. Advise all family members to wash their hands upon getting inside the house. Get vaccinations for flu and pneumonia, especially if you are at a higher level of risk. It also helps to take your daily multivitamin, especially one containing zinc and vitamins known to strengthen the immune system.
 
All of these tips can help you and your loved ones prevent the onset of COPD, especially if you have a family history of respiratory conditions. If you already have COPD, the tips above can help reduce the frequency of exacerbations and slow down the progression of lung disease. Taking these extra measures to heart can have a powerful impact on your health now and even later in life.
 

Diabetes and COPD
 


Diabetes is a disease that many people hear about but may not be very familiar with, until they are diagnosed with it. Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot use glucose efficiently, thus leaving high amounts of it in the blood. This results to various symptoms like feeling easily tired and fatigued, frequent thirst and urination, and wounds that are difficult to heal. In the long term, diabetes can lead to damage to blood vessels and nerves, affecting major body organs like the heart, kidneys, eyes and brain.
But why is it an important issue to know about, especially for COPD patients? An increasing number of studies show that patients who have COPD have a higher risk for acquiring diabetes.


Diabetes and COPD: The connection
Though it has not yet been well-established as to why COPD patients have a higher chance of being affected with diabetes, one of the main suspects is the systemic inflammation brought about by  the condition. Chronic inflammation has been linked to the development of a number of lifestyle diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Also, recent studies have shown that COPD increases the risk for diabetes because of the changes it causes in the body, such as increased weight gain and alterations in metabolism. Increased oxidative stress and insulin resistance may also pave the way for the occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Aside from such alterations in the body, COPD patients’ chronic intake of corticosteroids to relieve airway inflammation can also play a role. Among the side effects of corticosteroids, one of the most difficult to deal with is its alteration of blood sugar levels. Corticosteroids, like prednisolone and hydrocortisone, can  wreak havoc on how the body metabolizes blood sugar. The side effects become even more pronounced in patients who are taking corticosteroids over the long term, causing insulin resistance that can ultimately lead to type 2 diabetes.
All of the above effects are possible, regardless of the severity and stage of COPD. Thus, many COPD patients should be more aware of the risks that the condition may lead to.

Diabetes, on the other hand, is also a factor that can increase the chances for lung infections and negatively affect lung structure and function. Many diabetics are more at risk of pulmoary infections. Thus, patients who have diabetes along with COPD can possibly experience more serious COPD symptoms. Diabetics with COPD were seen to have an increased incidence of flare-ups as well. Other investigations have also supported this evidence. Patients with high blood sugar levels were seen to be more frequently hospitalized for COPD symptoms and acute attacks, with diabetes possibly causing a more rapid rate of lung decline. Because of this, diabetes mellitus is now considerably viewed as one of the contributing factors to COPD.

What you can do to minimize risk
All of this information may seem overwhelming and even bothersome. However, there are things you can do to stop diabetes in its tracks or altogether prevent its onset.Consider taking on practices that reduce the risks to diabetes, such as having a healthy diet low in refined sugars. You also need to pay attention to the importance of reducing lung function decline, such as quitting smoking and staying on track with your exercise program. Talk with your doctor to have an assessment of your blood sugar levels, and ask for continuous monitoring.
If you are seen to have problems with blood sugar control, its time to take steps to keep this from progressing to full blown diabetes. You should also consider regular prophylactic vaccinations since high blood sugar levels may make respiratory infections more difficult to deal with. Its also important to adhere to medical regimens and routines recommended by your doctor. Adequate control over symptoms with prevention of complications should be the main goal of your treatment regimen.
All in all, regular appointments and open communication with your doctor to voice out any worries over your condition is a great start to preventing diabetes, heart conditions, and the onset of any other possible conditions.

Learn about the different types of oxygen therapy
 

“You need oxygen therapy,” your doctor says. And you can’t answer, because in the first pace, you’re stumped at what oxygen therapy really means. If you’re a COPD patient but still need help figuring out what all the prescriptions and doctor recommendations are, then this article can help you get to learn about oxygen therapy and the four different types.
Oxygen therapy is recommended for COPD patients and those who have breathing problems, but a certain type or duration of therapy may be called for in certain situations. This article will talk about these four different types, when they are used, and their differences from each other.
Acute oxygen therapy 
Acute, or short-term, oxygen therapy is commonly used in hospitals and clinics in cases where the patient has hypoxemia. This means that there is a very low amount of oxygen in the blood, resulting from various conditions that prevent adequate oxygen from reaching the blood. Signs of hypoxemia are usually shortness of breath and a very low arterial blood gas (the measurement of oxygen taken from arterial blood).
In COPD patients, acute exacerbations or attacks can be treated with acute oxygen therapy, along with other medications like bronchodilators, steroids or antibiotics.
Long-term oxygen therapy
Long-term oxygen therapy, or LTOT, is among the most important treatments for COPD patients with chronic hypoxemia. It is used in the home care setting and is intended to provide patients with a continuous oxygen supply. Studies have found that LTOT increases the survival of COPD patients, especially those who are more severely affected.
Once LTOT is prescribed to COPD patients, it is usually lifelong, with current guidelines recommending it to be given at least 15 hours a day. It is administered especially at night, when oxygen levels may go lower as breathing may be more difficult during sleep. You can choose the home use oxygen concentrator or the portable oxygen concentrator as well as the cylinders or the liquid oxygen ect. We can provide the various type oxygens.
Aside from being able to maintain adequate oxygen levels, long term oxygen therapy has been found to reduce the damage to the lungs and blood vessels brought about by COPD. It can also improve patients’ breathing dynamics, increase tolerance for physical activity and exercise, and even improve neurophysiological responses.
Ambulatory oxygen therapy
Ambulatory oxygen therapy is a type of oxygen therapy intended for patients who are already on LTOT but wish to go outside of the home. It is also intended for those with COPD who experience exercise desaturation or dyspnea during physical activity but benefit from oxygen administration.
This type of therapy consists of lighter equipment that can be carried whenever the patient has to go outside the home, for instance, during grocery shopping, going for check-ups, doing leisure activities or attending social events. Simply put, ambulatory oxygen is for patients who are more mobile outdoors.
Ambulatory oxygen therapy is only intended for short-term use, thus should not be too frequently offered to patients who depend on LTOT.
Short-burst oxygen therapy
Short burst oxygen therapy, or SBOT, is the occasional use of supplemental oxygen for short periods of about 10-20 minutes duration. It is primarily used to relieve breathlessness in COPD patients, especially following exercise or physical activity, when other medications or treatments are not effective. Though studies have not found any concrete evidence of benefit from SBOT, its use is still widely prescribed for pre-oxygenation before any physical activity, breathlessness after physical exertion or even at rest, and in COPD exacerbations until LTOT or acute oxygen therapy can be given.
SBOT is different from ambulatory oxygen therapy in that it is used only during periods of breathlessness or anticipation of dyspnea, while ambulatory oxygen therapy is the continuous administration of oxygen during physical activity or when the patient is mobile.

Being acquainted with these various types of oxygen therapy can help you understand which types are more appropriate in certain settings and why your doctor may recommend a particular type for you.


Understanding COPD：Try being their shoes
 

Would you want to spend a day in your life trying to be in the shoes of a COPD patient? Not many would agree to be in such a situation, but this TV celebrity decided to take on the challenge.
Nadia Sawalha, a UK TV persona, spent a day as a COPD patient. With a tight corset wrapped over her abdomen and a mask over her nose and mouth to try to constrain breathing, she was able to simulate the breathing conditions of COPD sufferers. And with this set-up, she went about her daily activities, including going shopping and attempting to cook up a recipe.
Nadia remembers her late grandmother, who had COPD. She recalls that when being with her “nan,” as she fondly called her grandmother, they would often stop every few minutes on walks, with her nan looking around.  She remembers herself asking, somewhat annoyed, “Why does she keep stopping?” Now, she understands the feeling and why her nan kept pausing, bending over, or holding on to walls. “She was just desperately trying to take a breath,” says Nadia.
With the COPD simulation, the UK celebrity described how she had difficulty doing simple things we take for granted, such as going up the stairs, buying groceries, and even trying to cook. Since she loved cooking and the kitchen, she narrates how frustrating it was for her to have difficulty reaching up and down for things she needed, since the wheezing and gasping for breath always seemed to get in the way. “Its as if when your airways narrow, so does your very life,” says Nadia.
When asked about how she found the experience, she said that it was “truly horrific.” She recounts the feeling of “trying so hard to open your lungs” and being unable to have a conversation “because all you can think about is your next breath.”
All in all, she says that the experience has made her feel closer to her nan. It has also made her understand the challenges COPD patients go through everyday, and that she was fortunate to still have normally functioning lungs. Being a former smoker, she is now a staunch advocate of early COPD diagnosis, especially after knowing how it feels like to lose a percentage of your breathing capacity. She implores people to get checked immediately if they think they may have COPD, saying that “it is not something you always get tested for, so it’s good to ask your doctor.”
Nadia believes that staying active is one of the best things COPD patients can choose to do. Though there may be challenges, and though it may be much easier to stay in bed or slack off on exercise, keeping active will pay off and prevent you from feeling worse. “People use wheelchairs and ramps at home, when really, they need more exercise,” states Nadia.
Upon taking off the corset, she breathed a sigh of relief, saying that the experience made her realize how lucky she was. Though people with COPD cannot do the same and just take off any virtual corset to feel better, with the right treatment and proper daily habits, there is hope to feeling much better.
Though we aren’t challenged to do the same and experience a day in a COPD patient’s shoes, the message here is clear. An understanding of COPD is much needed in today’s society, especially where we see patients walking around with portable oxygen equipment. Becoming more aware of this condition helps us be more considerate toward our involvement in producing pollutants like cigarette and automobile smoke or in the use of chemical irritants like cleaning solutions. If you know someone with COPD, it’s a good idea to pause for a while, take a deep breath, try feeling what they’re feeling, and think about how you can help.

Dealing with Stage 4 COPD
 

Have you been diagnosed with COPD, and have the doctor say that it’s Stage 4? This diagnosis usually comes with fear, denial and even depression. But before you start feeling downcast and ruminating over your life, give this article a read first.

As you may know, COPD has four stages. Stage 1 is the mildest, while Stage 4 is said to be the most severe. The ability to breathe becomes more challenging with each passing stage, along with symptoms that become more difficult to manage. As you may also know, each stage is diagnosed depending on the FEV1, or the forced expiratory volume in one second. This test reflects how your lungs are functioning and, according to Healthline, is a measure of how much air you can release in the first second of a forced breath.

Though various organizations have different ways of classifying and describing each stage, Stage 4 is most usually termed as the most severe, with many patients becoming very ill at this point. Yet despite these diagnoses, a huge number of patients with Stage 4 have lived way beyond the life expectancy given to them by their doctors, and have continued to function well while dealing with their condition. Community forums and patient testimonies have clearly shown that Stage 4 COPD patients can continue to alter the course of the disease. If you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with Stage 4 COPD, there are many things you can do defy COPD.

  • Manage medications smartly. With a diagnosis of Stage 4, your doctor may have more medications prescribed. Take your medications religiously, and ask for help in keeping track of them. Sometimes, various medications are required depending on the symptoms being experienced. Ask a loved one to help in managing these medications. It’s also a good idea to get close to a nurse or someone from the medical team to assist in setting up a medications schedule that is easy to follow. They can also answer your questions about medications anytime you have some. Another tip here is to ask for devices that are easier to use, such as a spacer to help in administering inhaled medications.

  • Take steps toward quality rest. This stage presents more difficulty in getting quality sleep. As breathing becomes harder, restorative sleep also becomes more difficult to attain. Rest whenever you can, and stop whatever you are doing whenever you feel fatigued. You can also talk to your doctor to learn about techniques that can help you sleep better. You can also opt for an adjustable bed, or simply add more pillows to make it easier for you to breathe with lesser effort.

  • Choose to exercise. Though exercise may be more difficult at this stage, it is also the point where it is most important. At this stage, just a small amount of physical activity can become overwhelming and even exhaustive. There are ways, however, to minimize discomfort and promote exercise. Mobility devices, for instance, can help in walking around, since they provide something to lean on and share the weight. Many of these devices also have baskets or areas where a portable oxygen device can be placed. You can also opt for home exercise equipment that you can use with your loved ones while watching TV or simply bonding.

  • Know what to expect. Stage 4 comes with more flare-ups, difficulty in coughing up phlegm, and increasingly challenging symptoms. Preparing in advance for flare-ups by having emergency medications handy can help ease the stress on you and your loved ones. Knowing what supplies to have and what has to be done will allow you and your loved ones to smoothly handle any difficult situations. It’s also a good idea to have a hospital bag ready to just grab up anytime a trip to the hospital is needed, along with a handy list of medications and important medical information.

  • Choose the best oxygen therapy.Oxygen therapy can greatly improve quality of life, allowing you to enjoy each day better. It also allows less difficulty in physical activity, promoting involvement in everyday activities and even exercise. It’s also best to get the best training in handling and using your equipment. Make sure that all your questions about your oxygen therapy equipment are answered, and that you have replacement parts readily available like tubing and batteries.

  • Adapt a positive attitude. This, by far, is the most important thing you can do. A positive attitude and the will to make the necessary changes in your life can be the start of having improvements in your COPD symptoms. Many Stage 4 COPD patients have continued to live fulfilling lives and defying life expectancy predictions with the resolve and willpower that they will get better.  Know that you have the power to alter the course of your COPD, thus, taking charge of your health is the key. Working with your loved ones, your doctor, and the medical team, along with taking active steps to manage symptoms and live your best life, can have a great impact on your perspective toward your condition.

With all the uncertainties surrounding Stage 4 COPD, many patients have persevered and functioned at their best. Taking an active stand and implementing the tips above can give you the lead against your COPD.

Have a loved one newly diagnosed with COPD?

 

New medications, treatment goals, changes in activity and alterations in routine—all these can be quite stressful for a newly diagnosed COPD patient. It’s a good thing there are family members and loved ones around to provide support for the patient.
If your loved one is newly diagnosed with COPD, you have to do what you can to help the patient ease into all of the changes needed. Though it may be challenging for the entire family, there are many things you can do to help ensure that the patient will be at his or her most comfortable. Below are some tips you can follow if your loved one has just been diagnosed with COPD.

  • Learn as much as you can about the condition. It’s best that everyone close to the patient knows and understands the disease. This helps reinforce the patient’s knowledge about his or her condition, as well as helps everyone adjust to the needed changes in the patient’s lifestyle and around the home. Look up disease information on the internet. Talk to the doctor about treatment goals and what can be done to help slow disease progression and lessen complications. Get acquainted with your loved one’s medications and possible symptoms of acute attacks, so you know what to do whenever an emergency occurs. Coping with COPD needs adjustments not just from the patient but also from all the people close to him or her.

  • Provide emotional support. Being newly diagnosed, your loved one is probably coping with various emotions ranging from worry to despair. Show that you are available whenever they need to talk to someone about their feelings and concerns. Encourage him or her by staying optimistic and doing things he or she loves. Spend more time together and do fun activities that help take their mind off the symptoms and stressful changes. If you don’t live with them, staying in constant contact and checking in on them regularly will make them feel cared for. Being present, both physically and emotionally, will have a great impact on their well-being, especially at this stressful time.

  • Help around the house. Being present around the home and offering to help with chores and other activities can also be a great way to show support. Rearranging the furniture, removing irritants like cleaning solutions and dust, and enforcing a no smoking rule around the house is also important. Ask them what other things are needed to be done, and volunteer to do them. Remember that COPD patients are easily prone to fatigue, so whatever tasks you can help with around the house can mean a lot to them.

  • Attend doctor’s appointments with them. If no one else can go with them to doctor’s appointments, it’s imperative that you go with them, especially if you plan to be their primary caregiver. Listen to what the doctor says, take note of new medications, and pay attention when the doctor demonstrates how to use any equipment. The patient may not remember everything the doctor said, and you being there can help them remember. This is also your chance to ask questions from the physician or other health care professionals. Asking a lot of questions about the patient’s condition, treatments and COPD care can be very helpful for both you and the patient. Aside from this, your presence at any doctor’s appointments can ease any apprehensions and anxiety the patient has about his condition, making them feel more confident to ask questions concerning their health.

 

 

Caring for a COPD patient and adjusting to their needs may take some time to get used to. But remember that being there for your loved one means a lot, especially at this time when the patient may be feeling anxious about his or her condition. Getting to know about COPD and supporting your loved one physically and emotionally can have a significant impact on their quality of life.

Medications to avoid for COPD patients

​

Having COPD means that you have to watch out for any triggers, like environmental pollutants in the home and changes in the weather. But did you know that you also have to use certain medications with caution?
 
Whenever you take a new medication, be it a prescription drug or an over-the-counter medicine, you first have to check that it doesn’t react with your COPD symptoms. Even simple medications that treat insomnia, treat allergies or suppress coughing can have an effect.
 
Below are some of these medications that you should use with caution.
 

  1. Antihistamines – These are drugs used for treatment of allergies and itching. Among these are medications like diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), chlorphenamine (Chlortrimeton®), brompheniramine, and clemastine (Travist®). These medications act by drying up secretions in the nose and airways. However, they also cause drowsiness along with a depression in breathing, so these have to be avoided. Some cough and cold medications may also contain these ingredients, so you’ll have to check first before taking any such medications.

 

  1. Antitussives – These are drugs that suppress coughing. Examples of these are dextromethorphan and codeine. Though you may think of them as beneficial, note that coughing has an important role in clearing up your airways and removing phlegm and other secretions. If the coughing reflex is suppressed, airway secretions can make it more difficult to breathe. Additionally, keeping in these secretions can possibly lead to infections like pneumonia.

 

  1. Beta-blockers – These are a group of medications used to treat hypertension and certain heart diseases. They may be harmful for COPD patients because they may interfere with COPD medications like albuterol. They can also cause bronchial spasms, and can severely restrict breathing. Examples of beta-blockers are propranolol (Inderal®) and nadolol (Corgard®), among others. If you are taking these medications, talk to your doctor immediately, but do not stop taking them until your doctor gives you a different medication for your high-blood pressure or heart disease.

 

  1. Diuretics – Diuretics, or water pills, are another group of medications used to treat high-blood pressure, edema and heart failure. Such medications act to promote urination by flushing out water and electrolytes from the body. However, if you have COPD, staying hydrated is essential. Water is needed to thin airway secretions and prevent them from becoming too sticky. Thinner and more fluid secretions are much easier to cough out, so taking diuretics should be avoided. Some medications under this category are furosemide (Lasix®) and Spironolactone (Aldactone®).

 

  1. Opiates and opioids – Drugs like codeine, morphine, hydrocodone (Vicodin®) and hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) are useful in treating pain, especially after surgery. These medications, however, have been known to cause respiratory depression. Using any of these, along with other drugs under the same category, should be avoided in patients with COPD.

 

  1. Other drugs – There are some newer medications that have to be avoided because they have been found to worsen or aggravate COPD symptoms. Among them are abatacept (Orencia®), a drug used for rheumatoid arthritis, and zanamivir (Relenza®), an antiviral drug used to treat certain strains of influenza. These drugs should be avoided since they have been reported to cause bronchospasms and decreased lung function.

 
Remember to always talk to your doctor or pharmacist whenever you plan to take a new medication or do self-treatment. Avoiding the medications above and asking your doctor or pharmacist for a COPD-safe alternative can significantly help in keeping healthy and preventing any worsening of symptoms. Cheers to staying happy and healthy!

Setting your priorities and organize your day better    

 

Even the healthiest people don’t always have the time or energy to do everything they’d like to do, and that can be even more frustrating when you have COPD. You may be inclined to fight against your limitations, but ignoring them won’t make them go away, and the fight may leave you feeling even more drained, physically and emotionally.

Giving up certain things or activities may seem like an unwarranted sacrifice at first, but actually your COPD symptoms provide the perfect opportunity to decide what’s really important to you. If you’re like most people, there are probably a lot of things in your life — from physical items like furniture or collectibles to obligations of your time — that are there mainly because you’ve gotten accustomed to them being there, not because you have any particular attachment to them. This is your chance to identify the clutter in your life and do a good spring cleaning. You may be surprised at how much better you feel, especially mentally and emotionally, after you’ve cut out the things that mean the least to you.

 

Even after you’ve cleared your life of the things that don’t matter to you much, you still may feel over-extended. This is where pacing comes in. Here are some tips to help you organize your day:

  1. Don’t rush around. Whenever possible, try to maintain a steady pace.

  2. Don’t set your expectations too high. If anything, set the things you want to accomplish in the middling range; that way, you can do more if you have extra energy, and that can be a tremendous mental boost.

  3. Don’t try to do two high-energy things back to back. Allow for a rest period in between tasks.

  4. Don’t try to do something immediately after eating. Digestion takes a lot of your body’s energy, so you should try to rest for at least 20 minutes after a meal — longer if you’ve had a big meal.

  5. Do arrange your schedule so the most important things get done first. Less important things can wait for another day if necessary.

  6. Do ask family and friends for help, especially with tasks that require bending or lifting.

  7. Do use the most comfortable position for each thing you have to do. Sitting takes less energy than standing, for example, so do as much as you can from a sitting position.

  8. Do take advantage of your medications’ benefits by planning to do important tasks right after taking your medicine, when you’re likely to feel at your best.

Identifying your rhythm

   

Are you a morning person or an evening person? Many people with COPD find their energy levels are highest earlier in the day, possibly because they’re coming off a good long rest. But that’s by

no means universal. Maybe your energy peaks at midday or later, and mornings are more of a gearing-up time for you.

It’s important to figure out when you tend to be more (or less) energetic,because that critical piece of information can help you plan your day so you don’t feel wiped out by the end of it. The better you are at organizing your routine around your energy cycles, the less likely you are to feel overwhelmed by your symptoms.

Here are some questions to help you decipher your own daily rhythm:

Do you usually feel sluggish or energetic when you wake up in the morning?

Are you more likely to sleep late in the morning or to get up early?

If it were entirely up to you, would you rather stay up past midnight or go to bed before the 11 o’clock news?

Would you rather do errands like grocery shopping in the morning or the afternoon?

Do you take naps? If so, do you tend to nap more in the morning or in the afternoon?

After you’ve identified your body’s rhythms, you can play with your daily routine, so you can rest when you need to and get things done when you have the energy to do them.

A Holiday Message from the COPD Coach        

 

This week we’ll share a good article from COPD Foundation Blog, it is about the tips for celebrating the holidays. Believe it will be useful to you.

 

Living with COPD can present some challenges, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the holidays in a meaningful and memorable fashion with a little common sense and adequate preparation. Since the thought of celebrating holidays may seem daunting, as our gift to all of our readers, here are some tips to celebrate and ring in the new year in style.

 

What are your priorities?

We are often deluged with invitations to parties or events this time of year. It is not always possible to accept each and every invitation or attend each event. This is where we have to accept some limitations. There is no shame in explaining to our family and friends that too much activity in a short period of time can be extremely taxing for us. Decide before hand which events would hold the most meaning for you, and plan to attend only those events

 

Don’t overdo at the events you attend!

You can still be the life of the party, without expending too much energy. If you feel the need to contribute, make sure it can be done comfortably (preferably sitting down). If attending something like a concert or church service, make sure you can park close and have convenient seating. If hosting an event, rely on family members and friends to do the “heavy lifting.” Potluck dinners are never a bad idea and allow your friends the opportunity to feel like they are contributing to the party. Give yourself plenty of time to get ready, travel, and arrive at the venue early. Rushing will just cause you to get out of breath more quickly, and anxiety will hurt your breathing! Make sure you are not sitting near an area with fumes, strong scents or stale air – or especially near a fireplace!

 

Limit your shopping to what’s absolutely necessary.

As a person with COPD, it is never advisable to be out among large groups of people, especially during flu season. Thankfully, we are in the age of the internet where we can do much of our shopping from the comfort and safety of our home! Many of the largest retailers have excellent websites featuring many of the items they carry in their stores that can be easily purchased, usually with free shipping! The sites also offer an easy returns and also gift certificates.

 

Pull, don’t carry!

If you do decide to venture out to the mall or supercenter, use a cart! It gives you something to lean on and in some cases a place to put your portable oxygen (make sure you clean the handles of the cart with an antibacterial cleaner before using). Make a list before you go so you spend the least amount of time in the store and don’t have to walk more than necessary.

 

Watch what you eat!

Eating too much can worsen your breathing. Pace yourself! Eat small portions so you don’t feel bloated.

 

Dress appropriately!

Cold weather and COPD are not usually a good combination, so dress warmly for both the expected outdoor temperatures and the indoor ones. If you use supplemental oxygen make sure that you keep your oxygen hose under a layer of clothing so that the air you breathe will be warmer. Also, consider a scarf or facemask to make breathing colder air easier!

 

 

Have the tools you need.

If you use supplemental oxygen, make sure that you have an adequate supply and keep monitoring it throughout the evening. If you need to take certain medications, make sure that you have them with you and that you take them at your scheduled time. If you require carrying an emergency inhaler, make sure you keep it in a convenient location.

 

Know when you have had enough!

If you start to feel overwhelmed or fatigued don’t be afraid to make your excuses and leave. If you allow yourself to overdo, you will weaken your body making it susceptible to illness and might cause you to have to take down time to recover. Don’t feel guilty about calling it a night. The people who know you will be appreciative that you made the effort to attend in the first place!

 

To many, these suggestions may seem like common sense, but often times our holiday spirit will cause us to toss caution to the wind! Because we have breathing problems does not mean that we can’t experience the joy that comes with sharing the holidays with those we love. We Lovego South Africa staff wish you all a joyous and safe holiday season and a healthy and happy New Year!

Dealing with emotions

        

If you’re like most people, you feel as though COPD has dumped you into a bizarre alternate universe, where nothing is what you thought it was or expected it to be and where you’re buffeted by waves of confusing and conflicting emotions. You may feel overwhelmed by the lifestyle changes you have to make to manage your COPD. On days when your symptoms aren’t bad, you may feel like it’s all just a weird dream. On days when your symptoms keep you from doing what you normally do or what you want to do, you may feel the weight of discouragement. If you have a sudden flare-up, where your symptoms get rapidly worse, you may be just plain scared.

All these feelings are normal, and it’s normal to have good and bad days both physically and emotionally. As you get accustomed to your new routine and begin doing the things you can do to manage your symptoms, these feelings may lose a lot of their initial force. That’s not to say that you’ll never experience their full impact again, but they may recede to the background for the most part.

There are some things you can do to keep bad feelings from taking over your life:

Get dressed every day, even if you don’t plan to go out. Motivating yourself to do something, even small household chores, is easier if you’re already dressed and ready to face the day.

Whenever you can, take a walk outside for some exercise and fresh air. Being cooped up isn’t good for anybody’s mental health. Even a few minutes outside can do wonders for your mood.

Keep up with favorite hobbies or activities, or, if that’s not possible, find new ones. Occupying your mind and hands with something you enjoy helps keep you from brooding about the not-so-positive things.

Maintain your friendships. People are social creatures, and social interaction goes a long way in helping to keep your spirits up.

Talk to others — family members, friends, clergy, or a counselor — about how you feel. Often, just expressing your feelings out loud can strip them of a lot of their force.

Take your meds as directed and follow the other elements of your treatment plan. Your meds, diet, and exercise all play a role in reducing your physical symptoms, and the better you feel physically, the better you feel mentally and emotionally.

Give yourself permission to get enough rest. COPD is a fatiguing disease,and if you don’t get enough rest, you won’t be able to do a lot of things you want to do.

Using e-cigarettes to help with Quitting Smoke

 

 

 

As a Nurse,I find at times, there are some people that are not willing to quit smoking.  This is obviously a disastrous outcome for someonewith copd and will not help the situation to move forward. Smoking is highly addictive and quitting the habit is not easy. In addition to becoming addicted to nicotine, a drug found naturally in tobacco, people also become dependent on the physical and social habit of smoking.

 

Copd Nurses can play a  role in helping people quit smoking and choosing the most appropriate method out of a range of products and various strategies. These include prescription medicines, nicotine replacement products, such as patches or lozenges and counselling. Electronic cigarettes are devices that enable a person to inhale nicotine. As the products are relatively new, there have been limited long-term studies assessing the benefits and risks. Let’s have a brief introduction.

 

Although e-cigarettes have the potential to reduce the harm caused by smoking tobacco, they have not been scientifically evaluated and therefore, their safety and usefulness as a smoking cessation aid is still unknown. 

E-cigarettes are designed to look and feel like cigarettes. They consist of three parts; a battery, a vaporiser and a cartridge. The device works by vaporising the liquid in the cartridge. This creates a mist that can be inhaled by the user and they appear to breathe out smoke. The good news is unlike normal cigarettes these devices do not contain tobacco, but they contain nicotine in the liquid found inthe cartridge. The liquid can have different flavours and different amounts of nicotine and the user can select.

 

It is believed that e-cigarettes cause less harm than a normal cigarette and some people choose to use them in order to maintain their habit more safely. Some research into the views of e-cigarette users suggest that a key benefit of the products is that they satisfy a need to smoke.

 

 

I asked a patient recently about using the e-cigarette and he said:“I started using e-cigarettes even though I had no intention of actually stopping smoking. One day I realised that I was exclusively using the e-cigarette, and haven’t smoked a normal cigarette since. It may be difficult to get used to the experience at first but once your taste and smell senses return after smoking tobacco for a number of years, you begin to prefer the flavours available in an e-cigarette to the ‘bonfire’ flavour of a tobacco cigarette. I believe that I am using a safer alternative, although I still class myself as a smoker; if e-cigarettes were suddenly to become unavailable, I would go back to smoking tobacco cigarettes.”

 

 

As a Nurse, I find some concerns are they are not regulated across all countries. This means that there are no restrictions on the chemicals that can be added to the cartridges. This also means that they are not subject to strict quality control, and products may be labelled the same but have different amounts of chemicals and nicotine in them. As e-cigarettes look and feel like a cigarette, users are not encouraged to change their behaviour. Their addiction to the physical and emotional elements of smoking continues.

How to Exercise when suffer from the COPD

 

 

 

If you've got chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it's more important than ever to get some exercise—it can save your lung function and slow down the progression of COPD.  As you know, the shortness of breath that comes with exertion can make it tempting to move less than you did before. This sets up a vicious cycle: shortness of breath leads to inactivity, which leads to a decline in fitness, which leads to further shortness of breath and inactivity.

To get out of the rut, many experts or doctors will recommend walking, stationary biking, and elliptical training. They work well for people with COPD, but strength and resistance training are playing an increasing role in patients regimens.

As we age, people—particularly those over the age of 60—lose muscle fibers, also healthy people lose fast-twitch muscles, which are used for short bursts of energy. But individuals with COPD tend to lose slow-twitch muscles, which are used for endurance activities as well.

Weight training helps to improve skeletal muscle function so patients can remain active longer. Excercise of the lower legs—frequently walking or cycling—is the main focus of any organized exercise program for COPD, but exercising the upper arms through resistance training is also helpful. (Like anyone starting an exercise program, a person with COPD should be cleared for exercise by a health care provider)


If you have COPD, another advantage of exercising the respiratory system is to learn how to cope with the panic that can occur with shortness of breath.

In the normal life, there will be someone is hit in the stomach and can’t get their breath, but exercise teaches you how to deal with that sensation, to work through it. You know they are going to get up the steps, and they will get short of breath, but now you know, ‘Im not going to keel over and die.”

To fight panicky feelings, Respiratory therapists mainly offer two common breathing techniques: pursed lip and diaphragm breathing. Pursed lip breathing is performed by inhaling through the nose and then exhaling through pursed lips (as if one is going to whistle). The exhale should be longer than the inhale, but air should not be forced out. This breathing helps people relax and reduces the amount of air trapped in the lungs. Diaphragm breathing helps to strengthen this important muscle and is accomplished by lying on ones back with knees bent and making the stomach, rather than the chest, move out while inhaling and in while exhaling.
 

You can use these two techniques often while you at home or go out, especially the pursed lip. It will help you relax and calm down much

Workplaces to avoid

 

 

 

Your lungs work hard. Most adults take more than 20,000 breaths a day. But just how well your lungs do their job may be affected by the job you do.  It still amazes me as a Nurse, that too many people suffering lung conditions, particularly copd in the early stages are not making wiser choices with where they are working.

Please check out this list, and if you are in one of these areas, please reconsider....

 

"The lungs are complex organs,. " Chemicals. Germs. Tobacco smoke and dirt. Fibers, dust, and even things you might not think are dangerous can damage your airway and threaten your lungs. Also occupational and environmental exposures can lead to worsening of copd

 

Here are 8 jobs where precautions may help you avoid work-related lung damage.

 

1. Health Care

Doctors, nurses, and other people who work in hospitals, medical offices, or nursing homes are at increased risk for lung diseases such as tuberculosis, influenza, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

So, health care workers should keep up with immunizations (including the flu vaccine) 

Health care workers may also develop asthma if latex is used in gloves or other supplies. Latex-free synthetic gloves are an alternative.

 

4. Hair Styling

Certain hair-coloring agents can lead to occupational asthma. Some salon hair-straightening products contain formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. It's also a strong eye, nose, throat, and lung irritant.

Good ventilation is important. Because wearing a respirator might cause appointments to cancel, know what's in the products you're working with. If they're not safe, find a safer product.

 

5. Manufacturing

Some factory workers risk getting copd or making their existing copd worse. copd not caused by work but made worse by it affects as many as 25% of adults with copd.

Factory workers can be exposed to everything from inhaled metals in foundries to silica or fine sand, which can lead to silicosis, a disease that scars the lung, or increased risk of lung cancer.

 

6. Construction

Workers who demolish old buildings or do remodeling can be exposed to asbestos used as insulation around pipes or in floor tiles.

Even minimal exposure to its microscopic fibers has been linked to a variety of problems. 

Exposure also seems to raise the risk of small-cell lung cancer and can lead to asbestosis, or scarring of the lung. Removal should be left to trained and licensed crews.

 

7. Farming

Working with crops and animals can lead to several disorders. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a rare but serious problem caused by repeated exposures to mold-contaminated grain or hay. The lung's air sacs become inflamed and may develop scar tissue.

Grain in metal bins can get moldy. Breathing dust from this grain can lead to fevers, chills, and a flu-like illness called "organic dust toxic syndrome." Farmers also are more likely to report a cough and chest tightness.

"We think about 30% of farmers who grow crops in this way have had that at some point,". Workers in chicken barns sometimes get worsening of copd.

"Dust and ammonia levels together seem to be risk factors. Keep grain from getting damp, ensure adequate ventilation, and wear a respirator.

 

8. Auto Body Spray Painting

People who work in auto body shops are often exposed to chemicals known as isocyanates. 

"It's frequently a career-ending disease where they need to leave their profession

Using quality respirators that are appropriate for your task can lessen the risk. It also helps to enclose the area being sprayed and to have a ventilated exhaust system. Better yet, replace hazardous materials with safer ones.

 

9. Firefighting

People who battle blazes are exposed not only to the fire, but also to other materials, including burning plastics and chemicals. Firefighters can significantly lower their risk of lung disease and other problems by using a "self-contained breathing apparatus". These devices should also be used during "mop up" or the clean-up period.

"Many of the chemicals are still in the air. Ventilation also is critical.

 

10. Coal Mining

Underground miners are at risk for everything from bronchitis to pneumoconiosis, or "black lung." It's a chronic condition caused by inhaling coal dust that becomes embedded in the lungs, causing them to harden and make breathing very hard.

 

Again, protective equipment can limit the amount of dust inhaled.

A Day in the Life with COPD

 

 

 

This article was wrote by Mary UltesMary Ultes. Appreciate much to her for sharing her own story. It is a very good reference to us, and to live a fairly normal life with COPD. Anyway, life goes on, there are many beautiful things around us.

 

Hi, I am going to welcome you to my life for the day with the hope you will understand that you can still live a fairly normal life with COPD. First let me introduce myself to those of you who don’t know anything about me: I’m the 69-year-old woman who lives alone, I have stage 4 COPD compounded by Asthma, CHF, hereditary panic disorder and a few other things. I am maxed out on meds, and at this time there is no new medication, current procedure that will have any effect on my condition. According to all the doctors, I shouldn’t even be alive. But live I do and although it’s at a much slower pace and there are a lot of things I can’t do, I do what I can and don’t let my COPD control my life. “I am master of my life”. There are not as many pictures of me before and after the ones my step daughter Susan took as I’d like but, I have an old flip-open cell and I’m not use to taking selfies.

So let’s get our day started.

I wake up every morning between 7:30-8:30. Today when I look at the clock it’s 7:55. The first thing I do when I wake up, before I even opened my eyes, I said ” thank you God for seeing me through the night and blessing me with another day”, then I go to the bathroom. Next thing on my agenda is morning medication which consists of 2 pills my CFH, (chronic heart failure), Omeprazole for my GERD, Bisacodyl for my Irritable Bowel Syndrome and vitamin D , Brovana and Budesonide in my nebulizer for my COPD which takes me about 30 minute and Spiriva. This morning I’m extremely tired since I didn’t get to bed till three so I’ll lay back for a few minutes and think about what I have to do today. Well seems a few minutes turned into a few hours because now when I look at the clock it’s 10:30. Even though I got the extra rest I’m still tired, but my step daughter and grandson are coming over to take me out to lunch and do some shopping so I have to get up.

 

If I hadn’t fallen back to sleep, and wasn’t feeling so tired, I would have plenty of time to get washed, do my makeup and hair. Instead I barely have time to get dressed brush my teeth and comb my hair. You see getting dressed alone takes me at least 45 minutes. I have to rest in between each step I take when getting dressed. What is very normal for an average person something like taking off my nightgown, causes me to become SOB (short of breath), if I don’t stop and catch my breath before I put my bra and shirt on, I will become so SOB not only will my breathing stats drop, my heart rate escalates to a dangerous point. So this is what I do: take off my nightgown, rest for five minutes, put on my bra, rest 10 minutes, put on my top rest for five minutes – the cycles of do something then rest goes on the whole entire time I’m getting dressed or do anything at all. It is part of having severe COPD, you get used to it. I’ve learned over the years that doing things slowly and resting in between gets the job done with the least amount of SOB and stress.

Since I am already feeling tired, (which also comes with having COPD, you have your good days and your bad days), today I wear no makeup, and I have just run a comb through my hair. On good days I would never go out without makeup or a wig, and that is the first thing my grandson says when he sees me. First he thinks I don’t feel well enough to go and when I tell him I am going, he can’t believe I’m going out without a wig and makeup on. I let him know having the energy to go out with him and his mom means more to me than what I look like. Besides I knew I was going to do this article and give you all a look into my life, and I wanted you to see the real me. The way I look in the pictures is the way I look in everyday life no makeup and straggly hair.

Now that Michael and Susan are here, time to switch from my home oxygen unit onto my portable. Michael just got his learning permit and asks if he can drive the van, (we always go out in my van because it is equipped for my needs). I tell him if his mother says okay, it’s all right with me as long as he follows the rules of the road. Whenever I’ve gone out with Michael before I’ve driven. This time I can just sit back and rest while he drives. One other thing I did 15 minutes before I left the house, I took a Xanax. I always take a Xanax before I go out. No matter how low my oxygen get the Xanax keeps my nerves calm till I bring my oxygen level back up.


 

​We drive to the restaurant and Michael did a really good job. He did have to back out of the parking spot twice and pull back in again but, he finally got it right. When I go into restaurants I always walk (instead of using my scooter), when we get inside I asked the hostess for the table closest to where I’m standing at that particular moment. By the time I walked into the restaurant I’m so SOB, I never have a problem with them accommodating me. Once we’re seated I order a drink then I use my oximeter to check my oxygen level, it’s at 86, I start pursed- lip breathing to bring it back up to where it should be, which for me is 95/96 at rest. 10 minutes later I’m back to where I should be, lunch ordered and enjoying a drink. Michael loves going out to lunch with me, I let him order anything he wants no restrictions (except he’s not old enough to drink alcohol). Lunch is very enjoyable and relaxed, we spend about an hour and a half having lunch and visiting before we head to shopping.

What Effect does Marijuana have on COPD

 

 

 

Today, in the USA, it is legal on the state level to purchase and consume marijuana for recreational purposes. However, an additional 19 states have legalized marijuana to be used for medical benefits. This is leading a lot of people to ask, “What is the medical benefit to using marijuana?” There are many reports that state there isn’t enough research data available to make a claim either way. There are also reports that state that marijuana is beneficial and just as many that say it isn’t. When you sift through the political opinion and the media salad, you are still left with a lot of questions. We don’t claim to have completed our own research, or to be experts in the field of medical marijuana, but we are when it comes to lung diseases like COPD, and we have gone through the data to help shed some light on the question, “Can marijuana help COPD?"

  

Marijuana Doesn’t Have to be Smoked

 

This may be news to those that have not done much research on the matter, but marijuana can be consumed outside of smoking—just like tobacco. Although smoking is the most common form of consumption, marijuana can be used in the form of food or through vaporizing. As we have mentioned in a previous blog vaporising marijuana has quickly become a popular way to use the drug. Consuming marijuana in edible form has also become one of the norms. Right now in Colorado, the state that has had marijuana available for both medical and recreational uses for the longest period of time, you can find the drug being sold in baked goods and as desserts like lollipops and chocolate bars in licensed dispensaries.

 

Cigarette Smoke and Marijuana Smoke: Side-by-Side

 

You’ve heard the argument: marijuana smoke is worse/just as bad/not as bad as tobacco smoke for your lungs. On the basis of whether or not marijuana can help COPD, this argument doesn’t matter. However, comparing the two is useful for the purpose of creating a baseline that connects something we know quite a bit about to something we know little about.

 

Cigarette smoke contains over 700 chemicals, of which 70 can cause cancer. Is anyone surprised? I’m certainly not. Marijuana has a similar number of chemicals and known carcinogens in its smoke. Additionally, marijuana smoke deposits nearly four times as much tar in the lungs, this is due to most marijuana cigarettes not containing a filter and the habit of deeper inhalation when smoking marijuana. When both types of smoke are analyzed without filters and not through the habits of the smoker, the chemical makeup and detriment to health is notably similar. The largest difference is that tobacco smoke has nicotine and marijuana doesn’t while marijuana smoke has cannabinoids like THC and tobacco smoke does not.

 

Marijuana and COPD

 

What does all this mean for COPD? We’re glad you asked. There have been some conflicting studies that have produced results that THC, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, is actually good for your lungs. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved thc as a drug, which means that THC’s benefits outweigh its risks. Studies have also shown that THC can act as a bronchodilator, increasing airflow to the lungs. In turn, this could increase lung function and efficiency. Just because THC is an approved drug and has some beneficial attributes to lung disease symptoms does not mean consuming THC products is a safe treatment or a safe recreational activity for people diagnosed with COPD.

 

There is one thing we are fairly certain about, just like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke seems to be detrimental to lung health. Although there are reports that THC can help relieve some symptoms, the delivery method of smoking marijuana negates any positive results. Consuming marijuana through vaporizing or food may provide some relief without the destructive smoke component. Before you do anything of the sort, you should speak with your pulmonologist and get their guidance first.

Stem Cell Therapy and COPD: What You Need to Know

 

You’ve probably heard about how stem cell therapy has been providing cures for various ailments. Some are even touting it a ‘miracle cure’ for almost every disease – and even aging!
 
Perhaps you are asking, “Could stem cells be the cure to my COPD?”
 
What is stem cell therapy? How does it work?
 
Considered the building blocks of life, stem cells are vital to every organism. Unlike ‘mature’ cells which are specialized to perform specific functions, stem cells are capable of regenerating, replicating and forming into any type of tissue in the body. Due to this inherent characteristic of stem cells, they can be used to replace damaged, diseased, or lost tissues and even organs!
 
In stem cell therapy, stem cells are collected from the patient’s own bone marrow or blood. The cells are then processed and injected back to the patient’s system. These stem cells regenerate diseased tissues and cells, thereby promoting healing.
 
Theoretically, stem cell therapy can provide cure to any type of disease. This is because stem cells can specialize into whatever cells the body needs. However, the science behind stem cells is not yet fully explored and thus needs more careful study to reap its full potential.
 
At present, clinical trials have shown how this new medical procedure can treat several diseases that include diabetes and other neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injuries.
 
How stem cells can help COPD patients
 
COPD is among the chronic conditions that remain without a cure. COPD treatments are aimed at managing its symptoms – not really treating the cause. But stem cell therapy offers a glimmer of hope to COPD sufferers as these cells can potentially regenerate the diseased lung tissues, promote healing, and restore lung function.
 
Recent clinical trials are very reassuring, showing that stem cells help improve the quality of life of COPD sufferers and those with other pulmonary conditions such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis.
 
Stem cell therapy for COPD follows the same procedure: stem cells are harvested from the patient, processed and reintroduced to the body intravenously. Once stem cells are introduced into the blood circulation, the blood takes them to the heart then to the lungs before they are distributed throughout the body.  The stem cells stay in the lungs for a certain period (known as pulmonary trap) before being circulated into the system. It is thought that this circulatory process will benefit COPD sufferers, because the stem cells get deposited into the lungs where they can mature into lung tissues and thereby promoting healing.
 
Is stem cell therapy effective for COPD?
 
Although there are researches and clinical trials on the use of stem cells for lung disease, to date, such research is still in its early phases. This means, it is still premature to ascertain the feasibility and safety of stem cell treatment for chronic lung disease.
 
But don’t lose hope. There are clinical trials that are already in their later phase. Moreover, the growing interest in the potential of stem cells continues to attract more researches and clinical trials. And as we gain more knowledge about stem cells and how they can change the course of a disease process, we can hope that experts will be able to design treatments to correct these dysfunctions.
 
You will probably see advertisements, websites and forums that offer stem cell therapy with very promising “cure-all” claims. You might also hear testimonials from patients who have already undergone stem cell treatment. Sure, they sound very promising and reassuring, and you can be easily lured into taking stem cells too, but note that the US Food and Drug Administration has not yet fully approved such treatments. There is still much to understand regarding the safety and efficacy of stem cells in humans.
 
Due to the potential harm, lack of substantiated benefits, and high costs these providers charge, the US FDA has released stringent guidelines on the administration of stem cells. At present, there are a very small number of FDA-approved clinical trials in the United States and Canada that you can participate in. You can find the list at the National Institute of Health’s website.
 

Proper Use and Care of Inhaler devices for COPD

 

Medications taken via inhalation devices are often included in the medicine regimen for COPD. If you have this condition, your doctor may have prescribed you an inhaled medication that you have to take regularly or only during flare-ups.
 
Among the keys to effective inhalation therapy are the proper use and care of your inhalation device. Whether it’s a metered-dose inhaler or a breath-activated inhaler, it’s important to know how to properly use and care for your inhalation device.
 
Here are the two common types of inhalation devices and tips on their proper use and care.
 
Pressurized metered dose inhalers
 
Also known as MDI’s, this type consists of different kinds. Among them, the most common is the standard MDI, which releases a dose of medicine when the top is pressed.
 
Proper use of this includes the following steps:
1. Shake the inhaler before using it. This helps loosen up the powder
2. Breathe out, then place the inhaler into your mouth between your teeth. Then, close your lips around it.
3. Breathe in more slowly than usual, then press the top of the inhaler to release the dose you need. Make sure that you breathe in deeply at the same time.
4. Remove the inhaler from your mouth and hold your breath for a while after breathing in (around 8-10 seconds). This ensures that the medication gets to your lungs. You can now breathe out normally.
 
Breath-activated inhalers
 
These inhalers are similar to metered dose inhalers since the released powder is measured out per dose. The difference is that there’s no need to press the device to trigger the release. You only need to breathe in deeply at the mouthpiece, and this activates the release of medication.
 
Depending on the brand of your medication, the inhaler device may be called a different name. Some examples are the turbohaler, accuhaler, easyhaler, diskhaler, clickhaler and novolizer. These are all breath-activated inhalers and essentially work the same way.
 
For proper use of these devices, these are the steps:
 
1. Ensure that the mouthpiece is uncovered upon breathing in.
2. Place the mouthpiece and completely cover the hole with your lips.
3. Breathe in deeply (more deeply than usual) through your mouth to activate the powder’s release.
4. Hold your breath for a few seconds for the medication to reach your lungs.
 
Proper care of metered-dose inhalers and breath-activated inhalers
 
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to care for your inhaler the right way to ensure that you get effective treatment from the medication. Anything that affects the drug inside the device or how the device works can result in ineffective therapy.
 
The following are some tips you can follow to keep your inhaler devices in tiptop shape.
 

  • When the inhaler is not in use, make sure that the cap is on. This prevents any unnecessary release of medication.

  • Before use, always check that the hole where the powder is released is clear and not plugged up.

  • After using the inhaler, wipe off any excess powder in and around the mouthpiece using a clean tissue or cloth.

  • Always store the device and inhalation medications at room temperature in a dry place. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures (too hot or too cold). This may affect the medication and its release.

  • If the inhaler gets too cold, warm it with your hands. Do not expose to heat sources!

  • Always check for the expiry date of the medication.

  • Keep track of the number of doses you need. After every puff or use, writing down the number of doses or puffs you’ve used will help you keep better track.

  • Know when the device has to be refilled or replaced. A good tip is to note the date when the device was first used or refilled. After your first few cycles of use, you’ll know when to expect the doses to run out.

  • If the MDI feels unusually light and does not make a sound when shaken, chances are it needs either refilling or replacement.

  • Always store the device in an area easily accessible to you, as this will be helpful in emergency cases. Make sure though, that it is out of children’s reach.

We hope that these tips help you with using and caring for your inhaler devices better!

How to Choose the Right LoveGo Oxygen Concentrator

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Choosing an oxygen concentrator can be overwhelming, especially if your doctor has prescribed you with oxygen for the first time. There are so many different types, brands, features and terms, that getting to know all these can be quite a challenge.
 
When choosing a concentrator, it’s important to consider the following:
 
1. Oxygen flow rate and  Purity
 
Usually doctor will write or print oxygen dose and oxygen therapy time in the prescription. If doctor write 3LPM or 3 liters/min in prescription, that means 3 liters oxygen with 90% saturation. Please make confirmation that machine could produce 90% saturation oxygen at 3 liters at least. There are many devices just produce 70% saturation oxygen or less when you turn up flow to 3 liters.( oxygen saturation less than 90% is not allowed by medical oxygen therapy. Insufficient oxygen maybe worsen illness and be harmful to your family member life) Another thing to consider is choose bigger oxygen flow than your family member need. If his oxygen prescription is 3LPM, we suggest you choose a device which has capacity of above 3 liters flow with 90% oxygen saturation. Your family member might need more oxygen in winter and in future. You need to take it into consideration. 
LoveGo oxygen concentrators can provide you with a variety of oxygen flow rates, from 1 LPM until 10 LPM.
 

ModelLoveGo G1LoveGo G2LoveGo G3Home Oxygen Concentrator

Oxygen Flow-rate1LPM 0.5-1.8LPM continuous  flow
(0-5L pulse  flow) 0.5-2.5LPM continuous  flow
(0-7L pulse flow) 2LPM- 10LPM

 
2. Charging and battery life
Depending on whether you spend most of your time outdoors and frequently go on trips, one priority when choosing an oxygen concentrator is it’s battery life. It also depends on how long you are away from a power source and how active you plan to be.
Choosing a concentrator with a longer battery duration and a quick charge time is important. Note that using a lower LPM will require lesser energy, while needing a higher LPM will use up more battery power. Thus, it’s a must to check the battery time, charging time and power requirements before purchasing a portable oxygen concentrator.

ModelLoveGo G1LoveGo G2LoveGo G3

Battery duration1 hour at any flow2 hours at all flows5 Hours at 3LPM pulse flow and 8 Hours at 1LPM pulse flow

Charging time4-5 hours4-5 hours4-5 hours

Power sourceBattery, Electrical and Vehicle Power SupplyBattery, Electrical and Vehicle Power Supply   Battery, Electrical and Vehicle Power Supply

OthersCan work in car charger and cigarette lighterCan work in car charger and cigarette lighterCan work in car charger and cigarette lighter

 
For home oxygen concentrators, you may have to note the amount of electricity needed, especially for prolonged and continuous use even up to 24 hours a day. The amount of electricity can also depend on the oxygen flow rate you need. Higher flow rates require using more electricity of over 500 watts.
LoveGo’s home oxygen concentrator works at voltages of 100-240 volts, but can be adapted to work under other voltages as well. Consmption is at 640 watts, while being able to supply flow rates of 2-10 LPM. It’s also able to work continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without stopping. Plus, it can be moved easily by pushing to accommodate for convenient movement around the house.

3. Portability, size and weight
Another important aspect when choosing a concentrator is its portability. Consider your lifestyle and how active you are. If you’re frequently on the go, after choosing a machine with longer battery life, you need to choose one that’s light and easy to carry around.
All LoveGo portable concentrators weigh about 5.8-6.8 kilograms with battery. They’re on the lighter side, so they’re easy to take with you anywhere. You can also opt to purchase a trolley, which allows you to easily pull along the concentrator on trips outside the home or even when doing chores around the house, garden or yard.
 
4. Alarms
 
After making sure that the important requirements are meet, such as oxygen flow rate and battery time, it’s also a good idea to check out other features available to the oxygen concentrator you wish to buy. Alarms are important because the let you know when something is wrong when you using the machine, such as power off, lower purity, no breath, battery power indicator and so on.
 
All of LoveGo’s oxygen concentrators except LG101 are equipped with a “low oxygen alarm.” This alarm goes off when the machine detects a drop in oxygen saturation. This is important because a machine that delivers less than optimal oxygen saturation can cause harm to the user. For example, one that delivers below 80 % oxygen when it should be delivering 90% oxygen will cause a lack of oxygen to the user, who may experience a sudden depletion of oxygen in the blood and tissues. Such symptoms of this may include faintness, wheezing, and can lead to other medical complications.
 
The machine’s alarm also goes off in cases where there the battery is low, when it suddenly loses power, when there is no oxygen flow, or if there are technical system errors.
 
Now that you know how to choose the right oxygen concentrator, take a look at our products and check out which is the right one for you!
                                                                                                                

 

New Medications for Managing COPD

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Aside from supplemental oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation, you may already know that your COPD treatment also consists of various medications. These medications help maintain airway functioning, prevent flare-ups, and also slow down the worsening of your COPD.
 
So many new drugs are being investigated today, and in the past decade, many of these have been FDA approved and have improved the lives of many patients. Recently, there have been various developments for COPD medications. Here are some new medications that are promising for COPD, and may be potentially better than existing medications.
 
Roflumilast
 
Known as Daliresp in the US and Daxas in the UK, this medication is classed as a selective phosphodiesterase inhibitor. It is a medication recommended to reduce the chance for COPD flare-ups, especially in patients with severe COPD, particularly chronic bronchitis.
 
This medication works by decreasing the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation. This results in less swelling in the lungs and airways.
 
It also prevents tissue damage and promotes the relaxation of the muscles involved in breathing. Such effects can potentially improve lung function and make it easier to breathe in the long run.
 
This medication is prescribed with bronchodilators as an add-on maintenance treatment for COPD. It comes in tablet form, and is recommended to be taken once a day.
 
Breo Ellipta
 
You may have been prescribed the anti-inflammatory drug fluticasone, but this new medication called Breo Ellipta combines fluticasone with another drug called vilanterol.
 
Fluticasone helps prevent inflammation, meaning that it reduces swelling in the airways, preventing airway narrowing and spasms due to inflammation. Vilanterol is a long-acting bronchodilator that relaxes the airway muscles and promotes easier movement of air in and out of the lungs.
 
This combination is an excellent treatment as these two actions work together to make breathing easier, prevent flare-ups and reduce the incidence of hospitalizations.This medication is used to treat emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or both. It comes in a powder form for inhalation to be taken once a day.
 
Take note that Breo Ellipta is for long-term maintenance therapy, and thus should not be used to relieve sudden flare-ups or exacerbations.
 
Revefenacin
 
This medication is an investigational new drug classified as a long-acting antimuscarinic antagonist (LAMA). Though it is still undergoing approval by the FDA, results from various clinical studies have found it to be a very promising agent for COPD treatment.
 
Revefenacin is first nebulized bronchodilator intended to be taken once daily to treat COPD. Though there are a variety of medication forms used to treat COPD, like oral medications and powders for inhalation, some patients prefer or require nebulization therapy.
 
This medication is recommended for patients with mild COPD who cannot take other types of medications. Since it is long-acting, it is appropriate for patients who prefer a once-daily medication dose instead of multiple doses.
So, there you have it: three new medications for COPD. Note that the appropriateness as well as side effects and other factors have to be considered before asking a prescription for these new COPD medications. Talk to your doctor to discuss your options and decide which medications are best for your condition.
 
Have you tried any of these new medications? Share your experience in the comments below!

Is Your Breathing Too Fast or Too Slow? 
 

Many patients with COPD often wonder whether their breathing is at the normal rate. With all the other symptoms like breathlessness and fatigue, wondering about your breathing rate can add to the anxiety. Questions like “what is normal for COPD?” and “when do I have to see a doctor to check my respiratory rate?” are very common. Let’s take a look at some answers below.

Respiratory rate – what is it?
First things first – let’s talk about what respiratory rate means. The rate of your breathing, or your respiratory rate, is a measure of how fast or slow your breaths are in one minute. For adults, the normal respiratory rate is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Take note that one breath consists of one complete inhalation-exhalation cycle.
If you are at rest and you have less than 12 breaths per minute, this is considered very slow breathing, which is called “bradypnea.” Anything above 20 breaths per minute is considered very fast breathing, and is called “tachypnea.”

Breathing rates with COPD
In COPD, breathing rate is often increased. This is especially the case with emphysema, because the lungs cannot get adequate oxygen. A low oxygen level can then cause the breathing to become shallow and fast, leading to tachypnea. Additionally, some patients with emphysema can also have very high amounts of carbon dioxide in the body. This can also trigger shallow, rapid breathing.
Aside from low oxygen levels and high carbon dioxide levels, other factors may also cause tachypnea in COPD. One common example is when a fever occurs due to a lung infection. The increased temperature that comes with a fever can trigger your respiratory system to breathe faster to help release body heat. Other conditions that can contribute to very fast breathing include heart problems and anemia.
Anxiety is also common in patients with COPD. Having difficulty in catching your breath can make you frightened and worried, which can trigger panic, breathlessness and tachypnea.
Physical exercise can sometimes bring about breathlessness and rapid breathing. It’s important to always ask your doctor if a new exercise routine is safe for you to do.

How to avoid and treat abnormal breathing rates
Abnormal, fast breathing in COPD can be managed by targeting the underlying cause. For example, if the cause of tachypnea is anxiety, you have to take steps to relax and break the cycle of panic and worry. Techniques like meditation, relaxation breathing, and guided imagery may help. Reducing your anxiety can not only help prevent tachypnea, but can also be beneficial to reducing other symptoms of the disease.
In some cases, you may need to talk with your doctor if you think that your abnormal rapid breathing is caused by an underlying cause. If tachypnea is caused by lack of oxygen, your doctor may give or add medications like bronchodilators. These can help open up the airways and allow more oxygen to get to your lungs. It can also help in promoting exhalation of excessive carbon dioxide.
Other medications like steroids can also reduce swelling in your airways, helping you to breather more easily. If the cause of tachypnea is fever due to a suspected lung infection, your doctor will give you antibiotics to clear up the infection, along with medications to reduce the fever.
Your doctor will also determine if you need oxygen therapy to help normalize your breathing rate. If you are already on supplemental oxygen, your doctor will check if you need an adjustment in dose.

When do you need to go to the hospital?
An abnormal breathing rate itself is not a sole cause for hospitalization, but a COPD exacerbation is. If you notice symptoms like severe breathlessness, excessive mucus and coughing, and an increased respiratory rate, you could be having an exacerbation. In some cases, a severe exacerbation can cause very rapid breathing of more than 25 breaths per minute, along with the symptoms mentioned above. Such a case warrants a trip to the emergency room immediately! Getting rapid treatment is very important.
All in all, an abnormal breathing rate may be a sign that something is wrong. While this isn’t always the case, it’s still better to observe any other symptoms and follow what your body is telling you. If you notice that your breathing rate is too fast or too slow, giving your doctor a visit can help determine and treat any underlying conditions.

Have you experienced abnormally fast or slow breathing? What did you do? Share your experience in the comments below!
 

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