Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - Living with COPD
- Introduction
- Symptoms of COPD
- Causes of COPD
- Diagnosing COPD
- Treating COPD
- Living with COPD
- 'I thought, I can either be miserable or I can live life to the full'
- 'When I woke up, I could hardly breathe'
- See what the doctor sees with Map of Medicine
- risks
- Prevention
Healthy living
Exercise
People with COPD who exercise or keep active regularly have improved breathing, less severe symptoms and a better quality of life.
For most people with COPD who are disabled by their breathlessness, a structured programme of pulmonary rehabilitation provided by experienced healthcare professionals does the most good. Getting breathless is unpleasant but it isn't harmful. Every patient should exercise as much as they can, however limited that may be, twice a day. Even chair-bound people can do some arm and upper-body movements.
Research shows that pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity, breathlessness and health-related quality of life. It results in people seeing doctors less often and spending less time in hospital.
Maintain a healthy weight
Carrying extra weight can make breathlessness worse. Therefore, it is a good idea to lose weight if you are overweight. This can be difficult because the breathlessness caused by COPD can make it hard to exercise.
However, some people with COPD find that they lose weight. Eating food high in protein and taking in enough calories is important to maintain a healthy weight.
Research has shown that people with COPD who are underweight will have fewer COPD symptoms if they increase their weight.
Want to know more?
Breathing techniques
There are various breathing techniques that some people find helpful for breathlessness. These include breathing control, which involves breathing gently, using the least effort, with the shoulders supported. This can help when people with COPD feel short of breath.
Breathing techniques for people who are more active include:
- relaxed, slow deep breathing
- breathing through pursed lips, as if whistling
- breathing out hard when doing an activity that needs a big effort
- paced breathing, using a rhythm in time with the activity, such as climbing stairs
Want to know more?
- British Lung Foundation: Dealing with breathlessness
- British Lung Foundation: Supporting the person you care for
Talk to others
If you have questions, your GP or nurse may be able to reassure you. You may find it helpful to talk to a trained counsellor or psychologist, or someone at a specialist helpline. Your GP surgery will have information on these.
Read about counselling and psychiatry.
Some people find it helpful to talk to other people who have COPD, either at a local support group or in an internet chat room.
Want to know more?
- British Lung Foundation: Breathe Easy
- Health-unlocked COPD community
Relationships and sex
Relationships with friends and family
Having a chronic illness such as COPD can put a strain on any relationship. Difficulty breathing and coughing can make people with COPD feel very tired and depressed. It is also inevitable that their spouse, partner or carer will feel anxious or frustrated about their breathing problems. It is important to talk about your worries together.
Being open about how you feel and what your family and friends can do to help may put them at ease. But do not feel shy about telling them that you need some time to yourself, if that is what you want.
Your sex life
As COPD progresses, the increasing breathlessness can make it difficult to take part in activities. The breathlessness may occur during sexual activity, which may mean your sex life can suffer.
Communicate with your partner and stay open-minded. Explore what you both like sexually. Simply touching, being touched and being close to someone helps a person feel loved and special.
Your doctor, nurse or physiotherapist may also be able to suggest ways to help manage breathlessness during sex.
Want to know more?
- Sex as you get older
- British Lung Foundation: Breathe Easy
- British Lung Foundation: Sex and COPD
Flying
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are planning to fly, go to your GP for a fitness-to-fly assessment. This involves checking your breathing using spirometry and measuring your oxygen levels.
Before travelling, remember to pack all your medication, such as inhalers, in your hand luggage.
If you are using oxygen therapy, tell your travel operator and airline before you book your holiday, as you may need to get a medical form from your GP. If you are using long-term oxygen therapy, arrange to take an adequate oxygen supply with you abroad.
Want to know more?
- British Lung Foundation: Going on holiday with a lung condition
- Cover your healthcare abroad
Money and financial support
People with COPD often have to give up work because their breathlessness stops them from doing what they need to do for their job. This can cause financial pressure.
There are several benefits for which people with COPD may be eligible:
- If you have a job but cannot work because of your illness, you are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay from your employer.
- If you do not have a job and cannot work because of your illness, you may be entitled to Employment and Support Allowance.
- If you are caring for someone with COPD, you may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance.
- You may be eligible for other benefits if you have children living at home or if you have a low household income.
Want to know more?
- British Lung Foundation: Financial support
- GOV.UK: Benefits and financial support
- Benefits for carers and benefits for the person you care for
- Find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau
End of life care
COPD is a serious condition. At least 25,000 people die each year from the end stages of COPD.
As with other conditions that cannot be reversed or cured, it is important to receive good care at the end of life. Talking about this and planning it in advance can be helpful. This is called palliative care.
It can be difficult to talk about dying with your doctor and, particularly with family and friends, but many people find that it helps. Support is also available for your family and friends.
It may be helpful to discuss which symptoms you may have as you become more seriously ill, and the treatments that are available to reduce these.
As COPD progresses, your doctor should work with you to establish a clear management plan based on your and your carer's wishes. This will include whether you would prefer to go to hospital, a hospice or be looked after at home as you become more ill.
You may want to discuss drawing up an advance decision, also called a living will, which sets out your wishes for treatment if you become too ill to be consulted. This might include whether you want to be resuscitated if you stop breathing, and whether you want artificial ventilation to be continued.
Want to know more?
- British Lung Foundation: End of life care
- End of life care
- Your right to refuse future medical treatment
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