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Living Well with Multiple Health Conditions

Posted on January 28, 2022   |   

Two of the most common questions that I hear from people with multiple health conditions (comorbidities) are, "How do I know what is wrong when I am not feeling well?" and "What can I do about it?" These can be hard questions to answer sometimes, especially when you have more than one health concern. Let's talk about some things that can help you find out which condition is causing your symptoms, and some tips for what you can do about it.

One of the most important things that help to identify what type of exacerbation (flare-up) is occurring, is knowing your body. While there are common symptoms to each condition, your body may not respond the same way your neighbor's does. For example, when my blood pressure is high, I will get short of breath with exercise, but when my daughter's blood pressure is high, she will get a bad headache. Both of us are showing symptoms of high blood pressure, but we don't experience the changes in blood pressure the same way. It is important to know how your body normally reacts.

It is also important to understand that your body's response to illness can change over time as conditions progress, so you need to be aware of the common symptoms of your conditions in case you begin to experience symptoms differently. For example, when you first receive a diagnosis of COPD you may have trouble walking around the mall because you are short of breath, but as the years pass when you try to walk to the mailbox you begin to feel chest tightness and are very short of breath. You also begin coughing up a lot of mucus that looks different than before. These are changes in the way you are experiencing symptoms of COPD and should not be ignored. As always, if you are not sure about what you are feeling or are experiencing new or changing symptoms reach out to your doctor.

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Categories: Education, Resources and Studies Tips for Healthy Living

Reaching Your Health Goals: Tips for Your COPD Journey

Posted on December 09, 2021   |   

This post was written by MeiLan Han, MD, MS, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Michigan and member of the COPD Foundation Board of Directors.

This month at the COPD Foundation we’re focusing on goal setting. But what does that mean for you? I thought it might be fun to share with all of you some tips from my new book, Breathing Lessons, A Doctor’s Guide to Lung Health that you can consider for your own health journey. So what are some easy healthy habits you can adopt in 2022 to protect your respiratory health and boost your lung function?

Exercise

I know this is something all of you already know a lot about, but it bears repeating. Many of my patients haven’t been doing too much exercise because of the pandemic. But to remind you, exercise can help the lungs in several ways. Exercises that focus on strengthening the respiratory muscles themselves, the diaphragm as well as the muscles that surround the neck, shoulders and back, can improve lung function, particularly among those that have underlying issues with muscle weakness. While there are specific inspiratory muscle training devices that can be used to help strengthen the diaphragm, I have the majority of my patients focus first on upper body strengthening exercises.

Even more importantly, I strongly recommend incorporating regular aerobic exercise into one’s daily routine. Aerobic exercise can be thought of as sustained activity that increases your heart and breathing rate. If you don’t currently have a good exercise routine, start by doing something easy such as walking or using a stationary bike or even foot pedaling device.

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Categories: Tips for Healthy Living

Healthy Lungs from a Global Perspective: An Interview with Made Pramana

Posted on May 21, 2021   |   

This article was written by Stephanie Williams, BS, RRT.


Recently, the COPD Foundation’s Stephanie Williams spoke with Made Pramana, an individual from Indonesia who has been diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Read on to learn more about Pramana, his life in Indonesia, and how he helps people learn more about lung diseases.


If you could describe where you live in 100 words or less, how would you describe it? What is an average day like?

I live in Denpasar, which is the capital city of the island of Bali, Indonesia. Denpasar is a busy place, with lots of street vendors. People usually drive motorcycles or cars to commute. There is also public transportation, such as buses or taxis. There are some public places such as beaches, rice fields, parks, and a mangrove forest. Denpasar also has traditional markets, amusement parks, museum, hotels and pools. The housing in Denpasar is quite crowded since many people choose to live and work here.

People usually start the day by buying groceries at 5.30 AM in the morning. If they don’t have time to prepare a meal, the street vendors also sell breakfast. People also can buy foods for breakfast from the street vendor when they don’t have time to cook. Students used to go to school at 7 AM and many people go to work at 7-8 AM. For those that have time, they use the morning for exercise in the park, including yoga, walking, or jogging.

How are things different for you and your community now compared to before COVID?

The schools are still closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and students have to learn online. There are fewer tourists in Bali since the start of the pandemic. Most people are still going to work; some wear masks and others do not. The same is true for recreational activities. I was at the beach the other day and saw many people swimming, biking, running, and walking. Many people were not wearing masks.

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Categories: Advocacy Personal Stories

A Coronavirus Update for the COPD Community

Posted on January 14, 2021   |   

This article was reviewed by a member of the COPD Foundation Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (MASAC)


Updates from January 14, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccines: What do we know?

COVID-19 Vaccines: What do we know?

January 14, 2021

Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines? Do you wonder how they work or if they are safe? Watch this webinar and hear our expert panel discuss these questions and others from the community. We hope this discussion will help you feel more prepared to make the best decisions for you and your health. Speakers include: Dr. Barbara Yawn, Dr. Bob Wise, and Dr. Paul Sax.

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Categories: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Education, Resources and Studies

How a Pulse Oximeter Works


Dear COPD Coach,
My husband has been diagnosed with COPD but has not yet had pulmonary function tests to determine the type/severity. We purchased a pulse oximeter to monitor his 02 levels (he was sent home from the hospital on 4 liters but is now reduced to 2). My question is, do you take the first reading that comes up when the pulse oximeter is put on or do you wait 15 seconds and use that reading? Also, I would like to say this is one of the most informative websites I have found on COPD and I certainly appreciate the support it provides.

—Curious about Pulmonary Function Testing

Dear Curious,
A pulse oximeter can be a very useful tool for a COPD patient, providing you use it correctly and realize it has limitations.

The pulse oximeter measures two distinct things: The first number that comes up is most often the pulse rate. Usually this number is marked by a small heart. The second number that comes up is the level of oxygen in the blood. Both numbers are needed to assess your present levels.

At this point, it is important to discuss the limitations of the device. The pulse oximeter only gives you a limited amount of information, and is in reality just a snapshot of your functioning at that particular time. For example, it does not tell you the concentration of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide, the waste product of your breathing and something that is not healthy in high levels) in your blood stream. This means that you could be retaining a large amount of CO2, which could be limiting the amount of usable oxygen in your blood.

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Tags: lifestyle pulse oximeter tips use
Categories: COPD360coach

What does it mean when COPD symptoms are controlled? Part 1

Posted on December 03, 2019   |   

This post was authored by Barbara Yawn, MD, MSc, FAAFP of the University of Minnesota; M. Bradley Drummond, MD of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine; and Carol Rubin, MEd, MS of Cliffside Park, NJ.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is not a single condition1 but includes emphysema (damage to the air sacs of the lung) and chronic bronchitis (chronic cough with mucus production caused by inflammation of the breathing tubes) and leads to shortness of breath.2 Symptoms of COPD vary from person to person and from day to day or by the time of day3 and can include difficulty in breathing (shortness of breath), increased mucus, frequent coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing (whistling sound) when breathing out.2

What does it mean when your COPD symptoms are controlled?

Symptoms are considered under control, or stable, when they are about the same day to day, and allow you to do what is normal for you—functioning at your best.2 Understanding what is “normal” for you—meaning when symptoms are under good control—can be assessed by following your day-to-day symptoms using the COPD Foundation patient app.4 (Suggested reading: The COPD Pocket Consultant Guide Mobile App) Knowing what is normal can help you and your doctor or nurse decide when you are in control or when things are getting worse or out of control. This helps you know if a visit is needed to receive more or different treatments. (See our upcoming post What does it mean when COPD symptoms are “controlled”? Part 2 for more information about baseline COPD symptoms and how to improve your ‘normal.')

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Categories: Education, Resources and Studies Tips for Healthy Living

Teaching with a Twist – Stress and Weather

Posted on September 10, 2019   |   

Teaching with a Twist – Stress and Weather My mother-in-law has a saying that, I am ashamed to admit, has applied to me more times than I can count. Her saying is, "those who can't listen have to feel." It took me a couple of times hearing her say that to really understand what she meant by that, but I get it now and say it to myself and my family ALL the time.

Let me preface my humbling story by mentioning two things: 1) I don't have COPD - I have reactive airways which means my breathing difficulties behave more like asthma. 2) I'm an RT who works for the COPD Foundation, but have worked in many healthcare environments.I mention the first point because while I don’t know exactly how you feel, I can sympathize with the struggle to breathe at times. I mention the second because, well, I should know better than find myself in a situation like I did last night.

So picture it - 9:30 pm on a Nashville evening. 88° with the humidity about 78%. Yes, it was gross and terribly stuffy. But, as has been my habit recently, I set out for what I thought would be about a 45-minute walk with my son and our new dog. The point being to burn off some of the dog's energy before bed and as a bonus - I get exercise.

Several days this week, I have noticed that I am audibly wheezing while just working at my computer - my son and RT husband have also commented on my breathing. Would I ever let a little bit of wheezing stop me? Nope. Should I have paid better attention to the warning it was trying to give? Yep.

So, there we are on our walk, being pulled along by a feisty four-month-old, 30-pound dog in this humid Nashville air that is NOT moving. I mean, I could really feel myself trying to pull air into my lungs as we moved along at a really good clip. My son had stopped to catch a little frog on the sidewalk, but our pup Riley pulled me on down the hill - her nose to the ground following *something.*

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Categories: Education, Resources and Studies Tips for Healthy Living

COPD and Exercise: How to Get Started

Posted on November 07, 2018   |   

Caroline Gainer

Caroline Gainer is a COPD patient and State Captain from West Virginia. As an advocate she has participated in research initiatives, advocacy efforts with her local, state, and federal officials, and regularly spreads awareness about COPD through local health fairs. To learn more about the COPD Foundation State Captain program, click here!

What is your connection with COPD? What is your COPD story?

In 2013, I went to my annual physical and was diagnosed with COPD. I had no symptoms at the time, so it came as a surprise to me. In September of 2014, my lung collapsed, and I was hospitalized. After my hospitalization, I was referred to a pulmonologist who formally diagnosed me with severe asthma and emphysema. At that time, I was put on medication to help with my constant coughing, and gaging. I remember having to set my alarm clock an extra 30 minutes earlier to get ready for work because I could not stop coughing and felt that I couldn’t catch my breath. Little activities like getting dressed and walking to the car felt challenging.

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Categories: Personal Stories Tips for Healthy Living

Making the Case for Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Posted on November 02, 2018   |   
Author: Bill Clark - Community Manager   |   

Cristin Trecroce

Cristin Trecroce is a healthcare professional and COPD Foundation State Captain from North Carolina. As a COPD advocate, she hopes to spread awareness about the importance of pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD patients. Read her blog posting below, to learn more about pulmonary rehabilitation and its benefits.

Water amazes and scares the daylights out of me. If I think about swimming while in the water, I panic. What if my lungs run out of air while I am swimming? What if I inhale the water and can’t breathe? I can sink, if I sink, I can die. Hello, I can die! What if you had to worry about your breathing all the time, not just when you were in water? Millions of people with COPD have to do this. They have to focus on their breathing as if they were underwater negotiating between the energy needed to breathe and the energy needed to swim or function. About 30 million people in the United States have COPD with half of these 30 million not even realizing they have the disease. The half that is undiagnosed, go throughout their days, compensating for their symptoms without recognizing that their lungs are changing. COPD can cause changes to the lungs that can be subtle at first but then progress to outright lung failure.

Exacerbations of the disease can happen over time or abruptly, when the body’s lung limitations become overwhelmed. Overwhelming stressors can be from illnesses (like a cold or flu) or another health condition. If this happens repeatedly, the lungs get weaker. The weaker the lungs get, then the more likely COPD exacerbations can happen. The process can continue, like a chain reaction, resulting in disability.

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Categories: Education, Resources and Studies Tips for Healthy Living

Faces of COPD: Carol Rubin

Posted on March 08, 2018   |   

Carol Rubin is one of the newest members of the COPD Foundation’s State Advocacy Program. Learn more about life with COPD below.

Having grown up in the Bronx, New York, I was exposed to all the wonderful cultural entities that New York City has to offer. I’ve always loved the theater, museums, the NY Yankees. After I began my career with the NYC Department of Education as an educator, I moved to New Jersey, but very close to Manhattan to continue enjoying the life of a “Native New Yorker.”

Villages learn about COPD Throughout the years, I became involved in volunteer work, fundraising, and traveling. After retiring as a principal, I began a second career, part-time as an adjunct professor at a local college, going to different schools to supervise student teachers and doing consulting work. During my visits to student teachers, I went to some old school buildings that had 5 to 6 floors with no elevators. It was during these visits that I experienced shortness of breath going up the stairs. Then, I suffered shortness of breath from walking uphill and doing activities that required lifting, bending, reaching (changing bedding). At first, I justified that I was out of shape, should lose weight (as so many others with COPD rationalize).

As the shortness of breath became more frequent, I went to a cardiologist who had me take a stress test and echocardiogram. The results were good; my heart was fine. This went on for another year. Once again I went through a stress test and echocardiogram and once again, the results were good. I never connected my symptoms with respiratory problems or my history of smoking because although I was a smoker for many years, I had stopped smoking 20 years ago.

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Tags: Carol Rubin International Women's Day
Categories: Personal Stories

Faces of COPD: Jan Cotton says, 'The COPD Foundation Saved My Life.'

Posted on November 21, 2017   |   

Jan Cotton had an exciting and adventurous 30-year career with Trans World Airlines until 15 years ago, when she was diagnosed with COPD, a chronic lung disease in which the airways become obstructed, making it harder to breathe. Now Jan serves as a leader in the community as a Governing Board Member of the COPD Patient-Powered Research Network as well as the COPD State Advocacy Captain of Illinois. While it has been an arduous road, Jan shares her journey of triumph below.

Jan was diagnosed with COPD in 2000 at the age of 51. Plagued with frequent chest colds for much of her life, Jan has no doubt that she lived with the disease long before she was diagnosed as growing up her mother “...was a smoker so the second-hand smoke contributed to my illness.” 

Jan Cotton for COPD awarenessOnce diagnosed, Jan was told she would have ten years to live by her doctor. She was devastated. Not willing to give up hope, Jan “sought great care from one of the top hospitals in the country. There I received the drugs I needed but not the information I needed – that all came later.”

Jan was still very active during the time around her diagnosis. Despite challenges in walking to classes on campus, she completed her Bachelor’s degree and began working on a Masters. Additionally, she was a substitute teacher in four school districts. “I still had not processed the diagnosis and did not know how to deal with it.”

COPD also had a major impact on Jan’s emotional health, “I was so depressed and feeling sorry for myself.” Her emotional state prompted her to surf the internet to look for any help she could find. There she discovered the COPD Foundation and a number to its hotline. “The game changer for me was the phone call to the C.O.P.D. Information Line," says Jan. She initially made the call in an attempt to find sympathy, but after the conversation she was offered a job. “The agent heard something in my voice that led her to believe that I was a fighter, and she was correct."

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Tags: COPD Awareness Month COPD Together Go Orange Jan Cotton Real Patients Speak
Categories: Personal Stories

Faces of COPD: Tina Moyer says 'I don’t have to give up because of COPD'

Posted on November 16, 2017   |   

Being a COPD patient brought on Tina’s passion for advocacy. This led to raising awareness through stories and a video and becoming the COPD State Captain for Pennsylvania. Read below to learn more about Tina and how she’s coping with living with COPD.

Tina Moyer Faces of COPD Tina worked in a factory and was a heavy smoker. She always wore an mp3 player and when she would sing along she kept becoming short of breath. Her diagnosis went from a breathing test to a CT scan which showed emphysema. She quit smoking cold turkey at the age of 44 and her son, Rob, quit with her. She is now 52 and has been smoke-free for eight years as of October 8th of this year.

Tina continued to work in the factory until it closed. She eventually became more short of breath. “Chores at home took me all day, chemicals bothered my COPD as well as people’s cologne and perfume.” She now works part-time as a customer service member/cashier in a grocery store.

A COPD diagnosis can be devastating for the individual affected but also the family. In Tina’s case, “my family stood by me. We all had our emotions when I got my diagnosis. We don’t talk about it much but we know the dangers that can lie ahead.”

Tina’s current treatment consists of “a [daily inhaler] I also have a rescue inhaler and nebulizer when needed.”

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Tags: COPD Awareness Month Faces of COPD Go Orange
Categories: Personal Stories

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