Welcome RH! Glad you found us. You say you were diagnosed with COPD a few weeks ago. Was this diagnosis made by spirometry? Are the antibiotics for an infection or a maintenance course? Did you recently to the 7000ft altitude? Sorry, but the answers to …

One neighbor (an acquaintance) and another neighbor whom I really do not know asked me why I was wearing the concentrator. When I didn't answer (thinking they would think better of the question), I told them it was private information. Both were …

hey there, I posted earlier in the month about my suspicion that I have a floppy trachea due to the pain in my windpipe and loud harsh noise that happens when I do my exhale on Pulmonary Function tests. I also have been noticing when I exercise I just …

Hi Mary, I have not heard of this product, but from the name of it I am guessing it has something to do with creating a healthy gut/lung balance. I would be interested to hear if any members have tried this product and their experience with it. But …

Always a fun discussion topic. Here are some facts (from my memory, I did not look these up before writing this post). The most common way people quit smoking is cold turkey. However, success rate is about 7 %. It is the most common way people try to quit. Most people make 7-10 quit attempts before long-term success. FDA approved medications like nicotine replacement gum and patch has about 20% sucess rate. Wellbutrin is about 20%. FDA approved Varenicline (Chantix) is a bit higher. Around 25%, but I think some new evidence shows it even higher. Hypnosis and Acupunture is around 10%. Herbals are less than <10%. e-cigs are currently being investigated and i do not know of any published evidence right now. however, the speculation is that these will fall in around 10% or less. the major problem with e-cigs for cessation is that people use e-cigs to replace cigarettes and do not actually quit using nicotine. my professional thoughts and comments: nothing foreign should ever be inhaled into the lungs! especially for those with chronic lung disese. while many people argue for harm reduction, i only think this has value in people at risk for lung disease and not for those with lung disease. if you play russian roullete with a .357 caliber bullet or a .22 caliber and you get the 1 in 6 spin with the bullet in the chamber, then you will likey be pretty messed up with either bullet in your brain. this is the comparison i use for smoking cigarettes or e-cigs. for people susceptible to the effects of inhalation injury, the ultimate goal is complete abstinence. while i can understand the difficulty in quiting nictotine, the end game for anyone with copd is complete abstinence of any inhalation subtances. any means to achieve this result is a great story and worth sharing. old fashion scare tactics worked for my dad in a cold-turkey attampt, but overall low success rates. anything short of abstinance means there is still more work the person can do to improve their health. hcps should always be ready to support people in their attempts to quit and their successes, regardless of the method they chose to help them quit. as a professional and my advise to other professionals is that we should recommend using the approved methods for smoking cessation that works! evidence shows that cold-turkey, (likely e-cigs), hypnosis and accupunture are inferior compared to patch, gum, chantix and wellbutrin. would you recommend to your friend to use somthing that you know has inferior results? for all of those people who claim feeling so much better when switching from cigarettes to e-cigs, then just image how much better you woudl feel if you quit smoking completly! the enemy here is not nicotine, it is smoking nictotine and the inhalation injury caused by any foreign substances. so, if … e-cigs="" are="" currently="" being="" investigated="" and="" i="" do="" not="" know="" of="" any="" published="" evidence="" right="" now.="" however,="" the="" speculation="" is="" that="" these="" will="" fall="" in="" around="" 10%="" or="" less.="" the="" major="" problem="" with="" e-cigs="" for="" cessation="" is="" that="" people="" use="" e-cigs="" to="" replace="" cigarettes="" and="" do="" not="" actually="" quit="" using="" nicotine.="" my="" professional="" thoughts="" and="" comments:="" nothing="" foreign="" should="" ever="" be="" inhaled="" into="" the="" lungs!="" especially="" for="" those="" with="" chronic="" lung="" disese.="" while="" many="" people="" argue="" for="" harm="" reduction,="" i="" only="" think="" this="" has="" value="" in="" people="" at="" risk="" for="" lung="" disease="" and="" not="" for="" those="" with="" lung="" disease.="" if="" you="" play="" russian="" roullete="" with="" a="" .357="" caliber="" bullet="" or="" a="" .22="" caliber="" and="" you="" get="" the="" 1="" in="" 6="" spin="" with="" the="" bullet="" in="" the="" chamber,="" then="" you="" will="" likey="" be="" pretty="" messed="" up="" with="" either="" bullet="" in="" your="" brain.="" this="" is="" the="" comparison="" i="" use="" for="" smoking="" cigarettes="" or="" e-cigs.="" for="" people="" susceptible="" to="" the="" effects="" of="" inhalation="" injury,="" the="" ultimate="" goal="" is="" complete="" abstinence.="" while="" i="" can="" understand="" the="" difficulty="" in="" quiting="" nictotine,="" the="" end="" game="" for="" anyone="" with="" copd="" is="" complete="" abstinence="" of="" any="" inhalation="" subtances.="" any="" means="" to="" achieve="" this="" result="" is="" a="" great="" story="" and="" worth="" sharing.="" old="" fashion="" scare="" tactics="" worked="" for="" my="" dad="" in="" a="" cold-turkey="" attampt,="" but="" overall="" low="" success="" rates.="" anything="" short="" of="" abstinance="" means="" there="" is="" still="" more="" work="" the="" person="" can="" do="" to="" improve="" their="" health.="" hcps="" should="" always="" be="" ready="" to="" support="" people="" in="" their="" attempts="" to="" quit="" and="" their="" successes,="" regardless="" of="" the="" method="" they="" chose="" to="" help="" them="" quit.="" as="" a="" professional="" and="" my="" advise="" to="" other="" professionals="" is="" that="" we="" should="" recommend="" using="" the="" approved="" methods="" for="" smoking="" cessation="" that="" works!="" evidence="" shows="" that="" cold-turkey,="" (likely="" e-cigs),="" hypnosis="" and="" accupunture="" are="" inferior="" compared="" to="" patch,="" gum,="" chantix="" and="" wellbutrin.="" would="" you="" recommend="" to="" your="" friend="" to="" use="" somthing="" that="" you="" know="" has="" inferior="" results?="" for="" all="" of="" those="" people="" who="" claim="" feeling="" so="" much="" better="" when="" switching="" from="" cigarettes="" to="" e-cigs,="" then="" just="" image="" how="" much="" better="" you="" woudl="" feel="" if="" you="" quit="" smoking="" completly!="" the="" enemy="" here="" is="" not="" nicotine,="" it="" is="" smoking="" nictotine="" and="" the="" inhalation="" injury="" caused="" by="" any="" foreign="" substances.="" so,="" if="">

a study says Inhaled corticosteroids can slow progression down but I’m mild so by doctor doesn’t recommend them but if a study says they slow the loss of lung function why aren’t they used in mild Copd ? thanks

Hi all Hope you doing weel. Recently i purchased a running/treadmill, to loose weight and control my lungs. So, my question is, is an oxygen level at 95, after 30 min on the treadmill a good sign?. I expected my oxygen to drop more than that, i have …

hi all, firstly, I’m pretty sure I don’t have COPD, but, I’m incredibly confused about the results and my doctors lack of explaining everything. I’m 32, ex pack a day smoker of almost 16 years. Vaper for 2. I had a spinometry done for separate reasons …

Rahly, there's no reason people with COPD can't cook. I've had COPD for over 25 years, and have been using 02 since 2000 and cooked regular meals for my family all the time. You do have to be careful with the hose and I run it down my back to keep it out …

I have started jogging and doing weights at the gym, also some stationary bike. I've got a bodyboard and am going to try go and surf with it. Is this safe I guess is my question? Has anyone else done this with mild-moderate obstruction? I am going to …

Hi There, I just wanted to comment on this post to say that if you are interested in Hospital readmissions, that the COPD Foundation is holding the 2nd Annual Readmissions Summit March 26-27. Here is the info on what will be covered: https://www …

With this corona virus if you live alone , and do not socialize, keep your distance, do you have to disinfect anywa

Heterogeneous - Affects some parts of the lungs more than others Homogeneous - Affects all parts of the lungs about the same. In general, Lung volume reduction and valves work better in heterogeneous emphysema ( where the most damaged lung can be …

Hi Dj95 Exercise is great for people living with COPD, but it's also important to listen to your body. I would recommend taking it a little easier on days when you notice you have greener phlegm or may have an infection, so that you don't …

Hi, Just my experience. My symptoms increased massively straight after diagnosis (mild COPD), which when I think back now was probably anxiety, they did (thankfully) settle back down… My experience is that positive action is the only antidote or tonic …

I’m struggling with this so much

My home fill oxygen cylinders (pulse) more than once per breath. I don’t think this is normal. I have a few tanks that only pulse once per breath and that is much more comfortable. I think there is something wrong with my tanks that pulse multiple times …

Can anyone tell me what these results mean? My pulmonologist has not called to discuss results with me yet. I am thinking about discussing the zephyr valve with him. I am short of breath most of the time, having to use nebulizer 5 or 6 times a day, I …

Just had pulmo function test my fev1 was 79 percent and my z score 2.0 , they said my lungs are extended and cannot fully push out all the o2, I don't get to see my pulmo Dr until end of june after my lung CT scan,yet I am always out of breath is this …

Leg pain this morning 7/10. Taking lyrica and paracetamol. Fairly limited relief. Nsaids make breathing difficult. Lower back pain as well. Lung function still in the mild range but moving to moderate rapidly. Review next month. Blood tests and more …

I know I need to just educate myself properly on the subject, and I will. But I'm hoping someone can just answer this vague question in the meantime. I just found out my father has COPD. I don't know the stage, but maybe it's not so advanced--he seems …

I am one of the lucky ones I only have mucus when a lung infection that was before bronciectasis showed up. . Now I have more mucus than ever and so was prescribed hypertonic saline 7%. I take NAC, mucinex and some times mucomyst in nebulizer. I have had …

Hi everyone I’m 29 male was having investigations for chronic bronchitis and was told I had it by one pulmonologist now I’ve had my second CT and spiro and these were my results I then got discharged and since then I have had blood in my mucus and many …

The Thayers company has been well known since 1847 for their herbal Slippery Elm lozenges to soothe “sore throats and overworked vocal cords.” Thayers also makes a sugar-free, dry mouth spray and lozenges, which you can read about on their website: …

Hello, I’m new to this forum. I am a 88 years old male with SOB. Can someone please help me understand my PFT? Thank you!