COPD360social welcomes new member Magriet who joins 65,615 current members of our community. Weโ€™re glad you're here!

Community Announcements

Community Announcementsadded a new article Inhaled vitamin D has potential to improve lung function

New perspective pushes for research into benefits of vitamin D delivered directly to the lungs

Miami (June 25, 2026) - Inhaled vitamin D supplementation rather than oral delivery could potentially improve lung function and reduce exacerbation in people with chronic lung diseases and should be explored in human-centered clinical trials, according to a new perspective in the May 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

9 hours ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainGood afternoon, friends!
Went out with my little sister this morning. I had bought her a big container and a big bag of potting soil. So, today we went to our local garden center to choose some plants.
This is Lori's first container garden. I believe that the gift of plants is a nice gift! So, I'm very happy that she's happy! ๐Ÿ˜
This is her yard and her first container garden...that she created. ๐Ÿ˜

14 hours ago

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿ‘ง๐Ÿ‘ฆ Today is "Please Take My Children to Work Day!" ๐Ÿ˜„

For many of us, "going to work" might mean walking down the hallway to the home office... with a supervisor who's 8 years old, four-legged, or insists on helping with every Zoom call. ๐Ÿถ๐Ÿ‘ถ๐Ÿ’ป

Working from home definitely has its perks:
โ˜• Coffee breaks whenever you need them.
๐Ÿพ Surprise visits from furry coworkers.
๐Ÿ˜‚ The occasional tiny assistant asking, "Are you done working yet?"

Living with COPD can also mean learning to work differentlyโ€”taking breaks when you need them, pacing yourself, and remembering that every little accomplishment counts. Some days, simply getting through your routine is a full day's work, and that's something to be proud of.

So tell us...

๐Ÿ“ธ If your kids, grandkids, pets, or even your spouse "came to work" with you today, what would happen? Would they be the CEO... or just the office distraction? ๐Ÿ˜„

We can't wait to hear your stories!

๐Ÿ’™ Happy "Please Take My Children to Work Day" from your COPD360social family!

17 hours ago

Suna

Suna

And I quit smoking 5 years ago. 

17 hours ago

Suna

Suna

Hi everyone. Hope you are having a great day. I was diagnosed with mild copd yesterday. By accident almost. I was doing a routine check -I smoked for 40 years and even though I had no symptoms both my parents had been heavy smokers their whole love and one died of cancer and the other of copd. They smoked to the end. So I thought I would get the cat scan done.  I was shocked. I have zero symptoms. Iโ€™m heathy and exercise and do weight training. I found out only yesterday and havenโ€™t had the lung function test yet but already in am comparing myself to mother who was so bad. It was traumatising to watch her. Now I feel thatโ€™s what going to happen to me. Mild. 64. Healthy and fit. I eat right. Train at the gym. Iโ€™m scared. Can anyone give me some advice please 

17 hours ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainHappy Thursday to everyone here on 360Social! Wishing all of you an extraordinary, beautiful day! ๐Ÿ˜Š ๐Ÿ’œ

23 hours ago

Richard DJ

Richard DJasked the question: Have you heard of anythng new to help prevent the gut to lung action from causing too much phlegm

Have you heard of anythng new to help prevent the gut to lung action from causing too much phlegm

1 day ago

Bob puff dragon

Bob puff dragon

Hello all hope everyone is doing the best they can. I apologize for this post but l gotta vent....
This past two weeks has been the toughest l have ever gone through.My ra interstitial lung disease has now become absolutely a living nightmare every breath feels like a battle and the pain is not even touched by tramadol. If that was not enough to handle,my wife,coming in the door this morning tripped and fell on the cement and broke her other hip,she broke her right one four years ago and now did the left one today.Honest to God l always try to compartmentize issues,put them inside and deal with them old school as dad always taught ,but this last two months has become one crisis after another that is really becoming too damn much.
Not looking for sympathy here just had to vent to a group that knows what setbacks are.thanks..

1 day ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captaincommented onEating Well: From Debbie Bโ€™s Kitchen to Yours

๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ‹โ€๐ŸŸฉGRAPE SALSA๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿ‹โ€๐ŸŸฉ3 cups red seedless grapes, stemmed and quartered Half of a small red onion, finely minced Half of a small red bell pepper, finely minced Half bunch cilantro, trimmed and coarsely chopped Zest and juice of 2...

1 day ago

Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captain

Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captaincommented onCOPD Captains Spotlight: Prince Osei Poku, COPD Foundation Captain from Ghana, West Africa

Thank you, Prince, for sharing your story of what COPD and other lung condition issues are like in Ghana. I'm very sure that your advocacy will make a difference....

1 day ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captaincommented onEating Well: From Debbie Bโ€™s Kitchen to Yours

๐ŸŸฃ๐ŸŸฃ๐ŸŸฃROASTED PLUMS๐ŸŸฃ๐ŸŸฃ๐ŸŸฃDelicious served alongside pork tenderloin. Superbly sweet served with vanilla ice cream! Let's go Plum Crazy! ๐Ÿ˜›1 1/2 pounds prune plums, halved and pitted2 tbsp. honey1 tap. vanilla bean paste 2 thin slices lemon1/4...

1 day ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainGood morning, and happy Wednesday! Grab your favorite beverage, and pull up a chair! Lots of helpful information here, and plenty of wonderful people! Have an awesome day! ๐Ÿคฉ

1 day ago

DannyJO

DannyJO

Thank you, to everybody that replied. For some clarity: I live in the Free State of South Africa. I am unemployed due to my condition and therefore have no medical aid. I have done breathing techniques, that help me, to breathe easier. But when I try to move that is where the problems are. The flare ups are bad, like almost total no oxygen. Again, I force myself to breathe in hard and deep, and exhale long and slow. So, the flare ups normally do not last more than a few minutes.

1 day ago

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager๐ŸŒŽ Visit My Corner of the World Wednesday ๐ŸŒŽ

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Did you know Wednesday is also Swim a Lap Day? ๐ŸŠ

That got me thinking...

Life isn't always about how fast we're moving. Sometimes it's simply about continuing to move forward, one lap, one step, and one day at a time.

Living with COPD, bronchiectasis, NTM, or caring for someone you love can bring challenges, unexpected turns, and days when the water feels a little rougher than usual.

But most of us have something that helps keep us going.

Maybe it's a loyal pet waiting to greet you.
๐Ÿพ A spouse, partner, or friend.
๐ŸŒฑ A garden you've nurtured.
๐ŸŽจ A favorite hobby.
โ˜• Your morning coffee.
๐Ÿ‘ง A grandchild's artwork on the refrigerator.
๐ŸŒ… A sunrise that reminds you a new day has begun.

For this week's Visit My Corner of the World Wednesday, I'd love to see a photo of something that helps keep you moving forward.

๐Ÿ“ธ When the water gets rough, what helps you keep swimming?

Share a photo from your corner of the world and tell us a little about what motivates, inspires, comforts, or encourages you.

Lets start:

๐Ÿ’™ What keeps me going is ____________________.

We can't wait to see the people, places, pets, hobbies, and moments that help make your journey a little brighter.

Let's travel around the world togetherโ€”one photo, one story, and one smile at a time. ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿ’™

2 days ago

Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captain

Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captain

I got good news today from my pulmonologist. I am a good candidate for the Zephyr valves. Due to a pre-planned trip that I have scheduled  in July and one that my daughter has in August, the earliest I can schedule it is the last week of August or early September (she lives out of state, but will come to be with me). My right upper lobe and left upper lobe are the worst lobes of my lungs.  He's going to do the right upper first, and then if all works out well, will do the left one later - maybe a year from now. 


So, now all I've got to do is to not get nervous for the next couple of months, LOL.

2 days ago

Community Announcements

Community Announcementsadded a new article COPD Captains Spotlight: Prince Osei Poku, COPD Foundation Captain from Ghana, West Africa

This article was written by Bailey McCrary.

Chronic lung conditions impact people all around the world, and the COPD Foundation partners with volunteers both within and outside the United States to help make things better for those affected. While different countries may face very different types of issues, the needs felt by those with chronic lung conditions are often similar.

We asked some questions of one international COPD Foundation volunteer making an important impact outside the United States. The following is an interview with Prince Osei Poku, who serves as the COPD Foundation Captain from Ghana. His role is driven by a personal mission to improve lung health care for all.

Who are you and how does your background connect to lung health advocacy?

I am Prince Osei Poku, a pulmonary disease advocate and COPD Foundation Captain from Ghana, West Africa.

I am an Administrator for Asthma Ghana, a Pharmacy Technologist, and a Sustainable Procurement Practitioner with some years in the National Ambulance Service of Ghana. Iโ€™ve worked with patients with chronic respiratory diseases in West Africa where lung health care can be very expensive, and access is limited, especially the primary health care settings. Thankfully, through advocacy for increased access to lung health care, things are beginning to change for patients.

What

2 days ago

Community Announcements

Community Announcementsadded a new article People lack critical information about wildfire smoke risks

New research reveals gaps in wildfire smoke education, highlights need to better protect vulnerable populations

Miami (June 23, 2026) - Wildfire smoke can trigger breathing problems and flare-ups for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), yet many people are not receiving the trusted health information they need to stay safe, according to a new study in the May 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

2 days ago

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

Coach Brandon - Community Manager

โŒจ๏ธ Happy Typewriter Day, COPD360social!

Long before texts, emails, and social media, people shared their stories one keystroke at a time on a typewriter.

Each letter mattered.
Each word mattered.
And every page told a story.

In many ways, living with COPD is a little like that.

We don't write our stories all at once. They're built one breath, one day, one challenge, and one victory at a time. Some pages are tougher than others, but every page becomes part of the story that makes us who we are.

One of the things that makes this community so special is that we're all writing different chapters, yet we learn from one another every day.

So on this Typewriter Day, we'd love to hear from you:

๐Ÿ“ If you could type one sentence for someone living with COPD to read today, what would it say?

Maybe it's a lesson you've learned.
Maybe it's encouragement that helped you through a tough time.
Maybe it's a reminder you still carry with you today.

We'll start with this:

"Keep goingโ€”some of your strongest chapters haven't been written yet."

Now it's your turn. Add your sentence in the comments and let's create a page filled with hope, wisdom, humor, and encouragement for anyone who needs it today. โค

โŒจ๏ธ And for a little extra fun: Did you ever use a typewriter? Tell us about it! Bonus points if you still have one tucked away somewhere.

2 days ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captaincommented onEating Well: From Debbie Bโ€™s Kitchen to Yours

๐Ÿ…๐Ÿ…๐ŸŒฑTOMATO TART๐Ÿ…๐Ÿ…๐ŸŒฑ12 sheets phyllo dough (14 x 9 inches)2 tbsp. olive oil, divided 2 tbsp. bread crumbs, divided 2 tbsp. pesto3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided 1 medium tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices1 large yellow tomato, cut into...

2 days ago

Min glo

Min glo

Good Morning all,new member just saying hi

2 days ago

DannyJO

DannyJO

Hi, Could you possibly help with some advice. I have COPD, and I have it really bad. I cannot walk, not even a few meters without almost collapsing from no breath. Any movement that requires a bit of force causes major flare ups. The paramedics that stabilized me,  Took over an hour just to get me breathing unassisted. I was given blood pressure meds, a cortisone inhaler, a ventolin inhaler, and ampules (Iprabut), they help alot, but dont relax the flare ups. My lungs and throat feel like bricks when I try stand. I need something that I can do to help me breath better, as I cannot afford the scans and the advanced meds

2 days ago

DannyJO

DannyJO

Hi everyone. I have been diagnosed recently with level 3 or 4 COPD. I need to go for the CT scan and the echo sound to see how bad it is. At this moment its about confusion and a little fear

2 days ago

DebbieB.-Connecticut State Captain

DebbieB.-Connecticut State CaptainGood morning to all the early birds, and happy Tuesday! Doesn't matter when you stop by. We're always happy to see you here on 360Social! ๐Ÿ˜€
Wishing everyone a wonderful day! ๐Ÿ˜Š

2 days ago

David Mannino, MD (Chief Medical Officer, COPD Foundation )

David Mannino, MD (Chief Medical Officer, COPD Foundation )answered the question Anybody feeling their breath catching in throat?

That is not a typical complaint. Have you been evaluated for vocal cord dysfunction? (ear, nose and throat doctor would need to take a look). This is typically addressed with speech therapy/ breathing exercises. https://www.aaaai.org/conditions …
Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captain also answered the question Karen Deitemeyer - Florida State Captain also answered the question

3 days ago

David Mannino, MD (Chief Medical Officer, COPD Foundation )

David Mannino, MD (Chief Medical Officer, COPD Foundation )answered the question Does pulmonary rehab help?

Yes. I try to get all of my patients to pulmonary rehab. The only complaint I have consistently heard has been "why did I not do this earlier?"
BarePhyliss DiLorenzo NJ State CaptainCaroline West Virginia State Captainand 2 others also answered the question Bareand 4 others also answered the question

3 days ago

HIcopd - Hawaii State Captain

HIcopd - Hawaii State Captain

Iโ€™m relieved and proud I finally removed the worn out velcro strip on my Inogen backpack and replaced it with a sturdy but flexible piece of wire. Now the tubing stays put instead of getting caught and dragging on the ground. 


Sure wish I had done it ages ago but better now than later. Haha!  Itโ€™s funny how just tiny changes can really improve things!

3 days ago

Medical Advice

It is not our intention to serve as a substitute for medical advice and any content posted should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. We make every effort to support our members, our medical professionals cannot and will not provide a diagnosis or suggest a specific medication; those decisions should be left to your personal medical team. While we encourage individuals to share their personal experiences with COPD, please consult a physician before making changes to your own COPD management plan.