Living with COPD

December 29, 2020

3 min read

If you’ve been told by your doctor you have COPD, you’re certainly not alone in receiving this diagnosis. More than 16 million people living in the U.S. have been officially diagnosed with the condition, but there are many more (in the millions) who unknowingly have it. The good news is that COPD can be managed, especially if identified and treated early. Empowering yourself with knowledge about COPD and the available treatments, along with reaching out to your support group, is your best defense for managing it effectively.

Challenges of Living With COPD

Living with COPD has its challenges, including the below.

Emotional Health

Having difficulty breathing can take a toll on your emotional health. Your emotions can range from fear, anxiety, and worry to sadness and depression. When you’re anxious, it can make you breathe faster, increasing your shortness of breath and exacerbating your COPD symptoms.

COPD can affect your mood too, and you may find that you have down days, especially when you’re not able to do some of the same things you used to enjoy doing.

Respiratory Issues

Because COPD is a chronic inflammatory lung condition, it can cause the airflow in and out of your lungs to be obstructed. Individuals with COPD are more prone to catching colds, the flu (influenza), and pneumonia. Having COPD can also increase your risk of severe illness from COVID-19, which is also a respiratory condition.

Difficulty in Being Active

When you have shortness of breath as a result of COPD, it can make you less active. And, when you become more sedentary, it can lead to you becoming less physically fit, and even overweight. By being less active, your lungs can weaken, and worsen your COPD over time.

Heart Disease

People with COPD have a higher instance of mortality from heart disease than those who don’t have the condition. Severe COPD makes people prone to right-sided heart failure, which can cause fluid to build up in your abdomen and legs. Further, low-oxygen levels resulting from untreated COPD or a COPD flare-up can put additional stress on the heart, upping the risk of having a heart attack.

Tips for Living Well With COPD

Living with COPD definitely has its challenges, but these strategies can help you live better and manage it.

Medications

Today there are a variety of medications people with COPD can take to manage their symptoms. These include

Bronchodilators
Inhaled steroids
Combination bronchodilators and inhaled steroids
Oral steroids
Theophylline
Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors

· Antibiotics

Oxygen Therapy

Not everyone who has COPD needs oxygen therapy, but if you are not getting enough oxygen in your blood, you may need supplemental oxygen. You may need supplemental oxygen only during activity or when sleeping, or you may need it all the time. Today, there are portable, lightweight devices, allowing you to go out and about and carry on with your daily activities.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

If you have moderate or severe COPD, you may benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation. This involves a multifaceted regime of education, exercise, and nutrition counseling designed to improve your lung strength, lessen your shortness of breath, and make it easier to perform your everyday tasks.

Surgery

In some severe cases, surgery may be an option. Surgical options include bullectomy, lung volume reduction surgery, and lung transplant.

Some studies reveal that COPD patients participating in social support can realize improved mental health, better disease management behaviors, reduced COPD flare-ups, and fewer hospitalizations.

Connect With Others With COPD on Healthread

As you know, living with COPD presents challenges, especially as it progresses. Not only is it essential to work with a medical professional to help you navigate and manage the condition, but it’s helpful to join a support group composed of other COPD patients to talk about methods of coping with and leading an active life with the condition

Healthread offers you the support and insight you need that's beyond your family, friends, and doctor and genuinely connect with others experiencing COPD.