Living with a chronic lung condition called COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Living with a chronic lung condition called COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

 

If you have a difficulty in breathing and a cough that will not go away, you may have COPD. With the latest medicines, your doctor can help you to breathe more easily, slow down the damage to your lungs, and feel more physically fit.

 

Take time to think about your lungs…

1. Do you cough several times most of the day?

? Yes               ? No

1. Do you bring up phlegm or mucus most days?

? Yes               ? No

1. Do you run out of breath more easily than others your age?

? Yes               ? No

1. Are you older than 40 years old?

? Yes               ? No

1. Are you a current smoker or an ex-smoker?

? Yes               ? No

• If you answer yes to three or more of these questions, ask your doctor if you have COPD and should have a simple breathing test.

• If COPD is found early, there are steps you can take to prevent further lung damage and make you feel better

 

What does COPD mean?

COPD is short term for

            Chronic means it will not go away

            Obstructive means partly blocked

            Pulmonary means in the lungs

            Disease means illness

 

You will understand COPD better if you know your lungs work

 

When you breathe, air goes into your lungs through the airways which are like tubes. These tubes carry air from your nose and mouth into your lungs.

 

What happens to the lungs in COPD?

• When you get COPD, your airways become narrower.

• The amount of air that can go in is much less.

• Air cannot get out of the lungs properly.

• The tiny air sacs cannot get emptied completely.

• Air trapped and lungs feel very full. The whole chest feels tight and feels short breath.

 

Who gets COPD?

• COPD is not an infectious disease. That means it is not caused by germs. So you cannot get COPD from anyone else. Also, you cannot give it to anyone else.

• Adults get COPD, but children do not get it.

• Most people with COPD are smokers. Or they used to smoke. Any form of smoking can damage the lungs. Even people who do not smoke can suffer if they keep breathing in smoke because of someone else’s smoking.

• People can get COPD if they are exposed to fumes from cooking stoves (Chula), or from room heaters (sigri).

• Those who have been working for many years in places that are very dusty or smoky can get COPD. This can happen to those who work in coal mines, cement, textile and certain other industries.

 

Any of these may be the reason for your coughing and breathing problems. Now, let your attending physician start treating it straight away.

 

• Many people ignore a cough or mild breathing problem for years. If you have COPD, delaying treatment will make the problem worse because it will not be controlled.

• People with COPD are usually older than 40. But you can also get COPD when you are younger than 40, especially if you are a smoker.

• If you have breathing problems, do not delay. See your attending physician immediately.

 

How do you determine of one has COPD?

Your Attending Physician will do the following:

• Examine you and ask you about you breathing problem and your general health. (History and Physical examination)

• Breathing Test (Pulmonary Function Test)

• Spirometry is a simple, painless test to measure the amount of air a person can breath out and the amount of time taken to do so.

• Chest X-ray Oxygen level measurements

• Exercise tests

 

Your attending physician can tell you how bad the COPD is.

If your COPD is not too bad, it is called mild COPD

• You may cough a lot. Sometimes you cough out mucus

• You feel a little out of breath if you work hard or walk fast

 

If your COPD is getting bad, it is called moderate COPD.

• You may cough more, and you cough out a lot of mucus

• You have trouble breathing during the day and at night

• You may take several weeks to recover from a cold or chest infection

 

If your COPD is very bad, it is called severe COPD

• You may cough even more, and you cough out a lot of mucus

• You have trouble breathing during the day and at night

• You may take several weeks to recover from a cold or chest infection

• You can no longer go to work or do housework

• You cannot climb stairs or even walk across a room very well

• You get tired with even the smallest effort, or even when you are resting

 

Your doctor can help you to breathe more easily and live more confidently.

 

With the right treatment, you will feel better in many ways:

• Less shortness of breath

• Less cough

• Sleep better, feel fit and be able to move around better

• Feel more confident and be a better mood

 

What you and your family can do to help control the damage in your lungs.

1. If you are a smoker, stop smoking. It is the most important thing you can do to help your lungs. STOP SMOKING
2. Go for your medical check-ups on the dates your doctor tells you. Go at least two times a year, even if you are feeling OK.  Follow your attending physician’s advice
3. Taking the right COPD medication
4. Eat healthy food. Maintain the right weight.

• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Eat protein-rich foods. Some examples of vegetarian protein-rich foods are mike, soya, whole grain foods, cooked dried peas and beans. Some examples of non vegetarian-protein foods are meat, fish, and eggs.
• If you become breathless when you eat, eat more slowly. Talk less when you are eating.
• If you feel so full with the usual meals at home, eat smaller meals but more times in a day.
• Drink lots of fluids such as water and juice. This helps to keep the mucus in your lungs thin so that you can cough it out easily. If your breathing gets a lot worse, it could be an emergency. Be prepared to go to your doctor or hospital straight away.
•  

1 .Get emergency help if you see any of these danger signs:

• It is hard to talk

• It is hard to walk

• Lips or fingernails turn grey or blue

• The heartbeat or pulse is very long, or it does not help at all. Even after taking it, breathing is still fast and hard

 

Keep all the things you will need ready in one place so you can act fast:

 

2 .Do breathing exercises

Ask your attending physician to tell you which breathing exercises you should do. These exercises will make your chest muscles stronger. You will be able to breathe more easily.

 • Sit comfortably and relax your shoulders

• Out one hand on your abdomen. Now inhale slowly through your nose. (Push your abdomen out while you breathe in)

• Then push in your abdominal muscle and breathe out using the pursed lip technique. (You should feel your abdomen go down)

 

Living with COPD is not easy, but at time, it doesn’t mean giving up on everything. It just means making changes in the way you do things, so that you can feel better and do more. Look forward to the benefits of your doctor’s treatment and the effective new medicines that are available today.

 

As you and your family adjust, your sense of wee-being will grow. Eat well, take time to relax, enjoy your time with family and friends.

 

Remember, the most important thing about living with COPD is living with determination.

 

Source:

http://www.cipladoc.com/publications/Respiratory/Publication/COPD/COPD-PatientEducation.htm

Suggested websites for knowing more about COPD

www.lung.ca.copd/tofc.html

www.freebreath.com/msn/programs_copd.asp

 

Note:   This information is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advise, diagnosis or treatment.   If you or someone you know have any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to seek professional help.

 

For more information, please call:

 

PULMONARY DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CENTER

Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 ext. 6238

 

CENTER FOR PATIENT PARTNERSHIP

Tel. No. (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 ext. 6444