COPD is one of the most common lung diseases and makes it very difficult to breathe.  This disease not only affects our lungs and everyday activities but also our state of mind.  The best way to get support in this area is from other patients themselves who are dealing with the same difficulties in their daily lives.  Presented for you is a series of videos taken at a self-help support group in New York by patients for patients on how they deal with their COPD.

COPD 1

A COPD self-help group candidly answers the question “How do you exercise?”  The first patient attends pulmonary rehab and finds it helpful but still has the natural tendency to want to cut back on exercise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCEI3vTEWp0

COPD 2

This patient wants to know if others stay true to exercising or if they come up with excuses just like her.  She states you need to develop a habit and to push yourself to stay focused on your exercising.  This patient finds treadmills and tension bands to be a good form of exercise for her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlOxqdtXaGg

COPD 3

Family and friends are a source of encouragement for this patient who finds keeping regular with her medication as a positive to being able to exercise regularly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DWfbWjO1SM

COPD 4

Our next patient uses a personal trainer to help keep her dedicated to her exercise.  She mentions that you have to learn pacing during exercise to keep you focused and dedicated.  The use of oxygen during exercise was received with conflicting reports.  She always mentions that it’s very important to feel comfortable with your choice of doctor and other health care professionals.  The second patient in this clip uses oxygen during exercising and states that it helps keep her in shape.  She is also currently attending pulmonary rehab and has learned many good tips to keep her healthy and exercising.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lMVxU14laU

COPD 5

This patient who suffers with asthma finds exercising very important in controlling her condition.  On occasion she will use her inhaler during exercise but can usually make it through without it.  One of her major comments was that there’s not as much support for asthma patients as there is for COPD and emphysema patients.  Also, she finds that asthma patients don’t always qualify for pulmonary rehab which she thinks would be very beneficial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A88LO3ob7Y8

COPD 6

Our next patient doesn’t use oxygen and finds walking and yoga as a great form of exercise.  Her doctor doesn’t believe in pulmonary rehab and instead has the patient working with a power breather and taking several medications.  The group was very concerned with this patient’s doctor not sending her to pulmonary rehab or referring her to another specialist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIarh-BM-og

COPD 7

Our first patient in this clip suffers from asthma and recently found out she also has cancer.  Even though she is active she doesn’t exercise or push herself too much.  The next patient was a heavy smoker for many years and developed asthma and then COPD after she quit smoking.  She did attend an exercise program which she found to be very helpful but did not continue attending.  Even though she feels better when she exercises she finds herself to be very lazy.  Our final patient has asthma and emphysema and used to be very active until she had a stroke and received a defibrillator.  These events have limited her exercise but she still continues to walk.  She hasn’t given up yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvg3dBNZnUQ

COPD 8

This patient finds it hard to exercise outside due to the pollution and how it affects her breathing.  However, since this patient is a ballroom dance instructor she finds dancing as a great source of exercise.  When she isn’t teaching she will use dance and yoga tapes for exercise at her home.  Our second patient has both COPD and emphysema.  Carrying a heavy oxygen tank around limits her walking but she prefers to do floor exercise at home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwaMVGnY480