COPD Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others

I was diagnosed with stage 3 non small cell lung cancer April of 2016 had 35 radiation treatments 7 chemo. Came through w/o to much trouble. Diagnosed with COPD 3 years ago am on 3 liters of o2 24/7. Have had two bouts of pneumonia one Christmas and one first week of April 2022. Takes a long time to recoup these days.

Welcome @fred03. Like you, @merpreb lives with COPD and lung cancer, albeit a different type of lung cancer than yours.

I see your on 24/7 oxygen. How are doing recouperating from this most recent bout of pneumonia in April?

Slow but getting there. Have home health which is good but will be finish soon and go back to being on my own. I guess with age and all health problems I am BLESSED.

I have had hyperinflated lungs since 2007. My pulmonologist says my hyperinflation resembles that of someone who went through a fire. But my pulmonary test, when feeling well, was normal so he said I have been compensating.

I am starting to realize that for many years I have been having "exacerbations" from exposure to various fumes and other things that don't bother other people, but give me asthma-like sensations for days or even weeks. The burning, heavy lung sensations are accompanied by esophageal symptoms like heartburn and a lot of belching. In fact, the air in my GI can press on my lungs and cause shortness of breath.

My pulmonologist wanted a CT scan to diagnose (x-rays consistently show hyper inflation). COVID made me reluctant to go in but I am also afraid to know what is going on in my lungs. I am going to make an appointment and get the CT scan but I am scared!

I have a nebulizer and also do Flovent, both inhaled and swallowed, and Zantac or Pepcid also helps over time.
Before COVID, deep breathing at tai chi class helped me but the pandemic interrupted that practice.

Hi I am Laurel and have been off line for a while. I have stage 4 COPD and Stage Congestive heart failure. I am getting worse. I am having trouble walking and sleeping. I have gotten so I don't want to go anywhere. It is just a struggle. I have come to terms with this disease, but it is still hard. Is anyone have a lot of issues, I sometimes feel so alone. Just because you may look Ok, what is happened when you are alone can be quite scary. I wake in the middle of the night and can barely walk to the living and do a breathing treatment which lately are not working too well. I do Trilogy and at first it really helped and not it seems that it is not working as well. I sometimes want to give up but I keep going for my daughter grandson and son in law. They are so good to me. My daughter is really struggling with the facts that she will lose me. I hang on for her. I have decided that going to ER is not always the best solution. Sometimes you have to ride it out and it you get thru then you say Thank you Jesus. I am 74 yrs and I feel I should have had more time. My parents both lived to be 90+. I am trying to get this negative feeling out of me. There is always Hope. I believe in Miracles but I also believe when it is time to go you go. The heat in Missouri and humidity and awful. Just taking my trash out wears me out. I don't want to discourage anyone but keep going as long as you can. Tuffbutt

What is the best exercise to keep COPD at bay?

Hello @natureisgreat and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect.

You will notice that I have moved your post into the general COPD discussion here:
- COPD Group: Introduce yourself and connect with others: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/copd-group-introduce-yourself-and-connect-with-others/

I found this and thought you may be interested: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-benefits-of-pulmonary-rehabilitation-for-copd-and-other-lung-conditions/

What exercises have you tried so far, if any?

Well, indeed I do have COPD. admittedly I was a smoker when I was in the service during the Korean War, but I stopped when I was about 30 (I’m 88 now), but I have asbestosis in my lungs compliments of the Navy as I removed a lot of it from pipes and breathed the dust in. Added to that the use of lead paint in confined spaces I’m sure had to add to my problems today.And who knows what else was inhaled.
I would love to know if asbestosis in one’s lungs could contribute to COPD?
This is a great service, thank you Mayo!

Hopefully my other post got through?
I believe I am experiencing pretty good control over my COPD as I am active, I fish, bowl, play golf, swim and recently started a new fade; Pickle Ball. Add to that I like to walk.
My goal is to live to be 100!
Sometimes, like when I bend forward to tie my shoes it feels like someone is squeezing the breath right out of me, a scary feeling for sure!
My last excise is to take deep breaths a bunch of times when I think about it and I feel it helps?

Oops, also thanks, I will check it out.