I've been diagnosed with stage 3 COPD (38%) and undergoing pulmonary rehab therapy. Since results of PFT was key to help identify the stage of COPD, Do people in stage 3-4 undergo PFT on a periodic basis- like every 6 months or annually to assess the current state of health? My doctor scared me a lot regarding life expectancy- so i am also curious- for folks that unfortunately dont make it.. is it a painful case of breathlesness that impacts them or is it a trigger event for other associated conditions like cardiac arrest etc.? thanks and apologies if it hurts anyone submitted by /u/peak2 [v ..read more

18 M here and South Asian I went to the doctor's over the weekend to get a spirometry done and the results showed that my FEV1 levels are at 34% (severe). I was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. Just to be clear, I haven't smoked once but I do have a history of having severe bronchitis especially during allergic reactions and live in a pretty polluted country. The docs have recommended a pulmonary therapy which I plan to start ASAP. What I do want to know from you all is how you've managed to keep COPD under control? What sort of exercises would I have to do from now on to not worsen the con ..read more

I was hoping to get more information about some of the downsides of current treatments. If anyone doesn’t mind sharing about the side effects of their current treatment plan and how they impact their life. submitted by /u/CommunicationOwn4511 [visit reddit] [comments ..read more

I am a 20 year old female, 112 pounds, 5’4, and have stupidly been vaping for 6 years. To make this all even more laughable, I have extremely crippling health anxiety and OCD. I have a pulse oximeter and peak flow meter. My BO2 is never below 97%, I usually score around 440 ML, and my FEV1 is typically around 2.5. I can climb seven flights of stairs (not without being breathless at the end though), I can sing the alphabet 3 times in one breath, and can hold my breath for at least a minute. Nevertheless, I have excess mucus almost always at the back of my throat. I also feel that my chest gets ..read more

My Mum has COPD and emphysema. She was diagnosed a few years ago. Smoked up until January this year. In the last 6 weeks there has been a big decline in my Mums ability to move around without the oxygen. Off the oxygen machine her levels dip quickly to 65-70%. She has one of those machines you put on your finger to measure you heart rate and oxygen levels. They did an angiogram last week to see if she had a blood clot in her lung but she doesn’t. She can barely walk a few meters now without having to stop or rest. It’s heart breaking to watch and she has depression now on top of everything. I ..read more

Hello, Anyone has a recommendation for a good quality SpO2 watch with alarms? I tried the Xiaomi Smart band 7, but it's just not getting the correct SpO2. ​ Thanks in advance submitted by /u/apunker [visit reddit] [comments ..read more

Hello everybody, I was hoping someone could help give me some insight into my symptoms before getting my Spirometry. I vaped + smoked tobacco and weed for 6 years and I payed the consequences, I had months of shortness of breath and wheezing which i ignored, it also felt like I had mucus in my throat a lot of the time. One day it got seriously bad and I went to the doctor worrying about COPD, thank god I got the Spirometry booked in! The doctor said I had deep wheezing which was not normal for my age even with an infection. I was put on steroids for 5 days, antibiotics (I also had a mouth inf ..read more

Hello, I have stage 3 COPD and in the past 9 weeks I have had 4-5 flare-ups where I had to be on steroids. I work from home full-time as a customer service representative. I struggle to maintain oxygen levels from 88-92 without supplemental oxygen. Anyways, work has become so difficult by the end of the day I am exhausted and in tears. My question is when do we know it is time to call it and apply for short term disability. My primary doctor has been advising me to stop working for about 10 months now. I wanted to post this and get feedback form others that have been thru the same situation ..read more

my father has been dignosed with COPD recently submitted by /u/HannibalLecterSaw [visit reddit] [comments ..read more

Hi All, I posted a few days ago about Filter (www.joinfilter.co), an app that helps people with COPD improve their mental health and wellbeing. I just wanted to give you all a quick update, and hear any feedback that you had. We have had over 100 downloads in the last few days which is so great. Our favorite user quote is - "I feel in control with Filter. I used to struggle to leave the house I was so anxious, but the program has me going for walks again." We created Filter to help people like my uncle, who struggle with the psychological effects of COPD. We are real people with the intention ..read more