Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can affect many parts of your life. But there are ways to help reduce its impact.
Have regular check-ups
You'll have regular contact with your care team to check your condition.
These appointments may involve:
- talking about your symptoms - to see if they're affecting your normal activities or getting worse
- talking about your medicine and if you have any side effects
- tests to check your health
It's also a good opportunity to ask any questions you have or raise any other issues you would like to discuss.
Tell your GP if your symptoms get worse or you develop new symptoms between check-ups.
HSE Chronic Disease Management Programme
If you have a medical card or GP visit card, you can register with your GP for the HSE Chronic Disease Management (CDM) programme. With this programme, your GP will review your COPD twice a year.
Stop smoking
If you smoke, stopping can help slow down or stop further damage to your lungs.
Take your medicines
It's important to take any medicines prescribed for you. These include inhalers, as they can help prevent your condition getting worse (a flare-up).
Read the information leaflet that comes with your medicine. This will explain what will happen if you take other medicines or supplements.
Check with your GP or hospital doctor if you plan to take any medicines or remedies you bought without a prescription. For example, painkillers or nutritional supplements.
These can sometimes cause problems with your prescribed medicine.
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- you have any concerns about the medicine you're taking
- you're having any side effects
Maintain a healthy weight
Carrying excess weight can make shortness of breath worse. You can manage your weight through a combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Some people with COPD find that they lose weight without trying to. Eating food high in protein and taking in enough calories is important to maintain a healthy weight.
You may be able to get advice from a dietitian as part of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
Exercise regularly
Exercising can help improve your symptoms and quality of life.
The amount of exercise you can do will differ from person to person. Exercising until you're a little breathless is not dangerous. But do not push yourself too far.
Talk to your GP before starting a new exercise programme. This is important if your symptoms are severe or you have not exercised for a while.
Pulmonary rehabilitation programmes include structured exercise plans tailored to your needs and ability.
COPD Support Ireland
COPD Support Ireland has local support groups that meet for weekly exercise classes. These can be online or in person.
Find your local COPD support group - copd.ie
Get vaccinated
COPD can put a significant strain on your body and mean you're more vulnerable to infections.
Anyone with COPD should have the:
You can get these vaccinations at your GP or a local pharmacy.
Watch what you breathe in
Breathing in some things can make COPD symptoms worse.
Try to avoid:
- dusty places
- fumes, such as car exhausts
- smoke
- air freshener sprays or plug-ins
- strong-smelling cleaning products (unless there is good ventilation)
- hairspray
- perfume
Learn breathing techniques
There are different breathing techniques you may find helpful for shortness of breath.
These include breathing control. This involves breathing gently using the least amount of effort, with your shoulders supported. It can help if you feel short of breath.
Breathing techniques for someone more active include:
- relaxed, slow, deep breathing
- breathing through pursed lips (as if whistling)
- breathing out hard when doing an activity that needs a big effort
- paced breathing, using a rhythm in time with the activity, such as climbing stairs
If you have a chesty cough that produces a lot of phlegm, you may be taught a technique to help clear your airways.
Learning to control your breathing
Energy saving and shortness of breath
Saving or conserving your energy can help if you have shortness of breath.
Saving your energy means that you can focus on the things that are most important to you.
Ways of saving energy may include:
- finding an easier way to carry out everyday tasks
- getting the most activity done using the least amount of energy
Plan to do your tasks when you have the most energy. For some people, morning is best. Spread work out over the week.
Work at a moderate pace and take regular short breaks. When you start to feel tired you can slow down, pause, stop or rest. This will help your body to recover. You can restart the activity after a short rest.
Keep some of your energy for your hobbies or interests. It's important to carry on doing things that you enjoy.
How you use your body will help save energy. The main things to avoid are bending and stooping. Use long handled aids to help you if you need to. Try to do less lifting.
Create a self-care plan
Having a self-care plan will help you manage your COPD better, especially if you have a flare-up. You can create a plan with the help of your GP or physiotherapist.
Relationships
COPD can affect your relationships with friends, family members or partners.
Relationships with friends and family
Having a long-term illness such as COPD can put a strain on any relationship.
Difficulty breathing and coughing can make you feel tired and depressed.
Your spouse, partner or carer may also have concerns about your health. It's important to talk about your worries together.
Being open about how you feel and what your family and friends can do to help may put them at ease. But it is OK to tell them that you need some time to yourself if that's what you want.
Talking to someone about what's troubling you
Your sex life
As COPD progresses, it can be difficult to take part in strenuous activities. Shortness of breath can happen during sexual activity. This may mean your sex life can suffer.
Talk to your partner and stay open-minded. Explore what you both like. Touching, being touched and being close to someone helps a person feel loved.
Your doctor or physiotherapist may be able to suggest ways to help manage shortness of breath during sex.
Air travel and COPD
Before travelling, pack all your medicine in your hand luggage.
If you're using oxygen therapy, tell your travel operator and airline before you book your holiday.
Airlines generally do not allow you to bring oxygen cylinders with you. But they do allow other portable oxygen concentrator devices.
You may need a new prescription from your doctor for oxygen abroad, so leave enough time to arrange this. Talk to your specialist as they may need to do tests to check if you'll need oxygen on the flight.
Travelling with oxygen - copd.ie
End-of-life care
COPD is a serious condition that can eventually reach a stage where it becomes life-threatening.
It can be hard to talk about dying with your doctor, or your family and friends. But many people find it helps. Support is also available for your family and friends.
It may be helpful to discuss the symptoms and treatments you may have as you become more seriously ill.
As COPD progresses, your doctor or team will work with you to make a clear management plan based on your wishes. This will include where you want to be looked after as you become more ill. You may prefer to go to hospital or a hospice, or be cared for at home.
Living will
You may want to discuss writing an advance decision, also called a 'living will'.
This sets out your wishes for treatment if you become too ill to be consulted.
A living will might include:
- if you want to be resuscitated if you stop breathing
- if you want artificial ventilation to be continued
Download the Irish Hospice Foundation booklet 'Planning for the future with COPD' (PDF, 896 KB, 44 pages)
For printed versions of this booklet, freephone COPD Support Ireland: 1800 832 146.
