What treatments have you tried for COPD? What works for you?

I am finding it hard to come to terms with the total lack of energy I am experiencing.  It's really  affecting my life now.  I will try Brewers Yeast.  I've got to the point where energy drinks are the only answer and then I have to recover for 2/3 days;....it's no way to live and making me depressed as I used to be so active.  Any other suggestions will be so appreciated.

What helped me and still does.  

- Not smoking

- pulmonary rehabilitation

- Regular exercise.

- do away with all sprays (pump action ok though)

- try to use only eco green cleaning products (it helps the lungs and air quality in the home)

- use eco dust cloths, dust sticks to the eco duster and doesn't get recirculated into the air as happens with other dusters.  (shake duster outside)

- avoid where you can people who are infected with a cold or the flu virus (during winter wear gloves when out when opening and closing doors shopping trolly etc, it just help reduce the risk of picking up the seasonal bugs)

- have a good diet and drink plenty of water

In the early days I was always tired and could hardly breathe to talk never mind exercise, however I did manage to improve fitness level by doing little say 2-5 min sessions of walking initially, then 6-8 mins improving gradually over the weeks, I did this 2-3 times daily.  I then went to pulmonary rehabilitation, referred by GP, here you learn all you need to know to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.  With the regular exercise it has to be ongoing each day, can be gym, walking or exercise in the home (you tube have loads of videos just search COPD exercise, there are standing and chair based ones)  Sure there were days I had to drag myself to exercise but I managed it even though I would then sleep most of the afternoon.  Now I am able to do so much more and don't need afternoon sleeps.  From experience the less you do the more quickly you deteriorate so even when poorly unable to move much just start with as much as you can, pause to recover breath then continue, keep doing the little that you can until you can do a little bit more and a little bit more.  It turns your life around so you can enjoy a better quality of life and live successfully with COPD.

I still get tired when over exerting and of course I still get breathless but the tiredness is nothing like it used to be and the breathlessness, well its just something I live with but it doesn't stop me doing things, improving the fitness level helps us utilise our breathing muscles apparatus more effectively so that breathing is more efficient and this in turn helps us achieve more and not get so tired too quickly.  

With those who are excessively tired, ie can drop off without warning during the day, dangerous to be driving of course if you are like this.  Check with your GP for referral for sleep apnoea test.

Sorry this is such a long post, but hope it helps some, one more thing though:-

Ask your doctor for a vitamin D deficiency test, if you are deficient it is very important to supplement with vitamin D3 as such a deficiency will affect health; lungs, bones, overall.  Especially if you've had a lot of oral steroids.  

Hi my name is Julie

I read the comments on here which I find helpful I have never commented till now

i was diagnosed with COPD a while back but it is now much worste

My husband was diagnosed with Motor Nureon Disease last September 

I booked us a breack as with all this going on and we really needed a breack .

I had been booked in with my chest nurse as I had a chest infection a few weeks prior and my gp wanted me to see her as my chest wasn't clearing up

I seen her on the Monday and we where due to fly on the Wednesday 

I saw the nurse and she wanted me to see my GP the next day as she wasn't happy with my chest

So I saw my GP thinking they will just give me more antibiotics and steroids and then I'll be fine, but when I seen her she said after examining me I wasn't fit to fly as my oxergen levels was low my heart rate was high and she wasn't happy with my chest prior to flying the next day

I was gobsmacked and when I told my husband I just broke down and cryed.

The next day I had to have chest X-ray emergency ECG and my bloods done then results with my doctor about my ecg

He told me that my heart rate was still high and didn't know if I might have heart failure and was waiting on my blood test .

so the next day I had my blood test results and it was ok

but now was waiting for my X-ray results 

she gave me more steroids

I then had to wait 2 weeks for my X-ray results even though it was urgent

she said that my heart was ok but my COPD was showing

she stressed that I got to give up smoking and I am young also she said if I don't the next thing will be she have to precribe me with oxergen to carry around with me . I am trying to give up smoking but it's so hard and I am struggling to   breath just doing little things.

shes waiting on how I get on Monday with the chest nurse now and want to see me again a week later, she did say she might have to give me steroids for good

i have all the inhalers 

so what do all of you think on steroids?

i did feel a bit better when I had to have them twice in 6 weeks. 

im sorry this is a long comment but after reading the comments it's good to know you can talk about it with other people, and I need to sort my health problems as I have to be able to help my husband as we go along with this awful desease 

they said he has a slow progression so wer keeping our fingers crossed that it will stay slow.

Thanks X