Many Choices Is a Good Thing
Of course, we would rather not have lung diseases like asthma or COPD. Yet, be it as it is, many of us are here because we do.
We must learn to cope and manage life with it as best we can. Thankfully, we live in a time when there are many options to help us live better and longer despite our diagnosis.
Availability to a wide range of COPD treatment options
In this day and age, we are presented with a diverse range of opportunities from which to pick and choose.
Access to various types of physicians
Gone are the days when you only have access to one physician. Today, most communities have access to many physicians.
We also have specialists, such as pulmonologists, allergists, ear-nose-and-throat (ENT) doctors, and sleep doctors. You get to choose which one works best for you.
Right in my own community, we have various primary care physicians, such as internists (internal medicine) and family practice physicians; however, we do not have access to many specialists in person, but we have access to them thanks to the evolution of telemedicine.
Access to nebulizers
Your health insurance might only cover the basics, depending on your plan. These are the least expensive, but they do get the job done most of the time.
Although, for those who like to stay active, it’s nice to have other options on the table. Today, we have a variety of portable nebulizers to choose from. These can be used no matter where you are, including your car.
We also now have access to portable mesh nebulizers, and these can be easily carried in a purse and sometimes even a pocket. Regardless of what kind of life you lead, there is a nebulizer somewhere that is ideal for you.
Access to treatments
In the past, COPD medicine was a one-size-fits-all approach. If you had COPD, you were most likely given this or that medicine, and there were few other options.
Today, in nearly every class of medicine, you have several choices, starting with combination inhalers.
Just a few short years ago, Advair and Symbicort were the two main combination inhalers on the market. Today, we have Dulera, Breo, Trelegy, Stiolto, Arnuity, Incruse, Airduo, etc. There are so many that I can’t even list them all here.
Moving on from inhalers, we also have biologics now showing promise for many in our community. This is neat because if one does not work for you, you and your doctor have several others to try.
Since there are so many different medicines for COPD, many experts now say that it is a matter of trial and error to find the one that works best for each person.
We also have devices such as acapellas and flutter valves. Just by doing a quick Google search, you can see there are many brands to choose from. We can also access various surgical treatments, such as lung reduction surgery and endobronchial valves (Zephyr Valves).
Choices of excercises
Study after study shows that staying active and getting some form of exercise is a great way to help you obtain improved control of your disease. There is an array of options here, too.
Many in our community start with a physical therapy program. These are programs to help you learn what activities are best for you and how best to do them, given your own personal limitations.
After that, it is up to us to determine which type of exercise we prefer the most. Many people prefer walking. You have the option to either walk on a treadmill or go outside and walk in the fresh air.
Two types of bikes are available for you to choose from: regular bikes and stationary bikes. In addition, yoga, swimming, and weightlifting are also viable options.
Do you have anything that you would add to this list? Please share them in the comments below!
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