Community Shares: My Shingles SurpriseRecently, members of our community discussed shingles. Shingles symptoms are uncomfortable, and they can be more severe when combined with autoimmune diseases. It is always an unwelcome surprise when shingles...reactionscomments
Give Me StrengthPlease give me strength in this COPD world. This title really resonates with me. How often have I said those three words: “Give me strength.” If you stop and think...reactions27comments
A Day Out Leads to Ignorance and RudenessI had a doctor’s appointment; the day was lovely, with the promise of spring around the corner. I was happy to get out of the house for a few hours...reactions48comments
Inhaler Use in the Hospital: What to Expect and How It May Differ from HomeEditor's Note: Please note that each hospital admission is unique, and the following account represents only one perspective. When you come to the hospital, things will be different than at...reactions11comments
A COPD Patient Interviews MeI do not always bring this up. But in a conversation today with a patient of mine with severe COPD, I mentioned I had really bad asthma as a kid...reactions2comments
What I Thought Was Eczema Turned Out to Be ShinglesEditor’s note: This article was written by Health Leader Cora Lyn Sears and originally appeared on our partner site AtopicDermatitis.net. She describes her experience of having shingles while living with...reactionscomments
Navigating the Impact of GERD on COPDAccording to Google.com, GERD stands for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Heartburn is the main symptom, but it also affects swallowing and causes food to get stuck in the esophagus. When you...reactions9comments
How Often Should We Change Our Hoses and Other Oxygen InformationJust recently, in one of the Alpha-1 support groups, questions have been asked about how often we should change the hoses on our oxygen concentrators. When reading some of the...reactions20comments
Spring Has SprungYearning, I so want to smell the flowers. Wildflowers are my favorites. Yet, nothing compares to the aromatic lilacs from those beautiful lilac bushes. I remember picking them up when...reactions7comments
You Don't Look SickI want to thank a few of you members from our forums who reminded me of how this feels. I think we all have been through this, but it would...reactions3comments
Using and Wearing Supplemental OxygenAt least once a day, I hear someone say how much they dread wearing supplemental oxygen. Some because their vanity dictates it, some because of prejudice, and others because, the...reactions3comments
Shingles: Good Reason to Boost My Immune SystemEditor’s note: This article was written by Health Leader Jacqueline Harmon and originally appeared on our partner site BladderCancer.net. She shares her experience with shingles while living with multiple serious...reactionscomments
Community Shares: The Painful Reality of ShinglesWe asked our community of Health Leaders to share about their shingles experiences. What topped the list of challenges when dealing with a shingles infection? PAIN! It’s no surprise that...reactionscomments
Staging for COPDGetting a COPD diagnosis is downright scary. So many emotions and questions go through your head and trying to make sense of it all seems like an impossible feat. One...reactions27comments
My Own Experience Through the Disability Process with COPDI have noticed every once in a while in our COPD forums that many people have asked about getting on disability, and I thought I would share my journey with...reactions2comments
The Silent StruggleIt is true that when you have a chronic illness like COPD, your daily suffering will be a struggle that others cannot understand. My symptoms go over their heads. I...reactions20comments
Community Shares: Did Your Doctor Talk to You About Shingles?For many people, a shingles diagnosis will come as a painful surprise. But about 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will be affected by this common...reactionscomments
Taking Care of Those That Care For UsIt is important to remember that our caregivers need some caring of their own. As hard as it is to live with a chronic illness like COPD, our caregivers live...reactions10comments
Four Things All COPD Patients Should HaveThere are 15 million people in the U.S. with a diagnosis of COPD. Each one experiences this disease in unique ways. Some have mild COPD, while others have it severe...reactions17comments
Preparing for an Emergency When You Have COPDWhere I live, here in Illinois, we have to be prepared for everything because of our weather. We have windy, cold winters. In the spring and summer, we have thunderstorms...reactions6comments
