Living

I will be honest with you. When someone is diagnosed with a disease, it's not easy for me to come up with the right words to say to them. Choosing...

On November 15th, we celebrated World COPD Day. It is this day of the year when we bring awareness of our COPD. This year's theme is ‘Breathing is Life-Act Earlier.’...

We asked our advocates about their challenges in using oxygen and managing shortness of breath. Here are their responses. Barbara I started using oxygen about six years ago. At first...

I want to thank you for being the people to take care of me. From the time we got married and had children, my life path changed. I had no...

I have emphysema and chronic bronchitis from the combination of smoking and having Alpha-1. I usually try to stay upbeat and not let the struggles of living with Alpha-1 get...

It’s been a little over two years since I first started to write for our online health community. The first article that I did was on rare diseases. With Alpha-1...

Thanksgiving can be a huge celebration as, for some, it kicks off the holiday season. As baby boomers, we have become accustomed to having 35 at the table. Only members...

Each person reading this article knows the physical symptoms of COPD and its limitations. We have all felt the strangling anxiety of not being able to catch our breath. It...

Have you ever felt like you can't catch your breath, even when you're not running? This is what it's like for people living with COPD. COPD is an invisible lung...

From the time I was little, I had continuous bouts of chest colds, lung infections, and pneumonia. I slept in the large bedroom my three sisters and I shared. They...

Despite the obvious physical symptoms, COPD's emotional and psychological effects on patients can often be invisible. During this COPD awareness month, we'll pull back the curtain on COPD and uncover...

The COPD Awareness Month 2023 Giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your interest! November is COPD Awareness Month! This year, our theme is "Pulling Back the Curtain." We want...

Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, people with COPD quickly discover that there are many other symptoms as well. To gain...

At least once a week, I check my sources for anything new regarding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Sometimes, this doesn't amount to much. But sometimes, such as this morning...

Okay, Raise of hands here. Who among you considers going grocery shopping to be the most annoying errand ever? If you have COPD, this task can be ten times more...

Managing the change of seasons is never easy with COPD because each season is as unique as your COPD is and brings its own surprises. Winter is cold and dry...

I have been thinking a lot lately about the past and how much I loved it—especially the 80s. I keep going back and trying to figure out what it is...

Let's face it, talking to a doctor or any medical person for that matter, is not easy. In fact, sometimes, it can be downright intimidating. In my opinion, doctors get...

Chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD) is often described as a disease that progresses over time. The good news is that this progression can be slowed – sometimes significantly – which...

Finding out that your health insurance company has denied a claim can be frustrating and complicated. Understanding what an insurance denial is and what you can do about it may...