Living

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...

There are some basic questions that everyone with COPD should know the answers to. Questions like "What is COPD?" and "What are the best treatment options?" I want to talk...

Editor's note: If you are experiencing the presence of blood in the mucus, please seek medical attention immediately for a medical evaluation and guidance. While I was on our community...

While moderating our community social media platforms, I noticed a post from one of our community members. They asked, “What is end-stage COPD, and what are some symptoms?" If I...

So, you’ve had that appointment. The one you were told you have a diagnosis of COPD. You’ve had time to ponder it, perhaps enough to accept and study it. Now...

I'm not sure which is more difficult: having COPD or caring for someone who has COPD. The fact of the matter is that when someone in your family has COPD...

Editor's Note: This article discusses sensitive topics related to death, specifically end-of-life care, which may be distressing for some readers. Shortly after I was diagnosed with COPD, I developed heart...

My regular readers know I'm a respiratory therapist (RT). So, what exactly do we do to help people with COPD? Here's a list of seven things we do to assist...

It was a funny thing about smoking: even though I knew that it was hurting me, I still never really wanted to give cigarettes up. Until I had to, that...

Do you know how frustrating it can be to wake up in the middle of the night with a cramp that you simply cannot get rid of? You try to...

I don't know about you, but ever since I was diagnosed with Alpha-1 (genetic cause of COPD) and started using inhalers and oxygen, I started bringing my “to-go bag” with...

It was one of those days when the stars aligned, and everything turned out amazing despite my current COPD symptoms. Due to the wildfires we have had, we have had...

There have been a few noteworthy innovations in recent times. These tactics can greatly improve our quality of life with COPD. Here are seven new innovations that can be very...

COPD triggers are different for everyone, but a common trigger is hot weather! We want to hear from our community members about how the heat affects your COPD! Let’s play...

Change the story to change the outcome. The challenge is to change the outcome by changing the story you consciously tell your brain. Because it is an organ of memory...

I love Michael J. Fox and wish that those of us in the Alpha-1 and COPD world had "our own" Michael J. Fox. I have been the biggest fan of...

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...

Life with COPD and other chronic health issues sometimes puts living on hold. Too often, when we struggle with breathing, for example, we stay home and away from people. Why?...