Emphysema - Will exercise help? It makes me gasp for breath!

[Virginia_757]

I have emphysema. Was diagnosed maybe 5 years ago? When I blow out on the measuring thing, the ball hardly moves. I would like to do SOMETHING to try to get back some lung function. I'm only 56 and haven't smoked for nearly 10 years. Should have never - obviously. When I get on the treadmill or even try to do yoga, I get so out of breath it's ridiculous. Am I just going to have to accept that this is as good as my breathing will ever be? I take Advair, Spireva and Singulair as well as OTC allergy meds.

[Caroline50]

I also have emphysema, and have suffered desperate breathlessness for the last 6 months. My specialist at the hospital, after many blood tests, said I had persistant cest infection on my left lung.
I was in hospital with this in January. The doctor could not pick up the infection, it had to be blood tested.  Once you find the right anti biotic combination that gets rid of that you feel so much more alive, energetic even.  See a specialist, ask your doctor for a referal.

[vanty]

Be careful, get a finger oximeter and check your oxygen levels while you are exercising or you could do damage to your internal organs if your levels drop too much ,or better still,get yourself another dr who will explain the ins and outs of this disease.  

[Virginia_757]

thanks. My doctor tells me nothing! And when I do exercise, it is embarrassing what with the red face and gasping for breath!

[teko]

Exercise is the most important thing you can do for yourself with the exception of not smoking or being around others who smoke.  I am about your age, also have emp in the moderate range and am supposed to take advair and I have a resue inhaler.  The doctor told me to stay active because if I do not, I will lose lung function.  Walk, or whatever you can do each day. Swimming is great exercise and I know they have classes for exercise for people with this disease. Ask your doc to send you to one of them. Cudos to you for quitting smoking and if you can keep some level of exercise and try to build on it, you will feel much better. Hope this helped some.

[Virginia_757]

Can't anybody give me advice? Do you know of any exercises that will improve lung function?