Not ignorant.

I haven't followed them either.

I guess it depends on how much you eat.

I never lie down after exercie - I fall over (more convienient, I guess)...

:-) ,
Dennis

I don't know about the time after eating because I usually exercise mid morning or mid afternoon and I eat light meals also.

For the llying down, I usually still follow what I was taught in Pulmonary rehab classes.

There were 3 phases. We first did warm up exercises, bending, stretching, walking, etc then we were put on the machines. After the exercise phase, we had the 3rd phase which was cool down.

This was a shorter version of the warm up to just decrease the level of exercise and to allow your body to gradually recover. Your heart rate and blood pressure should return to near resting levels.

At home when I use the treadmill, the last few minutes, I gradually decrease the speed until it is a gentle walk and my breathing is comfortable and easy. Well, easier than on the treadmill.:))

I was told that if you sit, stand still or lie down right afterwards that I could experience light headiness , heart palpitations and sometimes it it could be more difficult to breath.

Guess it really depends on the level of exercise which for me is really low but I do feel more comfortable if I do slow it down gradually and allow the pulse and breathing to normalize.

I was thinking along Anna's lines.

Maybe as far as eating afterwards more oxygen carrying blood goes to your stomach to help you digest your food, thus less is going to your brain (why we get sleepy after eating).

As far as lying down, maybe something to do with your breathing and blood pressure. For me, it's always more difficult to breath lying down and as I have low blood pressure, I have to get up slowly, otherwise I've been known to pass out. With exercising increasing your blood pressure and heart rate, it may drop too quickly if you lie down.

Don't quote me on any of this though, I'm just guessing.

Well, let me give it a try here. I do not necessiarly do the first, because I eat very light meals, but was told it makes you harder to breath when you are full, and therefore should not try to do anything that might make it even harder to breath
. As far as laying down, the same thing, it makes it harder to breath with a full stomach, and also it can add to or cause reflux which can be bad in its self.
I found that out the hard way when I got so bad sick with acid reflux I thought my entire body from mouth to stomach was on fire. When i quit going to bed right after supper, it actually stopped. I still get reflux from time to time depeending on what I eat, but nothing like that.

Now this is just me, all folks are different. My exercise is, I eat breakfast, wait about an hour or so, and exercise, then drink a protien drink, and do a bit more exercise. I have even been told that streaching before exercise is bad for you, however the warm up and cool down is good. heck, I just do what I can do and hope for the best!!! Blessings
BJ

hubby was never told to do any exercises. He has been out of the hospital now for three weeks. He is still eating many small meals and drinking the Boost. But if he moves around alot and his heart starts beating harder he has a panic attack. Whats up with that?? Is his panic med need to be upped?? He has another appoitment at VA the sixth.

Stretching and flexibility exercises are recommended to warm the muscles for the general exercise.
The link below is an excellent read for any of you that have not been to respiratory therapy.


http://www.copd-international.com/exercise/

Thanks for the replies everyone. The not being able to breathe on a full stomach makes sense. Starbright, not sure about your husband. Hope you find some answers at the VA. I agree with the stretching exercise--it helps alot. And Denny....seriously, sometimes I ride my recumbant bike right before bedtime and fall over as well. :)

I don't know about the exercise part as I haven't exercised since my last flare up..................can't hardly get around more less exercise:(:(:(

But.....for the eating part.......the first thing i thought of is this................How many times (before ya got this) have you said......"I'm so full I can hardly breath"???????????? (or sumptin to that affect:)

My "GUESS" (and its just a guess, I am no Doctor-Bear........is maybe the tummy gets so full it pushes up against the lungs in a prone position???

(Sounds good to me at least:)

Interesting....

I'm one of those that has difficulty breathing lying down.... period. Full or empty tummy, makes no difference. But then, I'm built for comfort and not speed. And of course, a full meal makes me breathless - and sleepy - which is why I "rest my eyes" in an upright, comfy, easy chair.

In pulmonary rehab, we always did stretching and warm up exercises before anything strenuous. Cool downs, too. This was something that was always recommended either there or at home.

Star....your hubby has been through a lot....it takes time for his body to heal and even longer for his lungs. I hope eventually he will be able to do a little bit then work up from there.

I hope the VA can give him some answers about his anxiety attacks as I'm sure they're no fun. Hang in there, girl, and take good care of yourself, too.

I really enjoyed ya'lls comments, and wish I would hurry up and get in a rehab class. Guess I am doing everything wrong...as for streaching, it makes sense to do so, but when I first get up I am like the western guy "Festus" that walked with a limp, except I limp on both legs!! LOL

I have not heard of either of those requirements, and have not been warned about either in the 2 sessions of PT that I have attended. Though like Denny I wouldn't have followed either. I generally eat after working out (which probably isn't smart either) and after exercise I sit quietly until I am ready to go again. Take care, Bill

You guys are something else!! Now I know I need to get my lazy butt up and do more exercise. But you get scared with the breathing and chicken out. But if you all can do it I know I can. Thank you all so much for being there.

As for the eating I wouldn't be able to exercise with food. Dont eat that much now because of the breathing.

I read that you should wait an hour and a half after eating to exercise I think in the Cleveland Clinic exercise guidelines.
I was sometimes riding my recumbant bike right before bed.
The past couple days I've wanted to ride my bike when I first got up but I have to have something to eat in the a.m. I don't usually eat much at once. Am going to try to avoid exercising at night because I chronically wake in the night a couple of times, usually around 3 p.m. Going to see if exercising at a different time will help.