COPD & Emphysema Support Group
COPD is a progressive disease characterized by airflow obstruction or limitation. Emphysema is characterized by loss of elasticity of the lung tissue, destruction of structures supporting the alveoli and of capillaries feeding the alveoli. Both have symptoms that include shortness of breath, among other respiratory troubles. If you are a COPD or Emphysema sufferer, join...
I typed a whole long response to Lacies 'Out and About' and then hit the wrong button lost the whole thing. I tell them at work that I work 3 times harder than anyone else there because I have to do everything 3 times. I did want to tell to you all something I learned at Rehab about Panic/Anxiety.
With our disease, as we do any exertion our lungs keep expanding. We are taking in more air than exhaling. Very quickly our lungs fill up the space available to them in the chest cavity. There is no more room to expand and to get any more air in. It's full of carbon dioxide (CO2).
To make matters worse, our brain tricks us. It registers we have too much CO2 and we need more oxygen to compensate. We start gasping for air to comply with the brains demand for more oxygen and can't get anymore air in. PANIC SETS IN. It's scary.
At rehab they were always telling me 'Slow down your breathing, slow down your breathing'. WE NEED TO GET THE CO2 OUT FAST!!! Slow down or stop. That is when we really need to concentrate on our PLB (pursed lips breathing). Breath in and take longer breaths out. Short breaths in and long (not forced) breaths out. Learn to use your diaphragm, strenghten and use it often. This muscle is HUGE, it goes across the entire front. That muscle pushes air out of the lungs. The stroner it is, the better job it will do and the quicker you will recover.
This is a very simplistic explanation but simple is what I understand. Hope this is helpful to some.
With our disease, as we do any exertion our lungs keep expanding. We are taking in more air than exhaling. Very quickly our lungs fill up the space available to them in the chest cavity. There is no more room to expand and to get any more air in. It's full of carbon dioxide (CO2).
To make matters worse, our brain tricks us. It registers we have too much CO2 and we need more oxygen to compensate. We start gasping for air to comply with the brains demand for more oxygen and can't get anymore air in. PANIC SETS IN. It's scary.
At rehab they were always telling me 'Slow down your breathing, slow down your breathing'. WE NEED TO GET THE CO2 OUT FAST!!! Slow down or stop. That is when we really need to concentrate on our PLB (pursed lips breathing). Breath in and take longer breaths out. Short breaths in and long (not forced) breaths out. Learn to use your diaphragm, strenghten and use it often. This muscle is HUGE, it goes across the entire front. That muscle pushes air out of the lungs. The stroner it is, the better job it will do and the quicker you will recover.
This is a very simplistic explanation but simple is what I understand. Hope this is helpful to some.
not getting enough air, so I panic; thus breathing faster and more shallow. I need to
exhale, exhale, exhale. I am glad I am not
the only person experiencing this. Thought
I was nuts for a long time. I kept saying I
could not breathe, and could not get any air.
My ex husband used to get so mad at me.
thanks
margaret
I experienced stress and anxiety more quickly to harrassing situations now even without difficulty breathing. I though that was part of the illness too.