Posted by Jean on 5/9/2008, 4:39 pm, in reply to "New to COPD.?..conditions we need "
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This is great advice, and I would echo all of it, and stress a couple of points. First of all, if there's no Pulmonary Rehab available to you, ask your doc if you can exercise and then begin. You start wherever you are....if that's being able to walk through your house for a minute before you have to stop, that's where you start. You can add time as you get stronger. Your long term goal is to walk for 30 minutes without stopping. Don't be afraid to push yourself a bit. I discovered real early in the game that I wouldn't die from getting out of breath on the treadmill or bike. I find that being a little uncomfortable for 45 minutes every morning while I walk on the treadmill means that usually the rest of my day is a piece of cake (unless I have to walk up six flights of stairs or something!).
Secondly, if you do ask you doc "What can I do to help myself?" REALLY LISTEN to the answer and BE PREPARED TO MAKE SOME LIFE-STYLE CHANGES. Don't ask the question if you really don't want to know what it will take to make a difference in your life. Just MHO.
Jean
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