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vitaminsthat may help COPD

Posted , 8 users are following.

sally54984
sally54984

i have had COPD for approx 10yrs maybe longer (i am 69) but have always tried to not let it get the better of me & alter my life too much-my doctor gave me a budisimide (powdered inhaler) to replace my "brown" one a few yrs ago & along with the blue reliever,nebuliser when flare ups occur along with antibiotics & steroids i,ve managed ok-however the last 12 months i have been under a lot of stress,mainly being the carer for my husband who is not a good patient to say the least & i walk on egg shells most days to keep the peace-this i,m sure has affected my COPD - i have concentrated more on him than myself,not eaten properly,taken over all chores etc & now i,m trying to get on my feet again-i have been trying to see wether there are any vitimins that would help & although vit d,e,c,a & coq10 have been mentioned no daily measurment has been mentioned-has anyone found vitimins to be helpful if so in what dosage ? i,ve also thought that i would give acupunture a try even if just to stop the anxiety,m always feeling which i know does not help my breathing-when i am in the house i am constantly anxious with pains here there & everywhere yet when i can buck myself up to go out for a few hours the "pains" go !! has anyone any advice please-at the moment i am just getting over a bout of gastric entiritus & a chest infection but am getting better & want to try & improve things as much as i can - thankyou in advance

0 likes, 18 replies

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  • Bogbob
    Bogbob sally54984

    Posted

    Hi sally, first of all let me commend you on not making yourself a victim of COPD , it's just a label, if you are living a good life don't let it drag you down, some very simple yoga poses can keep your mind bright and clear , and a walk round the garden,dead heading, pruning , clearing up a few leaves can do wonders for your well being, who said that as soon as we become carers we are suddenly ordained with sainthood status, it's hard work and no one else wants to do it, but it's not anyone's fault, you get married , you take a vow , life's a bitch sometimes,doesn't mean you are a slave,

     

    • sally54984
      sally54984 Bogbob

      Posted

      thankyou trevlone for your reply - i will look into the "yoga" possibillities anything is worth a try-i am determined that once i get over this "flare up" not helped by gastro entiritus i am really going to help myself more - good luck & thankyou
  • Nanny1086
    Nanny1086 sally54984

    Posted

    Hi Sally, I'm pretty much the same as you (69) diagnosed back in 92 with asthma,then copd ,then emphasyma ,and now chronic Bronchietis ,,,,,but I'm lucky to have a good hubby who looks after me, and the care of good copd nurses,l have just ordered vitamin b 12 which I read about on here, ,,,,,and in the past have had good experience with echinasia ,,,,,short term ,,,,and I take vitamin c tablets to, ,last year was a bad year for me health wise,I gad a couple of falls smashed my wrust that to be pinned and plated and then another fall and broke 2 fingers,then a virus that attacked my lungs,so I was unable to exersise, if you ask your GP to refer you to the copd rehabitilitation course I'm sure it will be a big help to you, I was refered back in 2008 and without their help guidance and support I would not here now,,,,,of this I'm sure, ask your GP ,rest and exersise that seems to be the key to easier breathing and opening the air ways to your lungs,good luck ,
    • sally54984
      sally54984 Nanny1086

      Posted

      hi nanny & thankyou for your reply - i will ask my gp about copd rehab.have never been offered it but am willing to try anything that may help me lead a normal a life as poss-i am so sorry to hear of your unfortunate falls & then a virus-you could certainly do without all of that - i have heard that b12 is a very good vit. & i do have the tabs that dissolve for vit c - thankyou once again & good luck to you
    • Nanny1086
      Nanny1086 sally54984

      Posted

      Hope you get into rehab,,,,,,push for it it,,,,,,,you will see a massive difference in your health and capabilities,,,,,,and you will also learn more about your condition and how to cope what to do first ,,,,,like send a sputem sample into the GPs before starting antibiotics as they can mask some infections,,,,,, good luck ,let me know pw how you get on, 
    • sally54984
      sally54984 Nanny1086

      Posted

      thank you nanny - i will keep in touch & let you know how its going - good luck
  • martin63346
    martin63346 sally54984

    Posted

    Hi Sally, Each day I take the following (in addition to my normal medication (Spiriva and Symbicort)..... 1000 unit of vitamin D3, Over 50's multivitamin, combination Vitamin C and Garlic (for the mucous), 250mg of Azithromycin, Combination pill (Fosamax) containing Calcium - steroids play havoc with your body's calcium levels leading to osteroporosis. Good Luck
    • sally54984
      sally54984 martin63346

      Posted

      hi martin & thankyou for replying-i have made a note of the vits you have listed & will start trying them-nothing ventured,nothing gained-i also take symbicort 2x inhales am & 2 pm - blue reliever when i need it - i also have a nebuliser which i very rarely use but have it in case-i try my best to keep free from colds etc as chest infection is usually the result & then its anti-biotics & steroids for 1 week-does the trick though-i think on average i get perhaps 2 "flare ups" a yr (usually in the winter-thankyou once again & good luck
  • DawnDedee
    DawnDedee sally54984

    Posted

    Hi Sally,

    Have been living with severe asthma since birth and then in my 30's COPD was added to my diagnosis as well as beginnings of emphaseyma.  (sp?)  I live with a lung function level of 30%, however, like you, I just do not let it pull me down.  Perhaps I am just very used to it and I tell myself that I refuse to die from it and all of my many hospital admissions and ER visits and doctor office visits to keep it under control have just become my norm.  My attitude when needing medical help is, "Just get me my 'deep' breath back and I will be fine".  Of course my "deep" breath is not very deep, but it is MY deep and as long as I can have it at a certain level, I am fine.

    One important thing I have learned over my life time is that fatigue and asthma/COPD do not go hand in hand.  For me, fatigue is a trigger for the worse.  I do understand your circumstances as you have described them, however, I wish to say to you what I have so many times ignored myself....take time for you.  You must eat properly, you must get adequate rest and all that egg shell stress...well, find ways to unplug the vacuum that is sucking the life out of you.  Even if it is getting out of the house for a while with friends.

    I use a new inhaler called BREO, here in the U.S.  It is works fabulously for me!  I need to take vitamins and I know it, but honestly cannot afford to buy them on a regular basis.  This is a priority to me, but honestly lack the funds.

    God bless you as you continue to bless your husband.

    Dawn U.S.

    • sally54984
      sally54984 DawnDedee

      Posted

      hi dawn & thank you so much for your reply-your attitude is a brilliant one & a positive mind whatever the problem/illness is always a good thing-i am definatly 100% determined once i get over this bout of "flare up" that i am having at the moment that i am going to look after myself more-i am positive that i can improve things to 1 degree or another-rest is another thing i need to improve drastically-i don,t go to bed till late 1am ish as i have trouble getting to sleep & then i suffer with bad leg/foot cramps that wake me up-i then have to get up to relieve them & can,t get back to sleep !! lol possibly get about 4/5 hrs sleep a night which i don,t think is enough-i am sorry that you can not afford the vits that may help you i suppose we are lucky here as they are very reasonable-my inhaler is symbicort(powdered inhaler) 2x puffs am & pm which i find very good,& the ventolin reliever as needed - you must also take care of yourself-we are great at giving out advice to others but don,t listen to ourselves-food,sleep & stress levels are ALL going to improve,i,ve promised myself that - lol thankyou again dawn & good luck
  • eleanor55804
    eleanor55804 sally54984

    Posted

    Hi sally,5000 i.u. vit D per day is not too much for someone with copd.It has boosted my immune system no end.Eat lots of green vegetables and try and avoid sugar. Also go for wholemeal flour etc rather than white refined stuff.Likewise wholemeal bread rather than white bread. This has made a huge difference to me. after coughing uncontrollably and being seriously ill early last year I'm not coughing any more!The only drug I take is Spiriva.I don't have any side effects to it and it's really helpful. If you find it a struggle walking for exercise try little distances first without stressing yourself.Gradually you will build up staying power and think how good you will feel when you can walk for longer! I too was the carer of a cranky person and I know what havoc it can play with your emotions and your immune system.Are you near the sea or a river? The air near water is brilliant for lungs. You don't have to do anything,just sit and watch the water. Best to you.
    • sally54984
      sally54984 eleanor55804

      Posted

      thankyou eleanor for the reply & info on vit D & most importantly the dosage - have read plenty about vits that may help COPD sufferers but no dosage !!-yes am cutting out the white bread & am determined to get out for a daily walk,i did promise my little dog a walk round the block yesterday but as i haven,t had my head outside the door due to the latest episode since the day after boxing day & although i am a lot better than i was i didn,t feel comfortable in pushing it just yet-you are 100% correct when you say "cranky" person !!! lol can be very very debilitating ! unfortunatly i live in the centre of england so no sea air by us but come the better weather & a ride out by a river sounds inviting - good luck to you & thankyou
  • Nanny1086
    Nanny1086 sally54984

    Posted

    Hi, Sally, first of all hope you soon feel well enough to get and about,,,,as a walk ,,,even a few yards a day is good, obviously not in these high bitterly cold winds,I find that wearing a scarf round my neck and holding it up to my mouth ,( and breathing into it ) puts up  a barrier to the cooooollllddd,,,,,,like very other post I've put on here,,,I can't speak highly enough of the copd pulmary  rehab,,,,,,,I do get down sometimes ,,,but try to keep going ,,,,,however the last year has been a really difficult one ,not only my  lung problems,,,but I also smashed my hand in a fall last jan ,which had to operated on and pinned and plated,and then another fall in march broke 2 fingers ,so instead of being able to exersise at the gym (rehab) i  was making visiits to physio twice a week ( it was a bad break ) no exersise meant bugs just grew and grew and lived mainly on antibiotics ,as it was one infection on top of another,,,,,hard to keep smiling sometimes,,,,,and I had to do most of my Christmas shopping on line,so I was determined this year would be different,,,,,it hasn't started too well,,,,,

    my first day back at rehab gym was last Tuesday,,,,,god that was struggle,,,,,,I was rubbish, ,,,,nurse asked me to do a sputem sample,,,,,Thursday,,, I had a call ,,,,I'm back on antibiotics and steroids, due to a chest infection and flu ,and told to get plenty of bed rest over weekend and drink plenty of water,,,,,they will come to see me on Monday to see if there's any improvement,,,,I'm,doing as I'm told ,,and hopeful of enjoying my birthday suprise on Sunday ,,,,,keep strong ,,,,difficult at times I know, like you I would love to live by the sea,,,,,,but ,,,,the midlands is hardly Coast line,,,,,but 10 years ago we did buy a cottage by the canal towpath ,,,,,so if I can't get out and about ,,,,,I can see the barges passing by, ,,,,,it's quite restful, I'm lucky to have  my hubby,,,,who sometimes must get sick of me and my cough,,,but it's very rare he complains,,,,,he's no saint,,,,,but as long as I do what the proffecionals tell me he's fine,,,,,,, ( sometimes I hear him saying ,,,," I thought they told you to rest " ) ,,,I have the best of care by the NHS ,and copd rehab team, my GP is also very good, in a way,,,,I'm lucky ,

  • anne94175
    anne94175 sally54984

    Posted

    Hi Sally I know a brilliant man who is on FB.   His neme is Derek Cummings  he lives in Wales and suffers from COPD himself.  He has given me lots of good advice. I'm sure he wouldn't mind you joining his COPD group.
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