weight gain

Hi Steven;

My hudband has C O P D and he Continues to Smoke . Iam doing a waistwise course at collage you have to be reffered by gp as i was ive lost weight only been going three weeks all about

healthy eating ask gp to refer you best thing ive

done for myself. i

I cannot cope with anthony smoking he wont give

up he has hospital weds.

He is stupid not giving up he will not listen to me so its his fault when he kills himself not mine.

Dolphin500

Hello I am in exactly the same boat as you as with my copd I also have a back condition which means I cant even walk very far nor exercise and my weight is also going up.

Hello, I have only recently been diagnosed with COPD, having had declining lung function for a while.  Initial spirometry tests showed my lung age was 99, when I was only 52 and I am 53 now, so I can empathise with you.  I, also, get very out of breath walking on inclines and up stairs and I am very overweight.  However, I have a dog, so have to force myself to walk every day, otherwise the weight issue would be even worse.  I am now contemplating asking my GP to refer me to a Slimming World group - GPs can offer 10 week referrals to Slimming World or Weight Watchers (ie it would cost you nothing), so it may be worth a try.  I was a member for a few months earlier this year and although progress was slow, I did lose 7 lbs in 3 months.  The group was very motivational and people all support each other.  There is advice on what food combinations achieve the best results and the group leader is able to offer advice about portion control etc.  Men as well as women attend the groups and many people have illnesses or conditions that hinder their progress.  For me, I am on various medications which cause weight gain, as well as having low will-power to stick to what I know I should eat.  I need to get back on a sensible eating plan, as I know that losing weight will help my breathing - obviously carrying extra weight makes the breathlessness worse.  Another thing which may be worth considering is getting a treadmill or exercise bike in your house.  I have a treadmill which I sometimes walk on (if only for 20 minutes, on the level) whilst watching TV.  Little and often (with food and exercise) is going to be my new motto for 2015.  Hope this helps you and good luck :-)

Hi steven01504,

My first thought is that your COPD may not be as managed as it could be. Maybe you could take another look with your doctor at the meds you are on. Exercise truly feels impossible when short of breath, so perhaps a less calorie daily diet might help?

Dawn

Several thoughts come to mind.You may eat healthy food but we often have portions that are too big for our level of activity. 

Well done for stopping smoking and alcohol is often a source of xs calories.

Has your GP done your thyroid check? Sometimes hypothyroidism is a caus of weight gain.

Hi, if you read my other comments you will see what a firm believer in the help and support of the pulmary rehab specialist nurse team, I was 

 ,diagnosed back in 1992 with asthma, then further down the years with emphasyma ,copd,and chronic Bronchietis ,

,,,( my first and best advise I would give anyone who smokes ,,,is stop smoking NOW)...like you I got of breath going upstairs ,,,,in fact ,,,,I got out if breath just hoovering ,and for years my lovely hubby used to say "leave that I'll do it ,,,,you only get out of breath " ,so for years I  sat back and did very little,,,,,then I was asked to attend pulmary rehab at our local gym, ,,,,I thought good god do they know I can't breathe, ,,,,but they are specialist lung nurses ,and they had  taken such wonderful care of me when I came out of hospital ( ICU with septasyma ) that I thought I would go along and listen to everything they said, ,,,,the first thing ( after filling in a questionnaire about me and my lifestyle and any other health problems ) was a walk of 10 metres ,,,,at my own pace ,starting on a beep ,,,,and reaching the the Mark before the next beep, this is done on the flat,,,,,,I didn't do very well, ,,,,,but went back two days later to begin an excersise programme,,,,,,,you do as much as you can ,,,,,yes I got out of breath ,,,,but the nurse was there testing my heart rate and oxygen levels throughout the course, ,,,,all this was back in 2008 . I completed the 8 week class ,,,,,,,,and the next week I went into the GYM ,,,,,I won't bore you with details,,,,but over the next few years I built up to ,,,,2 mile on the tread mill ( sometime spent JOGGING at a slow pace ) 3 mile on the bike ,,and 1000 meters on the rower along with some time spent on other machines ,SO ,DONT JUST SIT THERE ,,,, get up and try ,,,,do what you can ,,but being out of breath is normal ,,,,,as your lungs are getting very little oxygen into them,,,,doing regular light exersise building yourself up gradually is the best you can do ,a walk round the block,,,time your self ,,,,and try to do better each time,,,sit on a dinning chair fold your arms and stand sit ,stand sit as many times as you can in 2 minutes  ,get a couple of bottles of water and do arm raises ,2 minutes ,if you really are breathless stop , but don't give up ,  ( don't be clever and over do it. ) simple exercises to do at home,,,,NOW ,,,yes I can walk upstairs ,,,but I still get breathless,,,,but I do it, 

,( I'm. 69 on Saturday ) and I wouldn't be here now,,,,,if I'd just sat on my backside,,,,so my advise is ,,,light to moderate exersise built into your healthly life style will build up your lung capacity  intake ,,,,,and you will feel loads better .give it a try ,I won't be the only person who replies to you on this page,,,,,and I bet we all include exersise in our advise,,,,nothing ventured nothing gained ,good look ,,,,and walk,

Hello steven

I am sorry to hear that you have a diagnosis of COPD but at least you have that... for some it takes forever just to get the diagnosis and the potential help that is available..My Father had a very specific form called IPF and well I have seen all this first-hand..

The suggestions that have been made as to getting help with and working on your weight gain are all excellent and anything that can help your with your quality of life is good... 

So you do need to take a whole body approach.. weight loss and excercise go hand in hand... that is with weight and COPD the excercise is more difficult or even seemingly impossible.. but without both you will not gain the quality of life you want or can achieve... I would add only one thing to what has been said so far..>>>

If you have a Diagnosis then you should have a specialist team that you receive your checkups with... either the Specialist Doctor, the Nurses on the team or even maybe the Secretary of the team should be able to signpost/refer you to a COPD Rehab Group in your region... these are run by and overseen by Specialist Nurses that can help you to achieve the best from what your lungs can provide...

They will encourage and give you excercises that you are capable of and build you, at a safe pace, to what you can achieve.. 

The whole end result is that your muscles become more efficient and therefore use less oxygen to do more... doing more and excercise then can snow-ball and you will find you see less deteriation and the weight may be easier to control too..

I hope this, with the other suggestions that the other ppl have given, as no single approach will be a panacea, will help..

stay positive and always move forward, even if slowly..