Now that you have mastered the first 6 steps, let’s keep going!

Here are the last 4 imperative things you need to know to live your best lung-life:

Mistake #7: Allowing yourself to get hypoxic (desaturated).  Just doing a quick activity that desaturates you ‘only for a minute’ ( is this you?)  OK – I will give it to you straight here: it damages your heart. And doing this several times a day adds up. This is a BIG subject and I harp on my patients all the time for this. Stay saturated. Pretty please.

Mistake #8:  Not having an Action Plan.  This is something you work out with your doctor. If you’ve never seen one, or haven’t updated yours in a while, it is time.  This paper will guide you (and your family/friend/neighbor if you get so short of breath you cannot speak)  as to exactly what your doctor wants you to do each day, plus instructions in case you have any short breathing days.

Mistake #9: Not having an Advance Directive on file.  While no one wants to talk about this, your Advance Directive is all about YOU and YOUR wishes, should things go a little sideways. Without one, as soon as you get to the hospital you are OURS. We will do everything to keep you alive. But what if you’ve had enough? And you only want a certain amount of help, and after that, leave you be? We’d love to know. And your family should know, too. Otherwise, your spouse and sister arguing at the bedside in the ER as to what you need or want or don’t want is meaningless. You need help, you can’t wait. We do it. Unless your up-to-date Advance Directive tells us otherwise.

Mistake #10: Waiting too long to be seen when feeling short of breath. When should you call the doctor, or go to the emergency room? This is individual for each of you, but if you worked out an Action Plan with your doctor, you will have a better idea of when to make the call.

For more in-depth learning about living your best lung-life and managing your symptoms,  join COPD Success  HERE