I am a volunteer income tax preparer 3 days a week, and I get terribly out-of-breathe when I have to carry my lap top and my briefcase into the building. My breathing seems to be good when I'm sitting, which is a problem. I feel all good, and I think I can do things, but all I have to do is walk from my apartment to the front door, and I'm all out of breathe!! Several people have said that our health is too important. Not being able to breathe is just plain scary!!

I had to give my job up as i was a carer and i was off work more than in work,i constantly had chest infections,i now get PIP after trying twice i can just be sitting down now and get so much out of breath which causes me to cough which can be that bad i go all tingly and then get pain in my chest and as susan said your health is most inportant.

MarkBlohm I was laid off January 2014 and really miss working. I was in a office and still had problems breathing. I don't know how you are still working a physical job. I have found that since I'm not working and have less stress my breathing is some what better. Also I haven't had any lung infections and have made less trips to the doctor. I miss working but I think my health is more important.

At what point of this illness are you considered for disability?

Work certainly can be physically challenging. When I decided to do something about my COPD, I began a major diet and exercise program to lose weight. My FEV1 at the time was 16%, down from the 34% it had been when I was first diagnosed in 2000. I started the exercise slow, but worked up to doing 45 minutes on the treadmill before leaving for work and 45 minutes at home immediately after work.

Because I got myself into much better shape (I lost over 100 pounds doing this) I was able to continue to work full time until my planned retirement and never considered going on disability. My FEV1 now is in the mid 30s and has been since about 2005, so except for that blip, I've been stable.

This may not work for everyone, but it's certainly worth a try. Exercise is frankly what saved my life, because without it I'm quite sure I would have died by 2005 (that was what my doc predicted to himself...I'm glad he didn't tell me until long afterward!).

Jean