I suffer the same panic attacks but I went on the internet and bought a gadgit called a deep abdomin breather when you feel panicky you just stick it in your mouth and you automatically take deep slow breaths and I now don't grab my ventolin inhaler so much have a good day everyone Dorothy hartlepool UK

I agree completely that exacerbation is a worsening of symptoms. For me if I begin an exacerbation I very often have a panic attack. They have me on roxinol and adavan. If I begin to have anxiety I take an adavan the roxinol and take a breathing treatment to slow my breathing down. Often by taking those medications in that order I can avoid a hospital stay. In my case one leads to the other and it becomes a vicious circle.

An exacerbation is an increase in any of your symptoms of COPD, not just your breathing. so it could be mucous production, increased coughing, using more O2, more wheezing, decreased energy, etc. and not just your breathing, which is what's affected in a panic attack.

A Panic Attack is not exclusive to having COPD..... But in our situation, it can start off as either....Not being able to Catch our Breath that leads to Anxiety or the reverse scenario........When we cannot calm or control our shortness of breath, Anxiety turns to Panic and We then get even more Breathless or we pass out...It is a cycle that repeats itself. Jean has explained what an Exacerbation is...

So not going to go down the ways to manage it as there are many methods including medication for both long term or instant fixes....

https://www.copdfoundation.org/COPD360social/Co...

There is a difference between exasperation and exacerbation.