I would certainly recommend that you give exercise a good try. Actually, after you've quit smoking, that's the best thing you can do for yourself. Your next post indicates that you have recently started to use O2 and you wonder what has happened. Well, have you talked with your doc about it? Have you had a recent PFT or spirometry? Have those numbers changed dramatically over the last year or so? Of have they been steadily going down? My guess is that if you recently went on O2 and your numbers drop without it, they were doing that before you went on O2 also, unless you have an oximeter that says otherwise.

I would definitely get a referral to PR and think about how you can exercise on your own on the days you don't go to PR. Exercise needs to be done at least five days a week to really make a difference. You need to be doing aerobic exercise and resistance/strength training as well, about an hour a day. If you get a really aggressive program going, you will be surprised at how much easier things will be. Strong muscles use a lot less O2 to do a whole lot more than flabby ones.

Please try to take Pulmonary Rehab classes. My motto is that I will live til I die. I will not be living dead!! Every day can be a good day by being grateful each and every day. My son caught me taking my last breath in February 2017 and he was able to get Rescue to me soon enough to take me to the hospital. I will not dwell on my disabilities and will continue to push a little more than I feel capable in order to live the rest of my life out and about doing and being with people instead of being stuck in my bedroom! Also, please ask your O2 supplier to check to see if a larger cannula diameter would help you get more benefit from the O2. Also, Silver Sneakers type classes helped me maintain my pulmonary status for a longer period of time with the variety of different exercising - weights, flexibility, strength, etc. No doctor can reliably tell you how long you will live. You can help add years to your life!! Prove him/her wrong!!!

It depends on several things, including a little luck. I've been at stage 3-4 since diagnosed in 2000. I've had COPD since 1985. People can live for a very long time with COPD, even at stage 3-4 and stay quite stable. For me, the key is exercise. Pulmonary rehab is a good place to start, but it is just a place to start. If you're really going to be serious about getting in better shape, you need to exercise every day.

From my standpoint, there are three things that PR should teach people: they should teach you that even if you are terribly sob, and your O2 sats are good, you should keep going as long as you can; slow down, maybe, but keep going. As long as your O2 sats are good, you won't hurt yourself. You'll think you're going to die, but you won't. Secondly, they should teach you to push yourself. Not really hard or expect to make great jumps, but push a little bit every week or so. That means getting to the point where you can walk for 30 minutes at 2 mph, and the next week try for 2.1 mph for the 30 minutes. Or going from no incline to .5 incline. Nothing big, just little improvements every week or two. That increases the intensity of the exercise and that's how you make progress. And finally they should teach you that exercise is an every day thing for as long as you live.

The other thing I wish they'd do is put more emphasis on weight/resistance training. They work on aerobic stuff and that's fine, but strengthening your muscles really make your lungs much more efficient and ablt to do a whole lot more with less O2.

Medicine will help, but won't make the difference that exercise will. Exercise will make the lung function you have much more efficient. I can guarantee that you will feel better and be able to do far more with less and be more comfortable as you do it.

Its a matter of quality of life. If you can still function somewhat normally, pulmonary rehab will get you through for awhile. I had a double lung transplant a little over a year ago and feel like a new man. I was pretty bad though, stage 4 emphysema. I was pretty much sedentary and just sat around the house other than rehab. Without the transplant, I probably would not be here today. Try to stay as active as possible, the healthier and stronger you are will help no matter what you decide. If the day comes that you do go for a transplant, a strong body heals much sooner. I will share more with you if you are interested. Ask anything. Good luck. John

They told me about the same thing upset me bad then I talked to my Dr. he said there is no time or years you are going to live just take care of yourself do exercise try to eat well and sleep well and just try not to worry about it so I take anxiety meds and anti depressant helps me alot