You exercise by starting where you are. First of all, talk with your doc to be sure you know what your limitations are. Secondly, get an oximeter so you can keep track of both your O2 saturation levels and your heart rate. Know what both should be in order for you to be safe.

You might start with strengthening exercises first. You can find many sites on the internet where they do chair exercises for strengthening. I would start by finding a program you like and doing that every other day for several weeks. You should begin to feel stronger and be able to do more things more comfortably. Continue these exercises and add walking.

To start, you need a watch so you can time yourself. Next, walk as slowly as you can for as long as you can before you need to catch your breath. Note the time. Rest and then do the same thing for the same amount of time until you've walked for 20 minutes, 30 if you can. Do the same thing for the next week. Then add some time before you stop: 30 seconds, a minute, three minutes; whatever you can manage. Continue doing this until you can walk for 30 minutes without stopping.

You will be very short of breath, but as long as your O2 sats are above 90 you won't do yourself any harm and you will find that things get much easier as you continue. That's how you learn to exercise. It makes a huge difference in how you feel and what you can do.

if you are on oxygen, use it in the shower too...I do, makes it much easier...and a seat too.

what is your condition now? Are you currently having an excaberation? It took me over a year to get better but eventually I did and I can now do most things I used to be able to do before this diagnosis. However I was once like you and had trouble walking from the bed to the bathroom, and showers were an ordeal. I was on oxygen 24/7. However, I got better. I am no longer using oxygen and have not had an excaberation in a couple of years. The reason I am saying this is that you may get better with the right medications, so don't give up hope. I could not do any exercise when I was sick, but as I felt better I was able to do more. Work on getting yourself better and add exercise when you can. for some, just walking through the house is enough. You don't have to do much to start. Do what you can and eventually it will improve.

I am fortunate to have a built in bench in my shower and a shower head on a hose to use. However I do understand how much energy it takes to shower when you are sick. At one point I went to the beauty shop just to get my hair washed and dried because it was too tiring for me. That was while I was really sick and I can now shower standing with no problem and washing my hair is also no problem. I do have a chair in my bathroom that allows me to sit while drying my hair. A chair helps tremendously.

I hear u there I have a hard time taking a shower my landlord put a handicap shower in for me

@A MyCOPDTeam Member🙇🏼‍♀️🙌 I can only speak for myself, I use pursed lip breathing for just about everything I do. Hello John my name is Mary and I was where you are at one time. Couldn’t walk half a block, was 247 pounds and well I was given a dog to take care of and I had to get up and take him out for walks.
You have to want to live and you have to find a way to get yourself moving. If you’re smoking stop. If you’re not that’s great. You have to decide what you are going to do. God is my Helper, He nudges me when I’m sitting too long. You can do it ask God to help you. I’m Praising God for your precious life. And I’m going to start praying for you, if that’s ok with you. God Bless you and Breathe Easier

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