I’m a little over 82 years old and been on supplemental oxygen 24/7 for over 5 years now. I’m stage 4 of COPD and when I first took a shower it was hard on breathing. I learned to increase the oxygen flow from 2L to 5L and would only shower maybe twice per week because I would get so short of breath and took a long time. Now my o2 is set at 2 liters when showering.

Now with the medication I take with some supplements that I have been using I'm not coughing up mucus all the time, I go days without coughing and my breathing is really good, and I don’t get too short of breath anymore like I used to. I shower every day with just 2L using my home Concentrator or using an E-tank with an Easy Pulse 5+6 regulator set on a pulse of 5 or less. And I don’t get short of breath. It only takes me less than 30 minutes to shower, shave, and get dressed.

I bought a shower chair, and also a cushion for it. I close the shower door on the hose leaving enough hose with cannula which is plenty of hose. I look forward to taking a shower even though some on oxygen have a tough time doing it.

I've learned to do things in stages and always check my o2 levels, so I don't get short of breath. I do take a shower just about every day and love it.

Set all my clothes out on the bed, sit and rest.
Bring in my E-Tank and set it next to the bed just in case I need extra oxygen, also a box of Kleenex, sit and rest.
Slowly take my shower, dry off, sit and rest.
Dry my hair and shave, sit and rest.
Get dressed, sit and rest.
I just don't go to the next stage without having my o2 levels high.
I can do it all in less than 30 minutes.

I didn't realize shower problems/anxiety were this common. I have them as well. I almost always take 1-2 hits of my rescue inhaler before I shower. This helps a lot. I don't dilly dally in there either. I also leave the shower curtain open about a foot or so to let fresh air in and steam out. When I get out I can usually just rest standing for a few minutes before a start to dry myself. I will also take another hit of the rescue most of the time. But I still do not look forward to the shower. Gob bless everyone.

Hi, @A MyCOPDTeam Member - do you have a specific shower-related fear that you are trying to overcome?

I ask because Winters are my worst time of year, and where I’m most likely to feel tired or lightheaded while showering.

In my case, I put a foldable stool in the shower so that I can sit down and bathe / wash my hair if I’m just not feeling up to par when showering. (I was worried about slipping, and there aren’t any bars to grab onto yet, so ignore the black no-slip mat hugging the wall; it’s out of the way but there if I decide I want to use it).

You can get standard shower chairs on line or at any pharmacy, but I prefer the lower profile fold up stool (maybe 10 bucks at Ross or Marshall’s / HomeGoods).

If you have anxiety about being short of breath, the visiting nurse taught my mom to wear her oxygen in the shower, looping the cannula over the curtain rod to keep water from running down the tubing and onto the bathroom floor, too.

She could sit on the stool and simply breathe when trying to soap or rinse her hair and body got to be too much for her stamina and she needed a pause before continuing.

Everybody’s got a bunch of good suggestions. Please let us know if any of these helped address your concern.

Late Monday night, 10-NOV-25

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A MyCOPDT...

@A MyCOPDTeam Member, I think the first thing on your list for showering is the best: have your clothes out on the bed. Preparation is everything. I figured I had thought it all out, but had forgotten to have a towel nearby. I'll know next time.

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Ha ! Once a chambermaid always a chambermaid, @A MyCOPDTeam Member, so you know I have my “chores” list and try to stick to it for keeping the shower clear. Especially since it’s also the laundry room for drying my swim gear, LOL.

Happy Tuesday, 11-NOV-25

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