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Final bit, part 3, @A MyCOPDTeam Member:
Please be aware that I always swim with a TYR segmented floatation belt on to ensure my body has extra buoyancy to keep me safe in case my medication causes a lung spasm when I’m pushing myself to stay fit. While I no longer take the inhaler that caused the lung spasm when I’m pushing myself to the point where I felt like I could do anything and conquer the world (approximately 2015), I still wear the ugly belt because safety comes first, and I can get exhausted when trying to pass for normal in the real world.
Currently at 28% lung function, and I’m swimming about 2-3 times a week plus walking and lifting weights (which pulmonary rehab taught me to do safely) to keep my core strong,
Please remember that we all have the same COPD umbrella term, but may have varying underlying causes and subcategories of our version of breathing difficulty, so talk to your doc or your pulmonary rehab team to help you figure out where your sweet spot is for your own exercise tolerances and abilities. No two cases of COPD are the same, so you be you. Good luck !
Early Tuesday morning, 16-JUN-26
Hi, @A MyCOPDTeam Member and welcome to this site.
I am supposed to be on oxygen 24x7x365, but have not been able to convince Medicare / my oxygen equipment provider to supply the necessary portable equipment, so I swim without it.
Not a good solution, but it works for me.
I went through pulmonary rehab as the AI-generated response above also recommends you consider, and I can assure you it was life-changing. Some programs have access to a pool, and some do not, so check around your area in Kansas to see what’s possible.
When I was researching portable oxygen needs and figuring out how to do without supplemental oxygen when active and what my body might find useful to help me be my best without access to supplemental oxygen, I found the FDA-approved Wellue SP02 continuous oxygen monitor ring, which continuously monitors my oxygen levels via reports on my phone.
Through trial-and-error, I found that I needed my oxygen mostly when sitting or driving or sleeping. *NOT* when I was being active. Being stationary was my weak spot, and being active was my sweet spot. Not saying this to discourage you, but to say that everyone has different needs and variances.
(Too long an answer, please keep reading in part 2, below)
Tuesday morning, 16-JUN-26
No need to apologize — every question counts, and it's great to hear you're staying active! Pool exercise can be wonderful for COPD, but managing oxygen around water does take some planning.
Here are some practical tips to consider:
- Talk to your doctor first about your oxygen needs during physical activity, as Show Full Answer
Part 2, @A MyCOPDTeam Member:
@A MyCOPDTeam Member who is a member of this site but rarely visits anymore has a number of ways to track his activities as he runs marathons and participates in triathlons (which involve swimming as one of the legs of the races) and he may have specific tools or suggestions that he uses when swimming and using his supplemental portable oxygen concentrator unit (POC). Please check out all his links or tap him directly to see if he has any suggestions to help you use your supplemental oxygen or POC.
https://www.facebook.com/copdathlete
https://m.facebook.com/russell.winwood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1ALU8fxSG
This other company provides a floatation device for a small, portable oxygen tank as shown in the picture attached: https://breathestrongamerica.org/oxyfit/
While I have never used it myself, it might help you be active with the smaller, 2-hr portable oxygen tank that allows your non-electrical oxygen to accompany you poolside.
In an article last updated in 2023, the Oxygen Concentrator Store shows a woman swimming with a different type of flotation device and using liquid oxygen (LOX), but since Congress changed the reimbursement rates for LOX, I don’t believe that portable oxygen solution is available to new or existing oxygen users as LOX was deemed “too expensive” by the bean counters within Congress / Medicare, and I have not found any accessible LOX use outside of a hospital setting. But, if you want to check out that pictured flotation device, you can check here:
https://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/li...
Sorry I can’t be of more help, but I hope something I’ve said will help you find the tools you need to keep active via swimming.
On a good day I can run in the pool for up to two hours, getting an excellent (and safe) cardio workout as the buoyancy of the water allows me to be safely active without the possibility of falling and hurting myself, and without the need for my lungs to have to strain to carry the weight of my body (165 pounds, average) while being active, which would otherwise stress or possibly overtax my lungs.
(Sorry, too long winded. Please look for part 3) - Tuesday, 16-JUN-26
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