Manage your COPD

Emotional help

  • Being told that you have a serious long-term illness is not always easy to accept. It is understandable that you may have times of frustration, embarrassment, and depression. Complex and conflicting feelings of anger, fear and grief may be felt by you and your family. Click here for some tips to help you learn to deal with stress.

Important tools to help you feel good 

You can get the most out of life with COPD. Educating yourself as much as possible about your condition, quitting smoking, eating well and exercising are all important. It is also important to know what support and help is available to you. This section of our website contains some steps to help you manage your condition as well as you can. 

Become smokefree

Giving up smoking is the most important step you can take. Every cigarette you smoke adds more damage and will make your condition worse. It is never too late, and there are lots of people and organizations that want to help you. You can do it. Find out more…

Physical activity

Trying to keep active is an important part of being healthy for everyone. When you exercise, it helps your muscles, joints and circulation work as efficiently as possible. You may get breathless during activity, however with the right support and information, exercise can be an effective part of your management regime. Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a useful programme of education and exercise, which is shown to have benefits for people with COPD. Find out more...

Take your medication as prescribed

It is important that you understand how your medicines work, and then take them as prescribed. Medications that are used in COPD are:

  • Preventers
  • Relievers
  • Antibiotics
  • Oxygen
Not everyone who has COPD needs all of these medicines, and your doctor may have to try different ones to see what works best for you. Find out more

Follow a self management plan

A Self Management Plan can help you work out how well you are, and what to do if your COPD gets worse, or what to do when you are feeling well. Find out more...

Visit your health team regularly

There are lots of people who want to support you to look after your COPD well. It is important to build a partnership with your doctor, practice nurse, respiratory educator and pharmacist. Following their advice should help you reduce the number of symptoms you face. Find out more…