While it’s a relief to finally have an answer to the symptoms you’ve been experiencing, you now have your diagnosis of having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All the symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath can finally be managed. Now that you have your diagnosis, what’s next?
Approximately 12 million people in the United States have COPD and that number is likely to increase over the next 10 years. Currently, there is no cure for this disease, but early treatment and resourceful management is key to relieving the effects of COPD. There are a few things you should do after being diagnosed with COPD:
Quit Smoking. If you smoke, it’s important to quit immediately. Quitting smoking will help prevent additional damage to your lungs. There are many resources available to quit smoking.
Education. It’s best to understand the disease and how it affects you. Our blog has many helpful articles on understanding and managing COPD.
Communication with your doctor is vital. It’s essential you visit your doctor often and keep in communication with them to manage the disease and its related symptoms safely and efficiently.
Treatment. If diagnosed early on, treatment can be extremely beneficial and help regulate the symptoms of COPD. Your doctor will work with you to prescribe a course of treatments and medications. Some medications may include oxygen therapy, inhaled steroids, or bronchodilators (inhalers).
The team at Portable Oxygen Solutions is dedicated to helping oxygen therapy users, predominately those diagnosed with COPD. We strive to help those with COPD maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. We’re not a large multi-tiered corporation so our customers aren’t just another credit card number to us. We understand that behind every order placed with us there is an individual trusting us to get it right the first time. We are your trusted portable oxygen concentrator specialists.