Hi, I'm 60 and have moderate copd. I've been feeling really tired lately and I am hoping someone could recommend supplements they have taken.
COPD does make us tired unfortunately ..... Have you been to rehab to learn breathing and other exercises to increase your oxygen intake and save energy?
Unless you know your diet is inadequate vitamin supplements probably won't make any difference and it would be better to eat well, don't you think?
Have you had a lung function test recently? If not maybe it's time to check if your current medication needs changing.
Hi sue19918,
Are you tired bc you are short of breath? Or you don't really know why? Do you have a pulse oximeter so you can check your blood oxygen bc it could be lower than your normal...under 90-88, which can make you very tired. That happened to me...my body just compensated for it and I didn't realize I was shallow breathing and just thinking I was tired for some reason. But if you think it's your diet...well, ya gotta take B12 or just eat healthier. What do you think it's related to? What does your pulse ox say? Let me know....ladyjack51
thanks for your reply Jude. I've been to one rehab open day where I learned breathing techniques. I was told I am at the moderate stage. I do a very physical job and worry at times that I'm not gonna be able to manage another 5 years until my retirement. The area where I live has been hit badly by unemployment and giving up work is not an option as I am single.
"Moderate" stage can mean lots of things: what's your lung function percentage and is it stable or declining? Most important, do you use the breathing techniques and special exercises every day?
My lung function was 56 percent at last test and had declined by 2 percent from the previous year which I was told was due to aging. I eat mainly healthy food, including lots of fruit and veg. I use a salbutimol inhaler and one I think is called Spirovater. I have felt more wheezie just lately.
The wheeze should probably be checked out in my opinion: if you have any sort of lung infection it needs to be addressed ASAP
Hi Sue
Its important through the winter months especially to make sure the immune system is boosted, so a good multivitamin supplement is bound to help along with a good balanced diet (see the eat well plate). Also ask your doc for a vitamin D deficiency blood test, also ask if you can have your B12 levels checked, doc may also want to check to be sure you are not anaemic. Even though lung patients are often tired its worth getting bloods checked to be sure nothing else is going on. ( Vit D, B12 and iron deficiency can cause tiredness when levels are too low )
If you are deficient in vitamin D and your doctor doesn't prescribe a supplement you will need to supplement with vitamin D3. I don't think it would hurt to supplement up to 1000 IU of vitamin D3 during winter months even if you are not deficienct and definitely if you are borderline (around the 50% mark)
Vitamin C supplement also very good during winter months.
Its important to understand that any medication can interfere with the bodies ability to absorb nutrients and so it is very important to eat healthily / well and to supplement if required, just to give the body a helping hand. If you have any digestive disorder this really should be sorted out as this too will affect nutrient absorption.
The recent weather changes affect my lungs also, wind, damp, rain. Do take your inhaler meds regularly, same time each day and use the reliever med (ventolin) more as you need to up to 4 times a day or as advised by your doctor or respiratory nurse.
Hope you are feeling better soon Sue. Just rest as you need to but remember also its important to keep any regular exercise going even if its just walking and exercising at home, in the house or in your neighbourhood.
Always check in with your doctor if your symptoms worsen or you feel unwell, its important to get checked quickly if you have a lung infection developing, if you've not been advised about emergency / rescue pack for self management of lung infection at home do ask your doc about this also.
Sorry I didn't mean to say so much when answering your post.
Last but not least make sure you get your flu jab when they are available for this winter season to help preserve your lungs further. (Assume you have had the pneumonia vaccine already, if not ask for that also, its recommended that COPD patients have this)
Best wishes V