Optimising Treatment
Improving the care of your underlying condition
Your local doctor or specialist should assess the medical conditions causing your long-term breathlessness. Your doctors can ensure that you are receiving the most effective treatments for these conditions. Regular checkups with your healthcare team can be very helpful in keeping your illness under control.
It is also important for you to use your medicines in the right way. If you have inhalers, ask a healthcare professional to show you how to use them correctly. If you use tablets, capsules or liquid medicines and are unsure how or when to take them, ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist.
Role of home oxygen therapy for breathlessness
When you have a long-term lung or heart problem, you may have low oxygen levels in your blood. However, having low oxygen levels is only one of many different causes for breathlessness.
People with very low oxygen levels may be prescribed oxygen to use at home by their specialist. Oxygen is a ‘drug’ and should be used carefully and prescribed. When oxygen is used like this, the aim is to improve your ability to exercise and long-term survival. Some (but not all) people find oxygen helps reduce breathlessness. Importantly, if you do not have very low oxygen levels, oxygen will not improve your breathlessness.
Things you can do to help control your underlying illnesses
If you smoke, get help to quit.
Get a flu jab every year.
Discuss having the coronavirus and pneumococcal vaccine with your doctor.
Remain as physically active as possible. Your doctor or healthcare team may refer you to a specialised rehabilitation program or to a physiotherapist to discuss an exercise plan suited to you.
Have a healthy, balanced diet. If you don’t have the energy or appetite to manage full meals, try eating small high energy meals and snacks more often.
If you are overweight, weight loss can be helpful. However, if you lose weight unintentionally, discuss this with your doctor.
