When I was first diagnosed with emphysema, the Doctor told me I had to be on oxygen 24/7,,,I started out that way, but now I am only on it all night and only on my portable if I am really going to be doing a lot of walking but usually I don't use it during the day anymore at all. I got online and sent for every pamphlet on breathing techniques and on emphysema in general,,,,it really helped,,,now I can go to the gym and go on the treadmill and the bike and other machines,,,oh not for long long periods of time,,,but I can do it. So I think it all depends on the person,,,when I was first diagnosed the doctor said I had severe emphysema and now they say controlled emphysema. I thank God everyday for helping me through it all,,,,Gd Bless you and easy breathing

Many people have been prescribed O2 upon leaving the hospital or recovering from a really bad exacerbation. Sometimes people can get back to where they were before the exacerbation after a time, and this is most likely to happen when the person gets started on a strong exercise program. Exercise is no guarantee that you can get off O2, but it is guaranteed to improve your ability to do the ordinary things that are so difficult after an exacerbation.

In 2003, I started a really aggressive exercise and diet program with the full support of my doc, and over 18 months lost over 100 pounds. I started that journey primarily to lose weight and had no clue how much it would improve my breathing. I got back to the FEV1 I'd had when diagnosed in 2000, put my c-pap in the closet, cut my meds way down, got off O2 completely and got a whole new wardrobe. In my case, the weight loss was probably the key to the success of that program. I stayed off O2 completely until 2011 when I went on O2 for exercise, then for flying and I now use it for sleep as well. Most of the time I don't use it for the usual running around and daily life things. I do use it for heavy stuff, like carrying groceries in.

@A MyCOPDTeam Member, I am so glad your breathing is getting a lot better, but when you say you didn't want a transplant because you don't live to much longer afterwards, I was kind of shocked because I know people that have had transplants and they are still going 20 years later and say it was the best thing that they had done, I'm not saying its smooth sailing all the time, yes they do get infections and other set backs but so do other people without transplants, sometimes a transplant may be the only choice people may have, I know you might of said it not meaning to put people off from having one but yeah it may be their only choice, and it all comes down to the patient, they have to be doing the right things and exercise plays a big factor, I am possibly going to have one in the future if I have a big down turn of my health and I will be living for many years afterwards.

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A MyCOPDT...

I was on O2 for about a year, quit smoking and now haven't needed 02 for over a year.

I was diagnosed in 2009, I started using oxygen all the time. i had a machine with a 75 foot cord so i could go anywhere in my house. I had a lot of trouble breathing at high altitude cause of the thin air, and in high humidity cause the air is so thick. i haven't used oxygen in 4 years. i have a oxygen generator that bought that i take with me on trips. i do this because i have been in ICU with a breathing tube down my throat. you get scared if you can't breath. i try watch my weight and exercise when i can. I don't want to be sick so i try myself a lot. my Doctor said the only why to get better was to have a lung transplant, but you don't live very long after that, and i'm doing better everyday.