Last week you took the My COPD Action Plan quiz, and you did great! So, you know that part of having an effective COPD Action Plan is being on the lookout for certain changes. Today, let’s dig a little deeper and talk about what exactly are triggers and early warning signs.
But before we do, here’s an experience from my time teaching in pulmonary rehab. As they were exercising, my patients often asked me, “What’s the topic for our class session today?” When I told them it was triggers and early warning signs, there was almost always someone in the group who would say, “Oh, I know all about that. I know what my triggers and warning signs are. I’ll just skip the class.”
I’d say, “That’s great, I’m glad you know that, but why don’t you just come anyway – something you say might help one of your classmates.”
Then to begin the class, I’d ask each person to share with the group what their triggers were (if they were comfortable with doing that). As they did – every single time – some classmates nodded their heads and at least one person would say, “Oh, that’s a trigger for me too. I didn’t realize it.” And later, “That’s an early warning sign? I didn’t know that.” So as the class went on, they learned from each other.
Triggers
Triggers are things that make your breathing worse – things in your environment such as strong perfumes, cleaning products, and things you may be allergic to like pollen, cats, and hay. We could say that triggers can also be things inside your body such as bacteria, fungus, or a virus. At any rate, a trigger is something that comes into contact with your lungs, causes them to react, and makes breathing more difficult.
Early Warning Signs
An early warning sign is something you notice that happens before, or leads up to, a COPD exacerbation (flare-up). Common early warning signs are:
- a low-grade fever that doesn’t go away.
- increased use of a rescue/fast-acting inhaler or nebulizer without relief.
- a change in the color, thickness, odor, or amount of your mucus.
- being more tired than normal or having trouble sleeping.
- new, or increased, ankle swelling.
- being more short-of-breath than usual.
- feeling like you’re catching a cold.
There are lots of different things that can trigger breathing difficulty and lots of different symptoms that may be early warning signs. You might have a trigger or early warning sign that is unique to you, something that wouldn’t be a problem for many others, even some with COPD. This is why it’s so important to know yourself well, what is normal for you, and to be aware of changes that may lead to problems.
Let’s talk. Do you know your triggers and early warning signs?
I look forward to hearing from you!