Patient Videos

Module 1: Understanding COPD

Patients discuss their experiences and understanding of COPD.

What symptoms did you experience leading up to your COPD diagnosis?

Patients talk about how long ago they were diagnosed with COPD and the symptoms they experienced leading up to their diagnosis. They describe the fatigue they felt during regular activities as well as the shortness of breath they experienced.

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How has COPD impacted your life?

Patients describe their personal experiences with COPD and how it has impacted their lives. They discuss how COPD has affected their work, daily activities, recreational interests, relationships and the stress they experience living with COPD.

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Have you experienced sleep apnea with your COPD?

A patient with COPD describes his experiences with sleep apnea and anxiety. Sleep apnea testing and using oxygen to help with sleep is also discussed. He shares his views in order to help other COPD patients with similar experiences.

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Have you experienced anxiety or depression with your COPD?

Patients with COPD discuss the anxiety and depression they experience living with COPD, and how they try to manage it.

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Module 2: Diagnosis and Evaluation of COPD

What advice do you have for persons who have early symptoms of COPD?

Patients with COPD share practical advice for persons who may be experiencing early COPD symptoms. They recommend seeing a health care provider immediately, quitting smoking immediately, avoiding people who are ill and avoiding second-hand smoke and other lung irritants such as dust and barbeque smoke. They also recommend getting tested and starting treatment as soon as possible.

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What is your experience with spirometry?

Patients describe their experiences with spirometry including how the test is performed.

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Module 3: Management and Treatment of COPD

Can you comment on smoking and COPD? What motivated you to quit smoking?

Patients discuss the impact of smoking on COPD and how smoking has been a major cause of COPD. They discuss the importance of motivation and the need to quit smoking.

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What is your COPD action plan?

Patients with COPD discuss their own personal action plan related to COPD and what they do to manage the challenges of this disease.

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How do you know when your COPD is getting worse?

Patients discuss the various signs and symptoms that indicate their COPD is getting worse, and share this as a benefit to other patients with COPD.

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What medical treatments has your doctor prescribed for your COPD?

Patients with COPD share their experiences with regard to medical treatments prescribed by their doctor, and how this has helped manage their disease.

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Are vaccines important for persons living with COPD?

Patients provide personal accounts of the beneficial role of vaccines in terms of living with COPD, and why it is important to be immunized.

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What is your experience with oxygen therapy for COPD? How does it help?

Patients with COPD share their experiences regarding the benefit of oxygen therapy and how this helps them get through difficult COPD periods.

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What is your experience with pulmonary rehabilitation for your COPD?

Patients with COPD recount the benefits and experiences of pulmonary rehabilitation in managing their COPD.

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What kind of support system is important for people living with COPD?

Patients provide their own experiences with respect to the types of support they rely on to improve their COPD.

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Jointly provided by the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower and Prime Medic Inc., in collaboration with Postgraduate Institute for Medicine and Mechanisms in Medicine Inc.

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim

This website is part of the Animated Patient™ series developed by Mechanisms in Medicine Inc., to provide highly visual formats of learning for patients to improve their understanding, make informed decisions, and partner with their healthcare professionals for optimal outcomes.