Complaints about the weight of oxygen portables - For a patient to overcome this problem they need to take responsibility to TRY to get stronger so they can do it without help or discomfort.  It does take a long time of gradual strength building - it took me around 4 years before I could carry a 10-12 lb portable oxygen tank in a backpack...it still isn't comfy, BUT, I CAN do it now at age 73. 

 One must go with what one has, and your personal muscle strength can make a difference in getting out and about or feeling trapped because of lack of strength and because it is easier to do that than tackle the problem and exercise, then too, you have to get over embarrassment of how something looks, really folks seeing an oxygen patient out and moving are impressed and you motivate them to keep moving too. If you don't like the suppliers cart, check out travel carts, or rolling book bags, and then for really inexpensive go to Goodwill stores for many different models

  " People can do more than they think they can,"

Most important, use an oximeter to be sure your oxygen saturation level is at a normal level (sea level normal is 98%) 

mind over matter Research on illness perceptions suggest that effective health care treatment plans are about much more than having a competent physician, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127162753.htm

good endurance exercises, include push-ups and curl-ups. "You're not trying to create a lot of resistance," The goal is to condition your muscle to work longer without tiring.  http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/info-01-2011/work_out_at_home.html  

The changes associated with a COPD diagnosis can increase your risk of depression.  http://www.everydayhealth.com/copd/copd-and-depression.aspx?xid=salesnl_5380_201

Nutrition Plan for a COPD Patient    The metabolic changes of COPD may require you to increase your intake of heart-healthy fats, especially if you are trying to gain weight. Fat produces less carbon dioxide during metabolism than protein or carbohydrate, according to the ALA. Because COPD can elevate your carbon dioxide levels, eating foods that produce less carbon dioxide may improve symptoms in some people with COPD Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/354577-nutrition-plan-for-a-copd-patient/#ixzz  http://www.livestrong.com/article/354577-nutrition-plan-for-a-copd-patient/  

COPD Meal Plan http://www.livestrong.com/article/357228-copd-meal-plan/

Vitamin Pills: Popping Too Many?  Americans are popping more vitamins than ever before -- not to mention all the vitamin-fortified foods hitting store shelves. Is this a dangerous habit or are we throwing our money away?  http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/vitamin-pills-popping-too-many

Pool chlorine tied to lung damage in elite swimmers-study - hmmm, I was a swimmer and also my job was aquatics director - thus around the pool air all the time for many years   http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/12/health-swimmers-idUSL3E8CC0KO20120112

learn more

Take a break, see Magnificent underwater video- spectacular http://www.youtube.com/embed/mcbHKAWIk3I   Major nostalgia - More fun back to the 60's http://objflicks.com/TakeMeBackToTheSixties.htm

also known as 
 X-Greylist: delayed # seconds by postgrey-1--- where I am on permanent review because of mistakes made back in 2006 and 2008.  Properties recently changed and don't show who approved an email any more. R---- still reads, just refusing to post after nasty note, and more incensed after hearing of 'distortion of facts' letters to those questioning his absence from the list.  Ahh the mental anguish - caused over the years .  This happens to some extent on many on-line support groups.  There is only one that doesn't remove members or monitor mail and make it disappear...unless they make swear directly at an individual and make serious threats.