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You should receive a review from your doctor or more commonly, your practice nurse at least once per year.
This will involve:
- A discussion about any changes in your symptoms
- A check of your breathing and lung function. If your symptoms have changed significantly you may be retested using the spirometry test.
- A discussion about smoking if you are a smoker (see Help to stop smoking section).
- Measuring your blood oxygen level. They may use an oximeter to check whether oxygen therapy may help you.
- A review of the medications and inhalers you are on.
- A discussion about your inhaler technique to make sure you are still getting the most from your inhaled medicine.
- A discussion about activity and if needed a referral to Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
Your annual review should be a two way process and it is also a good time to ask about anything which you are concerned about or not sure about. You can tell your doctor or nurse specialist about how your COPD is affecting you physically, emotionally or in daily life.
