More good days. It's possible to have them, even with COPD, says Sarah, who found out 3 years ago that she had the disease. COPD sneaked up on Sarah. She began coughing more often, and the coughing lasted longer. Every day it got a little bit harder to breathe. One day she found she couldn't walk up the basement stairs...

"Why me?" That's what Cal asked himself over and over after he was diagnosed with severe COPD 5 years ago. "I spent the first 2 years moping around the house, feeling sorry for myself," he says. "I didn't go anywhere, I didn't do anything. I just sat in front of the TV and tried not to think about anything." Then one...

"I was so scared when the doctor told me I had emphysema. I was afraid to go anywhere or do anything. "Someone told me to go online and connect with a support group. I did, and it literally changed my life. I was pretty shy at first, and all I did was read what everyone else was writing. Then one day I was having...

Covers birth control methods, including the pill, skin patch, Depo-Provera shot, condoms, cervical cap, and diaphragm. Provides questions to help you decide the right birth control method for you. Covers emergency contraception (the morning-after pill).

Blood thinners are medicines that help prevent blood clots. Because they prevent clots, they also help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other problems caused by blood clots. But blood thinners can also raise the risk of serious bleeding. So it's important to know how to take them safely.

Sometimes your symptoms may get worse over a short time and stay bad. This is called a COPD exacerbation (say "ig-ZAS-ur-BAY-shun") or flare-up. A flare-up can be dangerous, so it's important to know what to do and take action. Your doctor can help you make a plan to manage flare-ups. Symptoms of a flare-up include...

Gives info on heart problem that leads to heart failure. Includes symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment with medicines, lifestyle changes, and surgery. Also info on causes like amyloidosis, hemochromatosis, and sarcoidosis. Includes info on tests.

Guides you through decision to have uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) for uterine fibroids. Explains what uterine fibroids are. Lists reasons for and against UFE. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Describes heart failure (congestive heart failure). Discusses common causes like hypertension and coronary artery disease. Has info on symptoms. Covers diagnostic tests and treatments. Discusses heart failure classification system and stages of CHF.

Many people have more than one long-term (chronic) health problem. You may be one of them. For example, you may have high blood pressure and diabetes, or you may have high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart failure. When you have more than one problem, doctors call the health problems comorbidities. One health problem...

Guides through decision to have hip replacement surgery. Discusses what happens in hip replacement and what to expect after surgery. Offers interactive tool to help you decide.

Guides you through decision about weight-loss surgery. Covers health problems like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes that can be caused by obesity. Lists reasons for and against surgery. Includes an interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Discusses exercise, manual therapy, and education for chronic conditions like COPD or arthritis. Covers goals that include increasing flexibility, strength, and endurance. Covers what to expect.

Make sure you know about each of the medicines you take. This includes why you take it, how to take it, what you can expect while you're taking it, and any warnings about the medicine. The information provided here is general. So be sure to read the information that came with your medicine. If you have any questions or...

Guides you through choosing between radiation therapy and surgery (prostatectomy) to treat prostate cancer. Lists reasons for and against radiation therapy. Also lists reasons for and against surgery. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends TB testing for people at increased risk for TB infection. These may include those who: Live with or spend time with someone who has TB. Were born in or lived in countries where TB is common. Live or have lived in crowded conditions where TB can easily spread...

Briefly discusses various sleep problems of those 12 and older. Covers insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

How can you stay healthy on your trip? The best way to stay healthy on your trip is to plan before you go. If you are planning to travel to another country, see a doctor several months before you leave so you will have time for vaccines (immunizations) that you may need to get ahead of time. Also ask your doctor if...

Guides through decision to have sleep study to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea. Includes pros such as diagnosis that can lead to treatment. Also offers cons such as cost. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

What are peak flow and personal best? Peak expiratory flow, or peak flow, is how much air you breathe out when you try your hardest. You measure peak flow with a peak flow meter, a device that you can use at home. If you can breathe out quickly and with ease, you have a higher number. This means you have a higher peak...

Discusses cardiac rehabilitation (rehab), which helps you feel better and reduce risk of future heart problems with exercise and lifestyle changes. Looks at rehab for people who have heart conditions such as heart attack, heart surgery, or heart failure.

Discusses chronic kidney disease (chronic renal failure), which means your kidneys don't work the way they should. Discusses dialysis. Covers treating diabetes and high blood pressure, which cause most cases of chronic kidney disease.

Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) typically includes an outpatient program. This program is one part, or phase, of your cardiac rehab. You will likely take part in a supervised exercise program. You will receive information and tools to have a heart-healthy lifestyle, such as: Not smoking. Healthy eating. Staying at a...

Briefly discusses possible causes of chest pain, which include angina, heart attack, pneumothorax, and chest wall pain. Covers heart attack symptoms. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

Briefly discusses symptoms of hyperventilation, plus causes for both acute (sudden) and chronic hyperventilation. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.