Exacerbation of COPD

Knowing the signs and symptoms of an exacerbation will help you to get treatment early, shorten the length of the exacerbation, and hopefully prevent the exacerbation from becoming severe.■ ■ You may notice that you become more breathless than usual with routine activities, like walking to the car or showering.■ ■ Your typical cough may increase in severity or frequency, or a new cough may develop.■ ■ You may notice a change in the color of your sputum (mucus) from clear to colored (deep yellow, green, or brown) and/or the amount of sputum that you bring up may increase.In many people, a change in sputum is the first sign that they have an exacerbation.■ ■ You may feel more tired (fatigue).■ ■ If you find that you have more trouble sleeping than usual, develop a headache when you wake up, or feel confused (or a family member notices you are confused and/or have difficulty waking you up), you may be having signs of high carbon dioxide levels that need immediate medical attention.■ ■ If you measure your oxygen level regularly by using a pulse oximeter, you may also notice that your oxygen levels are lower than usual.