The phrase ‘living with COPD’ may be synonymous with living with dyspnoea, particularly during the severe stage of the disease. Many participants described them as frightening experiences, which were associated with fear of choking, suffocation,and death. Successful techniques for dyspnoea management in this study and others (O’Neill 2002; Cicutto et al 2004) included using inhalers and concentrating on breathing slowly and not panicking. Participants adopted strategies that they had tested by trial and error. This involved pacing activities and learning to conserve energy and adapt daily tasks such as sitting down to complete tasks in the kitchen, washing, and dressing.