Living With LAM

In the early stages of LAM, you usually can go about your daily activities, including attending school, going to work, and performing common physical activities such as walking up a hill. Later on, it may be harder for you to be active. You also may require oxygen full time.

Ongoing medical care is important. Treatment by a pulmonologist who specializes in LAM is recommended. These specialists are usually located at major medical centers.

It is important for you to take good care of your health. This means following the same healthy lifestyle that is recommended for all Americans, including eating a healthy diet, being as physically active as you can, and getting plenty of rest. You also should not smoke.

You should check with your doctor before traveling by air or traveling to remote areas where medical attention is not readily available. You also should ask about travel to places where the amount of oxygen in the air is low.

If your lung function is normal, pregnancy may be an option, but you should discuss it first with both a pulmonologist who specializes in LAM and your obstetrician.

Most doctors do not recommend oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen. You also should avoid estrogen-rich foods. Progesterone may be used as a contraceptive.

Joining a LAM support group can be helpful. Information about patient support groups is available from the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Pulmonary-Critical Care Branch at 1–877–NIH–LUNG
(1–877–644–5864), extension 3.