Living With LAM

In the early stages of LAM, you usually can do your normal daily activities. These may include attending school, going to work, and doing common physical activities such as walking up stairs.

In the later stages of LAM, it may be harder for you to be active. You also may need oxygen therapy full time.

Ongoing Care

Getting ongoing medical care is important. You may need to see a pulmonologist. This is a doctor who specializes in treating lung diseases and conditions. These specialists usually are located at major medical centers.

Take steps to care for your lungs. Get a flu shot every year and a pneumonia shot every 5 years.

Lifestyle Changes

Take good care of your health. This means following the same healthy lifestyle that's recommended for all Americans. Follow a healthy eating plan, get as much physical activity as you can, and get plenty of rest. If you smoke, try to quit. Talk to your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking.

You also should check with your doctor before traveling by air or traveling to areas where medical attention isn't readily available. Also, talk to your doctor before traveling to places where the amount of oxygen in the air is low.

Pregnancy and Birth Control

If your lung function is normal, pregnancy may be an option. However, hormones during pregnancy might worsen your LAM. Therefore, you should discuss a possible pregnancy with both a pulmonologist who specializes in LAM and your obstetrician.

Most doctors don't recommend birth control pills containing estrogen to women who have LAM. Talk to your doctor about birth control options.

Support Groups

You may find it helpful to join a LAM support group. Information about patient support groups is available from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Health Information Center at 301–592–8573 or the National Institutes of Health/NHLBI Pulmonary-Critical Care Branch at 1–877–NIH–LUNG (1–877–644–5864), extension 3.