Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a global problem with about 251 million people affected globally in the year 2016. There are many risk factors that can lead to the development of COPD, with smoking and old age being the most common risk factors. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease wholly affects the persons live accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, anxiety, coughing, increment in the production of phlegm, and tiredness.

Aim: the aim of the study was to describe the experiences of people living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Methodology: A literature-based study was conducted with ten qualitative articles obtained from the database CINAHL and PUBMED. The studies were subjected to a quality analysis and Friberg’s step analysis. Article searches were conducted between 2020 and 2021.

Results: The results of the articles were interpreted into a new result describing the daily struggles of people living with COPD. A main theme “when everyday life becomes a struggle for survival” and four subthemes were identified.

Conclusion: COPD effects the persons live in a lot of ways. People experience many limitations in their lives with the experience of guilt and shame being the strongest. To be able to minimize the suffering of people with COPD in the future, there is a much needed development in the nursing field and in the health sector on what it is like for people to live with COPD.