I have read a lot about this technique how its could help
I am keeping an open mind, found this someone has posted the DVD, (good sport) so we can have a look for free the link is
copy and paste into your browser
it may or may not help, but at least you can try for free,
Regards all
Brian
Can I remind all users that the Buteyko method should only be used with the agreement and the backing of your respiratory team. There some other under lying problems that mean it is dangerous and far from making your breathing easier it could lead to you becoming very seriously ill, these problems are often not picked up by GP's it normally takes investigation by a specialist asthma clinic. So please do not try this until you have spoken to your team.
Bex
I would have thought that common sense would apply and we sufferers would not follow the videos blindly, i was crediting everyone on here with some common sense! and veiw it with an open mind and discuss with their GP, as someone with an intellegence level slightly higher than an Amoeba, would take it as so.
it was just meant as just FYI as i said ""OPEN MIND""
i doubt it for one minute someone will start doing the method without talking to their GP AS I DID!!!! my GP is a family freind & head of our asthma clinic
I thought the idea of this forum was to share knowledge offer a bit of support all i have found is when you post, take my first one about being given a nebuliser, a 20 year old comes on telling me they are suprised at the decision of my doctor (family freind and head of our asthma clinic) to give me a nebiliser to take home, then starts on about waht medication i should be on!
I think my GP has a bit of an idea!!!!!!!!!!
I am deleting my account on here, as i thought the idea was to give support to each other not jump on and critise which has suprised me totally
i am on another forum and their support is fantastic, everyone has an open mind and exchange information as information not an instruction!
Bye probably replies will come on saying good Riddance
Bex is correct, and it's also highlighted in the book and on the DVD
If you have Type 1 Diabetes, current cancer treatments, epilepsy, Schizophrenia, blood pressure problems, chest pains, sickle cell anemia, arterial aneurysm, any heart problem within the previous 6 months, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, or a known brain tumour or kidney disease, then DON'T do any of the breathing exercises.
If you have severe asthma, emphysema or COPD, Type 2 Diabetes, pregnant, anxiety or depression, or a migraine sufferer, ten only exercises 2 and 6 should be attempted, and you should never have an air shortage greater than during gentle walking.
If you're not sure you can always contact Patrick McKeown via buteyko.ie
Brian, I think also you have a very valid point, we all have a brain and can think for ourselves, not blindly following a set of instructions like sheep, especially if you feel worse for doing them. You are correct in thinking that this forum is for sharing ideas, experiences and support. I know I've personally learnt a huge amount from it and feel that the more active members on the site is a good thing, please reconsider leaving, as I've had similar comments made by some of my posts in the past.
Good heavens Brian there really was no need for the cyber flounce. That warning is one I put up everytime Butekyo is mentioned and I put it there for a reason. Because it just appears to be changing your breathing pattern people often do try it without getting advice. If you were desperate for a cure and read you could cure your asthma by altering your breathing you probably think it is not as if it is a pill that might interact with your medication so it can't hurt to give it a go. However, it would make me seriously ill because I have an additional under-lying problem if I was not aware of this I would probably be 1st in the queue to try it. All my post does is suggest people check with their team before trying it.
Bex
Woody - whilst you are obviously correct that we all have a brain and can think for ourselves, it would be negligent of the moderating team if we didn't flag up the usual warning whenever something like this is posted. There are many new members here all the time (and, of course, you don't have to be a member at all just to read the forum) and a lot of them will be new to asthma and what dealing with the condition entails. Although Brian says it's obvious what he meant, I'm afraid that unless you implicitly state something when you're posting on a message board, you can't always assume that everyone will read it in the way that you intended.
Brian - your response was rather OTT considering the passive way in which Bex's warning was phrased. If you do a search on here for Buteyko you'll find that one of the moderating team (usually me!) always endeavours to put a similar warning up on the thread. This is a *discussion* forum as much as it is a support forum, so you should always be prepared to meet people with views that differ from your own.
Brian, chill a bit. You're quite right that common sense *should* prevail, but sadly all too often it doesn't. I'm more than aware of this in my position as a GP, having seen people who try various bits and pieces for many conditions, without checking it with someone first, and end up pitching up in my surgery in a big mess as a result. Bex was in no way criticising your post, she was simply adding a ""safety"" warning which is standard for the modding team to do for users of all levels reading these boards.
In a similar vein, whilst there are very good doctors out there who would use home nebs carefully in sensible patients - as is evident from your posts - there are also doctors who would not use them with such caution. From your initial post it wasn't evident which situation this was. Several of the 20-year-olds (and younger) on this forum know more about asthma than many doctors, so please don't write people off just because of their age.
Buteyko may have its place for reducing symptoms in mild asthmatics, but as always it must only be used with caution and in consultation with your GP/consultant. Some people have found great help from it in such circumstances.
Ooh, bit of a mod-fest going on here! I think we've all spotted this thread at the same time. Have we got enough hats to go around?
Think you've all huddled round the same camp fire 
I wonder what the collective noun for a group of Mods is.
I have covered my hat with tinsel 
Bex
That video link that Brian posted is some clips from the DVD by Patrick McKeown. He’s very good in helping people. I know I had a question after watching the DVD as to whether I should do the exercises or not, due to having respiratory sinus arrhythmia, so sent him an email, and he gave me a very straightforward and honest answer.
The clips only show a general idea, and you really need the book or DVD to understand and follow the correct procedures and health warnings, for which I’ve listed most in a post below. Some of the clips from other practitioners on youtube are OK, but one from an Australian I saw said that asthma is the bodies method of stopping you from hyperventilating, think that comment just goes to show that you can’t listen to everything on the net. If that were true, then during an attack you should get better, or does the body really want to starve itself of oxygen?
personal experience of buteyko and reply to a few queries
I do find sometimes the tone of some of the posts can be a little off putting especially to new posters.
I too welcome diversity - asthma is a vary diverse affliction with many opposite symptoms and triggers for different people. Personally, i like to hear from people who have success with any aspect of their asthma and keeping their asthma under control. There are others out there struggling with the very thing you have just found unexpected relief from.
In relation to Woody-soms question: It is suggested by buteyko that during an asthma attack hyperventilation, the volume of air breathed in is not processed properly. This is due to the Bohr effect where a drop in CO2 levels in the blood result in a stronger attachment of oxygen to the haemoglobin (bodies method of transferring oxygen from the air through the lungs to the blood to the body). This in spite of good sat levels the oxygen is not distributed correctly. This is the area where the anomaly of increased breathing during an attack does not result in increased oxygen, the body continues to produce more mucus, to squeeze the lung passageways resulting in continuing and increasing difficulty of breathing.
The exact workings are not yet fully understood with many aspects of asthma. We focus on the in-breath only (and we measure the outbreath FEV1 as an exclusive tool to gauge lung function). Using the buteyko lung function measurement the control pause in combination with the FEV1 would result in better understanding of cases where people have high FEV1 but continued symptoms and poor control.
In relation to CAthBears assertion that this may be of some relief to some mild asthmatics I think that is a massive understating of the potential of buteyko. I can understand the reluctance based on the poor success rate and poor buteyko technique learned through the DIY method (is this based on your personal experience- have you tried it?). It is far better to learn from someone who has been trained in the technique (NB not just a few day classroom only course - the technique taught in these courses should NOT be called buteyko as they overlook vital elements - missing the point in the first place).
I believe that in this technique has a huge amount to offer almost all asthmatics (bar those on the list posted by Woody-som) and can have dramatic effects on their control, use of both reliever and inhaled steroid medication as well as their overall health and lifestyle improvements. I am aware of people at the Xolair level of severity who have made massive changes in their asthma, huge reductions in their need for medication and consequent reclaiming of a normal life.
My experience: I would have been a moderate asthmatic and have eliminated all medication using the buteyko technique and in conjunction with my doctor (bar very occasional use of ventolin) and maintained this over more than 6 years. I do believe that exercise plays a huge part in the control of my asthma and with regular exercise (using the right breathing technique during very active sport) i can minimize the amount of time spent doing breathing exercises or thinking about my breathing. Minor changes in the way i breathe result in far higher quality of life and far greater control of my symptoms. I watch how i cough (i cough through my nose), how i sneeze (ditto), how i talk (i breathe in through my nose and speak on the outbreath), sighing and sniffing (i realise these are associated with hyperventilation too), how i breathe during rest (silent with little movement), how i breathe during exercise (through my nose, in and out all the time (except swimming/ underwater sport), during sleep (this took about 5 sleep deprived nights to go from complete mouth breathing to determined nasal breathing). Each of these is a minor adjustment to bad habits i had developed (common to most asthmatics). For people who already nasal breathe the exercises are straightforward in my experience the transition to nasal breathing bit was the most difficult. It does take determination, vigilance and consistency while remaining relaxed (not always easy to do), takinga break rather than getting stressed over it and going back to it when better able.
I've just done a course in BB for nurses and physios. I'd just like to point out that it's important to look at BB as a whole package, not just the breathing exercises in isolation. The Buteyko technique involves regular use of preventer therapy, daily exercise, eating a healthy diet and allergen avoidance, all of which should have an impact on asthma control. The breathing exercises have not been scientifically evaluated in isolation.
I'm hoping to run some BB courses for patients in my surgery in the new year, and am looking forward to seeing the results!
Good luxk Mrs Mole
Goodluck mrs mole with your courses.
Just to note that Buteyko himself said to work on the breathing exercises 4:1 ratio to the lifestyle and diet that also form part of the method.
Unfortunately many of the trials do NOT factor in much more than the breathing exercises (for example the Nottingham Trial however well intentioned looks like to was inadvertently designed to fail from its basic construct, looked only at the night-time breathing element of buteyko (though useful in demonstrating its not as scary as people may think based on the 72% of participants being comfortable with using tape at night). The measure of improvement using FEV1 is also not terribly useful as this would not be expected where participants have reduced their medication and is also in itself hyper-ventilation which can exacerbate symptoms and cause the lungs to constrict thus lowering the scores.
Differences in CP (control pause) can in a large way explain the anomaly of people with high FEV1 (peakflow) experiencing continued symptoms. Drops in CP correlate well with increased risk of sever attack.
The Science Based Medicine site has recently (25 December) posted a critical evaluation of the Buteyko method, sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p... 0 [space added between last two characters].
Buteyko recognised by the British Thoracic Society
Buteyko breathing advice
Better Inhaler Techniques (Tidal Method + One Other)
Buteyko breathing exercises
