Trials (and tribulations)

[Locksmith]

Has anyone else managed (or tried - successfully or not) to get on a treatment trial?

Also has anyone got experience /an opinion on the "Buteyko" system? Sorry if that's incorrect spelling but I mean the system of controlled breathing that, they claim, cures pretty much all pulmonary problems as far as I can see

Stay well

[O2Trees]

I know Buteyko treatment well Locksmith. I started learning it just before I got diagnosed with copd. I did really well - as many will know Buteyko, is based on increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the lungs - resulting in an increase in the 'control pause' (breath holding after breathing out) from 10 to around 29 seconds. This carried on with improved breathing for around 2 weeks then the control pause started to decline again and my improved breathing didn't last. Shortly after I was dxd with copd which explained it. The other thing that happened was that I started having irregular heart beats and the consultant at the NHS place I was working in at the time told me they could be the result of too much CO2 in my system.

Despite what Buteyko advocates will tell you, it can be an inappropriate treatment for copd patients for whom it is dangerous if CO2 is retained, since there is already a tendency for some these patients to retain CO2.

So, not knowing what your dx is, my advice would be - if you have asthma by all means try it, but be very cautious if you have copd.

[Locksmith in reply to O2Trees]

Thanks for the info, I have copd. I stumbled across Buteyko and I could see the logic of it but can't find any serious research into it, I'm not the sort of person who generally believes in "miracle cures" so your reply is just what I was looking for