I suffered from chronic asthma from the age of two (I’m now sixty five) and a few years ago I was diagnosed with moderate to severe COPD. In short I was in a bad way and unable to move about freely.
Some six months ago I started a course with Glenn White on the Buteyko breathing method and immediately started to improve, not spectacularly but slowly and definitely. I suspect the slow speed of my improvement was due to me not following the instruction properly rather than the content of the instruction.
Today I still do my Buteyko breathing as I will do for the rest of my life. I continue to improve as I become more proficient at what I’ve been shown. My worst fault is that I occasionally still forget myself and open my mouth to breathe (old habits die hard).
I still take some medication but fully intend to be drug free in the next six months or so. This is mostly a matter of confidence for me. I think because I was very ill and the drugs that I will be giving up are the only things that kept me alive before I learned Buteyko. All changes to prescription medication are discussed with my doctor, as instructed by Glenn. So far, I have successfully given up Seretide and Alanase100. I’ve reduced my Ventolin Inhaler usage by some 85% and I haven’t thought about Prednisone for five months.
Despite this reduction my general health has improved dramatically, I generally sleep well at night (no more snoring or [mild] sleep apnoea, I’m losing weight and I can walk for miles instead of a few hundred metres. Everyone I know can see the difference in me and I’m very happy.
I continue to take Spiriva and Flixotide. As my health continues to improve I hope to come off the Spiriva shortly.
Kevin Dyresen, November 2008
In 2008 Glen White referred Kevin to Dr Frances Pitsilis and doctors at Integrative Health Options. Included below is a letter received from Kevin with further updates on his improving health:
Hi Glen,
I thought it was about time I updated you on my health after you gave me the name of Dr Frances Pitsilis and the Centre for Advanced Medicine.
I went to see Dr Pitsilis who sent me for a series of blood tests and after seeing the results, put me on a series of new drugs and vitamins/minerals which she has adjusted after later visits and re-tests. The last time I saw her (after more tests) she pronounced me to be exactly as I should be with everything in balance. Earlier on we discussed Vitamin C infusion (I think that’s the word) at the Centre for Advanced Medicine and I started there in November last year after seeing Dr Anne O’Reilly. Since that time I have been having Vitamin C twice a week and in the early stages, some other items Dr O’Reilly thought I should have. I am now reduced to Vitamin C once a week for a couple of months after which I’ll probably be down to once a month and stay on that. I think that between the two of them, Dr Pitsilis and Dr O’Reilly saved my life and if not that, they very definitely made it vastly more comfortable for me to live. While I owe these two women hugely I don’t forget that it was you who started the ball rolling with Buteyko and you who recommended these two women to me and for that all I can say is a huge thank you.
Today I can walk most places, not always at the fastest pace but not at the snail's pace I used to move at (and with difficulty). I no longer continuously cough and splutter and am no longer filled with phlegm. I still have COPD but it is no longer debilitating. I don’t run around the block but I move at my own pace and I enjoy my life. I’ve lost about 15kgs and feel better for that as well. Other areas of my health are slowly improving as well. For your part in my hugely improved health I can only say thank you so much for the interest you took in me and my failing health.
Yours sincerely,
Kevin, June 2011
