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On your first visit we will need to discuss your condition, your medication and how normalising your breathing patterns will change your life.
I will explain how to do the simple exercises and we will do some together. Then I will tell you how to practise at home so that some progress can be made before we meet again.
It's best to see you on consecutive days, especially at first, so that I can monitor your progress and check on whether you understood exactly how the exercises should be done. This is because it's much easier to learn how to do something correctly the first time. If you practise something wrongly, it's very difficult to re-learn. Also, it's surprising how quickly changing your breathing means you don't need so much medication, and that needs to be monitored too.
As the requirement for relievers diminishes, you can expect to be free of the long- acting broncho-dilators, and most of the short-acting ones too, after a week or so. After all, relievers are meant to relieve symptoms and if you're not having symptoms you don't need to take them.
Of course, in order to ensure that your symptoms go away and stay away, it is imperative that you follow instructions and do the exercises. I can encourage you but only you can do it. It's not hard, but it does require application, just like any other life skill.
When you no longer need relievers, you can consider reducing your preventers, or steroids. These take much longer to reduce and you will need the advice of your doctor. However, as he or she sees your condition improve, your request for a step down program for your steroids should be welcomed.
Then, as long as you continue to breathe correctly your asthma will be almost a thing of the past. If you let your breathing revert, or you get an infection, it may be necessary to use your preventer for a while until you are back in control.
It's like riding a bike, once you've learned how to breathe correctly, you'll never forget. You may need to practise once in a while, but it's worth it to halt your dependence on an ever increasing drug regime that can never cure your asthma.
You can have control over your own health rather than depend on the medication that you know only keeps your symptoms in check. If you rely on drugs today, what will you do tomorrow if they are no longer quite as effective?
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