Posts by Rosemary McDonald
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Access: The Blue Inhaler, in reply to Hilary Stace,
Wonder if any of them mention buteyko?
A very quick google search would suggest that around the world various asthma societies are warming to Buteyko. More interesting is recent research that seems to indicate that "dysfunctional breathing" is common in those with asthma and that retraining can reduce the need for meds.
If I had more time I'd do a lit review....but if I were asthmatic....I'd certainly give buteyko a try....if only to avoid steroids.
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Access: The Blue Inhaler, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
Teach a person to manage or tune their breathing
and they’ve a tool always on hand to use…
perhaps not in all situations or for all people, but…I'm trying not to but in but....this makes me think about "natural childbirth", which led to thinking about the Lamaze program that was popular for a while.
I would love to go into the politics of childbirth through the ages...and it is largely about control...but this is not the place.
Relevant is the backlash from 'conventional medicine' at the dreadful proposition that with correct training in breathing and posture and, I suppose today they'd call it 'mindfulness', most women can give birth safely without medical intervention.
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And here is a Natrad interview with Lecretia Seales' lawyer
Very interesting, and Kim Hill does try to raise the issue of how this legislation could affect the public perception of those with disabilities.
AND....as if we didn't already know....NZBORA isn't worth shit.
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Access: The Blue Inhaler, in reply to Lucy Telfar Barnard,
But don’t assign impure motives to people who must, ethically, prefer research study evidence to your personal, non-controlled, non-blinded, sample of one.
I didn't see Gray as being rude....more pointing out the facts.
There is no doubt that drugs are keeping some asthmatics alive, and enabling many more to function on a daily basis.
But it is a pity that the Asthma Foundation booklet Controlling Asthma offers no 'drug free' advice.
Surely they could have had a "if you find yourself with no meds and help is far away" section that could give a Buteyko type breathing primer?
Or suggest a strong caffeine drink if meds are unavailable?
In fact, the message in the booklet (which might be the only resource to hand for some) is entirely drug based.
It offers no alternative.
Why is that?
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Access: The Blue Inhaler, in reply to dave stewart,
and my daily asthma drug cocktail now consists of Symbicort, Flixonase & Lorafix. It’s best not to wonder too much about any long term negative consequences of this intake of pharmaceuticals!
....and a search for published research into long term effects of beta agonists and corticosteroids is proving difficult because my measure for 'research integrity' is 'no funding from drug companies'.
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Access: The Blue Inhaler, in reply to Gray Kirkbride,
Oh, yes.
One technique we used some thirty years ago with panicky and very young asthmatics was to get them to blow. A long slow blow up a balloon blow. Blow this piece of paper out of my hand blow. Then breathe in slowly.
In two three four five, hold two three, out two three four five....great to relax you off to sleep. And deal with childbirth.
And, when tetraplegic partner had a serious on the back of chemo chest infection...panic stations as he couldn't breathe...was literally gasping. Nurses gave him O2 via various methods and somewhere, somehow in his gasping his last state, he pulled away the oxygen mask and said 'too much'.
Nurse and I got him to really think about the breathing...out, in, out, in ...
Turns out that sometimes breathing in oxygen at too higher rate can affect your breathing...your body kinda says...too much oxygen...don't need to breathe.
Very frightening. For three whole days and nights...every breath he took required thought. I get him to do the same breathing thing in his sleep when he snores.
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Access: The Blue Inhaler, in reply to Chris Waugh,
I was prescribed the generic version,
One of our wee foster children used to get asthma only when he had a cold. The first attack he had we went from the after hours clinic and a nebuliser, to a rushed run up to A&E in matter of fifteen minutes. The nebuliser made him worse. So it was prednisone and Ventolin through a spacer...and he used it like a trouper. Must have made him feel a whole lot better. He was only two. Poor wee lad...but it was amazing just how quickly he went from death's door to fine with the right meds delivered in the right way for him.
The second script he got was the generic...and god's truth we never said a word about it being different. He went to stay with another foster family for a weekend...ended up back at A&E because the generic did not work. The other foster mum certainly knew what she was doing, so it wasn't wrong technique...the generic simply did not hit the sweet spot. The docs at A&E were not at all surprised.
Asthma is a truly scary condition...I often wondered.....does fear of an attack sometimes exacerbate the condition?
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Hard News: Radio being made, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
not on a game in progress,
Hah! kinda like the cricket commentary. (I'm not an avid fan...but domestic harmony dictates we listen) Those guys take in- fill chatter to a whole new level. Partner listens to every single ball....every single ball. Me ? Very much a peripheral listener, but after doing a piss- take the other day about said commentary it appears I had not only absorbed the names of the commentary team but also a few of their stock phrases. Completely subliminally.
The only telly commentary for cricket I remember is this guy
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Hard News: Radio being made, in reply to linger,
sent up mercilessly in this clip
Thank you...and I'm comforted to know that anything remotely decent that surfaces on telly will eventually pop up here on PA.
For a good example of the ability of a good radio broadcaster's ability to verbally paint can be found by listening to a rugby game on Radio Sport.
A good announcer can put you right in the middle of the scrum...make you feel every tackle.
And what do we remember of the Americas Cup we won?
And that Lomu...Oh! Lomu! try?
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Hard News: Radio being made, in reply to Russell Brown,
Reporters will want to get good at sending pictures,
and not have to worry about constructing a verbal description.
A picture may be worth a thousand words...but that is what radio is (was?) about...words that make pictures.