Hi, I have been doing Buteyko on and off as time permits and am convinced of its value. I find it helps if I put a hanky over my nose with the end bit round the ears like glasses and this helps me feel that “desire for more air” that we try to find.
There are it seems two types of Buteyko teacher, one hard core that does maximum pauses although that has to be built up to and others which just concentrate on the CP. However if you use the maximum pause this has to be done under the guidance of a professional as it could be harmful, especially if you have certain medical conditions such as high bp, migraines etc.
I have never been to a practitioner just practise on my own, but do use a sort of half maximum pause but I could not recommend that for anyone else because of the dangers.
Those who use the hard core Buteyko would be Christopher Drake and Martha Roe who have had considerable success in treating serious diseases. You can do a Skype course with them if you could afford it.