Well so far I've been disappointed. I've used it now for several months - generally about 5 times a week for 12-15 minutes each time. I check my blood pressure about 3-4 times a day as well. My BP goes down a bit for the hour or so after I use Resperate but that's it - no change throughout the rest of the day.
Furthermore I find the 30 day refund somewhat ridiculous. It says right on the package you need a minimum of 4 weeks to notice any difference. So unless you open the package, start that day and then at exactly 4 wks make a decision, the refund is worthless. For most of us it is a small price to pay if it works so we're willing to give it at least 8 weeks - after that though with no real reduction, the box is yours with no refund. The price is a bit high for something that really is no different than listening to Canon in D for 15 minutes and measure your breathing.

Dave,
To see a reduction after a session tells me that you are using it properly (technique-wise) and that your body is responding to the exercise! To acheive an all day reduction, I would probably need to ask some further questions. When I see a person not acheiving the sustained reduction, it usually has to do with the individual. What time of the day are you doing your session? Are you truly relaxed? Are your eyes closed during your session, phones turned off? TV turned off? Any distractions? Are you sitting in a comfy chair with a slight recline?
Once you get the technique down, it's important to just relax. You should almost go into a trance type of a mode. I'm sure your stats are GREAT! You should try to use the RESPeRATE at the same time each day. Also, in regards to your BP readings, it's also important to take your readings at the same time each day. Use that as your guage. We like to recommend taking 3 consecutive readings about 2-3 minutes apart, dropping the first reading and averaging the 2nd & 3rd reading.
As far as the 30 day return period, most people who use it should start to see something happening to their BP around week #3. (maybe even sooner immediately following a session) These are indications that you are using it properly and that your body is responding and you should expect a further, sustained reduction.
Please contact our customer care dept Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm EST for further tips at: 1-877-988-9388
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:http://forum.resperate.com/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

I agree with Dave. Very poor results. 4 weeks of religious use and higher bp than prior to use! Boo - a waste.

Wally,
I'm sure that if you phoned in and spoke with one of our customer care reps, you'll be able to figure out something. We've dealt with some people where their stats look perfect and everything seems right! Half hour or more into the conversation, we discover that the person wasn't in a comfortable chair, or that they were taking stuttering breaths in or even holding their breath and also getting down too low of a breathing rate. I'm sure that if you called us at: 1-877-988-9388, Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm EST and speak to a customer care rep, you may be surprised to discover something else!
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

I'm crushed. I really believed this was going to work and at one medical check-up a month ago, my BP was lower. Yesterday, I went to the cardiologist and he took my BP twice to find that it was still at 150/90, too high he said. He insisted I take a pill right there and then, something I feel terrible about.
I've taken a couple of different meds and had terrible reactions. I really hoped the Resperate would work for me and have been using it faithfully, almost every day for the past two months.
I believe I use it correctly and my sleep has improved at least 80%, but my blood pressure hasn't dropped yet.
I threw away the box a couple of weeks ago, so I'm stuck.

EllenNY,
You're not stuck. (IMG:http://forum.resperate.com/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I really wish you'd call our office and speak to a customer care rep. There are a few people that actually use it and understand some of the things that RESPeRATE users go through. We often find that there are some people out there that actually are using it technique-wise, stats are great, and everything "feels" right. After speaking in them in depth, we came to realize that there are some minor things that can be done to break the plateau. There are a few additional tips that we offer once we get a full understanding of what you are doing. Here's a quick story. We had a guy using the RESPeRATE since December and hadn't seen results yet! He has called into our office countless times. We've gone over his stats, asked him to cut back to 10 min sessions, change the time of the day that he uses it, etc. Then, last month he called in and one of the girls asked him if he's in a comfortable spot. He said he's in a very comfortable spot while using his RESPeRATE. When she probed even further, turned out he was sitting at the kitchen table! Turns out he never was TRULY comfortable & RELAXED. He would look out the window, which caused to be a distraction. The point is, he found a comfy couch in his house & has been doing his sessions there! He called us the other day to say that after ALL these months of what he believed were proper use, he is FINALLY seeing results!
You never know!
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:http://forum.resperate.com/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

I too am disappointed. After three months using RespeRate, I haven't been able to achieve my goal of sustaining at least a slight reduction in my systolic and diastolic readings. I was, until recently, prehypertensive, but may have slipped into mild hypertension, as my systolic level is frequently above 139 (but never above 146). My diastolic level may have gone down by a few points. I was hoping that Reperate would help bring down my bp just enought to allow me to avoid bp medication, but it looks as if I'll have to bite the proverbial bullet and start taking bp meds. I am careful to follow the instructions when I use ResperRate, and, after the first two months of disappointing results, I even increased the frequency to two ten-minute sessions a day, but to no avail. Other than my elevated bp, I am in very good physical shape. I am at my ideal weight, eat very healthily, walk over 20 miles a week, ...etc.

So, my point is, perhaps RespeRate isn't for everyone.

RVG

RVG, not to get personal, but to try to help -- are you having alcohol? Some people's bp gets driven up by this (contrary to "studies"). Also, are you fully relaxed when you resperate? You should get a relaxing feeling on your exhale. If you're not getting this, you have to try to adjust how you're doing it. Get more comf. Stop thinking about everything but your breath. Are you blowing out your mouth? I can't do that. I just breathe out my nose.

Read a little about yogic breathing (e.g. ujjia breathing -- that's the one recommended by the sages this very thing). But aim for that relaxed/balloon-slowly-deflating feeling.

Yes... me too.
Been using this thing for almost 2 weeks and see NO results so far... nothing.
I have serious doubt I will keep it... 4 weeks is way to little to try this machine.
So far... I am disappointed and I follow the rules, no alcohol, I am relaxed, eyes closed... and nope... still very high BP.

LM

Melo,
What is your blood pressure monitoring routine? Do you take your readings the same time of day each time, etc? Have you checked you BP after a session? Sometimes it does take a bit longer to see results. Each person is different and responds differently to everything. I would highly advise that you call into our support center and speak with a knowledgible rep who will review your stats & go over userbility issues.
Don't give up!!!
PS..if you call within the 30 days, they will probably even be able to give you an extension to your return date.
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Call Mon-Fri 9am-5pm EST 1-877-988-9388

Dear Poor Results,

My BP when I started was averaging 177/99. I knew intuitively that breath control could lower BP, but I did not know how to start. I've tried Tai Chi, relaxation, but nothing helped until I tried Resperate. It took over 5 weeks to see my BP dropped to 130/80. During the first few weeks, nothing happened. Then I changed my sessions from 15 min to 20 min and then to 25 min. I learned that 25 min worked best for me (5 days a week, I stop on weekends). Now at 7 weeks, I am averaging 125/78. The key for me was to relax during each session. Reading through the forum has helped me tremendrously. It is through the forum that I learned that increasing the session time may help, and I am grateful for that info.

Take heart and follow the excellent advice given in the forum and I am sure you will be happy with the results.

GMR

Increasing poor results.

My husband and I have been doing the breathing for 2 months now. The first 2 to 3 weeks (before the 30 days return time) the results seem to be great, reducing the BP for both of us about 10 points. Into the second month the results started to turn in the other direction for both of us!. We use it everyday at the end of the day, in a very quiet room and very relaxed. I start at about 11 or 12 breaths and get down to 5 within the 20 minutes session (I decided to increase it to see if it helped) My husband starts at 10 or less and goes down to about 4 bpm.

I' did not stop taking my medication and this morning my BP was 170/100 and that scared me as I did not feel very well. My husband's was not much different. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

I have a feeling that this was a waste of money as I cannot see from reading this forum that a great percentage of people have much of a reduction to speak of. An I still do not understand why is that it has to cost so much money!.

Ours was wishful thinking since we thought that this could work and even though it was a stretch for us to come up with the money if we could somehow reduced the intake of medication, eventually we would recover some of the money....wishful thinking...

Anita,
You made a very vivid point in the beginning where you said you both were successful in lowering your BP by 10 pts. That's incredible! I sense that you have built a resentment against the Resperate which may affect your results. The Resperate experience is supposed to be a relaxing and calming one. You are probably using the Resperate and it's feeling like a chore, rather than a relaxing experience. I ask that you re-evaluate your past few months and try to see what changes you've made in your sessions. One of my thoughts is that you're breathing rate has come down to 5 BPM or below, whereas in the beginning it may have been around the 6-8 BPM range. Is this a possibilty? I might actually recommend cutting your sessions to 10 minute sessions daily.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Resperate is not a quick fix. You need to continue using it to maintain your reduction, so it is a committment.
I would encourage you to continue using it and keep us posted.
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)