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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Allergies and intolerances

anyone's asthmatic child on 4 puffs of brown inhaler twice a day?

42 replies

brimfull · 04/02/2007 09:58

ds has had his dose upped to try and combat the coughing.
He is already on singulair tablet daily which has helped a lot but he still coughs a lot.The asthma nurse wanted to add a green bronchodilator inhaler morning and night but was vetoed by the dr who increased his brown to four puffs morning and night.
I am interested to know if anyone elses child has improved on increased steroids.

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nutcracker · 04/02/2007 10:02

Dd used to have to have 4 puffs twice a day when her asthma was really bad and she had a cold. IMO it did help and seemed to work quite quickly, after about 2 days she had always definatly improved.

I think we used to increase it for about 5 days and then knock it back down to 2 puffs twice a day.

crumbs · 04/02/2007 10:08

DS was taking two puffs twice a day, but it was because the brown inhaler he had at the time was a low dosage - might help if you post the strength here?

brimfull · 04/02/2007 10:09

thanks,ds has 4 puff twice a day if he's got a cold, but this is a possible long term thing as his asthma is poorly controlled.

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brimfull · 04/02/2007 10:11

sorry dosage is 50 micrograms

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Millarkie · 04/02/2007 10:38

Ds was on 4 puffs of 50mg brown inhaler when first diagnosed (was after an A and E dash). Generally he has 1 puff twice a day of 100mg now, but we up it to 2 puffs (which is the equivalent of 4 50mgs) if he gets a cold or the air is particularly cold because that's what seems to set his coughing off.

chlochlo · 04/02/2007 12:03

DS was on four puffs of the brown at first but it didn't help much so we changed to the orange one but then that went up to four puffs so he's now on a purple one just two puffs at moment. How olds your ds

brimfull · 04/02/2007 12:08

He is 4 yrs.

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karabiner · 04/02/2007 18:03

DS - also 4 - has just been increased to 4 puffs (2 in morning, 2 in evening) of 100mcg brown inhaler a day.

Same dosage as your ds (400 mcg a day)

We just started so need to wait the 2 weeks too see if it helps.

Will be interesting to hear your experiences with your DS.

crumbs · 04/02/2007 18:25

Hello again

DS has a 200mcg inhaler - so he's getting the same as yours, but in one puff rather than 4.

He's 9 now, but has taken this dosage for some time. He's not seriously asthmatic, it's much more of a problem in the winter, so we use it from Septish until Aprilish. Really helps him get through the winter without a bad episode. He rarely needs the salbutamol.

Chandra · 04/02/2007 19:52

Oh... guess I'm not the only one. DS is having 3 puffs of Flixotide (orange inhaler), prednisolone tablets in the morning and 4 or so blue puffs during the night...

He has not shown an improvement with oral steroids yet, but I wonder if that is because the doctor gave him the dose recommended for an under 2, instead of what a 4 yr old should have. Anyways, I'm becoming very panicly about it

brimfull · 04/02/2007 20:09

ok great news,sounds like I can calm down about the dosage,we've just started it like you ,karabiner,so will see if it works.

Chandra if he's still coughing at night then doesn't his treatment need reviewing?Is he on the oral steroid long term?

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Chandra · 05/02/2007 21:32

ggirl, I plan to take him back to the doctor in two days time when we will know for sure whether the oral steroids have worked. He started on them on Friday, doctor said it would take 2 or 3 days, but he was still coughing last night, however, his chest sounds completely different so maybe with another day or two he will be fine.

I don't know if this is a good idea as my knowledge of asthma is rather limited... is it a good idea to use a humidifier? The origin of this crisis was a combination of a chesty cold, him having the mother of all tantrums and at the same time exposure to something he is mildly allergic to. As I said yesterday the meds were not really making a huge change although his chest was much better. But after we started with the humidifier he finally managed to sleep 4 hours in a row which is a first since Wednesday night... Does this sound right?

How did your child do today? was he feeling better? what is the difference between a bown inhaler and an orange one?

Appologies for the shameless hijack but though you might be a bit more clued about the subject than I am.

chlochlo · 05/02/2007 21:55

the orange inhalor is called flixotide and it is a stronger steriod i think ds had that before it was changed to the purple one. He is on steriods at moment too

brimfull · 05/02/2007 22:06

chandra ,ds had a much better night last night thanks,maybe due to me doing a mega dust/clean ,see this

I think humidifiers are more used for croupy coughs ,but I'm afraid I'm no expert.If it's helping then can't see the harm.

I thought your ds was on long term oral steroids hence my query regarding his treatment,sorry.
Thankfully ds has mangaged to do without steroids now for about 4 months,due mainly to the singulair.

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Chandra · 05/02/2007 22:15

Chlochlo, is your child in prednisolone? what dosis is he getting for his age? have you seen any drastic change for the better? Appologies for the questioning but I'm full of doubts, main one at the moment is how to wean him from it.

Doctor said to give him the tablets until the problem was gone and then continue for the same amount of days afterwards, but information sheet says about gradual weaning but doesn't explain how to do it and... GP only prescribed 14 tablets so I'm sure we are not going to be even able to complete his instructions without running out of tablets...

Chandra · 05/02/2007 22:22

Glad to hear he is much better GGirl. I have posted in your other thread

brimfull · 05/02/2007 22:34

chandrs ,when ds was having a bad phase he was prescribed prednisilone for 3-4 days only and the dose was 20mg a day.

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Chandra · 05/02/2007 22:44

HOw old was he? Mine is 4 this month and was given 10mg a day...

Chandra · 05/02/2007 22:44

I think the gps of my surgery may think I'm a hipochondriac but how on Earth am I going to trust them if has been prescribed the wrong medicine, the wrong dose, etc 2 times in the last month! ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!
[rant over but reserving it for the day I see the GP again)

fortyplus · 05/02/2007 22:50

Increasing doses of Brown inhaler didn't work well for ds1.
He changed to Seretide, which includes a bronchodilator and became very well controlled (never needed blue).
He's 13 now and the surgery has changed to a different supplier, so he's on a dry powder inhaler - Budesonide & Formoterol. He's been on that for over a year and is still fine.

brimfull · 05/02/2007 22:54

chandra -he's 4 ,will be 5 in sept.but has had 20mg for a while

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brimfull · 05/02/2007 22:56

thanks fortyplus,I can hear ds coughing away now,sounds like he needs some ventolin.
I've been told to give the increased brown dose a feew weeks then they'll reassess.

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brimfull · 05/02/2007 22:57

chandra- i expect 3yrs might be the cut off then.

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fortyplus · 05/02/2007 23:06

ggirl - listening to that cough is horrid, isn't it? But take heart - as they get older their airways are physically larger so if your ds is lucky enough to follow the same pattern as mine then he'll be fine. ds never uses blue - not even for sport. The only time we have to up the dose from 1 puff twice a day is when he has a really snotty cold.
I was given a tip that worked for ds - asthmatic children make far more and much thicker mucus (ie snot) when they have a cold. So as soon as you notice one coming give antihistamine syrup to reduce irritation. eg Benadryl

brimfull · 05/02/2007 23:12

thanks for that reassurance fortyplus.
Has your son's treatment had any side effects on his growth?

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