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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To not agree with the nurse practiser's view that my DS has asthma and to think a diagnosis should come from a doctor?

572 replies

PolkadotCircus · 17/02/2013 08:15

Soooo my v healthy but skinny boy 9 has had a nasty winter virus that he has had problems shaking off,symptoms involve a cough that won't go away.Loads of other kids and adults have had/got it here.

The same happened last year and our fab doctor gave him temp inhalers to calm his airways down which worked a treat and were never used again.

His grandad is the same(very skinny and some times gets a chest infection in winter it takes a whole to shake off) but still cycling 16 miles a day at 80.

Anyhow dtwin 1 keeping dtwin 2 awake so tried to get an appointment with our fab GP but because he is so fab it is nigh on impossible so was offered an appointment with a nurse which I reluctantly accepted as all I wanted were temp inhalers and ds better ASAP.

Anyhow after a very lengthy appointment when his puff was measured,history looked at,records filled in,weighed etc she finally gave us some inhalers.Puff was poor(errr yes he has a virus and a temp) and we were told to come back for a follow up asthma review.I said but he doesn't have asthma only to be told well this happened last year etc,etc.

So we went to the review puff beyond normal now and very good,virus over so no surprise.Nurse then said as he had asthma she'd like to see him again,keep him in her records,how many inhalers did he have etc,to keep him topped up when tight in the chest etc etc.

I said very firmly he doesn't have asthma and never gets tight in the chest.She then asked if he had eczema or hay fever.He had eczema as a baby and gets a bit sneezy in the summer ahhhh then they are linked so he does have asthma.Me-no he doesn't he just gets a cough he can't shake some winters.
I don't want asthma on his records unnecessarily.We politely agreed to disagree.

So aibu to think a)he doesn't have asthma and b) a diagnosis should come from a doctor.

OP posts:
ChristmasJubilee · 17/02/2013 10:10

OP AIBU

5 pages of Mumsnetters UABU

OP No I'm bloody well not.

Why would the Nurse Practitioner give you more information and a info sheet on a condition that you refused to accept your son has? "we politely agreed to disagree"

amillionyears · 17/02/2013 10:10

I also think you should not be sooo reliant on just one GP.

Lovely that you have him, but sometimes, as you have discovered, he may not be available.

Flisspaps · 17/02/2013 10:12

And to add to amillionyears - he may be lovely, but not be up to date with asthma training etc, so may have missed the fact that it is what your DS has.

AvoidTheTrees · 17/02/2013 10:13

Scarletforya - you said...

One I got once was ?95 (sabutemol?) You can get a cheaper equivalent becotide which is only about ?35 afaik.

and then changed to salmeterol.

They are still not equivalent

Becotide (Beclomethasone) is a steroid.

Salmeterol is a LABA (long acting beta agonist) i.e a long acting reliever, which is rarely if ever used without a steroid as it can mask a worsening peak flow.

A different steroid (fluticasone) is combined with salmeterol in a purple inhaler (seretide).

BikeRunSki · 17/02/2013 10:13

I don't think YABU, I'd want the diagnosis confirmed by a GP. Our nurse practitioner told us DS had eczema and asthma. He actually had Chicken Pox and Bronchitis.

stoatie · 17/02/2013 10:14

When DD1 was @18months old she had a persistent night time cough . I trotted off to Drs and was very surprised to be told she had asthma. It was never too serious and we were told it can often be cyclical - which in her case it was by time she approached her teens she was rarely affected.

However as she got older (think 17ish) it came back with a vengeance and this winter it has affected her badly

DD2 on the other hand sounds like your son in that if she gets a cough she will need inhalers to shift it but has never had a formal diagnosis of asthma.

Whilst the GPs have been ok if ever we needed detailed advice - always go to asthma nurse - she is specialised in that field and is likely to have the most knowledge .

Oh and the travel insurance has never been a problem - just had it documented along with my husbands long term condition - sometimes this means a small charge sometimes not

AvoidTheTrees · 17/02/2013 10:14

Polkadot - Did the rest of the class require an inhaler to treat their virus?

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 17/02/2013 10:14

OP - asthma is not a 'label', it is an illness.

Why are you so fixated on it? It doesn't mean that you son isn't healthy, it doesn't reflect on you as a parent.

I don't believe that you were polite based on how you are coming over on this thread, I expect you were defensive and slightly aggressive.

Again, I am really struggling to understand your attitude here.

poachedeggs · 17/02/2013 10:15

OP, seriously. I was a doubter. I'm telling you, I've been in your shoes. These people know their shit. My own asthma has never been managed by a doctor. DS's asthma has only had GP involvement for complicating ENT problems. Asthma is a NP thing.

How was she supposed to help you and explain it to you if you disagreed with her diagnosis?

PuppyMonkey · 17/02/2013 10:16

Another one here who "has asthma" like this - no wheezing, no general probs, but once I get a cold I will have a horrendous cough for weeks which will only go if I get an inhaler from GP. I would accept one from a nurse too, I'm not fussed. Hmm

I'm down on my doctor's list has "having asthma" and get invited to have flu jab etc.

I do not find this insulting or offensive.

ithaka · 17/02/2013 10:17

OP, you said the nurse gave you a lengthy appointment and took a full history. You then had a review appointment where you were informed he has asthma and again there was a full taking of history etc and wish to see him again to review.

You then: 'said very firmly he doesn't have asthma and never gets tight in the chest......I don't want asthma on his records unnecessarily.We politely agreed to disagree'. So given that you refused to accept her diagnosis of asthma, it seems a bit rich to then start complaining that the nurse refused to give you enough information/a fact sheet about asthma.

You refused to accept her diagnosis of his medical condition, therefore making it impossible for her to give you more information about a condition you would not accept he had.

You are SOOOO unreasonable.

poachedeggs · 17/02/2013 10:17

And you would have dismissed any mention of "blue lighting" as not applicable because it is just the same cough "half the town has"

Don't you see that? .

Original poster
PolkadotCircus · 17/02/2013 10:18

She several of his friends didget inhalers for the same virus.

Bike I'll be seeing the gp as if DS actually has Ashma shouldn't I be letting the school know,giving them inhalers(no mention was made of this),do I need to give him an inhaler every time he gets a cough,temp or virus?

Said gp is very up to date,the paed expert at the practise and has several kids of his own,pretty well qualified.

OP posts:
Flisspaps · 17/02/2013 10:19

Being a paed expert and having several of your own children doesn't mean you know more about asthma than a nurse practitioner!

Original poster
PolkadotCircus · 17/02/2013 10:20

I politely questioned the diagnosis because no info was given as to why he was getting it.On asking why eczema as a baby triggered by his 3 monthly jabs each time meant he had Ashma I just got a shrug,then a silence so I didn't push it.

OP posts:
YouOldSlag · 17/02/2013 10:20

YABU times a thousand.

I have had asthma since I was 34. My DS age 6 has it, but it's very mild and manifests itself as an unshakable cough in cold weather. He keeps an inhaler in school and one at home.

This is what I think of your situation:

  1. You have mentioned "labels" at least 4 times. What's your problem there? it's a condition, not a label. Stop being silly.
  1. If your DS does have asthma, and it sound like he does from what you tell us, then he does not need a review more than once a year. That's what most asthmatics get.
  1. When I have my asthma review, it is always with the the Nurse Practicioner and not with a GP. What she knows about asthma ain't worth knowing and her training is updated constantly unlike the GPs.
  1. Stop being bitter about the receptionist. She wasn't diagnosing, she was giving you an appointment and probably following instructions when surgery is busy.
  1. You are annoyed at the nurse's diagnosis, but what makes you more qualified than her? You have told her he does NOT have asthma. It doesn't matter how politely you said it, you are basically undermining her nursing degree and any all further training and diplomas and experience she has. Which is bloody rude and belittling.
  1. Why were the inhalers expensive? Children under 16 don't' pay for prescriptions in England. Wales and Scotland are free for all.
BreadForMyBREADGUN · 17/02/2013 10:20

And bloody spell it properly.

Flobbadobs · 17/02/2013 10:21

YABU. DS isn't a wheezy child and is also very healthy but when he was 8 he was diagnosed with exercise related asthma which the doctor fully expects him to grow out of. He was diagnosed by a GP who saw us as a favour to me (a family friend) but it was confirmed by the asthma nurse. He has an inhaler which now at 12 he only uses very sparingly. It's not a label, he's not ' the asthmatic child' its a medical condition which can be managed with the correct meds and if your Ds is educated in recognising when he may need his inhaler it won't affect his day to day activities at all. My DS plays football and Cricket regularly and swims once a week.
I do understand though that it can be a shocker to discover that the child you thought was totally healthy actually needs regular medication, I was certainly shocked for a short while until I wound my neck in!
Btw, my Ds had been given temporary inhalers in the past for pretty much the same reason as your DS.

Original poster
PolkadotCircus · 17/02/2013 10:21

Flies you don't know my gp,his qualifications or his expertise sooooo probably best not to jump to conclusions.

OP posts:
Original poster
PolkadotCircus · 17/02/2013 10:22

Anyhow thanks for the info will follow up with gp and act accordingly.

OP posts:
blubberguts · 17/02/2013 10:23

Sounds like asthma to me, but what would I know I'm only a nurse.

YouOldSlag · 17/02/2013 10:23

polka- but your GP is not the only expert on asthma, nor is he the last word. other people can be qualified too you know!

it really pisses me off that you are dismissing a qualified nurse practitioner's qualifications and experience. The sheer arrogance of thinking you know more!

amillionyears · 17/02/2013 10:25

OK.
I think you are worried about all of this.
[In your childs case, as you have worked out, even if he has asthma, which is likely, yes a GP diagnosis would be helpful for you.
And yes, hopefully, your lovely GP will give you lots of information].

But it sounds like your child doesnt have it very badly. In fact, midly.
So there is not much cause for alarm.

Yes, you need to let school know.
And yes, perhaps after you have seen your GP, you could further inform yourself with the links that people have given on here.

As others have said, it sometimes seems like half the population of the UK have it, including sports men and women.

Original poster
PolkadotCircus · 17/02/2013 10:25

I was given zero info and it doesn't make sense,none of my questions were answered,I want to double check.

So sue me!Hmm

OP posts:
amillionyears · 17/02/2013 10:26

To be fair, I dont think she is being arrogant.
She didnt know anything much at all about asthma, asthma nurses etc.