Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder if this deep cough is really asthma?

13 replies

diversionaversion · 26/07/2019 18:45

Bsckground: DS (12) has had mild asthma for a few years, characterised by an occasional shallow cough, and generally controlled by a brown inhaler, 1 puff twice a day. He's only ever been prescribed a blue inhaler once, age 10, when he had a chest infection.

But .... now he has a very deep cough - the sort of cough that makes people turn their heads in the street because they think he's choking. It has gradually got deeper over the last 3 - 4 weeks - it started as his shallow cough, after a mild cold. We went to the GP last week. He took DS's temperature (normal) and listened to his chest (no obvious infection), and as he had no other symptoms he concluded it was a worsening of the asthma. He prescribed a green inhaler - 2 puffs, twice a day.

Since then, the cough has continued to deepen. We don't know if the inhaler is helping or not. We're on holiday in Pembrokeshire now - if it was asthma then I would have expected that to help, but it hasn't (we normally live in London).

DS has generally been fine in himself, but he's clearly fed up of the cough, and seems wearier and grumpier than usual.

Any thoughts on the diagnosis! At what point should we go back to the GP?

OP posts:
Yugi · 26/07/2019 18:49

If the inhaler isn’t helping at all I would go back to the go or make an appointment with the asthma nurse. Coughing can be a sign of lots of things or just a persistent respiratory virus but don’t mess about with asthma.

Justthetwothankyou · 26/07/2019 18:50

Is he bringing up phlegm?...house full of asthmatics here...get him to a doctor asap...second opinion is better option in this case especially as there's no improvement with new inhaler.

Cornettoninja · 26/07/2019 18:52

I agree, get him checked out. 111 will either point you in the direction of urgent care or a&e where you are now.

I don’t think asthma is one to mess about with and could turn into an emergency very suddenly.

Lindellia · 26/07/2019 18:54

How soon until you get home?

If it wasn’t Friday, then I’d recommend registering temporarily with a Pembrokeshire GP. But as most GP surgeries will now be closed until Monday, then I would call 111.

Yugi · 26/07/2019 18:55

Oh and double check about the inhaler dosage too. I don’t know about green inhalers but the blue one is always prescribed as two puffs four times a day. However you shouldn’t need it at all on a good day and can take absolutely tons on a bad day.

tryingtobebetterallthetime · 26/07/2019 19:05

I am not a doctor but I have had asthma since a child. Usually with "just asthma" the cough is dry and feels tight. If your son is moving a lot of phlegm or secretions when he coughs it could mean an infection like bronchitis. I also suggest taking him to get checked. He could need more medication, and it is true asthma can get dangerous quickly. If he is feeling breathless at all I would seek help quickly.

diversionaversion · 26/07/2019 19:24

He coughed up a small amount of white phlegm the other day - nothing green yet, but he's just told me he's also been swallowing phlegm, so I've asked him to spit it out instead so we can monitor it.

OP posts:
Yugi · 26/07/2019 19:29

I produce loads of white phlegm with my asthma. Linked to my numerous allergies. If it is more than usual then it may be an allergy, does he have hay fever? Have you tried antihistamines?
Any change in condition needs to be referred to doctor/111.
Before my asthma was diagnosed (adult onset), I used to cough like mad through the hay fever season.

diversionaversion · 26/07/2019 19:29

tryingtobebetterallthetime: "Usually with "just asthma" the cough is dry and feels tight" - yes, that's what his usual cough is like, but this one is much deeper and chestier and sounds very uncomfortable. It's infrequent - maybe once an hour - but it hasn't got any less frequent since he got the green inhaler, just deeper.

OP posts:
diversionaversion · 26/07/2019 19:31

We'll be on holiday for another week - heading to Snowdonia tomorrow - so will maybe follow the 111 advice once we're there if not before.

OP posts:
diversionaversion · 26/07/2019 19:33

Thanks Yugi. The pharmacist suggested hayfever too, and DS had a few days on antihistamines before we saw the GP, but they didn't seem to help.

OP posts:
Yugi · 31/07/2019 18:35

Did you manage to sort out the cough?

PookieDo · 31/07/2019 18:38

Does he have a peak flow meter? Does he know what his peak flow should be on a good day?

If not then you really need another opinion and an asthma plan!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page