brown inhaler, blue inhaler?? anyone who knows about asthma please help!

[AirHairLair]

ds was given a blue inhaler for night coughing (and also because he coughs badly during the day, making himself sick in the process).

Just read the thread re brown inhaler and night coughing and as I know little about asthma wondered what the difference was, did quick google and now am worried about whether he should be on the brown one for preventing rather than relieving, especially as he was prescribed it on a regular morning and night time basis rather than just for when he is coughing.

Should I be questioning this with the GP?

So he has a brown inhaler too? If so, he should probably be using it day and night to prevent. Then the blue to relieve, if he has symptoms.

And yes, even if he does not have symptoms he should be using the brown. Unless you were told otherwise.

he only has a blue inhaler, which we were told to use day and night for 6-8 weeks, then review with GP.

he doesn't have a definite diagnosis of asthma, has never had an attack, just has persistent coughing, often at night, and at its worst leading to him throwing up (3 times in one day the other week ).

Brown keeps the asthma down, blue helps the air through. (Both myself and my brother had childhood asthma, he grew out of it but I didn't.)

Blue inhalers are prescribed for other things as well as asthma, DH's grandfather has an occasional prescription for one when he gets a bad chest infection.

IME brown is preventer, blue is reliever but you really ought to check with your doctor.

HOw oldis he?

DS3 only had a blue inhaler that we were to use day and night for a similar time frame. Sometimes the blu "reliever" inhalers are prescribed where asthma is thought to be temporary. In the case of DS3 he was ok after 12 weeks but we have needed to use it again for another 12 period sionce (he is now 2)

A brown inhaler is the preventer which works in a different way. It is supposed to prevent an attack before it happens.

We have a night time cougher here and found the brown inhaler seemed to dry him out and make cough worse.

The need for a brown inhaler will depend on how often the blue inhaler is used - if you do as your GP advised, and keep a note of when the inhaler is used, and the result that it has, then when you go back to the GP they will evaluate this, and prescribe a brown one if needed.

Sagacity he is 3.3.

sounds like we have the right thing given what you say - he doesn't get attacks but does have a symptom of asthma.

when i was a teenager, i had a persistent cough and my doctor prescribed me an inhaler but in my case, it was the brown one (salbutamol i think??)

Blue is defo the reliever though (DH is asthmatic).

i would check with your doctor. Hope your DS is feeling better soon.

I don't mean that asthma can be temporary. I just didn't know how to phrase it properly. I think i should have said 'asthma type illnesses' can be temporary and relieved by the blue inhalers.

thank you everyone, v helpful and I have a good idea about what's happening now and what to ask the GP at the next appointment.

IME it's also worth speaking to one of the nurse specialists on the Asthma UK adviceline - very knowledgeable and friendly. Details here They can give advice on any questions and also help you get the best out of your gp appointment. Calls free from a BT landline 9-5pm Mon-Fri.