asthma+chicken pox ....piriton or not?

[pellmell]

please excuse quicky posting but I'm short of time.
DD is very weak from months of sleepless nights with asthma symptoms.
She has been using the brown and blue inhalers regularly and has just started yesterday on seretide.
She now has chicken pox and it has unfortunately made her very sore in her genitals.
She is so sore but cries with shock if you attempt to put cream on.
The g.p told me not to use piriton due to her asthma!!!
I'm dreading the night and wondered if others have given piriton against advice????

try bathing her with some oats in the bath. Put some oats in an old sock and let the water go milky. It's very soothing.

no idea about the piriton sorry.

piriton helps with itching so wouldnt help with pain - I wouldnt give it if you have been specifically told not to. You could give calpol and give the bath as suggested by the pp

so kind of you to reply!
I haven't got any oats tonight (unless I sieve the muesli)
I agree not to give the piriton.
I think it will just have to run it's course and hope she doesn't stress out so much that the asthma becomes worse overnight.
DH is away and we are pretty rural.
Bless her heart. She's really suffering!

Bicarbonate of soda in the bath can help, if you have any of that.

I don't know why the GP said that, you can use Piriton when you have asthma.

Some antihistamines contain ephedrine, which when used with Ventolin can cause a fast heartbeat, but Piriton doesn't contain ephedrine.

It can be good in chickenpox as it reduces itching and is also slightly sedating, so aids sleep. Bicarb of soda in the bath is soothing, and I don't use Calamine lotion for chicken pox as it can be very drying which makes the itching worse.

I find regular Calpol helpful with chicken pox, and a hot water bottle filled with cold water between the legs can soothe the sore genitals. (not directly against the skin though).

My son has asthma and is on piriton daily for his it. So not sure why GP said that.

I did look this up for a patient last week and it says on the patient information leaflet NOT if asthmatic.

4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use

Chlorphenamine, in common with other drugs having anticholinergic effects, should be used with caution in epilepsy; raised intra-ocular pressure including glaucoma; prostatic hypertrophy; severe hypertension or cardiovascular disease; bronchitis, bronchiectasis or asthma; hepatic impairment. Children and the elderly are more likely to experience the neurological anticholinergic effects and paradoxical excitation (eg. Increased energy, restlessness, nervousness).

from here

www.medicines.org.uk/EMC/medicine/16105/SPC/Piriton+Syrup/#CLINICAL_PRECAUTIONS

That's interesting sneezecakemum, the BNF just says

"Sedating antihistamines have significant antimuscarinic activity and they should therefore be used with caution in prostatic hypertrophy, urinary retention, susceptibility to angle-closure glaucoma, and pyloroduodenal obstruction. Caution may be required in epilepsy. Children and the elderly are more susceptible to side-effects. Many antihistamines should be avoided in acute porphyria but some are thought to be safe"

and that bronchospasm is a rare side effect of antihistamines. On my course we were told to try and use newer generation antihistamines in asthmatics with hayfever, but that Piriton could be used in children.

One I need to clarify at work I think.

Aquaeous cream with calamine is good. Doesn't dry out like calamine on it's own.

Sidge - It surprised me too as I was about to recommend it in an allergic reaction but the mum told me! I tend not to look at online BNF as my eyes cross eventually!

What a truly awful night for my poor little girl.
She has actually only slept between 4 and 7a.m and that has been extremely twitchy and uncomfortable
We ended up driving 15 miles to a chemist at midnight with her yelping in the seat her bottom is so sore....they advised Phenergan and aveeno sachet in the bath.
I gave her the phenergan but it was a low dose and I was scared to give her more.
I eventually had a call back from a Dr at 3 a.m who said not to give any other sedating meds or piriton for the rest of the night.
He said Piriton fine for the occasional use!!
I am still completey confused but based on what I have witnessed I would prefer to risk a possible side effect and reduce the stress level and pain.
I also have no idea wether cream on her bits has helped or not?

Try the oats - much cheaper than aveeno. And really does work