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Original poster

Asthma experts - does this sound like asthma?

32 replies

HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:14

DS who has just turned 7 has had a cough now for over 3 months, he has had two lots of antibiotics, erythomycin and clarithromycin (he has a possible allergy to penicillin) although each time we were given them the Dr's said it didn;t sound like a chest infection. The cough has improved with the anitbiotics but then got worse again a within a week of finishing the course.

Yesterday we went for a bike ride and the minute he got off his bike he started coughing, it's worse than ever so I'm back to the Dr's today. Two Mum's at school this morning asked if he had asthma, it hadn't occurred to me - he's never had anything like this before and is generally healthy.

Does it sound familiar to you? Should I ask the Dr anything specifically? I will bring up the question of asthma but not sure if there's anything I should ask for etc... The really tricky bit is that he's due a major operation that's already had to be cancelled once at the last minute due to his cough and we are expecting a new date any day now - I really need him to get better so if anyone has any other ideas I'd be really pleased to hear them!

Thanks

OP posts:
giraffesCantDonateBoneMarrow · 12/03/2012 10:18

History of allergy or asthma in family?

Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:23

No asthma in the family, a little bit of excema for me but nothing major.

OP posts:
Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:24

Oh hang on, my Nephew has asthma. I've never really known much about it so assume it's fairly minor, certainly far less of an issue than his food allergies.

OP posts:
misdee · 12/03/2012 10:25

asthma minor? asthma kills.

if he is coughing and nothing is working, i would raise the possibility of asthma, i have several children with asthma, and none wheeze until the last stages of an attack.

stealthsquiggle · 12/03/2012 10:26

It definitely worth asking - could be. A cough is quite a common way for it to present, as I understand it - DS's was trickier in as much as it was just breathlessness and "tightness" when playing sport, especially in cold weather. I only called "asthma" because it was exactly how I was and that took 3 years to get diagnosed and I still resent my parents for the fact that I completely went off all sport in the meantime but the GP agreed that it could be, and basically suggested trying Salbutamol to see if it made a difference, so the family history (if any) of asthma is definitely a factor to take into account.

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 12/03/2012 10:27

cough after exercise is common with asthma.
I would call the gp surgery and ask for an appointment with the asthma nurse. she/he then can do some tests and prescribe inhalers and answer your questions.

stealthsquiggle · 12/03/2012 10:27

excema is relevant too.

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 12/03/2012 10:28

I have asthma and rarely wheeze, for me it is the cough and breathlessness, it doesn't feel tight when breething is just feels as if not enough air is coming through.

Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:29

I'm aware that it can be very serious, it's just that in my nephew's case it doesn't seem to feature as an issue so I had forgotten about it.

I'm not sure I've ever heard him wheeze, is that a key part of asthma? Sorry if these questions are very simplistic. I've lots of health and SN experience but none at all of asthma.

Thanks

OP posts:
misdee · 12/03/2012 10:33

the wheeze isnt always present. sometimes it can just be feeling 'tight' in the chest.

www.asthma.org.uk/all_about_asthma/asthma_basics/asthma_symptoms.html

stealthsquiggle · 12/03/2012 10:34

wheezing (if any) can be hard to spot. I think Drs (and, more so, asthma nurses) are much, much more clued up nowadays, but 30 years ago I had to turn up at the GPs actually wheezing before they took me seriously.

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 12/03/2012 10:34

no, not all asthmatics wheeze. I only wheeze with an attack, but the asthma affects my breething in other ways (as above).

misdee · 12/03/2012 10:35

sorry, am a bit touchey about asthma today after my dd was attacked at school on friday with aerosols purposely to bring on an attack. am on the warpath. should'nt have let that affect my post.

Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:37

Thanks, this gives me a few more questions to ask DS before we go to the Dr's. I have a Dr's appt booked today so will book as asthma nurse one while we are there if necessary.

Once you have meds does that generally mean it is 'controlled' and how quickly does that happen? I.e. will he be well enough for his operation?! I'm aware that attacks come even when you have meds, but I'm assuming with the right combination of meds you have less likelihood of them happening? is that right?

OP posts:
Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:38

Oh misdee that's horrible, don't worry about it at all. I hope your DD is ok now.

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 12/03/2012 10:40

Shock misdee - that's appalling - are the school taking it as seriously as they should be?

OP - talk to the asthma nurse, they are generally the experts, but I would say there is no reason it couldn't be quite quickly controlled enough for the op - as long as anaethetist, etc are aware.

mousymouseafraidofdogs · 12/03/2012 10:40

depending on how severe the asthma is, 2 types of inhalers will be prescribed.
usually they start by prescribing a reliever (salbutamol) to relieve the acute symptoms. if this is needed more than 3x a week, a preventer (steroid spray)is given in addition. if needed there are more medicines that can be given, but these two are usually the start.

misdee · 12/03/2012 10:40

a releiver inhaler (blue) should have an almost immediate effect.

if thats all he needs as a short term measure, then great. but you may have to also use a preventer nhaler (brown or purple in this house), to keep it controlled.

there can still be randm attacks. obviously if you can identify triggers then thats all good. for dd1 its exercise, cold air, pollen, smokey atmosphere and aerosols.

misdee · 12/03/2012 10:41

stealth, the school didnt contact me. hence me being on the warpath. will not hi jack this post anymore.

Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:47

Thank you all so much, I'm not sure whether I think it is or not but you've all given me lots more info. He does seem to get worse with cold air, but I'd sort of assumed that all coughs did that anyway.

Off to docs in a few mins so we'll take it from there.

OP posts:
liger · 12/03/2012 10:50

Does his cough continue at night or does he not cough at all when sleeping?

Original poster
HairyMaclary · 12/03/2012 10:51

it continues at night, all night last night, I don't think he slept very much at all. certainly has been awake since 4am.

OP posts:
liger · 12/03/2012 10:53

Ok, that sounds asthma like. Explain that to the doctor. Will let you run before writing more.

liger · 12/03/2012 11:07

It sounds exactly like my Ds1. His asthma only presents as a cough, no wheezing.
My ignorance of asthma in general meant I didn't realise asthma could present like this. He only gets his asthma alongside a cold or virus, his coughs were taking ages to clear and would be really disturbing his sleep.

I only realised something was v wrong when I noticed how much his chest was labouring one time about 18 months ago now, and went to the doctor and he needed a nebuliser!

He now has a preventer which he uses all through the winter, but also the flu jab seems to have made a big difference in how often he gets ill. He also has the blue inhaler for use when the cough gets bad and a peak flow monitor. I can now manage his asthma fairly effectively and jump on any cough I hear. We cover his mouth with a scarf on cold days so it doesn't hit his lungs. And interestingly, the more I've learnt about it the more I realise that I've had the same symptoms all my life too!

Get as much support as you can from the doctor to build up your confidence, I felt a bit lost once he was first diagnosed and felt I was slightly abandoned with lots of new inhalers and being sent in the direction of websites.

Sirzy · 12/03/2012 11:12

Certainly sounds like asthma. For some people they only show asthma like symptoms when they are doing exercise or are ill, other its effects more on a day to day level. The challenge is finding out triggers and getting the medication right.

The challenge is finding a GP who takes things seriously and gives the support you need unlike mine . We have a consultant who has made life much easier for us since DS was diagnoised!