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Wheezing into 2013 - Support thread for parents of asthmatics

993 replies

Sirzy · 26/12/2012 14:19

As the old thread is filling up I thought I would get a new one started!

This thread is for anyone with a child with asthma, or asthma type symptoms. Between us we have to much experience of inhalers, nebulisers, steroids, sats and all things asthma!

OP posts:
IHideVegInRice · 01/04/2013 00:25

To expand on the speaking post activity comment: DD will be short of breath for hours after despite giving ample ventolin, and when she goes to speak the tail end of her sentence will become a wheezy gasp or cough. She also presses on her chest a lot or rubs it so I assume it feels tight. Also if she is laughing she'll need to catch her breath afterwards which is not the same as DS who doesn't seem to have this issue. For example, we take them to mini tennis (ie running around after a ball, no skill involved) = we give both 2 puffs ventolin at the start, and it is very rare for DS to need any more. DD will within about 5 mins become breathless and from here we can see how her chest tightens up - she'll begin coughing and then slow down as she begins to wheeze more heavily, we'll give ventolin again and she'll start running again only for her chest to carry on getting worse until she needs more ventolin. She's a determined little thing but it worries me when she is so breathless she can't speak so she can never finish a session as we have to sit out and give ventolin towards the end. Her chest doesnt fully calm down for hours either and I'm sure this isn't right!

Sirzy · 01/04/2013 07:32

Hi

How old are they?

I would ask for her to be reffered to a consultant. The brown inhaler did very little for DS but when he was given servent and eventually seritide that has made it much more controlled - not perfect but meaning he is generally ok day to day as long as he has ventolin morning and night.

OP posts:
UseHerName · 02/04/2013 22:07

Hi all

this is going to be long. can someone please advise me about my dd aged 7.

basically she's used inhalers since she was about 6 months old, and has always suffered a seasonal cough - usually caused by cold weather, an infection (any respiratory/ent thing goes straight to her chest), or at this time of year (allergies?), she has mild excema, in one patch on her arm. when she's not having an asthma flare up, she has no symptoms. she's never had an asthma 'attack', been admitted, had steriods - although i had chronic asthma as a child, a cough, no asthma attacks and was admitted, on steriods, antihistamines, losec, galseud, had my own nebuliser for home (if that's relevant). my mum had me at the docs all the time, medicated for everything and nothing helped - i don't want to do this to dc, put her into the 'sick' role for essentially nothing.

on the 18/19 march she had a throat infection, this passed but since then she has had an intermittent cough which responded well to the use of her blue and brown inhalers. she seemed well on fri/sat so we went swimming on sat. since then her cough has got worse and worse. she never wheezes, has no shortness of breath, has an excellent appetite, is full of energy and is otherwise healthy. today she just coughed alllll day - can i just stress that i've not just neglected her but that until today she was responding to the inhalers!

I have given her her inhalors (3 100mg of blue and brown) at least six times today and she has just coughed, and coughed and coughed.

her doctor's has been closed today, but i'm wondering do i need to take her to the out of hours service? wait and see her gp tomorrow? or make an appointment to see an asthma nurse? her gp's attitude is very much 'yes, she's got asthma - and?' and i find them very disinterested/unhelpful.

UseHerName · 02/04/2013 22:07

rather typically she has now fallen sound asleep

UseHerName · 02/04/2013 22:08

oh, and thanks in advance!

Sirzy · 03/04/2013 13:29

User, hope she is more settled today.

OP posts:
UseHerName · 03/04/2013 14:04

thanks sirzy, she settled around 2 this morning, have an appointment to see the asthma nurse on fri Smile

laracroft2001 · 04/04/2013 08:20

Hi just wanted to join in and get advice etc. ds 16 months has had two overnight hospital stays(on nebulisers), and one week hospital stay due to virus and infection. He is on the blue and brown inhalers which do help to an extent. What I would like is any advice on how to help relieve the symptoms without going back to the docs/hospital.

He is wheezy and fast breathing today, but as he will play around and bit and is eating normally, I know the doctor and hospital will say just to carry on with inhaler. I have only managed to get up to six puffs today as he hates the inhaler and he was getting distressed which was making his breathing worse if that makes sense.

I have kept him off nursery today and we will have a relaxed day, but what else can u do. He has a horrible cough which I think hurts him, poor sod, but doc and hosp said would clear up in time.

Seems to be the cold that brings on his symptoms.

Thanks in advance

Sirzy · 05/04/2013 10:26

Hope he is better now Lara.

I am just back from A and E with DS after an asthma attack last night, hopefully the pred keeps it under control now

OP posts:
egolito · 05/04/2013 13:28

Hi Sirzy, how is he now? I hope he is better....

Laracroft my DS who is now 26 months was hospitalised 5 times from August to December when we finally managed to "control" him with 400 of the brown inhaler. (2 puffs in the morning 2 at night). He has been on this dose since Dec 8th and will stay till mid April when hopefully the weather will improve.

I know it is scary to give your son high doses of steroids but was told that inhalers are absorved in less quantity than Prednisilone (and Drs are reluctant to give many course of Prednisilone). At the time of his hospitalizations it was so bad that I was given Prednisilone to have with me which is almost unheard of. He was on IV Saubetamol, Hydrocortisone, etc.

Have they prescribed yet Monteculast that to my knowledge acts on the cells and prevents the wheezing attacks? My son tried twice the side effects were quite worrying so we stopped but have heard many succesfull stories to keep asthma at bay with this medicine....

I would say it is a learning curve and it depends on how the child reacts. Mine does not really improve with the blue inhaler, only the brown as a preventer is apparently doing the trick.

Maybe you can ask your Dr if worth this option, how much is your DS on the Beclomethasone?

Sirzy · 05/04/2013 15:22

He is starting to perk up now thankfully. Hopefully he sleeps better tonight as I am knackered. Apparently normally they would have kept him in for a few hours observation but because I know what I am doing and live locally we could come home and just monitor him here which is easier!

OP posts:
egolito · 05/04/2013 17:40

Hi Sirzy, very glad to hear that... I hope he keeps recovering fast.
You are someone with more experience I think than most Doctors so perhaps you can help me understand what is the difference between needing inhaler and nebulisers? My DS was never given a nebuliser and have been reading that they are quite good to treat symptons and I am wondering wether I should buy one. He was always on the inhalers, pred, etc. I use a humidifier home every night but have always had this doublt and thought you might know the answer.
Thank you and keep well both of you.

Sirzy · 05/04/2013 18:02

Not sure but our local hospital has stopped using Nebs for most children's now as apparently 10 puffs of ventolin is the same amount of medicine but generally less traumatic and means children don't need to be kept in. Generally they only use Nebs when a child is on oxygen now

OP posts:
laracroft2001 · 05/04/2013 19:08

Hi

Thanks for your reply. We r now in hosp for the second night on 0.5l oxygen and 4 hourly salbutamol nebs.

Cheat X-ray looks like bronchialiotis/same infection he was in with a couple of weeks ago just not cleared up.

Dr has mentioned they r going to do a sweat test for CF?!!?? Has anyone else had this. Very worried now- not something that had crossed my mind. Said they do it when someone been in 4 times but obviously I have been googling Sad

Sirzy · 05/04/2013 19:49

Hope she gets home soon Lara.

OP posts:
egolito · 06/04/2013 10:48

I am sorry to hear that Lara. How is she now? And how old is she? I have not hear either but will try to find out and let you know.

Sirzy · 06/04/2013 18:22

How is he Lara?

DS managed half an hour in the garden before but in now back to being very wheezy

OP posts:
laracroft2001 · 06/04/2013 19:43

Hello all. He is much much better but will probably be in until Monday to make sure as its not long since he was in last.in. Oxygen is off for now as well Smile

He seems to have got better since anti biotics have kicked in. Breathing rate back to almost normal (not 60-70 per min!) and sats look good.

dizzyhoneybee · 07/04/2013 20:28

I've been quiet for a while sorry.
DS has been fine for ages since going on to ceretide but for the last two weeks he has been sneezing but not seeming like he has a cold and is back to coughing at night. He's not needed his blue inhaler much (just twice) but it's bothering me because ceretide was supposed to stop this. It did for a while (4 months) and I got some sleep again at night for the first time in 5 years but now I'm back to sleepless nights as I listen to him coughing.

Sirzy · 07/04/2013 20:36

Hoepfully he just has a virus and will be fine when it clears up, the fact he has only needed his inhaler twice is a good sign :)

How is he today lara?

DS finished his pred this morning and tonight he keeps coughing even after 10 puffs of ventolin, he has calmed slightly now but if he starts again I think we could end up back at A and E

OP posts:
dizzyhoneybee · 08/04/2013 06:18

Thanks Sirzy.
I hope that your DS is better soon. Asthma is such a foul thing for children to have to put up with.

Sirzy · 08/04/2013 14:25

Been back in A and E this morning, was monitored for a few hours and been let home with open access to go back if needed. They are going to get his consultant appointment moved forward to so they can jiggle his meds again

OP posts:
dorapeppageorgenoddy · 08/04/2013 22:36

Sorry not to have kept up with this post, had lots of comfort in reading it and support when my ds was admitted for the second time and very poorly - I just wondered if any of you had any advice on the new prescription we have been given for him- its the Montelukast sprinkles -

Since his last admission he has been to A and E twice and had two more antibiotics for chest infection and his night cough/mucus causes him to be sick quite frequently so the consultant wants us to try this for 6 weeks, they said if it does nt work they have something else to try? Any thoughts would be good?

I saw when trying to update someone mention the sweat test for cf, my oldest had this as he had three pneumonia diagnosis by 14 months, it was negative and the process was fine - any questions let me know -

Sirzy · 08/04/2013 22:37

Ds has been on montesculat for about 18 months and had no problems with them.

OP posts:
dorapeppageorgenoddy · 08/04/2013 22:49

Thank you for replying, the doc didn't really explain them as presumed the consultant had - so a quick google saw quite mixed reviews so thought better go for the wisdom of MN - we get them from the pharmacist tomorrow -

Did you notice a change quite quickly?

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