Parents with asthma / viral wheeze experience - please come talk to me!

[Jojay]

I'm really worried about DS1 - 3.6.

He started having wheezy attacks when he turned one. He generally had an attack whenever he had a cold. Initially he was prescribed Ventolin but we could never really control the attacks at home and we invariably ended up at the doctor or A&E with a nebuliser and Prednisolone steroid tablets.

This continued for a while, and the frequency of the attacks meant the GP prescribed Beclazone. This didn't stop the attecks, nor did Montelukast (Singulair), Seravent and various dosages and combinations of the 3.

After a particularty nasty attack last August, the GP referred us to a paed, as he'd had 11 lots of the prednisolone tablts in less than 2 years and the preventors clearly weren't preventing.

The paed appt came round in November. I told him of DS's symptoms and we agreed it was probably the viral wheeze rather than allergy triggered asthma, as he only ever wheezes when he has a cold and is fine between them. He ran a variety of allergy tests to be sure and they all came back clear, as expected.

He prescribed him Seratide and Montelukast, and Ventolin as needed and since he's been on those drugs he's not had a single attack. He seems to get a hacking cough with a cold now, but that's far preferable to the attacks he was having before,some of which were serious enough to hospitalise him.

We've recently had a review with the paed, who said that in light of the allergy tests coming back clear, it wasn't appropriate to continue him on preventative medication because so much of the time, ie when he doesn't have a cold, he is fine. So he's taken him off Seratide and Montelukast and said to treat any attacks with Ventolin.

Arrrhhhh!!! I feel like we're back where we started. The reason that we ended up being referred to him in the first place is that we could never control the attacks with just Ventolin, and we always seemed to end up with the pred tablets.

I don't want to overmedicate my child either, but it seems crazy to strip him of all the meds that have kept him so well.

My strategy at the moment is so see how he goes but at the first attack he has that we can't control, I'll be back demanding he goes back on the Seratide / Montelukast, or AIBU??

It's just struck a nerve because I spent the last BH weekend in hospital with DS2 having a, yes you guessed it, viral wheeze attack, and it really reminded me how awful it is when they can't breathe.

Not really sure what I'm asking for, just needed to vent.

Anyone with similar experiences?

We were giving 10 puffs of Ventolin every 5 mins for 15 mins, through a spacer. If there was no improvement, which there usually wasn't, we were off to GP / A&E.

It's so frustrating that bacause it's been diagnosed as viral wheeze, and he probably will grow out of it, that somehow makes his attacks less serious.

They're not. His sats plummet and his heartrate goes though the roof. Every time someone says, 'never mind, he'll probably grow out of it' it makes me so angry. I know it's true and I'm grateful for that, but that doesn't really help us right now does it? Arrhhh!

Thanks for posting

And so sorry about your daughter. It must have been terrifying.

DS2 has a ventolin inhaler but like DS1 doesn't take it from one week to the next when he doesn't have a cold, but has big hits of it when he does. He's only had the one attack when I felt it wasn't under control at home though, the other times the Ventolin has kept on top if it.

He's not on any preventors yet, but we'll see what happens when he next gets a cold. My instinct tells me we might well end up going down the same route as with DS1 though.

I've tried to get in with the GP this afternoon and can't, then we're off camping next week, so I'll try and get an appt when we get back. I accept that we have to try him off meds at some point to see if he's grown out of it, but it seems so drastic to stop eveything just like that.

Must go and get DS1 from preschool now, but thanks for your sympathy and advice

Thanks Pixie 0- Sorry for the late reply, we've been away camping for a few days

He's been fine while we're away, but no cold yet so we'll have to what and see what heppens then. I'm unsure whether to take him to the GP or leave it and wait and see what happens when he does next get a cold. I'll mull it over, as I haven't really thought about it since being away.

How's your DD doing?

Will do - especially if it all kicks off again! Thanks