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Original poster

Asthma - inhaler advice please!

24 replies

Hattsmum · 01/03/2006 10:36

My DS (2.5) has been prescribed 2 inhalers - blue one and brown one (becotide and ventolin). Does it matter which one is taken first??

OP posts:

coppertop · 01/03/2006 10:38

It doesn't really matter that much but ds1's asthma nurse recommends using the blue one first to open up the airways a bit and then giving the brown inhaler.

Furball · 01/03/2006 10:39

I imagine that the brown one is a preventative to be taken regularly and the blue one is to be taken during an attack.
Does that match up with the instructions on the box? and what you have been told by the doctor/pharmacist?

muma3 · 01/03/2006 10:40

my dd2 has bad asthma and when she was prescribed her inhalers (2 years ago now ) they told me that she should have drink after her brown inhaler as it can cause thrush to her mouth . i give her blue one first then her brown and then she has a drink
hth

foxinsocks · 01/03/2006 10:40

we use the blue one first. Our asthma nurse said what coppertop's said (and it makes sense)!

Furball · 01/03/2006 10:41

sorry take no notice of my mis-advice

Heartmum2Jamie · 01/03/2006 10:42

I've always used my blue one first, then the brown.

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 10:47

Hattsmum - if you're at all unsure phone your asthma nurse at the surgery - they're usually fab and won't mind at all.

Generally, the blue one is used in the case of an attack or shortness of breath as it's a reliever, and is not routinely used.

The brown one is the preventative and MUST be used regularly every day (as per your doctor's advice)

If you're in the position where you need to use both (shortness of breath near the time your ds would need to take his preventer) then take the blue one first to open up the airways so that the brown one is more effective.

The advice I was given was that if you have to use your blue inhaler more than two to three times a week then your asthma isn't being controlled properly and you should revisit your asthma nurse or doctor for a medication review.

There's a great website \link{http://www.asthma.org.uk/\Asthma UK} which gives you lots of information all about asthma and the different medications. They've also got a helpline with qualified asthma nurses there who are really very good. You might find that of use :)

foxinsocks · 01/03/2006 10:48

I knew georginaA would arrive

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 10:49

laugh ... asthma, chickenpox or colic post and I'm there ;)

muma3 · 01/03/2006 10:51

can i just add that my ex mil is a big fan of aloe vera and has just started to work as a promoter for them and selling their products . she has found some info about one of their products called £bits and pieces " i dont know much about it but i have read a article from one woman whos daughter had same symptoms as my dd2. get all coughs and colds and always ends up as chest infection then ends up in hospital for asthma attacks. i read this and we have decided to try my dd2 on it. it is a juice drink and the lady's dd hasnt had a attack since taking this juice. she also goes on to say that she doesnt even have her inhalers anymore.

im going to give it a go .

hth too
ill try to find a link

VeniVidiVickiQV · 01/03/2006 10:53

Agree with coppertop - its why i do with DD.

And to get her to take it we play a counting game.

muma3 · 01/03/2006 10:54

\link{http://www.aloeveraonline.co.uk/ishop/23/shopscr96.html\aloedrinkinggel}

Original poster

Hattsmum · 01/03/2006 10:57

Thanks everyone! The doctor has advised me to give the blue one 4 times a day until his cough is better, and also the brown one twice a day for a month. Hopefully this has just been brought on by a bad chest infection. The pharmacist also told me to brush his teeth after taking the brown one to prevent thrush.

OP posts:

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 11:02

Hattsmum have you got a nebulizer to help him take it? That's less likely to irritate the back of his throat and is easier for littlies than trying to hold his breath. Drinking a glass of water afterwards should be enough to clear any remains away, if you don't want to be cleaning teeth all the time :)

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 11:03

Erm I don't mean a nebulizer do I ... those tube things which help them breathe through it. Can't think of the word now, damnit.

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 11:03

SPACER that's the word (sorry )

Original poster

Hattsmum · 01/03/2006 11:06

Yes, I've got a spacer. We're pretending its like Fireman Sam's mask, which seems to be working!

OP posts:

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 11:11

Oh well done :) When I had to give ds1 an inhaler (he isn't asthmatic, but he had an evil chest infection once) I had to bribe with LOTS of chocolate buttons...

brimfull · 01/03/2006 11:31

does anyone know if it's okay to keep giving the becotide inhaler while ds has chickenpox?

I'm assuming I should carry on as normal and the precautions re. steroids wrt chickenpox are only for oral ones.

GeorginaA · 01/03/2006 12:03

I would have thought carry on (especially as there's dangers of secondary breathing problems with chickenpox) - HOWEVER I wasn't aware there was a thing about no steroids with chickenpox, so probably best to follow the Asthma UK link I posted below and phone their helpline. Either that or call NHS Direct. Just to be on the safe side.

brimfull · 01/03/2006 12:08

yes will do that georgina,thanks

buffythenappyslayer · 01/03/2006 12:11

my ds and dd have both ventolin and becotide.i was told to give the blue one first and then the brown,as like coppertop says,the blue opens the airways and the brown is a steroid.

Albert · 01/03/2006 12:25

When DS had Chicken pox I carried on with his inhalers as usual and had no problems. I was aware either that possible I shouldn't have done that. Definately agree with the line of blue inhaler first, then brown then drink or toothbrushing. I am glad to report that DS now almost 6, has virtually grown out of asthma as predicted, I hope this is/will be the case for all of you too but please be aware that it does tend to go in cycles and can come back and must be treated immediatly otherwise there can be life long damage to the lungs which is unfortunately the case with my asthma.

singersgirl · 01/03/2006 12:31

GGirl, I'm pretty confident it's only oral steroids that are a problem during infectious diseases.

And blue then brown to open up airways first.

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