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Asthma and anxiety ..........concerned about ds1

5 replies

Aero · 05/03/2006 22:54

Ds1 has a verucca which I'm treating and it is slowly going (the banana skin method), but tonight he totally freaked out because of fear that it was going to hurt when I was looking at it (hadn't touched it at all). He just couldn't breathe and I had to go in search of his inhaler which we rarely have to use as the only times he's ever had breathing difficulties have been when he's had a chest infection/pneumonia.
This is the second time recently that panic has caused him to have an asthma attack. The last time was in hospital a few weeks ago when they were diagnosing him and mentioned a blood test. He just seemed to suffer the highest level of anxiety I've ever seen in him and it worries me for the future that he can display such panic and utter fear of something that is relatively minor. He's usually quite level headed, but even the mention of 'magic cream' and no pain wouldn't calm him. Luckily I had the inhaler handy (because of the pneumonia). I don't always remember to carry it unless he's ill with his chest.
Tbh, I never really considered him to be truly asthmatic at all in the way I'd expect, but clearly he is and seeing him like that tonight was pretty worrying.
Also, Dh left for LA again this morning on business and I am seeing that this is really affecting ds1 and contributing to his anxiety. He can cope with a night or two of dh being away, but he won't be back until Thursday this week and ds1 is so close to his Dad that this is really hard for him. He finds it difficult to talk about his feelings - they have to be gently dragged out of him. With a family history of both asthma and depression, I'm beginning to worry more about his future! Any advice? I hate being a born worrier, but there is a pattern to his behaviour/anxiety and I hate seeing him so sad inside.

OP posts:
Aero · 05/03/2006 22:54

He's almost eight btw.

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Yorkiegirl · 05/03/2006 23:04

was it a blue salbutamol inhaler?
Does he take a brown one at all?
It sounds like he needs to have a review of his asthma treatment, a brown inhaler might be what he needs to help control his asthma now.

chapsmum · 05/03/2006 23:16

he has had a lot to think about aero, hiy by the way. One of the side effect of using the blue inh is actually anxiety. It strage that he is anxious first...
Agree with yorkie you should prob have his athsma reviewed given the cold weather etc.
However the side effect of the blue inh are fast hear rate and feeling of anxiety. these are no long lasting symproms and usually dissapear about an hour after treatment. How are his other probs aero?

Aero · 06/03/2006 11:47

He's well recovered from the pneumonia thanks - due for a follow-up cheat X-ray at some point soon to check it's all gone.

No the anxiety re his foot (and underlying feelings of worry/sadness re dh being away) were enough to make him panic so much that he couldn't breathe properly. He has had a brown inhaler in the past, but we stopped using it a couple of years ago as it kept giving him very painful oral thrush, so was doing more harm than good really, and up until now his asthma has only ever been infection induced. I think indeed it's time for a chat with the nurse at the asthma clinic. He only needed two puffs of the blue to relieve the tightness and doesn't seem to suffer any anxiety/fast heartbeat etc after, although he probably would if he needed more than a couple of puffs.
Was fine this morning and went off to school happiy enough. I think in part it was the fact that dh only left yesterday, and he will be much less anxious today and start looking forward to dh's return rather than dwelling on the fact that he's away if that makes sense.

OP posts:
Aero · 06/03/2006 11:48

cheat x-ray???? - meant..........actually I have no idea what I meant there! lol

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