Help needed please, from any asthma nurses, GPs or others with lots of experience of asthma?

[BetteNoire]

Hi.

We are struggling to control DS2's asthma at the moment. He's 10.

We went to see the GP yesterday, and were told that we should be rinsing out the spacer that DS2 uses.

Previously the nurse at the asthma clinic told us to only clean it every few weeks, as the medication works better that way.

What do you advise please?

Thanks.

I would be inclined to go with the advice of the asthma clinic to be honest.

It is a really bad time for asthma sufferers at the momentthe pollen (or something) seems to be making them all very wheezy. Sorrynot helpful, but you are not alone. My son struggled through sports day (he's usually a good runner), my friend's son was hospitalised, and another friend's husband is apparently puffing away on his Ventolin. We live in a rural part of the south. Where are you?

i washed out my dd's spacer the other day, i go by the cloudiness of the plastic.

i wash them in just plain water and let them air dry, was told not to dry them due to static of something?

what else did they advise for his asthma?

dd's both bad atm.

I'm trying to make sure my son eats lots of oily fish to help with the inflammation in his lungs.

I'd go with the asthma clinic's advise too, tbh, as they often have better and more up to date on the HOW of taking the medication (although GP will be better to advise on the type, iyswim).

Have you seen Asthma UK site? Has lots of really helpful information and has a helpline staffed by asthma nurses who are really lovely.

Thank you for your replies.

Yes, I was more inclined to go with the advice of the asthma clinic, tbh, louii.

We live in a rural area in the North, bridie. GP was saying that lots of people who have never had hay fever or asthma before are getting symptoms at the moment. DS2 has a grass pollen allergy, so this time of year is always tricky, what with all the rape seed being sprayed, cut, harvested.

misdee - i usually wait to wash the spacer until it's cloudy, and was given the same advice about air drying.

I am struggling a bit with our health centre and their new policy of not giving nebulisers when DS2 is quite poorly. They insist that properly used inhalers are as effective, but it just doesn't seem to be the case for him.

Whether it is just psychological or not, I don't know, but the vapour really seems to help him.

So he is back on double doses of inhaler, plus the dreaded prednisolone steroids.

Usual pattern is that his peak flow reading continues to worsen, and he ends up back in hospital on oxygen - and nebulisers!

Have got an appointment with the consultant at the hospital next week.

I really need to get them to establish a better treatment regime, as he's not at all stable at the moment.

It ruins his quality of life - he loves to cycle, but he can't without coughing and getting out of breath - same with swimming.

10 year old boys should be out risking life and limb by climbing trees etc, not lying on the sofa watching endless DVDs because they are too exhausted to do anything else.

I have a long list of questions for the consultant, so hopefully we should get things sorted properly soon.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks, RubberDuck.
I'd googled that site before, but didn't notice the helpline.
Am off to phone.
I may be some time.