Anyone ever say "stop the train I want to get off"? That's how I feel. He's sick AGAIN, for the umpteenth time this preschool year, w/ another cough and fever. We have suspected an asthma component but got worked in today w/ the ped allergist and had some tests done. Based on symptoms she diagnosed him w/ asthma brought on by illness and allergy, and now we have 2 inhalers (albuterol and flovent) plus singulair on top of the already daily zyrtec and then peanut dose (research study)...Anyone ever feel like they need a medical degree to deal w/ their child? I'm so frustrated and feel like I don't know what the heck I'm doing.
I wonder too...does asthma w/ illness or allergy usually progress to full blown, every day asthma or not, or is there no rhyme or reason?
Thanks for listening to me whine.
Melissa
now ds has asthma...
Posted on: Fri, 05/11/2007 - 9:15am
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I don't know the answer to your question. I can just share our experience.
My DD has asthma in addition to her allergies.
We knew about her asthma before her allergies. She was under 2 at the time, she is now almost 8.
Her asthma is triggered by allergies and upper respiratory illnesses - not exercise.
In addition to Naxonex and Singulair for her allergies, she takes Advair daily to control her asthma.
The only time she needs albuterol is before an outdoor soccer game as a preventative measure (due to running hard and breathing in allergens) and when she has an upper respiratory illness and her peak flow meter numbers drop.
Other than those times, she does not need her inhaler.
Over the course of a year, I would have to say, we rarely use it.
Our situation is like the one above. Ds was dx with asthma I think around 4 months of age. He takes Flovent 220 twice a day, Claritin (he's allergic to Zyrtec), Singulair and Nasonex everyday. Xopenex/ Albuterol when sick.
I wish I could answer your question, but ds is considered asthmatic in the traditional sense, but it only comes out when he has a cold/ flu.
Oh, I forgot. Yeah, there are times I want to get off the train, too [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
((( HUGS ))) I feel your pain. My ds also has asthma (on daily meds) and he has severe nut (all) allergies too. In addition to that he has reflux and is on daily meds for that. It does get trying at times, doesn't it??
My ds doesn't have asthma attacks during physical exercise. It's brought on my illness. He gets Croup many, many times per year. He takes Flovent daily (twice daily) and Albuterol when he's sick. We either use the Neb machine (when we use that he uses Pulmicort) or the inhalers w/the spacers and mask. He's also on Zyrtec daily. Things have been going very well latey so he may get to go off the daily Flovent for a few months.
He recently had an endoscope procedure for his reflux and he's on Prevacid twice a day. His doctors said that when his reflux problems are addressed and doing well he may not have as many asthma problems so that's great news for us.
Anyway, you're not alone (((( HUGS ))))
Just want to say sorry, and I know how you feel. We are in the same place right now with DS. He wheezes and coughs so badly with every cold, we just finished a week of q6hour nebullizer treatments.... it is so exhausting. This time of year is the worst too - with the pollen being a factor.
One thing about your post that stuck out to me... the daily peanut he is being given for the study. Could that be bringing on the asthma? You should ask the doctor in charge of the study. I would be concerned that the small amount of peanut is creating these symptoms. Just a thought - I am not a doctor and I have no idea if that is even possible, just something that came to mind.
Good luck, and hang in there [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
Melissa-Just a note of encouragement- mine has mild intermittent asthma (per dr. B) which only has been a factor with colds. It really has not progressed although we pre-treat w/ albuterol before soccer in cold weather (per the staff) and had one post-ex episode after laughing hard. It really has not progressed and we also have had to keep up w/zyrtec as the pollen must be bad this year. Definitely manageable and it is good to have the airway meds available anyway w/ the study. Feel free to e-mail me if I can help.
[This message has been edited by alliedhealth (edited May 14, 2007).]
Choo CHOOO!!!!!
My son is 12 now. He had intermittent asthma triggered by colds when he was little. Doctors are very aggressive now with regard to treating asthma, especially when food allergies are involved, so he's done the Zyrtec/Singular/Xopenex thing since about age 2.
Now, at 12, he's just started to have trouble with exercise-induced asthma. The doctor says that this is unfortunately a factor of his getting older...that the "allergic march" tends to manifest more as asthma as a child gets older.
Just take it a day at a time. It's a very long train ride. Just remember that worrying doesn't keep the train from crashing, so you might as well practice looking out the window and enjoying yourself!
It will get more routine and easier the longer you ride.