Asthma - Info Please

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Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Asthma - Info Please

Post by Amber »

Just to be clear, MM, it is the parent who might end up in need of respite care, not the child, who is happily in la-la land, bouncing off the walls like a banshee (do banshees bounce off walls?) and unable to sit still for more than 7 seconds.

Happily our DC is not as severely affected as Paula's, though we have had some scary nights, - but I taught a child once whose father died of asthma.
lmd
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:08 am

Re: Asthma - Info Please

Post by lmd »

Although my DS does not have asthma, he has a number of related conditions: eczema, hayfever, food allergies and was treated with anti-histamines, steroid creams etc basically from birth.

Always appeared to be a desperately unhappy baby/toddler/child. Between the ages of 7 and 9 his dark moods worsened and he ended up under the care of CAMHS due to a number of suicide attempts, hearing voices, hunger strikes, self-harm etc. :(

Eventually it was me (not the doctors) who linked this to his use of a particular anti-histamine. Since swapping to the simply marvellous Montelukast (Singulaire) two years ago, he is a totally changed child. Happy at his GS, lots of friends, enthusiastic about life etc. :D :D

So drugs are great when they work, but it's really, really important to keep an eye out for any side-effects. Only a small % of the population will suffer side-effects to any drug, but it can be totally devastating when they do.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Asthma - Info Please

Post by Amber »

What an awful story, lmd.

For us, the Montelukast was worse than the steroids- DC was put on it at the beginning of the winter in order to try and prevent the awful episodes which precipitated the use of steroids, but after 5 days, and, more importantly, nights [without sleep] we gave up on it. We now manage with a seretide (purple) inhaler which seems to work for our child. I think the message is that different people react differently to different drugs - as a family we have a history of all kinds of funny reactions. I know I would have been a rotten junkie, as morphine, which in a slightly different form is aka heroin, sends me into a nightmare series of hallucinations and unpleasant sensations, followed by violent vomiting. For the life of me I cannot see why anyone would pay for that, so I can only assume I am reacting unusually.
Sherbetlemon
Posts: 57
Joined: Wed Feb 24, 2010 11:31 am

Re: Asthma - Info Please

Post by Sherbetlemon »

My daughter had nightmares while taking Singulair (though it was very effective in easing her asthma), but is doing fine now with a Serevent (green!) inhaler. She also takes a Flixotide (orange!) inhaler, and is very well on it.

As Amber says, you have to be alert to side effects (we were too slow to pick up on the nightmare/Singulair problem), but everybody reacts differently. I feel that often people are more afraid of the potential side effects of the remedy than they are of the disease, which can be dangerous with asthma.

I had morphine after an operation and thought it was lovely, so have obviously missed my vocation as a junkie.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12815
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Asthma - Info Please

Post by hermanmunster »

paula wrote:Midget Man - please remember that a truly awful side effect of asthma can be death. Asthma in my son's case is not just a bit of a wheeze or being slightly chesty. It is a truly frightening and life threatening condition. Yes the side effects of prednisalone are horrible but, speaking as a Mum who has come close to losing her son to asthma twice, they are preferable to not taking them.
agreed - would you like the steroids or the steroids????
2Girlsmum
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:41 pm

Re: Asthma - Info Please

Post by 2Girlsmum »

I've had asthma since childhood and use ventolin most days, less so the brown steroid inhaler since a friend developed glaucoma in her late 30's which she was told could be a result of it. My doctor didn't totally agree, but noted a link to steroids and glaucoma.

I've found the last 3 winters dreadful, and ended up on antibiotics and having 2 chest x-rays each Jan/Feb. The first time it happened the doctor gave me steroid tablets which made me really unwell, and after 3 days I stopped them, going through a dreadful night of withdrawal.

This year I've been taking 400iu vitamin e daily (I wouldn't suggest that dose for a child!) and it seems to help, as on the odd day I've forgotten it I've felt more 'chesty'. In my 20's I also found evening primrose oil helped as it dampens down allergies. Swimming is also good if you can do it weekly: my mother was told to take me swimming as a child by our elderly, very traditional doctor:)
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