Asthma ? long and rambly - Page 2

[Multimomma]

Originally Posted by abimommy

If one inhaler lasted years that is not something at all I would see as "dangerous" or "chronic"

Normally I would agree, Abi, but my concern is that the inhaler lasted so long because he had less severe attacks that went untreated. Even if breathing resumes normal on it's one, scarring can occur.

If the OP doesn't understand what asthma is and what kind of damage can occur, it wouldn't surprise me if this happened. My brother and I both had asthma growing up, but I wasn't taken to the dr because mine wasn't as 'severe' as my brothers. So by the time I was 14 and finally had one bad enough to scare my mom, I had permanent damage.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by graceomalley

Just addressing the 'chronic' part.

Chronic asthma is defined as an asthmatic condition which is long term (in this case, over 3 years) and persistent. It's chronic because the inflammation is there, whether the attacks are occurring or not.

This child fits the description of a chronic asthmatic. Frequency doesn't come into the equation when you're talking about whether it's chronic or not. If frequency is mentioned, it's mentioned in severity, eg 'chronic severe asthma' or 'chronic mild asthma'.

As for dangerous - well, lung scarring is hardly safe or desirable.

"Chronic" was the wrong word to use there but I don't think she severity of what is being described here warrants a CPS call. That would be blowing things out of proportion. "Asthma" can have different causes and different types of treatments.

Originally Posted by Multimomma

Normally I would agree, Abi, but my concern is that the inhaler lasted so long because he had less severe attacks that went untreated. Even if breathing resumes normal on it's one, scarring can occur.

If the OP doesn't understand what asthma is and what kind of damage can occur, it wouldn't surprise me if this happened. My brother and I both had asthma growing up, but I wasn't taken to the dr because mine wasn't as 'severe' as my brothers. So by the time I was 14 and finally had one bad enough to scare my mom, I had permanent damage.

I have asthma.

When my dd was showing some symptoms I took her to an allergist because I have had serious environmental allergy issues my whole life. I grew up seeing an allergist regularly and going through all those tests and all those different types of treatments.

My nephew has a serious lung disease and extensive lung scarring. If my sister was in that situation and ignoring it then I would think the reaction the OP received would be fair but the OP's son doesn't have nearly that severity to deserve that. I merely suggested she take her child to see people who might know what they are doing. I wouldn't tolerate a physician getting hysterical and crabby at me when it didn't appear that such behavior was warranted.

Of course she should take her child to the Dr but I do not believe in taking a pile of meds without also trying to find the cause of the issues.

I am extremely allergic to house dust so I take steps to keep my home a little more free of dust in order to prevent so many reactions. I am allergic to oak trees so atm I am loaded up on allergy pills because I cannot eliminate oak trees from the face of the earth. I am allergic to cats so we don't keep cats. There are sometimes more answers than just meds and specialists could help her find them.

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by rjruiz_415

Second, she gave us some liquid steroid. (well, she tried to-) Saying that for three days after each episode, he needed to drink this steroid stuff. I have never heard of that? I ended up just dumping it and leaving, cause I was tired of arguing with him after 20 minutes to drink it...

I missed this part the first time.

I don't understand...she gave you liquid steroid and you dumped it out?

Here is an article from Dr Sears regarding asthma that might offer more information

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t080700.asp

[Violet2]

Abimommy:

As a pp poster said, the scarring can occur even with mild symptoms and it means that when you age and, say, get pneumonia, you're at even higher risk than others of complications and needing hospitalization.

As for CPS, I don't know if anyone should call CPS, but it sure sounds like the doc is on the war path. I personally would rather get medical care than a visit from CPS.

V

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Violet2

Abimommy:

As a pp poster said, the scarring can occur even with mild symptoms and it means that when you age and, say, get pneumonia, you're at even higher risk than others of complications and needing hospitalization.


As for CPS, I don't know if anyone should call CPS, but it sure sounds like the doc is on the war path. I personally would rather get medical care than a visit from CPS.

V

Who told her not to get medical care?

The OP did not describe the symptoms her child has had over the years so we don't know what those were.

[Violet2]

Originally Posted by abimommy

Who told her not to get medical care?

The OP did not want to go back although the doc had asked them to return. That's what I was referring to.

Following some of the CPS stories on this forum, I would do anything to keep them out of my hair. But that is me. Others, of course, are free to make their own choice.

V

[JessicaS]

Oh I see, it seemed like you were disagreeing with me and I wasn't disagreeing with you so I wasn't sure what was happening.

This is my primo allergy season (stupid oak trees!!) and I did take some benadryl so my world is topsy turvy

All I said was I would see a pulmonologist or an allergist but an allergist first because of the eczema. I get eczema on my hands and it is really annoying and bothersome. I think if people knew what it really felt like they would be quicker to get it looked at

[Violet2]

No worries. I thought we were mis-communicating somehow

V

[Traceround]

Asthma isn't always allergy related either. Mine flares whenever the weather changes. My lungs are better than a barometer for predicting changes in the weather. I also react to going from a warm building into cold outdoors or cool building into hot outdoors. I react to getting colds. An allergist isn't going to help if those are my triggers.

[Violet2]

Originally Posted by Traceround

Asthma isn't always allergy related either. Mine flares whenever the weather changes. My lungs are better than a barometer for predicting changes in the weather. I also react to going from a warm building into cold outdoors or cool building into hot outdoors. I react to getting colds. An allergist isn't going to help if those are my triggers.

Agreed. My biggest trigger is getting sick. But asthma can change. I used to have a strong allergic component that has receded with time; cats used to send me to the ER within 4-5 hours.

I don't go around exposing myself to cats,but if I do have exposure, I barely react now.

Even so the allergist paradigm of asthma management has never been helpful for me, I prefer pulmonologists.
V

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Violet2

Agreed. My biggest trigger is getting sick. But asthma can change. I used to have a strong allergic component that has receded with time; cats used to send me to the ER within 4-5 hours.

I don't go around exposing myself to cats,but if I do have exposure, I barely react now.

Even so the allergist paradigm of asthma management has never been helpful for me, I prefer pulmonologists.
V

Yeah I agree, I just figured allergist might be a good route first because of the combination of eczema+asthma. There is RAD, bronchialitis (sp?) and bronchial spasms which wouldn't be allergies.

[Violet2]

Originally Posted by abimommy

Yeah I agree, I just figured allergist might be a good route first because of the combination of eczema+asthma. There is RAD, bronchialitis (sp?) and bronchial spasms which wouldn't be allergies.

I agree with you too. But allergists just have never done much for me--but I don't have eczema so ymmv.

ETA: I just noticed the double entendre in my pp. Aren't we all glad I don't go around exposing myself to cats?
V

[JessicaS]

Originally Posted by Violet2

I agree with you too. But allergists just have never done much for me--but I don't have eczema so ymmv.

ETA: I just noticed the double entendre in my pp. Aren't we all glad I don't go around exposing myself to cats?
V

[Bri'sgirl]

My ds's first asthma attack was when he was 18 months old. We were truly clueless on what was going on, and by the time I took him to the doctor, we were told to go immediately to the ER. That was the first of 4 overnight visits to the hospital, with the last two requiring oxygen for around 16 hours each time! We were not being given any asthma education at all, so I did a lot of research online and then made a special appointment with our ped to see what we could do to prevent ds from having to go to the ER, let alone overnight stays at the hospital. Watching ds struggle to breathe (and never complain) is heart breaking. Kids do not always complain when things get bad. You need to be able to read their body language. Ds's asthma is not always wheezing, but instead is a horrible cough. We had a babysitter that did not realize ds was having an asthma attack, they just thought he had a bad cold.

Ds's asthma is viral induced. So, the key to keeping the attacks at bay was to immediately start with AM/PM doses of Flovent (an inhaled steroid), at the first sign of a cold or sickness. If we start that right away, we don't need albuterol. If it gets too bad, I am not opposed to getting the liquid steroid, because it usually kicks it quickly...if nothing else is working.

Echoing Ammiga on this - Diet and environmental changes have made the biggest difference for us...especially avoiding hfcs, food colorings, and toxic cleaners.

Where is the OP? I'd love to hear what she decided to do. Please, please, please...find a doctor that you trust and get a good plan in action. Your son is depending on you.