Atrovent experiences?

My son Leo, as some of you will know, has a rough time of it with asthma attacks and is on Seretide 125 in the mornings, Seretide 50 in the evenings, prednisolone more often than not and of course salbutamol (no longer on Singulair as this is more for allergic asthma and his triggers are viral and weather induced).

His consultant said that he would prescribe him .atrovent too if he had another attack before his next appointment in March, which he has had so I know he will be given this.

He has had Atrovent once in hospital when he didn't respond to three back to back nebulisers during his last admission and it did seem to bring him back from the edge, so i know it helped in that instance. But just wondered if anyone else's child takes it and is it for daily use or just for a reliever?

I know it is important to get him more stable and I'm sure the consultant will talk us through it carefully but any experiences on here would be gratefully received.

Leo is a slow grower, partly down to genetics and partly down to the steroids now and is only on the 9th percentile for height and weight so we really have to consider all medication carefully. Does anyone else have a child who is small due to asthma related issues?

Thanks in advance!

Rebecca x

[Hidden]

I'm an adult brittle asthmatic, I used to have it as a reliever and then started taking it regularly. Now I have I in nebuliser form, which under the instruction of my consultant take 4 times a day.

It makes a huge difference to my asthma and keeps it more stable. It's another reliever which works on different receptors in the lungs to salbutamol, which is why they give it if salbutamol nebs aren't doing enough. I'd say the results far outway whe side effects :-

Jenny P might be a good person to chat with if you're concerned about Leo's height, she has a young brittle son and may be able to help

Good luck xxx

[Clarefraser]

Hi Rebecca

My son was given atrovent in exactly the same circumstances as your son, when back to back salbutamol nebs weren't working. The atrovent thankfully made the difference and he now has an atrovent inhaler which he uses as a relief inhaler along side his salbutamol as and when its needed.

Clare

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Thanks Clare, that has made it much clearer to me and I think Leo will be prescribed it at his next appointment. I feel ok about it now I know it's not another daily steroid.

Rebecca

[Thomass_mum]

My son has only had atrovent in nebs, but has it for every attack he is hospitalised with.

Thomas is on the very small side. He used to be above the 9th centile but now has dropped completely off the bottom of the centile chart. He is due to have growth hormone tests to see if there is a problem with this but it may be the amount of steroids he has. Unfortunately until he is off pred for 2 weeks they won't be able to do the test. So as things aren't going great at the moment I have no idea when this will be. He has seretide 125 2 puffs twice a day, nedocromil 1 puff twice a day, flixonase at night and ventolin.

[yaf_user681_15459]

Hi

Maddie has Atrovent too and takes 2 puffs morning and night. When things aren't going smoothly, she also has it at lunchtimes.

Like the others have said, it works on different receptors so works alongside salbutamol as a reliever.

Hope it helps.