Asthma from infancy, now just hit 65.

[I8tories]

Born a healthy baby and developed asthma, soon after diptheria vacation at age one. Treatments for asthma in early 1950s was almost non existing, remember ephedrine tablets, Wrights cold tar burner, which fluid was added. Started school at 5, but between 5 and 9, was off ill half the time. Had 5 hospital admissions, including a month each pollen season in Harefield Hospital Observation Ward, between 1957 and 1959.. Wasn't bad as not confined to bed, day clothes ever day and allowed out on to the expansive grounds. It was decided after my 1959 admission, that a specialised boarding school, located in a very clean air environment would be benificial They were refered to as Open Air Schools. First one was in Broadstairs, Kent and next to senior school in Hambledon, near Godalming, in Surrey. Education was adequate, with idea not to stress you too much. Passed my 11+ whilst at Kent school but medical people thought stress of Grammer School would be too much. Medication had improved, still no inhalers, frankly and amesec, both had elements of barbiturates in them. Remember frankly giving palpatations. Both made you feel a bit tired as well. Left Surrey school in 1966. Games Master had got six sets of 1966 World Cup tickets, so attended five of the matches at Wembley, but not the final. Will continue later

[I8tories]

FRANKLY should read FRANOL. Arrrgh, Predictive spelling

[Minushabens]

That was a fascinating read & interesting what happened to you. I was born in the 1960s & remember weird asthma (bottled) medicines...a sickly, syrupy yellow one & a truly disgusting pink one for special occasions, i.e. unable to breath...does anyone know what they were??

My dad had very bad asthma (b.1934) & was regularly hospitalised as a child & talked about just being left to his own devices for months on end.

[I8tories in reply to Minushabens]

Pink one was probably one of the early antibiotics specially for repiratory infections, acromycin. Remember it well, even though 6/7 when had it. Pink, sweet, very morish for child's taste.

[freefaller in reply to Minushabens]

I had green medicine mostly - sometimes the yellow but that was no good. I liked the green meddi it seemed to work for a little while but not for long I think mostly we got better "naturally" in those days. Then in the 70's my Dad sent me to a private consultant and had my first course of prednisolone. Worked briliantly and then on Intal Inhalers. Also at some time during the 70's had injections for pollen allergies as quite often was poorly for no other reason in the summer whereas exacerbation in winter usually started with a cold. Took them until I was 21 when I was hospitalised and put on ventolin and the brown inhaler - can't remember the name of that one. this was later changed to a burgundy coloured one. When I moved to the smoky dusty area around Oxford got all sorts of problems - hayfever proper, it seemed though lasted from March until November - so they thought it was tree pollen I was allergic to. All sorts of preventative inhalers tried during that time. More recently have developed allergic rhinitis. so now on 2 preventative inhalers - which splits the dose found normally in one preventative and my ventolin and fluticasone nasal spray. Taking daily antihistamines as I think they help during the summer months too. Generally only take all my inhalers and sprays half the prescribed amount until this year when most of the time for one reason or another i have been taking them ,at times up to 4 times a day. Finally feeling better this week after goodness knows how many courses of antibiotics (it could be about 8) and two courses of steroids. My peak flow is slowly climbing upwards again and I feel better - enough to have forgotten to take my inhalers this morning! Must go and take them.

Sorry again for the long post.

Sian

xoxoxoxo

[I8tories in reply to freefaller]

Have you ever been tested for aspegilis (spelling?), it's an allergy to fungal spores. I am and on Itraconozol for this allergy. Also take fexofenadine for hay fever, dust alergies etc, all year round, plus a prison booster when needed, I near cats, highly alergies to them.

[freefaller in reply to I8tories]

Yes, Long story but am being investigated for a possible "aspergilloma" found on a CT scan last March. Aspergillus antibodies high in blood tests too done last March. I am going to the National Aspergillosis Centre At the University of South Manchester on Friday to try and get diagnosis. How are you coping on the medication?

Sian

xoxoxox

[Minushabens in reply to I8tories]

Ditto, I'm on itraconazole for what I think is ABPA...as if I wasn't coughing quite enough with the asthma!!

[Northern-soul]

I remember my nephew having ventolin syrup around 40 years ago

[Minushabens]

The pink medicine I had was utterly vile...maybe there was a sugary version!! I just looked up ventolin syrup & was surprised to see it's still available.

[Hidden]

Ventolin syrup!!! I've never heard of that. I've had asthma for fifty years, beginning aged three years, though our family GP was in denial of the fact until he was overruled by a consultant paediatrician when I was eight and a half. I was put on Intal Co (which had an isoprenoline component as a reliever). The dose was contained in clear white and orange capsules and delivered by means of a spinhaler. The effect was incredible. Suddenly asthma attacks could be brought under control amazingly fast (I still reckon it worked faster than ventolin), but there was a side effect. If taken to bring an attack under control the relief at being able to breathe was accompanied by a thumping headache (anyone else remember this?). I was on it until I left my childhood home seventeen years later, when I found it was no longer being as effective and was switched to inhaled steroids,

I also remember a revolting yellow medication, but I had that for a 'tendency to bronchitis' (which is what the GP said I had). It was absolutely useless and I can still recall the taste of it. I got taken off it when I was put on the Intal.

[Minushabens in reply to Hidden]

I remember Intal & the amazing feeling you describe of suddenly feeling (almost) well...& my mates at school were jealous as I was the only kid in school that had one.

You couldn't take it discretely though & I remember teachers getting annoyed if you had it whizzing during lessons. I could probably sue them for that these days

One thing that I know though is that my GP resisted giving me an inhaler for some years. They were fairly new in the late 1960s/early 1970s and he was a fairly old bloke who thought that children would become addicted to them & they would stop me from growing out of it. Good call that one!!!

It's strange to compare all that with my son who was months old when he developed asthma but got top class care & now rarely has any trouble with asthma unlike his old man.

[Mac63 in reply to Hidden]

I developed asthma when I was about 5 in the late sixties. I think I had a syrup at first, but I mainly remember ventolin tablets which were vile, I had to have them broken in half and in a teaspoon of jam or couldn't swollow them, they gave me palpitations and the room would spin making me feel dizzy and light headed as they kicked in and breathing became easier. The spinhaler in comparison was amazing and so quick to start working without such horrible side effects, summer was the worst with pollen, but the cold or frost could cause an attack. Luckily I grew out of it in my late teens, sadly not for good, now in my 50's it's back and I have inhalers, treatment is so much better now, but there are far more asthmatics, I was the only one with asthma in our rural village primary school.

[Hidden]

Same here. My younger son inherited the asthma from me and, like me, started having attacks aged three. Unlike me he got the appropriate treatment within a year of first showing symptoms (there was some reluctance at first to put him on inhaled steroids because he was so small, but attitudes changed after four attacks in four months). He's twenty three now, and he hardly ever has problems with it.

[Breathagain]

I think the yellow sticky stuff was tedral suspension. It was horrible, but worked for a while. I also had intal co, when aged 7, it changed my life. (Aged 51).

[lucy_felton]

I was diagnosed as a toddler in 1976 and also remember having various syrups until I was old enough to be given my own Bricanyl inhaler. I used to accompany Mum when we used to regularly return brown bottles to the chemist. Also used Intal for a while.We lived in the Thames Valley which apparently was (is?) notorious for respiratory issues. Just glad I didn't live near a busy road too.