Last Monday we had Alex back in hospital again with his asthma. He recovered so well after his last serious attack in April we had thought we might have been lucky and hopefully see the back of it after stripping his bedroom of carpet and new anti-allergen bedding.
How very wrong!
He has been back on 10 puffs 4 hourly of salbutamol and 8 tabs of pred for 4 days (finished those thursday). During the time on Pred his cough was easing but now its the third day without them and again his cough is continuous again. His breathing is ok (no pulling in) and his PFR is 150 (usually 250).
He had his salbutamol at 2.45 and now half an hour later he is coughing continuously again. I don't know what else I can do for him now - when he was in on Monday they just gave him the 10 puffs and he calmed down and sent us off home, no nebs that time. And as his breathing is ok at the moment I'm a bit hesitant to take him in if all they do is give him the 10 puffs and observe for 4 hours again - I can do that myself at home.
We can see that there is a link between the two occasions he has had an attack because both times the weather has suddenly changed so I'm hoping his respiratory nurse will advise on some allergy tests when we see her on Tuesday.
Hello sorry Alex is having problems with asthma at the moment. If I was you I would go to A&E now, the reliever should have given relief for longer than 30 minutes. He may just need to go back on the Prednisolone, but its safer to go now rather than if his breathing deteriorates, which it may well do as 10 puffs should give relief of coughing et al for longer than 30 mins. I know its a nuisance but I have learnt from experience its better to go earlier rather than wait, sorry. Please let us know how you get on, take good care, Lois
I also think it's probably a good idea to go to A&E, as 10 puffs should really be lasting longer than that. When I was admitted a while ago it was because I had had 10 puffs and symptoms were back after half an hour, and they gave me a neb and kept me for observation because I had needed so much reliever treatment in the past few days.
I would go in and make it very clear to them what treatment he has already had, how long reliever is lasting and that you think he needs more pred etc. They may just do that and send him home or they may want to keep him in for observation but at least you will be reassured he's ok.
Poor Alex. Can't really add to what the others have said - just want to send my very best wishes and hope he improves soon.
sounds like i can do nothing but add to what the others are saying, inhaler should indeed be lasting longer.
he may need nebs this time round.
hopefully by the time i am posting thishe has been, or indeed improved
hugs x
I hear your frustration! As everyone else has said, if Alex isn't getting relief for very long from the salbutamol, it's a sign that his asthma is unstable or worsening. However, there have been so many times when I've been uber-sensible and have gone to the doctor or hospital when my reliever treatments aren't lasting for 4 hours, and many of those times I've been treated as though I'm making a fuss about nothing. Despite all the guidelines and medical education, it seems that a lot of doctors and nurses still think of asthma as more of an inconvenience than a serious condition.
I hope that things improve, and that if you do need to see the doctor, that they take things seriously and are really helpful.
Jo
Hiya,
Just to update that we took him to the out of hours doctors and we were there for an hour whilst the doctor gave him a nebuliser and then waited half an hour to see what was going on and after this time he was still not happy with him so sent us up to the hospital.
He was on 8 tabs of pred again but for 3 days and then we had an appointment with his resp nurse on the tuesday anyway. By this time he was much better but she suggested 3 puffs of his brown inhaler twice a day and se how that goes.
Touch wood he is ok again for now but typically the weather has also cooled down again. Hoping we dont see a quick temperature spike again and have a repeat.
Thanks for all the advice
Thanks for the update. I hope that the few days of cooler (consistent) weather that we've had are suiting Alex's breathing, and that you can all relax and recover!
40 mg Prednisolone is a lot, and I really hope that it does the trick in settling Alex's lungs down.
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