Hello
My son who is 6yrs old is on seretide 125 he has one puff in the morning and he has one puff at night, after an emergency admission this week this has been increased to two puffs at night. I just wandered if anyone else has followed a similar pattern and what the next step in medication might be?
His asthma doesn't appear to be under control at the moment as he has had 4 hospital admissions between September and this week!
We have tried singulair and that didn't help!
Thank you, Clare
Hi Clare, Does your son have a reliever? If not, I would go back to the GP and ask about this. Also ask GP about the way forward. I'm afraid my experience is that you have to keep pushing for more help. I asked for a consultant's referral when my son was about 6 and the consultant has been very helpful.
Hi
Thanks for your reply, yes he does and he uses it an awful lot! He has been under the consultant for two years, we are about to get a new consultant as his current one is leaving, perhaps that will be a good. We have an appointment in a few weeks time.
Clare X
Sorry for stating the obvious about reliever! My son went on to Theophylline after a few years of Singulair (which had helped). I think he was about 10 when he started Nuelin (Theophylline) and it did improve things for him. Rhinitis was diagnosed about 2 yrs ago and he's on antihistamines and Avamys nasal spray. Wonderful Avamys turned his troublesome rhinitis round, which in turn helped his asthma.
He also takes Seretide 250 twice a day and again we find that helpful. His Singulair was upped to adult dose at Christmas. On top of all that I give him various vitamins - poor lad, he absolutely rattles with drugs!! I did ask his Consultant in Sept about trying to reduce some of his meds but he said to leave well alone for the moment!!
Hi Angie
Thanks for the info, sorry to hear your son has so much to deal with and so many meds, poor lad!
How did they diagnose rhinitis? the reason I ask is I often think my sons asthma is brought on by a cold but as soon as the asthma is under control the 'cold' seems to have gone, so I do wonder if it is triggered by allergies, he has been allergy tested and the usual things came up like grass, house dust mites mould spores and cats, we have rehomed are cats and that does seem to help. But of course you can't always control what they come into contact with outside the home!
Clare X
Rhinitis
My son seemed to have a continuous cold and GP/consultant were a bit vague about it. I started researching on the internet and went back to GP saying I suspected it was rhinitis. He prescribed Sterimar nasal wash and Nasonex but they didnt help. I pushed for a referral to ENT and when we finally got an appointment the consultant put a tube up son's nose and confirmed it was severe allergic rhinitis. The nasal passages were inflamed and red which was causing the continual drip, plus headaches and poor sleep.
He suggested a stronger sinus rinse plus continuing with the Nasonex and taking an antihistamine. I purchased Sinusrinse but his nasal passages was so blocked and sore the rinse used to come out of his mouth! I then read about Avamys on this forum and GP agreed to prescribe it. That turned things around, the headaches and nasal drip stopped and he could sleep better. Allergy clinic (which again I had to push for!) confirmed lots of allergies and put him on 2 lots of antihistamine (Piriton and Neoclarity). He still has a bit of a problem with sneezing and runny nose, but nothing like it was.
Sorry this is such a long post, but I feel that if I hadnt been proactive and pushed for more help and suggested Avamys myself, my son would still be suffering. I don't understand why rhinitis wasnt spotted early on, as it is often linked with asthma and hayfever.
Edit. Neither GP nor Consultant had heard of Avamys. GP thanked me for drawing it to his attention!
Hi Angie
Once again thank you for all the info, I will monitor Fraser's asthma and contact the GP if I feel there is possibly a link. Interesting reading!
Clare
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