Mr. Asthma

Question:

>Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had >asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would >always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family >doctor disagrees.

Ask for a referral to an asthma specialist.  It sounds like your family doctor is an idiot. No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.

Response:

>I’ve heard sleep problems like this are not all that uncommon in kids. >They usually outgrow them. I’ve forgotten the names for this stuff, >"night terrors" or some such. However: > After giving her ventilin she relaxes and sleeps peacefully. >This is interesting. Does it happen consistently?

I have had this happen to me.  Whenever my asthma is put of whack I will have nightmares and wake up with asthma symptoms. No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.

Response:

I’d second Colin’s opinion!!!! My son doesn’t always wheeze but even with what you’ve decribed…it being a night time thing….and nightmarish in the way it looks you’ve described what my son looks like when he has a night attack. (My son just turned 2yr). The other thing is that if it were not asthma but something else…it would not respond to ventalin!!! So I’m with Colin on this one.. I’d find yourself an asthma specialist for your daughter and a more reliable GP. Just my HO. Vicky – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had >asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would >always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family >doctor disagrees. > Ask for a referral to an asthma specialist.  It sounds like your > family doctor is an idiot. > No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.

Response:

Hi!    Maybe you can have your daughter’s sugar level checked in the evening. Sometimes when the sugar is out of whack it produces funny results.  What other medicines is your daughter taking other than the Ventolin & Flovent.  Some steroidal medicines can cause pyschiatric problems (depression or aggression). S.

Response:

Sounds like you need an asthma specialist — family doctors are not specialists by any stretch of the imagination and your doc should have referred you to an asthma specialist in the first place. Do what feels right meds wise (do the inhalers if it works) and get your daughter to an asthma doc pronto. Good luck! Lisa S. — Starlight Bridals                  TOLL FREE!  888-VEILS-33 Affordable headpieces, veils, and more! Since 1995… http://starlightbridals.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had >asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would >always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family >doctor disagrees.  Her symptoms now are quicker shorter breaths while awake, >occassional coughs.  At night it is terrible, she has very unpeaceful >sleeps, eyes rolling constantly like she is having a nightmare, rolling >constantly, very restless, occassionally sits up straight in bed and shouts >out then lays back to sleep, talks in sleep.  I’ve ruled out nightmares >because it can last for 5 hours.  After giving her ventilin she relaxes and >sleeps peacefully.  Her peak flow readings are great, I think!  220 – 225 >for a 4 year old.  the doctor said that if her peak flow readings are good >then it means it’s not asthma and we should look at other things.  After >three horrible nights and putting her back on ventilin and flovent, I feel >like I have it under control and have had one good night.  I’ve taken her >off of all now at doctor’s suggestion and I can hear her short breathing >again and feel like we’re in for it tonight?  Does this sound familiar to >anyone or do you also feel the doctor is correct?  Tracy

Response:

> Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had > asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would > always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family > doctor disagrees.  Her symptoms now are quicker shorter breaths while awake, > occassional coughs.  At night it is terrible, she has very unpeaceful > sleeps, eyes rolling constantly like she is having a nightmare, rolling > constantly, very restless, occassionally sits up straight in bed and shouts > out then lays back to sleep, talks in sleep.  I’ve ruled out nightmares > because it can last for 5 hours.  After giving her ventilin she relaxes and > sleeps peacefully.

Ventolin is the rescue inhaler for asthma; if it helps it’s a strong indicator she has asthma. Asthma often gets worse at night. Nocturnal asthma tends to be an indicator of poorly controlled asthma.  Her peak flow readings are great, I think!  220 – 225 > for a 4 year old.  the doctor said that if her peak flow readings are good > then it means it’s not asthma and we should look at other things.  

Try taking peak flow readings at night, before using Ventolin. Peak flow readings in a 4-yr old may be unreliable; it’s possible to get a higher reading by using a tongue action, like a blow gun. Peak flow meters only measure the condition of the large airways. Asthma tends to affect the small airways. After > three horrible nights and putting her back on ventilin and flovent, I feel > like I have it under control and have had one good night.  I’ve taken her > off of all now at doctor’s suggestion and I can hear her short breathing > again and feel like we’re in for it tonight?  Does this sound familiar to > anyone or do you also feel the doctor is correct?  Tracy

Many GP doctors don’t understand asthma well; how it can worsen at night due to body’s low cortisol output and other factors. They see the patient in the daytime when symptoms are minimal. Sounds like time to seek a 2nd opinion; either from another pediatrician or better yet, a pediatric allergist. Ellis

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had > asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would > always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family > doctor disagrees.  Her symptoms now are quicker shorter breaths while awake, > occassional coughs.  At night it is terrible, she has very unpeaceful > sleeps, eyes rolling constantly like she is having a nightmare, rolling > constantly, very restless, occassionally sits up straight in bed and shouts > out then lays back to sleep, talks in sleep.  I’ve ruled out nightmares > because it can last for 5 hours.  After giving her ventilin she relaxes and > sleeps peacefully.  Her peak flow readings are great, I think!  220 – 225 > for a 4 year old.  the doctor said that if her peak flow readings are good > then it means it’s not asthma and we should look at other things.  After > three horrible nights and putting her back on ventilin and flovent, I feel > like I have it under control and have had one good night.  I’ve taken her > off of all now at doctor’s suggestion and I can hear her short breathing > again and feel like we’re in for it tonight?  Does this sound familiar to > anyone or do you also feel the doctor is correct?  Tracy

your doctor is dangerously wrong if he says that asthma can be judged by peak flow readings compared to some theoretucal average get another doctor…and maybe see if there’s some way to get your current doc brought up to speed eric "the alternative to seeing things in black and white is to see them in full colour"

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had > asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would > always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family > doctor disagrees.  Her symptoms now are quicker shorter breaths while awake, > occassional coughs.  At night it is terrible, she has very unpeaceful > sleeps, eyes rolling constantly like she is having a nightmare, rolling > constantly, very restless, occassionally sits up straight in bed and shouts > out then lays back to sleep, talks in sleep.  I’ve ruled out nightmares > because it can last for 5 hours.  After giving her ventilin she relaxes and > sleeps peacefully.  Her peak flow readings are great, I think!  220 – 225 > for a 4 year old.  the doctor said that if her peak flow readings are good > then it means it’s not asthma and we should look at other things. After > three horrible nights and putting her back on ventilin and flovent, I feel > like I have it under control and have had one good night.  I’ve taken her > off of all now at doctor’s suggestion and I can hear her short breathing > again and feel like we’re in for it tonight?  Does this sound familiar to > anyone or do you also feel the doctor is correct?  Tracy

I’m not a doctor and I’m not sure I can help you very much, but I wanted to answer a few of your questions.  First of all, just because your daughter’s peak flows are good does not mean she does not have asthma.  Mine are good most of the time and lately they are good even when I am having asthma trouble.  Peak Flows only measure the inflammation in the large airways so your daughter may have inflammation in the small airways causing shortness of breath and in turn, faster breathing and coughing. Not all asthmatics wheeze, for some the only sign of an asthma flare is coughing (like me).  If ventolin works it is also a sign of asthma.  The Flovent is given to reduce the inflammation in the airways and is usually needed to be given everyday.  Flovent starts to take it’s full effect after a week to 10 days (I take Flovent twice a day).  It is NOT like ventolin and will NOT stop an asthma attack once it has started.  It is a long term drug that works over a period of time and must be taken even when an asthmatic is feeling well in order to keep the lungs from becoming too inflammed.   Ventolin is a fast acting medication that works to stop an asthma attack once it has started (and can be taken before exposure to triggers to prevent an attack from even starting).  Ventolin should not be used regulary as this is a sign of poor asthma control. Do you have any pets?  Has your daughter been tested for allergies? This might be something to consider.  I would suggest you take your daughter to see another doctor or a pulmonary specialist to get a second opinion.  I can have very restless sleeps when my asthma is bugging me and sometimes it will take me a while to realize my restlessness is from asthma.  It doesn’t have to be a full blown attack, just being a little short of breath will do it.  I am now taking a new drug called Singulair to help with this.  The drug Serevent (like Ventolin but lasts for 12 hours and is not taken to stop an asthma attack, is taken everyday) has helped me to, but I don’t think it is available for children.  You can get some more information about asthma at: http://www.asthmasociety.com Here are some of the warning signs of asthma: * Coughing * Wheezing * Breathlessness * Unusual restlessness, irritability or fatigue, in conjunction with the above signs. I hope this will help you a little bit. I was diagnosed with asthma when I was 5 and I am 21 now.  I wish you and your daughter all the best and I hope that you will be able to get to the bottom of this and both you and your daughter will be able to have a good nights sleep! Take care. Meghan Williams Lake, BC CANADA Before you buy.

Response:

> Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had > asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would > always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family > doctor disagrees.  Her symptoms now are quicker shorter breaths while awake, > occassional coughs.  At night it is terrible, she has very unpeaceful > sleeps, eyes rolling constantly like she is having a nightmare, rolling > constantly, very restless, occassionally sits up straight in bed and shouts > out then lays back to sleep, talks in sleep.  I’ve ruled out nightmares > because it can last for 5 hours.

I’ve heard sleep problems like this are not all that uncommon in kids. They usually outgrow them. I’ve forgotten the names for this stuff, "night terrors" or some such. However: > After giving her ventilin she relaxes and sleeps peacefully.

This is interesting. Does it happen consistently? > then it means it’s not asthma and we should look at other things.  After > three horrible nights and putting her back on ventilin and flovent, I feel > like I have it under control and have had one good night.

I dunno if one good night is enough to tell. >  I’ve taken her > off of all now at doctor’s suggestion and I can hear her short breathing > again and feel like we’re in for it tonight?  Does this sound familiar to > anyone or do you also feel the doctor is correct?  

I’d say get a second opinion. I mean, the stuff you describe sounds like a sleep disorder, but I’m no doctor. OTOH, when asthma is bothering me, I don’t sleep well either. I toss and turn and sometimes wake up suddenly. BUT, I also have some neurological problems and have only in the last few years outgrown (mostly) some very disrupting sleep disorders. — http://jenwolf.virtualave.net/

Response:

Hello everyone.  I am fairly new to this newsgroup.  My daughter has had asthma for 3 years, she is now 4.  When she was first diagnosed she would always wheeze.  Now I believe that she still has asthma, but my family doctor disagrees.  Her symptoms now are quicker shorter breaths while awake, occassional coughs.  At night it is terrible, she has very unpeaceful sleeps, eyes rolling constantly like she is having a nightmare, rolling constantly, very restless, occassionally sits up straight in bed and shouts out then lays back to sleep, talks in sleep.  I’ve ruled out nightmares because it can last for 5 hours.  After giving her ventilin she relaxes and sleeps peacefully.  Her peak flow readings are great, I think!  220 – 225 for a 4 year old.  the doctor said that if her peak flow readings are good then it means it’s not asthma and we should look at other things.  After three horrible nights and putting her back on ventilin and flovent, I feel like I have it under control and have had one good night.  I’ve taken her off of all now at doctor’s suggestion and I can hear her short breathing again and feel like we’re in for it tonight?  Does this sound familiar to anyone or do you also feel the doctor is correct?  Tracy

Response: