asthma

[lovemygirl]

hi,
Just wondering if anyone with CF also has asthma. At a recent clinic visit the dr. said he suspects it in our 5 yr old. She's had cough since Oct but other than that she is doing well. She just had pneumonia so we are going to wait a few more weeks and if the cough persists treat her as if she had asthma.
Does anyone else have asthma? Is this common in CF ptaients? Is there an age it starts to affect them (average age)?

 

[JoAnn]

Many people with cf have an asthma or RAD (reactive airway disease) component to their CF. I do not believe that there is a specific age. Jason is 8 and he was dx w/ CF at 18mos. He has always had asthma/RAD symptoms and has been treated accordingly.

 

[thelizardqueen]

I also have asthma. Its part and parcel I think with CF.

 

[NoExcuses]

.

 

[luke]

It is not uncommon for people with CF to also have asthma. I do think that doctors sometimes are quick to diagose "asthma" and it might not be the case. From your post your child wasn't "diagosed" with asthma but may just going to be treated as such. The inhaled drugs for asthma(albuterol, pulmicort for example) are effective for CF anyway so not an issue. I would be hesitant though to let them start your child on P.O. meds used for asthma like aniti-leukotrienes. Some of these drugs can cause liver damage and should not be used unless asthma is the definite diagosis. I would recommend seeing a pediatric pulmonolgist or asthma/allergy specialist before I accepted the "blind diagnosis" of asthma.

 

[Abby]

My daughters cf doctor treated her for asthma tendencies a while ago. Same thing, cough that wouldn't go away, but healthy other than that. They never said she has asthma, just treated it as such the one time. The cought didn't respond to the asthma meds like they wanted it to, so it must have been cf related.