Daughter gets asthma when sick

brewz2 · Nov 15, 2008

My daughter has a mild cold right now, but it seems like everytime she gets a cold and has drainage, it causes asthma. She never shows any signs of asthma EXCEPT when she has a cold.

She typically takes albuterol and symbicort to control it. This time around our doctor wanted to add in pulmicort to help with the inflmamation. She also said that she didn't want her to have to go on prednisolone one more time before the end of the year b/c it means that her asthma is not being controlled well, and she would have to up her dosage. Honestly, I think she's only been on prednisolone about 3 - 4 times this year.

What I don't understand is we're doing these medicines everyday (except pulmicort) and she never shows signs of asthma except when she's sick - What harm is it to just do prednisolone with a cold if her asthma gets bad enough? Why up the dosage on her daily medicine when her daily asthma is fine? To this day, even before medicines came into our lives, she's never had an asthma attack - she just coughs a lot when sick.

brewz2 · Nov 15, 2008

My daughter has a mild cold right now, but it seems like everytime she gets a cold and has drainage, it causes asthma. She never shows any signs of asthma EXCEPT when she has a cold.

She typically takes albuterol and symbicort to control it. This time around our doctor wanted to add in pulmicort to help with the inflmamation. She also said that she didn't want her to have to go on prednisolone one more time before the end of the year b/c it means that her asthma is not being controlled well, and she would have to up her dosage. Honestly, I think she's only been on prednisolone about 3 - 4 times this year.

What I don't understand is we're doing these medicines everyday (except pulmicort) and she never shows signs of asthma except when she's sick - What harm is it to just do prednisolone with a cold if her asthma gets bad enough? Why up the dosage on her daily medicine when her daily asthma is fine? To this day, even before medicines came into our lives, she's never had an asthma attack - she just coughs a lot when sick.

brewz2 · Nov 15, 2008

My daughter has a mild cold right now, but it seems like everytime she gets a cold and has drainage, it causes asthma. She never shows any signs of asthma EXCEPT when she has a cold.

She typically takes albuterol and symbicort to control it. This time around our doctor wanted to add in pulmicort to help with the inflmamation. She also said that she didn't want her to have to go on prednisolone one more time before the end of the year b/c it means that her asthma is not being controlled well, and she would have to up her dosage. Honestly, I think she's only been on prednisolone about 3 - 4 times this year.

What I don't understand is we're doing these medicines everyday (except pulmicort) and she never shows signs of asthma except when she's sick - What harm is it to just do prednisolone with a cold if her asthma gets bad enough? Why up the dosage on her daily medicine when her daily asthma is fine? To this day, even before medicines came into our lives, she's never had an asthma attack - she just coughs a lot when sick.

brewz2 · Nov 15, 2008

My daughter has a mild cold right now, but it seems like everytime she gets a cold and has drainage, it causes asthma. She never shows any signs of asthma EXCEPT when she has a cold.

She typically takes albuterol and symbicort to control it. This time around our doctor wanted to add in pulmicort to help with the inflmamation. She also said that she didn't want her to have to go on prednisolone one more time before the end of the year b/c it means that her asthma is not being controlled well, and she would have to up her dosage. Honestly, I think she's only been on prednisolone about 3 - 4 times this year.

What I don't understand is we're doing these medicines everyday (except pulmicort) and she never shows signs of asthma except when she's sick - What harm is it to just do prednisolone with a cold if her asthma gets bad enough? Why up the dosage on her daily medicine when her daily asthma is fine? To this day, even before medicines came into our lives, she's never had an asthma attack - she just coughs a lot when sick.

brewz2 · Nov 15, 2008

My daughter has a mild cold right now, but it seems like everytime she gets a cold and has drainage, it causes asthma. She never shows any signs of asthma EXCEPT when she has a cold.
 
 She typically takes albuterol and symbicort to control it. This time around our doctor wanted to add in pulmicort to help with the inflmamation. She also said that she didn't want her to have to go on prednisolone one more time before the end of the year b/c it means that her asthma is not being controlled well, and she would have to up her dosage. Honestly, I think she's only been on prednisolone about 3 - 4 times this year.
 
 What I don't understand is we're doing these medicines everyday (except pulmicort) and she never shows signs of asthma except when she's sick - What harm is it to just do prednisolone with a cold if her asthma gets bad enough? Why up the dosage on her daily medicine when her daily asthma is fine? To this day, even before medicines came into our lives, she's never had an asthma attack - she just coughs a lot when sick.

Nightwriter · Nov 16, 2008

Hi Tracey,

You know, that is a great question. I going to try to answer by passing on the information that I've learned from my doctor. The course of my illness has changed drastically. I have typical CF with bronchiectasis, and at times PA, MRSA, etc. and once had a baseline FEV1 of 37%. My infections have stopped. I haven't been on IV meds in 11 years. I get ocassional exacerbations which now is almost always inflammation and require no antibiotics at all.

With typical CF cases especially, we have hyperactive airways, so it can take very little to make the airways swell inside or constrict from inflammation. What causes this process are triggers that may be allergans, irritants, or chemicals (eg. frangrance, pollution).

Less air can go through the lungs, but unless the asthma is moderate or severe, or PFT's are very low, you don't even feel it. But what happens to CF people in particular is devasting. Without them even realizing it.

Inflammation and the resulting asthma is one of the major reasons we get sick. It traps the mucus leading to exacerbations.

An exercabation that is primarily from inflammation doesn't require antibiotics, although they are frequently prescribed. Sometimes people who are on antibiotics for weeks with no results, have inflammation only. But the inflammation is a friendly environment for bacteria, then it turns into infection.

The best way to control asthma is a natural one. Certain places to live are horrible for asthma people. Then there's your home, your work, your habits that contribute to asthma. Cfer's do so well if they clean up these things and get their asthma under control.

My doctor believes in using everything available in the arsonal. Very hard to avoid asthma and anti-inflammatory drugs when you are having potentially life-threatening infections and your asthma is out of control. All it takes is just one time of airways closing completely. And it can be out of the blue.

Even with slight asthma, the mucus can't get out. So it's not the illness causing the asthma. The asthma causes the illness.

If you take something like albuterol, it is not a completely effective way alone to treat asthma, because it is not doing anything for the inflammation that causes it.

Many, if not most people with asthma don't even know it. No shortness of breath, no wheezing, no attacks, maybe even no coughing! It has become so common due to our polluted air. They may only be able to diagnose asthma if they take PFT's before and after bronchodilators. And even then, they may not pick it up. Sometimes doctors try to induce asthma medically (not a safe thing to do) For someone that does not asthma, they'd have no reaction.

So this is why you (or your child) needs to be on inhaled steroids and other asthma medicines. Ideally if you removed allergens/irritants/chemical sensitivities, people without CF or maybe mild CF, can get off medications entirely. But with typical CF, probably unlikely. As your PFT's go up, doctors usually lower the dosage of the steroids and can reduce treatments.

Taking oral steroids even 3 or 4 times a year is not great. It's systemic. The inhaled steroid less so. So less side effects.

For some unfortunate people, their first "attack" will be when they are near something that triggers it. It can even be deadly.

My doctor always says if you are taking asthma medicines, you have asthma. You can't have it sometimes. You have it or you don't. Just when it is bad, do you notice it.

Nightwriter · Nov 16, 2008

Hi Tracey,

You know, that is a great question. I going to try to answer by passing on the information that I've learned from my doctor. The course of my illness has changed drastically. I have typical CF with bronchiectasis, and at times PA, MRSA, etc. and once had a baseline FEV1 of 37%. My infections have stopped. I haven't been on IV meds in 11 years. I get ocassional exacerbations which now is almost always inflammation and require no antibiotics at all.

With typical CF cases especially, we have hyperactive airways, so it can take very little to make the airways swell inside or constrict from inflammation. What causes this process are triggers that may be allergans, irritants, or chemicals (eg. frangrance, pollution).

Less air can go through the lungs, but unless the asthma is moderate or severe, or PFT's are very low, you don't even feel it. But what happens to CF people in particular is devasting. Without them even realizing it.

Inflammation and the resulting asthma is one of the major reasons we get sick. It traps the mucus leading to exacerbations.

An exercabation that is primarily from inflammation doesn't require antibiotics, although they are frequently prescribed. Sometimes people who are on antibiotics for weeks with no results, have inflammation only. But the inflammation is a friendly environment for bacteria, then it turns into infection.

The best way to control asthma is a natural one. Certain places to live are horrible for asthma people. Then there's your home, your work, your habits that contribute to asthma. Cfer's do so well if they clean up these things and get their asthma under control.

My doctor believes in using everything available in the arsonal. Very hard to avoid asthma and anti-inflammatory drugs when you are having potentially life-threatening infections and your asthma is out of control. All it takes is just one time of airways closing completely. And it can be out of the blue.

Even with slight asthma, the mucus can't get out. So it's not the illness causing the asthma. The asthma causes the illness.

If you take something like albuterol, it is not a completely effective way alone to treat asthma, because it is not doing anything for the inflammation that causes it.

Many, if not most people with asthma don't even know it. No shortness of breath, no wheezing, no attacks, maybe even no coughing! It has become so common due to our polluted air. They may only be able to diagnose asthma if they take PFT's before and after bronchodilators. And even then, they may not pick it up. Sometimes doctors try to induce asthma medically (not a safe thing to do) For someone that does not asthma, they'd have no reaction.

So this is why you (or your child) needs to be on inhaled steroids and other asthma medicines. Ideally if you removed allergens/irritants/chemical sensitivities, people without CF or maybe mild CF, can get off medications entirely. But with typical CF, probably unlikely. As your PFT's go up, doctors usually lower the dosage of the steroids and can reduce treatments.

Taking oral steroids even 3 or 4 times a year is not great. It's systemic. The inhaled steroid less so. So less side effects.

For some unfortunate people, their first "attack" will be when they are near something that triggers it. It can even be deadly.

My doctor always says if you are taking asthma medicines, you have asthma. You can't have it sometimes. You have it or you don't. Just when it is bad, do you notice it.

Nightwriter · Nov 16, 2008

Hi Tracey,

You know, that is a great question. I going to try to answer by passing on the information that I've learned from my doctor. The course of my illness has changed drastically. I have typical CF with bronchiectasis, and at times PA, MRSA, etc. and once had a baseline FEV1 of 37%. My infections have stopped. I haven't been on IV meds in 11 years. I get ocassional exacerbations which now is almost always inflammation and require no antibiotics at all.

With typical CF cases especially, we have hyperactive airways, so it can take very little to make the airways swell inside or constrict from inflammation. What causes this process are triggers that may be allergans, irritants, or chemicals (eg. frangrance, pollution).

Less air can go through the lungs, but unless the asthma is moderate or severe, or PFT's are very low, you don't even feel it. But what happens to CF people in particular is devasting. Without them even realizing it.

Inflammation and the resulting asthma is one of the major reasons we get sick. It traps the mucus leading to exacerbations.

An exercabation that is primarily from inflammation doesn't require antibiotics, although they are frequently prescribed. Sometimes people who are on antibiotics for weeks with no results, have inflammation only. But the inflammation is a friendly environment for bacteria, then it turns into infection.

The best way to control asthma is a natural one. Certain places to live are horrible for asthma people. Then there's your home, your work, your habits that contribute to asthma. Cfer's do so well if they clean up these things and get their asthma under control.

My doctor believes in using everything available in the arsonal. Very hard to avoid asthma and anti-inflammatory drugs when you are having potentially life-threatening infections and your asthma is out of control. All it takes is just one time of airways closing completely. And it can be out of the blue.

Even with slight asthma, the mucus can't get out. So it's not the illness causing the asthma. The asthma causes the illness.

If you take something like albuterol, it is not a completely effective way alone to treat asthma, because it is not doing anything for the inflammation that causes it.

Many, if not most people with asthma don't even know it. No shortness of breath, no wheezing, no attacks, maybe even no coughing! It has become so common due to our polluted air. They may only be able to diagnose asthma if they take PFT's before and after bronchodilators. And even then, they may not pick it up. Sometimes doctors try to induce asthma medically (not a safe thing to do) For someone that does not asthma, they'd have no reaction.

So this is why you (or your child) needs to be on inhaled steroids and other asthma medicines. Ideally if you removed allergens/irritants/chemical sensitivities, people without CF or maybe mild CF, can get off medications entirely. But with typical CF, probably unlikely. As your PFT's go up, doctors usually lower the dosage of the steroids and can reduce treatments.

Taking oral steroids even 3 or 4 times a year is not great. It's systemic. The inhaled steroid less so. So less side effects.

For some unfortunate people, their first "attack" will be when they are near something that triggers it. It can even be deadly.

My doctor always says if you are taking asthma medicines, you have asthma. You can't have it sometimes. You have it or you don't. Just when it is bad, do you notice it.

Nightwriter · Nov 16, 2008

Hi Tracey,

You know, that is a great question. I going to try to answer by passing on the information that I've learned from my doctor. The course of my illness has changed drastically. I have typical CF with bronchiectasis, and at times PA, MRSA, etc. and once had a baseline FEV1 of 37%. My infections have stopped. I haven't been on IV meds in 11 years. I get ocassional exacerbations which now is almost always inflammation and require no antibiotics at all.

With typical CF cases especially, we have hyperactive airways, so it can take very little to make the airways swell inside or constrict from inflammation. What causes this process are triggers that may be allergans, irritants, or chemicals (eg. frangrance, pollution).

Less air can go through the lungs, but unless the asthma is moderate or severe, or PFT's are very low, you don't even feel it. But what happens to CF people in particular is devasting. Without them even realizing it.

Inflammation and the resulting asthma is one of the major reasons we get sick. It traps the mucus leading to exacerbations.

An exercabation that is primarily from inflammation doesn't require antibiotics, although they are frequently prescribed. Sometimes people who are on antibiotics for weeks with no results, have inflammation only. But the inflammation is a friendly environment for bacteria, then it turns into infection.

The best way to control asthma is a natural one. Certain places to live are horrible for asthma people. Then there's your home, your work, your habits that contribute to asthma. Cfer's do so well if they clean up these things and get their asthma under control.

My doctor believes in using everything available in the arsonal. Very hard to avoid asthma and anti-inflammatory drugs when you are having potentially life-threatening infections and your asthma is out of control. All it takes is just one time of airways closing completely. And it can be out of the blue.

Even with slight asthma, the mucus can't get out. So it's not the illness causing the asthma. The asthma causes the illness.

If you take something like albuterol, it is not a completely effective way alone to treat asthma, because it is not doing anything for the inflammation that causes it.

Many, if not most people with asthma don't even know it. No shortness of breath, no wheezing, no attacks, maybe even no coughing! It has become so common due to our polluted air. They may only be able to diagnose asthma if they take PFT's before and after bronchodilators. And even then, they may not pick it up. Sometimes doctors try to induce asthma medically (not a safe thing to do) For someone that does not asthma, they'd have no reaction.

So this is why you (or your child) needs to be on inhaled steroids and other asthma medicines. Ideally if you removed allergens/irritants/chemical sensitivities, people without CF or maybe mild CF, can get off medications entirely. But with typical CF, probably unlikely. As your PFT's go up, doctors usually lower the dosage of the steroids and can reduce treatments.

Taking oral steroids even 3 or 4 times a year is not great. It's systemic. The inhaled steroid less so. So less side effects.

For some unfortunate people, their first "attack" will be when they are near something that triggers it. It can even be deadly.

My doctor always says if you are taking asthma medicines, you have asthma. You can't have it sometimes. You have it or you don't. Just when it is bad, do you notice it.

Nightwriter · Nov 16, 2008

Hi Tracey,
 
 You know, that is a great question. I going to try to answer by passing on the information that I've learned from my doctor. The course of my illness has changed drastically. I have typical CF with bronchiectasis, and at times PA, MRSA, etc. and once had a baseline FEV1 of 37%. My infections have stopped. I haven't been on IV meds in 11 years. I get ocassional exacerbations which now is almost always inflammation and require no antibiotics at all.
 
 With typical CF cases especially, we have hyperactive airways, so it can take very little to make the airways swell inside or constrict from inflammation. What causes this process are triggers that may be allergans, irritants, or chemicals (eg. frangrance, pollution).
 
 Less air can go through the lungs, but unless the asthma is moderate or severe, or PFT's are very low, you don't even feel it. But what happens to CF people in particular is devasting. Without them even realizing it.
 
 Inflammation and the resulting asthma is one of the major reasons we get sick. It traps the mucus leading to exacerbations.
 
 An exercabation that is primarily from inflammation doesn't require antibiotics, although they are frequently prescribed. Sometimes people who are on antibiotics for weeks with no results, have inflammation only. But the inflammation is a friendly environment for bacteria, then it turns into infection.
 
 The best way to control asthma is a natural one. Certain places to live are horrible for asthma people. Then there's your home, your work, your habits that contribute to asthma. Cfer's do so well if they clean up these things and get their asthma under control.
 
 My doctor believes in using everything available in the arsonal. Very hard to avoid asthma and anti-inflammatory drugs when you are having potentially life-threatening infections and your asthma is out of control. All it takes is just one time of airways closing completely. And it can be out of the blue.
 
 Even with slight asthma, the mucus can't get out. So it's not the illness causing the asthma. The asthma causes the illness.
 
 If you take something like albuterol, it is not a completely effective way alone to treat asthma, because it is not doing anything for the inflammation that causes it.
 
 Many, if not most people with asthma don't even know it. No shortness of breath, no wheezing, no attacks, maybe even no coughing! It has become so common due to our polluted air. They may only be able to diagnose asthma if they take PFT's before and after bronchodilators. And even then, they may not pick it up. Sometimes doctors try to induce asthma medically (not a safe thing to do) For someone that does not asthma, they'd have no reaction.
 
 So this is why you (or your child) needs to be on inhaled steroids and other asthma medicines. Ideally if you removed allergens/irritants/chemical sensitivities, people without CF or maybe mild CF, can get off medications entirely. But with typical CF, probably unlikely. As your PFT's go up, doctors usually lower the dosage of the steroids and can reduce treatments.
 
 Taking oral steroids even 3 or 4 times a year is not great. It's systemic. The inhaled steroid less so. So less side effects.
 
 For some unfortunate people, their first "attack" will be when they are near something that triggers it. It can even be deadly.
 
 My doctor always says if you are taking asthma medicines, you have asthma. You can't have it sometimes. You have it or you don't. Just when it is bad, do you notice it.

JazzysMom · Nov 16, 2008

I was trying to figure out how to word my response, but I think Cindy covered it.

The asmtha is noticable when she is sick because by then all the junk has builed up & cant get out like it should. Until then any inflammation wasnt "Noticable"

If you watch any commericials regarding Asmtha....you will see that they say, its always there....its just a matter of how controlled or what triggers a flareup.

Oral steroids have its purpose, but to be able to control the asthmatic component better without them so when she is sick it doesnt get as bad is ideal. Oral steroids can really cause other issues & shouldnt be used unless really needed.

JazzysMom · Nov 16, 2008

I was trying to figure out how to word my response, but I think Cindy covered it.

The asmtha is noticable when she is sick because by then all the junk has builed up & cant get out like it should. Until then any inflammation wasnt "Noticable"

If you watch any commericials regarding Asmtha....you will see that they say, its always there....its just a matter of how controlled or what triggers a flareup.

Oral steroids have its purpose, but to be able to control the asthmatic component better without them so when she is sick it doesnt get as bad is ideal. Oral steroids can really cause other issues & shouldnt be used unless really needed.

JazzysMom · Nov 16, 2008

I was trying to figure out how to word my response, but I think Cindy covered it.

The asmtha is noticable when she is sick because by then all the junk has builed up & cant get out like it should. Until then any inflammation wasnt "Noticable"

If you watch any commericials regarding Asmtha....you will see that they say, its always there....its just a matter of how controlled or what triggers a flareup.

Oral steroids have its purpose, but to be able to control the asthmatic component better without them so when she is sick it doesnt get as bad is ideal. Oral steroids can really cause other issues & shouldnt be used unless really needed.

JazzysMom · Nov 16, 2008

I was trying to figure out how to word my response, but I think Cindy covered it.

The asmtha is noticable when she is sick because by then all the junk has builed up & cant get out like it should. Until then any inflammation wasnt "Noticable"

If you watch any commericials regarding Asmtha....you will see that they say, its always there....its just a matter of how controlled or what triggers a flareup.

Oral steroids have its purpose, but to be able to control the asthmatic component better without them so when she is sick it doesnt get as bad is ideal. Oral steroids can really cause other issues & shouldnt be used unless really needed.

JazzysMom · Nov 16, 2008

I was trying to figure out how to word my response, but I think Cindy covered it.
 
 The asmtha is noticable when she is sick because by then all the junk has builed up & cant get out like it should. Until then any inflammation wasnt "Noticable"
 
 If you watch any commericials regarding Asmtha....you will see that they say, its always there....its just a matter of how controlled or what triggers a flareup.
 
 Oral steroids have its purpose, but to be able to control the asthmatic component better without them so when she is sick it doesnt get as bad is ideal. Oral steroids can really cause other issues & shouldnt be used unless really needed.

brewz2 · Nov 16, 2008

Ok, I think I understand what you guys are saying. The pulmicort seems to be helping her this time around, but I guess you're right, I'd rather her asthma not even be a component when she becomes sick. I do think sometimes antibiotics were given b/c she seemed to be coughing so much.

So do you think it's safer to up the daily dose of her symbicort, instead of using an oral steroid when she gets sick?

Thank you both for your responses, both were very informative, and very much appreciated..<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

brewz2 · Nov 16, 2008

Ok, I think I understand what you guys are saying. The pulmicort seems to be helping her this time around, but I guess you're right, I'd rather her asthma not even be a component when she becomes sick. I do think sometimes antibiotics were given b/c she seemed to be coughing so much.

So do you think it's safer to up the daily dose of her symbicort, instead of using an oral steroid when she gets sick?

Thank you both for your responses, both were very informative, and very much appreciated..<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

brewz2 · Nov 16, 2008

Ok, I think I understand what you guys are saying. The pulmicort seems to be helping her this time around, but I guess you're right, I'd rather her asthma not even be a component when she becomes sick. I do think sometimes antibiotics were given b/c she seemed to be coughing so much.

So do you think it's safer to up the daily dose of her symbicort, instead of using an oral steroid when she gets sick?

Thank you both for your responses, both were very informative, and very much appreciated..<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

brewz2 · Nov 16, 2008

Ok, I think I understand what you guys are saying. The pulmicort seems to be helping her this time around, but I guess you're right, I'd rather her asthma not even be a component when she becomes sick. I do think sometimes antibiotics were given b/c she seemed to be coughing so much.

So do you think it's safer to up the daily dose of her symbicort, instead of using an oral steroid when she gets sick?

Thank you both for your responses, both were very informative, and very much appreciated..<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

brewz2 · Nov 16, 2008

Ok, I think I understand what you guys are saying. The pulmicort seems to be helping her this time around, but I guess you're right, I'd rather her asthma not even be a component when she becomes sick. I do think sometimes antibiotics were given b/c she seemed to be coughing so much.
 
 So do you think it's safer to up the daily dose of her symbicort, instead of using an oral steroid when she gets sick?
 
 Thank you both for your responses, both were very informative, and very much appreciated..<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

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