update on Joannas cough

Hi

Hope i'm not talking to quickly here but since Joanna has been on the
alupent for her cough, the cough has disapeered and she is now getting a
peacefull nights sleep and so is mummy lol. I am going to have another word
with the doctor next week because we did notice that when she was running
around at the local activity centre her cough appeared so i'm thinking it
might still be worth Joanna having an inhaler for such circumstances. I am
so happy we're getting on top of this though.

april

--
www.freewebs.com/lastchancerabbitrescue

april & co wrote:
Hi

Hope i'm not talking to quickly here but since Joanna has been on the
alupent for her cough, the cough has disapeered and she is now getting a
peacefull nights sleep and so is mummy lol. I am going to have another word
with the doctor next week because we did notice that when she was running
around at the local activity centre her cough appeared so i'm thinking it
might still be worth Joanna having an inhaler for such circumstances. I am
so happy we're getting on top of this though.

It sounds to me like the fact that it's working is
a good indicator that it is asthma you're dealing with.
However, if alupent syrup is similar to albuterol syrup
(as I think someone mentioned it was), I think you still
need to look for a better maintenance plan. That's rather
an outdated approach to treatment, and it makes no sense to
me to give her a systematic medicine when you could target
the medicine to her lungs with an inhaler. And asthmatics
generally should be on some kind of maintenance plan (which
normally wouldn't include something like alupent syrup),
with an emergency fast acting inhaler for just the sorts of
situations you describe (although the need to use the
emergency inhaler on a regular basis is usually an indication
that the maintenance plan isn't sufficient).

Best wishes,
Ericka

"april & co" wrote in message
...
Hi

Hope i'm not talking to quickly here but since Joanna has been on the
alupent for her cough, the cough has disapeered and she is now getting a
peacefull nights sleep and so is mummy lol. I am going to have another
word with the doctor next week because we did notice that when she was
running around at the local activity centre her cough appeared so i'm
thinking it might still be worth Joanna having an inhaler for such
circumstances. I am so happy we're getting on top of this though.

Sounds good.
I'd see if you can get an inhaler. Then you've got one so if she starts
coughing again you can give it her immediately rather than having to see the
GP first. For #2, the sooner you start the medication, the quicker it goes.
Debbie

april & co wrote:
Hi

Hope i'm not talking to quickly here but since Joanna has been on the
alupent for her cough, the cough has disapeered and she is now getting a
peacefull nights sleep and so is mummy lol. I am going to have another word
with the doctor next week because we did notice that when she was running
around at the local activity centre her cough appeared so i'm thinking it
might still be worth Joanna having an inhaler for such circumstances. I am
so happy we're getting on top of this though.

Glad things seem to be heading in the right direction. At least she's
now being treated for asthma, which it sounds like this most likely
is. But now that this trial of alupent has shown that her cough is
most likely from asthma, I will reiterate that it very very very much
sounds like she needs a controller medicine.

There are two types of medicine for asthma -- the first is reliever
medicines, which immediately improve symptoms. They usually work by
relaxing the muscles around the airways that clamp down to cause
wheezing and cough. Alupent, and some kinds of inhalers, fall into
that category. But those medicines do nothing to address the
underlying lung inflammation that provokes asthma symptoms. Well-
controlled asthma means that children can sleep, run, and do
everything children normally do without needing a reliever medicine
more than once or twice a week (with the exception of the occasional
flare-up). The benefits of using controller medicines so that
reliever medicines are rarely needed are several. Uncontrolled
asthma, including asthma that's only being treated with frequent
reliever medicine, leads to decreased lung growth and means that the
child is walking around with their lungs in a state of chronic
inflammation. Good asthma control also means that flare ups of bad
wheezing and cough (and potential hospitalization) are less frequent
and less severe. Almost always, the best first step for reaching good
asthma control in someone who needs a reliever medicine more than once
or twice a week is an inhaled steroid.

Best of luck. Give us the update after her appointment next week!

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old
and something brewing, 4/08

"Akuvikate" wrote in message
...

Glad things seem to be heading in the right direction. At least she's
now being treated for asthma, which it sounds like this most likely
is. But now that this trial of alupent has shown that her cough is
most likely from asthma, I will reiterate that it very very very much
sounds like she needs a controller medicine.

There are two types of medicine for asthma -- the first is reliever
medicines, which immediately improve symptoms. They usually work by
relaxing the muscles around the airways that clamp down to cause
wheezing and cough. Alupent, and some kinds of inhalers, fall into
that category. But those medicines do nothing to address the
underlying lung inflammation that provokes asthma symptoms. Well-
controlled asthma means that children can sleep, run, and do
everything children normally do without needing a reliever medicine
more than once or twice a week (with the exception of the occasional
flare-up). The benefits of using controller medicines so that
reliever medicines are rarely needed are several. Uncontrolled
asthma, including asthma that's only being treated with frequent
reliever medicine, leads to decreased lung growth and means that the
child is walking around with their lungs in a state of chronic
inflammation. Good asthma control also means that flare ups of bad
wheezing and cough (and potential hospitalization) are less frequent
and less severe. Almost always, the best first step for reaching good
asthma control in someone who needs a reliever medicine more than once
or twice a week is an inhaled steroid.

Best of luck. Give us the update after her appointment next week!

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old
and something brewing, 4/08

Kate -- question for you in regards to asthma... a little background. I
have exercise induced asthma. Never had any issues as a child, but as an
adult, if I run really fast or get my heart rate up quickly, my airways
close up. I've never been hospitalized or even felt close. I never even
considered that I had asthma, because I never exercised, therefore never had
any issues.

But, this past year I've been working out 2-3 times a week, and my asthma
has become a regular occurance. I've been using my inhaler two-three times
a week, at the beginning of each of my gymnastics classes. We start the
class with cardio, and 3-5 minutes into the class, I have to go over and
take a quick puff. This is enough to open up my airways and I can continue
the class just fine. We only do cardio at the beginning, so after about 10
minutes we're on to stretching and core exercises.

So my question is this -- is it okay to stay on this course, or should I
speak to my doctor about another method of controlling my asthma? Am I
risking damage to my lungs?

I am seeing my doctor for my regular annual physical, and will speak to him
about it then, regardless. Thanks!

--

Jamie Clark

On Feb 1, 8:21*pm, "Jamie Clark" wrote:
"Akuvikate" wrote in message

...







Glad things seem to be heading in the right direction. *At least she's
now being treated for asthma, which it sounds like this most likely
is. *But now that this trial of alupent has shown that her cough is
most likely from asthma, I will reiterate that it very very very much
sounds like she needs a controller medicine.

There are two types of medicine for asthma -- the first is reliever
medicines, which immediately improve symptoms. *They usually work by
relaxing the muscles around the airways that clamp down to cause
wheezing and cough. *Alupent, and some kinds of inhalers, fall into
that category. *But those medicines do nothing to address the
underlying lung inflammation that provokes asthma symptoms. *Well-
controlled asthma means that children can sleep, run, and do
everything children normally do without needing a reliever medicine
more than once or twice a week (with the exception of the occasional
flare-up). *The benefits of using controller medicines so that
reliever medicines are rarely needed are several. *Uncontrolled
asthma, including asthma that's only being treated with frequent
reliever medicine, leads to decreased lung growth and means that the
child is walking around with their lungs in a state of chronic
inflammation. *Good asthma control also means that flare ups of bad
wheezing and cough (and potential hospitalization) are less frequent
and less severe. *Almost always, the best first step for reaching good
asthma control in someone who needs a reliever medicine more than once
or twice a week is an inhaled steroid.

Best of luck. *Give us the update after her appointment next week!

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old
and something brewing, 4/08

Kate -- question for you in regards to asthma... a little background. *I
have exercise induced asthma. *Never had any issues as a child, but as an
adult, if I run really fast or get my heart rate up quickly, my airways
close up. *I've never been hospitalized or even felt close. I never even
considered that I had asthma, because I never exercised, therefore never had
any issues.

But, this past year I've been working out 2-3 times a week, and my asthma
has become a regular occurance. *I've been using my inhaler two-three times
a week, at the beginning of each of my gymnastics classes. *We start the
class with cardio, and 3-5 minutes into the class, I have to go over and
take a quick puff. *This is enough to open up my airways and I can continue
the class just fine. *We only do cardio at the beginning, so after about 10
minutes we're on to stretching and core exercises.

So my question is this -- is it okay to stay on this course, or should I
speak to my doctor about another method of controlling my asthma? *Am I
risking damage to my lungs?

I am seeing my doctor for my regular annual physical, and will speak to him
about it then, regardless. *Thanks!

What you're describing sounds like it really is exercise-induced
asthma, in which case using your inhaler (presumably albuterol) before
exercising to stave off symptoms multiple times per week is OK. What
can be hard to distinguish is the difference between exercise induced
asthma and asthma whose control is adequate when you're sedentary but
not as soon as you put more demands on the lungs. The best way to
distinguish between the two in an adult would be to do spirometry or
pulmonary function tests. Spirometry is just beginning to be
available in some primary care settings, but not many, so for the most
part this would require referral to a pulmonologist. A "poor man's"
version of this testing might be to do peak flows before and after
taking your albuterol -- if taking the albuterol improved your peak
flows then it would be worth doing the better testing. If all your
life it's really only been with exercise then it might be overkill to
do the testing, but it's still worth bringing it up with your doctor.

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old
and something brewing, 4/08

Thanks. We're switching to a new primary care physician, so I'll bring it
up with him when I dump my entire medical history on him! : )

--

Jamie Clark



"Akuvikate" wrote in message
...
On Feb 1, 8:21 pm, "Jamie Clark" wrote:
"Akuvikate" wrote in message

...







Glad things seem to be heading in the right direction. At least she's
now being treated for asthma, which it sounds like this most likely
is. But now that this trial of alupent has shown that her cough is
most likely from asthma, I will reiterate that it very very very much
sounds like she needs a controller medicine.

There are two types of medicine for asthma -- the first is reliever
medicines, which immediately improve symptoms. They usually work by
relaxing the muscles around the airways that clamp down to cause
wheezing and cough. Alupent, and some kinds of inhalers, fall into
that category. But those medicines do nothing to address the
underlying lung inflammation that provokes asthma symptoms. Well-
controlled asthma means that children can sleep, run, and do
everything children normally do without needing a reliever medicine
more than once or twice a week (with the exception of the occasional
flare-up). The benefits of using controller medicines so that
reliever medicines are rarely needed are several. Uncontrolled
asthma, including asthma that's only being treated with frequent
reliever medicine, leads to decreased lung growth and means that the
child is walking around with their lungs in a state of chronic
inflammation. Good asthma control also means that flare ups of bad
wheezing and cough (and potential hospitalization) are less frequent
and less severe. Almost always, the best first step for reaching good
asthma control in someone who needs a reliever medicine more than once
or twice a week is an inhaled steroid.

Best of luck. Give us the update after her appointment next week!

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old
and something brewing, 4/08

Kate -- question for you in regards to asthma... a little background. I
have exercise induced asthma. Never had any issues as a child, but as an
adult, if I run really fast or get my heart rate up quickly, my airways
close up. I've never been hospitalized or even felt close. I never even
considered that I had asthma, because I never exercised, therefore never
had
any issues.

But, this past year I've been working out 2-3 times a week, and my asthma
has become a regular occurance. I've been using my inhaler two-three times
a week, at the beginning of each of my gymnastics classes. We start the
class with cardio, and 3-5 minutes into the class, I have to go over and
take a quick puff. This is enough to open up my airways and I can continue
the class just fine. We only do cardio at the beginning, so after about 10
minutes we're on to stretching and core exercises.

So my question is this -- is it okay to stay on this course, or should I
speak to my doctor about another method of controlling my asthma? Am I
risking damage to my lungs?

I am seeing my doctor for my regular annual physical, and will speak to
him
about it then, regardless. Thanks!

What you're describing sounds like it really is exercise-induced
asthma, in which case using your inhaler (presumably albuterol) before
exercising to stave off symptoms multiple times per week is OK. What
can be hard to distinguish is the difference between exercise induced
asthma and asthma whose control is adequate when you're sedentary but
not as soon as you put more demands on the lungs. The best way to
distinguish between the two in an adult would be to do spirometry or
pulmonary function tests. Spirometry is just beginning to be
available in some primary care settings, but not many, so for the most
part this would require referral to a pulmonologist. A "poor man's"
version of this testing might be to do peak flows before and after
taking your albuterol -- if taking the albuterol improved your peak
flows then it would be worth doing the better testing. If all your
life it's really only been with exercise then it might be overkill to
do the testing, but it's still worth bringing it up with your doctor.

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, 4 years old
and something brewing, 4/08

"april & co" wrote in message
...


I don't suppose that you and your husbands smoking is contributing to this
poor child's lung health?

Naahhhhh, can't be.

On Jan 30, 5:32 am, "april & co"
wrote:
Hi

Hope i'm not talking to quickly here but since Joanna has been on the
alupent for her cough, the cough has disapeered and she is now getting a
peacefull nights sleep and so is mummy lol. I am going to have another word
with the doctor next week because we did notice that when she was running
around at the local activity centre her cough appeared so i'm thinking it
might still be worth Joanna having an inhaler for such circumstances. I am
so happy we're getting on top of this though.

april


Maybe the temperature of the room is too high. Try letting cool
outside air in and see if it improves.

Regards...