Tell me about asthmatic bronchitis

[Trish5768]

DS 7 was diagnosed this morning. Hes been coughing non-stop, mostly at night. Up and down, gagging, not sleeping. He had to have a breathing treatment and is now on zithromax and prednisone. He will have a pulmonary function test in the beginning of Nov. What can I expect? Does this absolutely mean he has asthma? Anyone who can give me any insight? It would be greatly appreciated.

Trish

 

[Pooh67_68]

Can't help you, but wanted to send a few to your son, I have had Asthma since I was 2 and its not fun.

 

[luckywife]

I don't know if what your son has is any different than what I've experienced two different times. I was really sick and hospitalized 3-4 days each time and my doctor told me I had "asthma like symptoms" when I would get bronchitis. I had breathing treatments every 4 hours and had prednisone in an IV while at the hospital and then had to take it orally for a week after I got to come home. I was never officially diagnosed with ashtma and only have those types of symptoms when I get bronchitis, which is usually once a year. Best of luck to your DS. I hope he feels better soon. I know how absolutely lousy something like that makes you feel.

BTW-when I was on prednisone, I had some pretty bad side effects. Big time increased appetite and then had some joint problems on top of that. Once I stopped taking the medicine it went away but wanted to give you a heads up about the joint thing, just incase your son starts complaining of things like this his legs and ankles hurting or bothering him.

 

[KimR]

Wow, this sounds like what my DD12 has. It started this past June with a cough that wouldn't go away and she's been battling it ever since. She's been on several inhalers as well as the zithromax/prednisone route (she hated the prednisone, it caused some nasty side effects). It helped a bit, but not much. We took her to a pulmonologist earlier this month and she upped her dosage of the advair, so we are hoping that helps.

Honestly, it's been very frustrating becuase it seems everything they try does not work! To make matters worse, she is a gymnast and the coughing is always much worse when she is at practice. The combination of chalk dust, hot gym, and intense physical activity really set her off.

I don't know if your son's condition is similar, but as for my DD, the pulmonogist is hoping that this increased dosage of the inhaler will help and that she will eventually go down to smaller and smaller dosages and eventually be weaned off entirely. She was never diagnosed with asthma, per se. I kept hearing things such as 'asthma-type allergy', 'bronchitis', and 'excercise-induced asthma'.

This has been a shock to us because she has always been so healthy. It's been so frustrating for her as well becuase she had been doing so well at gymnastics (she placed first at state last year). Then right after our WDW trip this April she fractured her foot and now this bronchitis stuff...it has really set her back.

I hope your son is able to get over this quickly!

 

[CRB#33]

My son (now 13) has asthmatic bronchitis periodically throughout the winter months. He always gets this in conjunction with a bad cold and only from the months of October to about March.

When he gets summer colds, he never developes the asthmatic bronchitis. (Wheezing and coughing, congestion in the lungs)

This first started when he was two. He would start getting nebulizer treatments at the first sign of a winter cold. Now that he is older, the doctor has put him on Singular throughout the winter and an inhaler for when he gets a cold. Before he started the Singular, the attacks would last at least a week and he would really suffer with it. Since he started the Singular two years ago, if he gets the asthma at all, it's just for a few days.

I'm thinking he actually may be outgrowing it.

 

[Kimnicki]

My DH suffers from asthma and ususally gets "asthmatic bronchitis" every winter. The dr. has him on a steady routine of Singulair and Advair, with a "rescue" inhailer when he's really struggling. We also have a nebulizer he can use when it's really severe.

Trish, I hope your DS is feeling better soon


Kim

 

[ajksmom]

My DS18 has asthma, worse in spring and fall here. He does take preventitive medicine (pulmicort and zyrtec) daily. Occasionally he will need to use a "rescue" inhaler or his nebulizer during allergy season. He has been prescribed prednisone in the past and always get very moody when he is on it. Keep that in mind if your DS gets grumpy.
Several years ago I was sick with a cold and got worried because I could feel my heart beating irregularly and I wasn't breathing real easily. I got up and went to "promptcare". They diagnosed me with asthmatic bronchitis and gave me back to back breathing treatments right there. What a relief I felt!! They sent me home with a "rescue" inhaler and a steriod additive for the nebulizer at home.
Now when I get a cold it does usually end up with me using either the inhaler or nebulizer but I have absolutely no issues any other time.
So asthma and asthmatic bronchitis are two very different things.
Be sure to let your doctor know if you don't feel he's getting any relief now that he is on medication. They can try other measures to relieve him. While raising my DS I thought I knew how horrible his breathing was. It wasn't until I experienced it myself that I really understood how scary and tiring it can be.

 

[patsvette]

i have it right now, i get it every october to nov.,constantly using my inhalers to keep my lungs open,and the coughing gets so bad i actually cant breathe.And what sucks is were leaving in 9 days to disney and its been 4 days ive had it and usually last for 3 weeks or more for me.