Any Pulmicort users out there? a little long, but please help

SarahFin

So, after 4 treatments of Albuterol/Xopenex, we were put on Pulmicort.  The reason we've used Albuterol in the past was because DS would pick up a cold at daycare and his airways would react causing him to sound like there was rattling in his chest.  The doc says he's wheezing, although I don't hear that squeaky/wheezy sound, I just hear chest congestion, but I also don't have a stethoscope.

He also coughs like he's really trying to get the junk out of his chest, but he usually just swallows it all back.

So here we are again...another cold.  but this time the Pulmicort should have PREVENTED the wheezy sound, but it's back again.  The same old rattly sound.

We're already going in for a follow up on Monday (for ear infections, ugh), but I just need some thoughts from you guys out there...

Why do you use Pulmicort and has it helped?  When you used Albuterol, did it help??  (I don't think this ever helps, but in the pedi office, they do the treatment and say "oh yeah, he sounds SO much better".  And it discolors his face - turns it a little yellow.)

So, mother's instinct says that we don't need breathing treatments at all and that he just needs to get this junk out.  I think we are at the age/weight where we can do a little robitussin (not w/o pedi approval), so I'm going to ask about it on Monday.  But we've tried everything else...humidifier, steamy bathroom, etc. 

Also, we have seen a Pulmonologist, but of course he didn't have a cold that day so she said he was fine, we'd do the standard tests and follow up in 2 months (which is now about 2 weeks away).

 

jeffs_baker

Dd isn't on ay of the drugs you mentioned, but I was. I started on asthma meds when I was under 2.

I can't tell from your post if ds is on these meds because he has asthma or just some chest colds.

Honestly, the only times in my life that my breathing was under control was when I was undr the care of an asthma doctor.  I just don't think that regular doctors have the specific training to keep asthma under control.

I think the best thing you can do is to follow your instincts, but under the guidance of a doctor that you trust. It sounds like you don't think your current doctor is handling this well, which isn't good. Find a good specialist and go with that.

 

rissa06

I'm the same as the above poster. . ?I on these meds, because I have asthma, not DC, so I couldn't really give advice there.

. . I also can't tell from the above, if your DC has asthma or a chest cold. ?I know for me, to get my asthma under control, I had to take both the zopenex and also the pulmicort every day and that helped control it per my asthma doctor.

I would probably see if you could move the the pul doctor up then go back to your primary care doctor.?

lynnbeez

Pulmicort is a preventative medicine.  If DC hasn't been taking it prior to the cold, it will not work now.  I can't tell from your post when DC started the meds.

I have asthma and it worked great for me as a preventative medicine.  With that said, it sounds to me that your DC might not have asthma but just chest congestion, but I'm also not a Dr. 

Have they done an x-ray?  I'm not sure if they even do x-rays on babies' lungs.  I think you should follow your instincts and keep pressing until you find the thing that works for DC.  GL!

Also, I'm sorry DC is sick and has ear infections.  It must be so hard seeing it and just wanting your baby to be well again.

SarahFin

lynnbeez:

Pulmicort is a preventative medicine.  If DC hasn't been taking it prior to the cold, it will not work now.  I can't tell from your post when DC started the meds.

Have they done an x-ray?  I'm not sure if they even do x-rays on babies' lungs.  I think you should follow your instincts and keep pressing until you find the thing that works for DC.  GL!

Also, I'm sorry DC is sick and has ear infections.  It must be so hard seeing it and just wanting your baby to be well again.

We've been on Pulmicort for about 3 weeks now and the pedi said it should work as a preventative after a few days.  The albuterol/xopenex treatments started at the end of July.

We have done an x-ray which was clear.  We also did a cystic fibrosis test which was negative.  Next is the upper GI series to see if he has refulx that causes the wheezing.  I can't really move up the Pulmonologist follow-up appt until after all the tests are done.  Oh, I guess I mistyped before - the next test is 2 weeks away, the pulmonologist is a month away.  I might try to move that up...