How did your doctor handle exercise-induced asthma?

[Tiramisu]

I suspect a dd has developed this. I'm wondering if the ped will just have her try an inhaler or if we should expect to have other testing done.

 

As some of you may have noticed, I'm really burnt out from dealing with medical issues and I'm just hoping when we go in tonight for our appointment that it will be a quick fix.

[Loowit]

My DD has exercise induced asthma.  She was tested in her regular peds office.  They ran one lung function test, it took about 30 minutes total.  My DD was put on a maintenance med (QVar) and given albuterol to use as needed.  Typically she doesn't run into problems if she is good to take her med every night.  Her asthma is well control most of the time and easy to take care of, unlike my DS which is a whole different story.

[Tap]

Dd14 sees an allergist already so we just talked to her and she prescribed an albuterol inhaler.  It was Night and Day difference for her.  She actually commented that she didn't know what normal breathing during running felt like until she tried the albuterol.  

 

She was diagnosed with asthma (presents as a daily chronic cough)  a while back and uses Qvar for that as well.  She has had pulmonary function tests already so the diagnosis wasn't a surprise. 

[Isabella]

A FYI, I've read quite a bit of information that if the child is well hydrated (and I'm pretty sure that is always, just not the day of exercise) the incidence of exercise induced asthma will be reduced.

 

I think many people are chronically dehydrated without realizing it, but it seems asthmatics are more sensitive to the dehydration.

 

Just something worth considering.

[blondeviolin]

My daughter takes an inhaler before organized exercise.

[AHASRADA]

My ds has an albuterol inhaler that he keeps in his sport bag in case he needs it.

[HappyGrace]

Same as above-albuterol before exercise for dd13. If one doesn't work well, try another. The ProAir (red case) doesn't work nearly as well for her as well as the Proventil (yellow case).

 

Isabella-interesting about the dehydration, thanks!

[sparrow]

Dd uses an albuterol inhaler before sports, when she remembers, but she always keeps it in her bag, just in case. She doesn't typically need it by the end of soccer season because she has built up some endurance.

 

 

A FYI, I've read quite a bit of information that if the child is well hydrated (and I'm pretty sure that is always, just not the day of exercise) the incidence of exercise induced asthma will be reduced.

 

I think many people are chronically dehydrated without realizing it, but it seems asthmatics are more sensitive to the dehydration.

 

Just something worth considering.

 

Thanks for sharing this. It would not surprise me if dd was chronically dehydrated. We really have to stay on her to drink :glare: . 
 

[Jenn121]

My ped gave me the inhaler and said use it the next time she has a problem and if it work she has exercise induced asthma. If it does not come back and we will do more tests.

 

It worked so she just used it before exercise or waits until and incident starts.

 

Jenn

 

P.S. Hydration is not a problem for my Hannah. She drinks like a fish.

 

[Truscifi]

I have exercise induced asthma.  I use an albuterol inhaler before exercise.

[happypamama]

I have had exercise induced asthma for 20 years. It's managed by albuterol inhalers. If I know I will be exercising strenuously, I take a puff of the inhaler before exercising, because preventing the attack in the first place is better than treating it. However, usually, I just keep the inhaler with me when we hike or whatever, and I'll use it only if I need it. I do tend to need it more often if we're outside in the cold; I cannot run in cold weather without needing it.

 

My asthma has been very well-controlled for many years, with me only needing the albuterol occasionally; once a month would be a lot, unless I get a nasty chest cold. However, with the advent of hot weather, it has flared up in the past few years, to the point where I need a preventive inhaler, or I need the albuterol multiple times a day. The preventive makes a huge difference. I mention this because even if it's only exercise induced now, things could change for your daughter at some point.

[MrsJewelsRae]

My dd and I both have asthma that flares with exercise. We both take a puff of ventolin before strenuous exercise such as swimming, jogging, long bike rides, skating, or playing in the snow. If we're just doing moderate exercise we keep the puffer on hand and use as needed, but certain activities I know she'll need help so we get ahead of it and usually it helps. My asthma is worse than hers, there are some activities I just can't do, running nearly kills me, no matter how well medicated I am.

[J-rap]

Our doctors here handle it according to the situation. Asthma runs in our family, so I pretty much know when it's bad and needs a lot or a little help. For example, one of my daughters seemed to develop it fairly recently, but only in the winter when she has a cold. So for her, the doctor was happy to just give her a prescription for an albuterol inhaler to take as needed.

 

For other daughters, if the abluterol alone is not helpful or if it has turned into an actual asthma attack, or if they continue to need the albuterol year-round, then we usually do the lung function test and see if a daily preventative like Advair is necessary. A couple of times we have had to go on Prednisone (a steroid) for 5 days or so.

[Spryte]

Treated by an allergist here, with the support of a pediatrician.  Diagnosed by the allergist, though it was suspected by the pedi.  Daily maintenance meds, and an albuterol inhaler 30 minutes before exercise.  Plus as needed.

 

Totally agree with staying hydrated, too.

 

DS also has allergy induced asthma - are you positive that's not an issue?  Daily allergy meds make a huge difference in his life.

[Tiramisu]

Thanks for all the replies and information.

 

We did get a script for the inhaler. The doctor recommended a lung function test because she's not really sure it's not an endurance thing, though this dd is very physically active and does martial arts all year long. We can't do a lung function test right now because we've got too much going on in the next two weeks, keeping in mind, of course, that she's otherwise fine.

 

I also shared with the doctor--a different ped we agreed to see because ours was running way behind--that her blood test year showed possible allergies, so she decided to do an allergy panel to see if that could be playing a part. Then I asked for a repeat of some things that were low on her blood work last time, D3 and iron, and asked for a celiac panel, explaining that all of my kids have stomach issues. She added a few more things like inflammation markers that I will be thankful to get checked out. I really love our usual ped, but it was nice to get a doctor with a slightly different perspective who was willing to do a little investigating since we will get the blood work done anyway.