Quad Shot Academy Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 My son was on Flovent for 4 months and had no acute asthma attacks. His doc had me wean him off and 2 weeks later he had an attack. His lungs are very bad right now, and the rescue inhaler does little, so he needs to go back on a preventative. Flovent caused his eczema to flare badly. An on call doc prescribed Qvar, but now I see it is known to stunt growth. What is the best preventative inhaler in your opinion? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I am on Advair and have no problems with it but I am an adult and have adult onset asthma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 My ds was on Pulmicort respules for a year and it didn't help him. He was switched to Advair HFA 45/21 and did not need oral steroids once last winter! He did have a bit of a flare, but an increase to 115/21 (I think) cleared him up and he was able to go back down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Advair is one you can ask about. I know you can get Pulmicort in respule form, which we did for three years; the drawback is that you have to administer it daily with a nebulizer which is 1) time consuming and 2) can be costly if your insurance does not cover the nebulizer. We went through three nebulizers, so average one per year, with daily use. It seems to me though that you can also get Pulmicort in an inhaler -- something to ask about I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 My dd is on Advair, and we have been happy with it. (she too tried to come off preventatives and within 2 days had to go back on) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virg Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We did Pulmicort respules until my son was old enough to use an inhaler properly. Now he is on the Advair 230/21 (inhaler not discus). We started on a lower dose but he was still hospitalized. We haven't had a hospital admittance since we this dose! Obviously I really heart it :) His asthma is incredibly reactive and severe though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 My DS is on Qvar. We are happy with it, but you have to keep track of the doses because each one a limited number, and if the medicine is gone, the propellant will still spray out. I suppose all steroids stunt growth to some extent? But I want DS to breathe, first of all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Little Nyssa is correct that a potential side effect of all inhaled steroids is some growth retardant. However, the good news is, that with medications such as Advair, several studies have indicated that over the course of treatment, any initial slowing of growth tends to be made up later on. Kids "catch" up. My ds, Jackson, was hospitalized 4 times by his fourth birthday. Pulmicort did little to stem his asthma flare-ups. However, as soon as he went on Advair, we noticed an amazing improvement. He was first put on the 45/21 strength, but bumped up to 115/21 this past winter, due to a series of flare-ups from viral infections. It controls his asthma well enough for him to be one of the top players on his ice hockey team, ride his bike, swim, and basically be very active. I would also point out that though inhaled steroids can hinder growth temporarily, uncontrolled asthma has far worse implications. Chronic reduced oxygenation to the body's cells will definitely affect growth, to say nothing of the effects of scar tissue building up in the lungs from inflammation, and how that can also lead to permanent loss of function. So, controlled asthma with steroid inhaler definitely beats uncontrolled, or poorly controlled asthma in my book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcelmer Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 "I would also point out that though inhaled steroids can hinder growth temporarily, uncontrolled asthma has far worse implications. Chronic reduced oxygenation to the body's cells will definitely affect growth, to say nothing of the effects of scar tissue building up in the lungs from inflammation, and how that can also lead to permanent loss of function." :iagree: I was kind of worried about taking my rescue inhaler when preggo, but my midwife gently pointed out that a low o2 level to the baby would be much worse than the medication. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 What is the best preventative inhaler in your opinion? :bigear: Most of the preventative inhalers are corticosteroids and there's no one "best", just forms that work better on different individuals. I did better with Pulmicort than the others. I'd also consider the possibility that something else was the cause of the eczema. Flovent is an anti-inflammatory--the same category of drugs used to treat eczema--and I believe skin reactions to inhaled corticosteroids are uncommon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Shot Academy Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 I did not notice Flovent having stunted growth as a side effect. Qvar specifically says not to use it w/o a break in children due to stunted growth. It does not have eczema listed as a side effect, but Flovent does. According to the package insert, Flovent causes eczema in 3% of people. My son's eczema has always been treatable. A few weeks after starting Flovent it got really bad. No matter what we did, he was miserable and could not sleep. When we weaned down to 2 puffs a day, it got better; when we stopped Flovent, it went away entirely. I think after this inhaler is done, we will try Advair. But I will read the package insert before I buy it! :tongue_smilie: Thanks for the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 My son was on pulmicort and flovent in the past. He's on an advair inhaler now and does pretty well with it. He's been on some form since he was 4. He was also on a nasal spray for a long time. He took Singulair for 3 or 4 years until it started causing him mood problems. He is really, *really* small for his age. The endocrinologist and pulmonologist worked together to get him on the fewest medications that worked for him because they do worry that they are inhibiting his growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Shot Academy Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 Ack! Am I reading this right? That Advair should only be used if other inhalers don't work, due to increased death rate?? :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Ack! Am I reading this right? That Advair should only be used if other inhalers don't work, due to increased death rate?? :001_huh: When it comes to asthma, yes. My son doesn't have asthma, he has a form of COPD. So, regular asthma medications don't do anything for him at all. According to my understanding, advair is typically used in asthma patients to get asthma under control and then they step them back down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 You know, there is something else you can do about this whole problem. It is to control it at the incipient level by using decongestants and antihistimines to control allergies and cold symptoms. I find that that has significantly reduced the frequency of needing to resort to the steroids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Shot Academy Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 When it comes to asthma, yes. My son doesn't have asthma, he has a form of COPD. So, regular asthma medications don't do anything for him at all. According to my understanding, advair is typically used in asthma patients to get asthma under control and then they step them back down. :grouphug: So sorry. Advair is not for him them. Flovent worked perfectly for him, asthma wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Shot Academy Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 You know, there is something else you can do about this whole problem. It is to control it at the incipient level by using decongestants and antihistimines to control allergies and cold symptoms. I find that that has significantly reduced the frequency of needing to resort to the steroids. I don't think that colds or allergies have anything to do with his asthma, thanks though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) --- Edited November 10, 2021 by prairiewindmomma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I don't have a suggestion for you as my son uses Flovent and it works for him without causing a problem with his eczema. I did, however, want to mention that Pulmicort was a flaming disaster here. Ds was angry, weepy, and sleepless during the four months he took it. It was so bad that my father said he would not babysit my son if he were using the Pulmicort. Shortly after we took him off it, his behavior returned to normal. Pulmicort was a big fat failure. Also, my son has been using various inhalers/neubulizer meds for six years, and he is in the 90th percentile for height. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 My 8 year old has been on Q-var since he was 2 and it has definitely not stunted his growth. We've been very happy with Q-var, but we've found that a big part of controlling his asthma is controlling his allergies, which we do with Zyrtec and Nasonex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) I did not notice Flovent having stunted growth as a side effect. Qvar specifically says not to use it w/o a break in children due to stunted growth. It does not have eczema listed as a side effect, but Flovent does. According to the package insert, Flovent causes eczema in 3% of people. My son's eczema has always been treatable. A few weeks after starting Flovent it got really bad. No matter what we did, he was miserable and could not sleep. When we weaned down to 2 puffs a day, it got better; when we stopped Flovent, it went away entirely. I think after this inhaler is done, we will try Advair. But I will read the package insert before I buy it! :tongue_smilie: Thanks for the input! As an RN IMHO I would not go completely by the package insert. All drugs have a lengthy list of possible side effects but many of the effects are rare and could be coincidental. I would discuss with your pulmonologist and also pharmacist. Also some effects are much more common and these I would be more concerned about IMHO. As to whether excema is common with Flovent, I am unsure but again pharmacists are a wealth of info concerning meds:) Eczema and asthma and sometimes allergies go hand in hand from what I understand. So the eczema and flovent could have been a coincidence as well. From what I understand steroid inhalers are a very important component of asthma control and also help to prevent lung damage from uncontrolled asthma. The risk of slightly stunted growth is a slight worry IMHO compared to lung damage:(. Edited June 2, 2011 by priscilla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Eczema and asthma and sometimes allergies go hand in hand from what I understand. They do, and it has to do with a high level of immune globulin e (IgE) production. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Asthmanex is the one that has helped my DH the most. I used to to dread cold/allergy season as his asthma always led to pneumonia/bronchitis. I can't count how many times I thought I was going to have to call 911 because he couldn't breathe. I was literally afraid to let him out of my sight. Since going on Asthmanex, however, a cold is 'just' a cold, and I'm not so afraid I'm going to lose him. :001_unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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