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oral steroid for asthma ?


sbgrace
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My son has an oral steroid perscription for 5 days. He's on day 2. The steroid is helping the asthma (no asthma symptoms at all with it). However, it's making him a mess otherwise.

 

Do you think I need to keep giving it for 5 days? That seems like a long time. I don't think my other son took it that long even with anaphylactic stuff. Can we go off and see how it goes?

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My oldest dd used to need steroids for asthma, so I feel your pain. But I would give it to him for the full five days. If you stop before the inflammation is fully resolved, one of two things happens. The inflammation doesn't cause visible symptoms but continues causing damage, or the inflammation worsens and the wheezing comes back.

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Is he on Prednisone? That is a pretty strong steroid, but it works. My son usually ends up on an oral steroid for his asthma at least once during the winter season. I know that during that time to forget trying to homeschool because he is either bouncing off of the walls, or sleeping!

 

I agree with everyone else to keep your son on it. It's better to have him a mess and breathing than not.

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If it is an inhaled steroid I would recommend finishing it. I was under the impression you needed the full dose to be effective. Now if he is on prednisone and you see any psych related issues or paranoia then call your Dr. They usually recommend a med change if this is the case. I had psych issues with prednisone and it was freaky. It took me a long time to recover from it.

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It is oral prednisone. He's extremely hyper and also very emotionally reactive. It's like a crazy level of energy in all ways--like his mind, body, and emotions are in over-drive??

 

His twin has been on steroids occasionally and I never saw any dramatic changes like this. Ugh. Ok, three more days. He's taking a twice a day. I wonder if that's part of it. I can't remember if his brother took this much this often.

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It is oral prednisone. He's extremely hyper and also very emotionally reactive. It's like a crazy level of energy in all ways--like his mind, body, and emotions are in over-drive??

 

I would continue just in case but also call the doctor office and let them know. The doctor may need to adjust the dosage or change the medicine. Adverse effects should be documented in his medical history anyway for future reference. I am allergic to prednisone in tablet form.

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What dose is he on - as an adult I used 5mg twice a day for 5 days and then moved to an oral inhaler with steroid in it and have not had to take the oral prednisolone again. Maybe he needs a lower dose? Also what are they planning on doing once the oral steroid is finished since it doesn't cure asthma - I'd give them a call and ask about the symptoms and also what the plan is after the steroid is finished.

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My son has an oral steroid perscription for 5 days. He's on day 2. The steroid is helping the asthma (no asthma symptoms at all with it). However, it's making him a mess otherwise.

 

Do you think I need to keep giving it for 5 days? That seems like a long time. I don't think my other son took it that long even with anaphylactic stuff. Can we go off and see how it goes?

 

Steriods are a hard journey. I guess it depends on how bad the asthma was if I would have even started...

 

We used high dose steroids for Abby as part of her chemotherapy regim when she had cancer (standard protocol). They do make one a "mess" and definitely disrupt family rhythm, however since you are already down the steroid road and you should taper up and down on steroids its better just to keep going and finish the course in my opinion.

 

I feel your pain...of all the drugs we gave (and there were so many) steriods were the ones I had to literally force myself to give while my daughter was sick, I guess because in my mind (not in reality) there was an ambiguity about what they were actually doing OTHER than making my child miserable. In truth, they are fantastic when used appropriately. Keep lots of protein around, (Choclate milk was Abby's favorite), some salty snacks, potassium rich foods (helps with moodiness associated with steroids) and keep TV, loud noises, etc.. to a minimum.

 

You guys will do great.

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What dose is he on - as an adult I used 5mg twice a day for 5 days and then moved to an oral inhaler with steroid in it and have not had to take the oral prednisolone again. Maybe he needs a lower dose? Also what are they planning on doing once the oral steroid is finished since it doesn't cure asthma - I'd give them a call and ask about the symptoms and also what the plan is after the steroid is finished.

 

I don't know. I'm actually getting concerned. He had an asthma attack early this morning. He's still coughing today and not breathing as well.

 

This is the first time he's ever had asthma in his life (the onset was with pneumonia that has been treated with an antibiotic).

 

We don't have a taper plan or anything. I do have albuterol but he has had no response to abluterol in this entire thing which has been going on for 1.5 months.

 

I wonder if we need pulmonology. I'm really getting concerned. I have a child with asthma. I've never seen anything like what this kid is experiencing with asthma though. The lack of response to inhaler is so strange to me.

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Do you have a nebulizer? In my asthmatic son, if his asthma starts trying to kick his butt, I drop the inhaler and pull out the nebulizer. It gives more albuterol, and more effectively, than just the inhaler.

 

The first time my son was admitted into the hospital it was after his asthma wasn't responding even to the nebulizer. I had given him 2 rounds back to back, and not even that touched it. He was so tight that his lungs were actually clear but his tubes were super tight. When his tubes finally loosened his lungs were filled with gunk instantly.

 

If all you have is a rescue inhaler and it's not touching it, I would consider bringing him into the Dr immediately. Hopefully one round of a continuous nebulizer (about an hour's worth of albuterol) will knock it out and help him feel better.

 

And definitely ask for a nebulizer. It's better to have one and not need it then to need it and not have it.

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Dd#3 was on liquid Prednisone for 10 days (tapering) recently for Bells Palsy. She was hungry all the time, crabbier than she usually is, and had some really weird mental issues (like she couldn't read the word 'him' and almost started crying when she couldn't figure out how to count by 10s).

 

Definitely call your doc with what you are seeing. (And don't be afraid to get a second opinion!) Mommy-instincts are usually right-on.

 

:grouphug:

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I would go back to the doctor - is the pneumonia definitely totally cleared as prednisolone should be given with an antibiotic if there is any chance of infection - although you did say he was treated for pneumonia a while back - how long was he on the antibiotic. Anything that causes a bronchitis will make asthma worse. If the inhaler is not working and he has had a nebulizer then he definitely needs checking - if you do not want to buy a nebulizer then you can always just go and have one in an emergency ward. The other thing that sometimes helps is a bronchodilating cough mixture as sometimes there is just too much junk in the lungs and getting it loosened and coughed up means that there is less apparent asthma - this is not a long term solution though but a try in the meantime thing.

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. I'm going now to take him in to urgent care.

 

Ask for a home nebulizer kit if you don't have one. It is covered by insurance most of the time.

 

See if there is somewhere else you can wait while in urgent care. The counter nurse may be able to issue you a buzzer. I get "more sick" waiting there.

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Ok. Thank you all for responding.

 

I called pulmonology but they can't get him in until next week. I'm going now to take him in to urgent care. I am actually concerned. I hope the doctor knows what he's doing with asthma.

 

It's a good choice to take him to urgent care. Breathing is important. You don't want to mess around with that.

 

And I second asking for a nebulizer

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I don't know. I'm actually getting concerned. He had an asthma attack early this morning. He's still coughing today and not breathing as well.

 

This is the first time he's ever had asthma in his life (the onset was with pneumonia that has been treated with an antibiotic).

 

We don't have a taper plan or anything. I do have albuterol but he has had no response to abluterol in this entire thing which has been going on for 1.5 months.

 

I wonder if we need pulmonology. I'm really getting concerned. I have a child with asthma. I've never seen anything like what this kid is experiencing with asthma though. The lack of response to inhaler is so strange to me.

 

A five day pediatric course for asthma isn't tapered.

 

I would definitely get him seen for his worsening symptoms. :grouphug:

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Only five days? The few times my dd had to take prednisone, it was for 10 days, building up to maximum dosage then cutting it down. She needed it.

 

If she'd had to take it on a regular basis, I'd have been more concerned, but she only had an asthma attack once a year, always triggered by a respiratory infection, so she was a really sick little girl, poor thang.

 

If your ds's doctor prescribed it, I'm sure it was necessary.

 

:grouphug:

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A five day pediatric course for asthma isn't tapered.

 

I would definitely get him seen for his worsening symptoms. :grouphug:

 

My kids were always tapered.

 

SBG, I am glad you are taking him in; if he is not responding to the steroid therapy, something is not right, and I am surprised pulmonology would put him off like that. Trust your "mommy gut" and stay on it!

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Well, you guys were right. A nebulizer is what the doctor recommended. He felt there was a good chance we could nip this still via better albuterol delivery and not have to extend the steroid course though that's another option. His pulse ox was a bit lower than they would hope but nothing critical. He thinks this is more due to getting over the pneumonia impaired function than asthma and the residual cough is also related to that. I'm glad I took him in. I'll sleep better tonight I think.

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