********* Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Zee gets an allergy cough every summer now for the past few years. Right now we're doing daily Claritin and Flonase, and it's just not working. It's a very, VERY persistent cough, and it's definitely allergies. Please help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 We switched DD from Claritin to Zyrtec (generic brand version) about a year ago. The Zyrtec seems to be working much better. Try a humidifier in her room at night to ease her coughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Are you sure he doesn't have some asthma related to his allergies? I didn't think oldest did but an inhaler has made a huge difference when her allergies become bad and she starts coughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Are you sure he doesn't have some asthma related to his allergies? I didn't think oldest did but an inhaler has made a huge difference when her allergies become bad and she starts coughing. :iagree: Sounds like it may be more asthma related than allergies. Talk to the dr about trying an inhaler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Yep. Sounds like asthma. Cough variant induced by allergies. I never would have guessed that DS has asthma. He doesn't wheeze. But the cough. :( Now we know. You might mention it to the doc. We do a daily inhaler and Nasonex, have reduced his allergen exposure (knowing what to reduce was key) - and what a difference! Hope you find answers soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 i agree with the others about the possibility that it's asthma. My asthma boy's seasonal nasal symptoms have done well recently with Xlear nasal spray - within a couple days, he said he thought it was working better than claritin. (I got it at a vitamin store.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Are you sure he doesn't have some asthma related to his allergies? I didn't think oldest did but an inhaler has made a huge difference when her allergies become bad and she starts coughing. I agree. I would have him seen by a pulmonologist. Untreated asthma can cause permanent lung damage, even if it seems mild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 I agree with it likely being cough variant asthma. DS's is much improved when he uses albuterol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Well good grief am I glad I asked! I had no idea! My stepson has asthma, seems to be outgrowing it now that he's 16, but his only flared when he got a cold. So I thought I was familiar with asthma, you know? He has an albuterol rescue inhaler as well as steroid breathing treatments with his nebulizer machine. I have no experience with cough variant asthma induced by allergies. I now have a new research topic. And perhaps a trip to the pediatrician. Or should I skip the ped and go straight to a pulmonologist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Chestal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Wow. So, yeah, cough variant asthma triggered by allergies does seem to be exactly what he has. He gets hay fever allergies every summer, and starts coughing. It's been this way at least three years now. Good grief I can't believe it's taken me this long to figure out what's going on. I feel kinda like a bad mom. Ugh. I'll be calling his pediatrician in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Wow. So, yeah, cough variant asthma triggered by allergies does seem to be exactly what he has. He gets hay fever allergies every summer, and starts coughing. It's been this way at least three years now. Good grief I can't believe it's taken me this long to figure out what's going on. I feel kinda like a bad mom. Ugh. I'll be calling his pediatrician in the morning. Don't feel bad. That's why we are here to help each other. My son saw a pulmonologist the first time by pure luck because he was the one signing off for the residents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted July 8, 2013 Author Share Posted July 8, 2013 Don't feel bad. That's why we are here to help each other. My son saw a pulmonologist the first time by pure luck because he was the one signing off for the residents. Thanks Mrs. Mungo. At 11:15 when he was STILL awake because he was coughing so much, I pulled out the nebulizer and albuterol and gave him a breathing treatment. Before we did it, he said "Mommy, I have this awful tickle in my throat that no matter how hard or how much I cough it won't go away!". I explained to him the best I could what I thought was going on, and how this medicine should help. After he finished the treatment, he said the tickle was small now, and he felt like he could breathe better. He still coughed some but was able to fall asleep. I'm going to try to get him in to be seen tomorrow, because from my reading, it seems I want him on a inhaled controller med for the summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 My DS responds well to Singulair in combination with Zyrtec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Wanted to come back and both update and thank all you ladies. We got ds in to the pediatrician on the 11th; we left on the 12th for a ten day vacation. She did breathing tests and determined he does indeed have asthma. She has him on Pulmicort to control it for now, with using albuterol nebulizer treatments as needed. The Pulmicort is helping *some*; I'm hoping things will continue to improve over the next two or so weeks as it builds up. He hasn't needed a nebulizer treatment in over a week, so obviously things are getting some better. Anyone have any experiences to share with Pulmicort? Is there anything "better" I should ask for? Not to mention, there's no generic for Pulmicort yet, so the prescription had a FIFTY DOLLAR copay. :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 There is generic for Pulmicort: Budesomide. We have it for the nebulizer. Not sure about the inhaler form. My kids have a name brand inhaler called Qvar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Thanks for the update! Glad you got a diagnosis. I hope he is feeling better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 I know a couple families who have had children with similar issues who had great success with Young Living Lavender oil. Used topically on the chest and also diffused. We've used lavender for allergy issues and it's amazing how quickly it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 My son also has cough variant asthma. He takes Qvar as well and it works well for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 There is generic for Pulmicort: Budesomide. We have it for the nebulizer. Not sure about the inhaler form. My kids have a name brand inhaler called Qvar. He is using the flexhaler by Pulmicort. I know a couple families who have had children with similar issues who had great success with Young Living Lavender oil. Used topically on the chest and also diffused. We've used lavender for allergy issues and it's amazing how quickly it works! Thank you so much, I will look into this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Mine are on advair and Flovent. Ds was on pulmicort but it wasn't good enough. Advair for him is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 My daughter uses Advair. Did they treat the allergies as well? That is a key piece here---allergy pill and if needed Singulaire and/or nasal spray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 So glad you got some answers and some hope! My daughter uses Advair. Did they treat the allergies as well? That is a key piece here---allergy pill and if needed Singulaire and/or nasal spray Yes, treating the allergies is key here, too. We use Nasonex (nasal spray) as Singulair was a disaster. DS also uses Advair and QVar daily. We've had the best spring/summer ever on this combo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 My son did well on an Advair/Nasonex combo when he was younger. He is now just on Advair and has done well with just that here in HI. Singulair caused him mood problems. It slowly builds up in your system. It took a couple of years for him to start having issues with it. I only connected the issues with the Singulair because I had read it was a potential side effect online. He had started to become angry all the time. It took about 2 weeks to get out of his system, then he was his happy self again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 What worked for Calvin was an air cleaner machine running in his bedroom overnight. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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