Exercise induced asthma

[skymama 37]

My 14 year old son was just diagnosed with exercise induced asthma today. Most of you know he plays soccer and last night he had to come off the field because he couldn't breathe, felt cold in his chest and his eyes were dialated. He has had to come off the field because he couldn't breathe well before, but it was nothing like this. We just thought he came off before because he was running around a lot, so of course he is going to get winded.

This whole world of inhalers and triggers is new to me. I guess I'm just wanting to know what I can do as his mom to help him stay on top of this. His level of play is different than before now since he's playing Varsity and some boys are 4 years older than he is. I've been reading the forums and I know that some people said cold weather is a trigger for them. Playing at night in cooler air is a new thing for him too. The doctor gave us this instrument for him to breathe into so we can track his lung capacity.

I guess I'm just a worried mom. Any words of wisdom for how I can help him would be very much appreciated.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[ReBirth 0]

I have it as well. I use a Proventil inhaler about a half hour before exercise and don't have any problems. As I've gotten older, even though I continued to smoke almost a pack a day (more than 3 months nicotine free now though) my asthma continually got less severe. Just my personal experience....his mileage may vary.

Cold weather definitely more of a factor.

[nerd137 0]

I have the same condition. Cold weather TOTALLY makes a difference. When it's warm and dry out, I rarely have to use my inhaler. But since the weather got colder a few weeks back, I've had to use it at least once a day.

One thing you may want to ask your doctor about is something called Flovent. I'm just about to start using it myself. Instead of waiting for an asthma attack to actually occur, Flovent is a preventative measure. I got tired of always having to carry around an inhaler so I'm hoping this will help. Hell, even laughing really hard for a long time (think: funny movie or stand up comedy) will trigger an attack.

[skymama 37]

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I use a Proventil inhaler about a half hour before exercise and don't have any problems.

That's interesting. I thought you had to wait for the symptoms to start before you could use the inhaler. Maybe he should take a puff before the game starts up?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[ReBirth 0]

Oh...and I see in the other thread you have a cat. Hate to tell you this, but even though I never displayed a cat allergy, per se, after moving away from home (and cats) I noticed a definite improvement.

[skymama 37]

Oh, great. He's had cats around him for his whole life though. He also doesn't have a problem unless he is playing. Do you have to use your inhaler when you're just doing normal stuff?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[mailin 0]

I've got the same thing, diagnosed at the same age - 15. The peak flow meter your son was given is going to be the best meter for him. I noticed just a few weeks ago that my best has been about 370, meaning that I'm having some issues and as a result I've been told to take more medication.

If he hasn't seen an asthma/allergy specialist it might not be a bad idea. I saw one and relized I had alot of indoor allergies that triggered it too. I now take a steroidal inhaler called Proventil, 4 puffs 2 times a day. Some people also take 'fast acting' inhalers like albuterol - they help with acute issues such as your sons issue last night.

Cold weather is a major trigger for me too. I wear a scarf over my mouth after December 1st whenever I am outside. If I'm doing any kind of activity outside I'm sure to have something over my mouth the entire time. Drinking black coffee can also help during an asthma attack (but it tastes gross, I know).

Asthma attacks can be scary, but as long as you take your medicine and learn what your triggers are you can usually stop the bad things from happening.

Best of luck,

Jen

Arianna Frances

[ReBirth 0]

He should do what the doc says. But Proventil and similar (I forget the active ingredient) are preventative inhalers. They're slow acting, long lasting bronchio dialaters. There are different products, usually steroidal based, used as emergency inhalers. I've never had one of them, and in a pinch the proventil will work in that capacity.

[mailin 0]

YOu can have him allergy tested. I was worried about a cat allergy also, as I've had cat my whole life. Turned out I was allergic to dust and mold - which was rampant in my families 'older' home. Moving out of that situation fixed that trigger, it wasn't the cats.


Jen

Arianna Frances

[mailin 0]

Proventil is a steroid inhaler - those are 'everyday/long term' inhalers. Albuterol and such are fast acting inhalers and not good for long term as they increase the serum levels in your blood and cause increased heart rate and 'shakes'.

Jen

Arianna Frances

[ReBirth 0]

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Oh, great. He's had cats around him for his whole life though. He also doesn't have a problem unless he is playing. Do you have to use your inhaler when you're just doing normal stuff?

So did I have them around always...didn't get diagnosed until I was about 12, when I started playing football. I haven't needed my inhaler for literally years, although I've also been pretty sedentary the past few years. Since I started up back at the gym a few months ago I take a puff on my way to the locker room. The couple times I've forgotten, I was definitely more winded than usual after 30mins on the elipitcal, but nothing serious.

[ReBirth 0]

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YOu can have him allergy tested. I was worried about a cat allergy also, as I've had cat my whole life. Turned out I was allergic to dust and mold - which was rampant in my families 'older' home. Moving out of that situation fixed that trigger, it wasn't the cats.


Jen

That's a good point. It could very well have been our musty basement...not the cats.

[ccowden 0]

Have you been to an allergist? I couldn't figure out why I was having so much trouble in certain places until I went and had the tests done. Turned out that I was very allergic to cats and never knew it. I grew up with cats too, and never THOUGHT I had a problem either. Prolonged exposure can worsen other allergic or asthmatic conditions.

As far as EIA, it is VERY common. Our airways have a reaction to cold air that produces a "natural asthma." Airways restrict and become inflamed as a natural defense causing us to cough alot in cold air during exercise. Harmless to most, this can have a drastic affect on asthmatic lungs. In most cases, an inhaler will work fine to help relax the airways.

[skymama 37]

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I noticed just a few weeks ago that my best has been about 370, meaning that I'm having some issues and as a result I've been told to take more medication.

Wow, when he tried it out today, the best he could do was 350.

We do have allergies in my family, I took shots for 6 years when I was younger. The only other major bad time he had was earlier this year when we traveled south to a game. The smell of orange blossoms was in the air and within 2 minutes he was mentioning how it was hard to breathe there. I just thought that was kind of a weird statement until he started playing, couldn't breathe and we got a store-bought inhaler. We just thought it was a freak thing at the time. I think I'll make an appointment for him, just for peace of mind.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[skycat 0]

I have exercise induced asthma and no longer need inhalers or anything like that. So it can be controlled although it's more knowing what triggers it and working with those situations. Cold dry air is the worst for it, so when I lived in North Dakota it about killed me to do any excercise outside. Here in CO in the winter I just make sure to have my nose and mouth covered so the air warms up and humidifies some before hitting my lungs.

The worst for me was in High School, but as I got old it seemed to get alot better, now only things like smoke machines, cigarette smoke, and running in the snow will set it off. When it does happen though all I have to do is go in a warm place sit down and concentrate on breathing and in a few minutes everything is fine again.

For me it definately wasn't the end of the world. In HS I was in gymnastics and danceline, College just danceline but after college and today I snowboard, mountain bike, rockclimbing, and well of course skydive and have never had a problem.
Oh I do have severe grass allergies, I used to get bronchitis twice a year during the wheat harvest and planting.

Fly it like you stole it!

[tigra 0]

Seriously- my mom's old house? I think it was full of toxic mold and dust. I was OK until I went away to college then suddenly I was having allergy and asthma attacks after I moved back home. Once I moved out, I was pretty much OK as long as I managed my seasonal allergies and I do have cats!

Whenever I went back for the holidays or whatever (and the same was true for my sisters) it would all start up again. One Thanksgiving, my sister was literally passing my niece's inhaler around the dinner table! I swear it was the house!

[Broke 0]

i am not sure what it is called, but there is a steriodal inhaler that can be used as a preventative deal. This is the kind that my mother uses. Another tip you may need to do is keep the house clean lots of vaccuming, and get yourself an Ionic Breeze. I have known people who have had asthma, but have been able to work through it. The body just needs to adjust and overcome this evolutionary left over. Most fast acting inhalers contain albuterol which is a drug classified as a stimulant as well as a bronchiodilator. If your son is alergic to peanuts or soy you should avoid this drug. Watching an asthma attack is one of the most terrorfying things anyone could watch especially if it your child who's suffering. My grandfather had to move to Arizonza when his allergies and asthma got to be too much for him to handel. I hope any of that mess I just puked up on this screen makes any sence. And what everyone was saying about a specialist deffinitally go that way. Cold air you might want to get him a gator to wear while he is playing because it will trap the heat of the exhaled air, and warm the ai he is breathing in better. However when someone is having a bad attack the cold air will help them to breath a little better, this is accoding to several paramedics I used to work with.
Good luck with your son's problems, and remind him not to start smoking.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[mailin 0]

Doctors who specialize in asthma can give you great peice of mind. THey have machines there that can tell you specifically what his best range is - it could be that 350 is not bad for him. My 'green range' is from 400 -450. I haven't seen that since september 1st Ironically its cold weather that is an immediate trigger for me, but I've been hospitalized with asthma once for 3 days (ironically when I was diagnosed) and it was due to a summer cold in August. So staying on top of it is very important. You may find you get overwhelmed at first, but proper treatment will put you at ease.

Just remind your son that even if he feels ok he should still take his steroid inhaler, cause feeling good can go to bad very quickly. Asthma runs in my family and my great-grandfather died during an asthma attack - it happened so quick that my grandmother running next door to get the doctor wasn't enough time

They also have a brand of inhaler that contains both the steroid and fast acting inhaler, sound like it would be good for your active son - that way he can't forget anything. I can't remember the name as I can't take those fast acting ones, but its worth asking about. My brother takes it (its a purple disc shape, the name is on the tip of my tongue) and has had good luck.

Jen

Arianna Frances

[mailin 0]

Here's a good link for you Andrea, with promising news
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/46/1660_51088.htm

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Taken 15-20 minutes before exercise, these medications can prevent the airways from contracting and control exercise-induced asthma for as long as 4-6 hours.

Jen

Arianna Frances

[ReBirth 0]

Actually...proventil IS albuterol. Looking at it right now.

[mailin 0]

You're right! Sorry about that.

I'm thinking of Pulmacort, which is the steroid inhaler. Yes, proventil would be a very good short acting inhaler.


Jen

Arianna Frances

[vt1977 0]

I've been taking Seretide for the first time this year. I don't know if it's also called Seretide in the US (google it, I guess!) but WOW! That drug has taken me from a peak flow of 270ish most days (I should be 400-450) and using my reliever inhaler several times most days to no symptoms at all.

After a week on Seretide, I noticed a difference. A couple of months later I have no symptoms whatsoever!

I literaly haven;t used my reliever in almost 2 months!

Vicki

[Tink1717 2]

I was diagnosed with EIA when I was nine. As long as he has access to his inhalers and uses them prior to exercise, he should be OK. It would be a good idea to get him checked for general allergies as well. An undiagnosed allergy may (as it did in my case, with cats) greatly exacerbate the EIA. Don't be surprised if it turns out the he has a weird allergy, like wheat or gluten. It often hides as EIA. In general, the cooler and drier the air, the more EIA is triggered, also the type of activity is a factor. My case seems to be activated by sustained rhythmic movements. like running, static movements, like lifting weights doesn't seem to trigger it. As for jumping, my EIA has never been n issue for anything I've done in the sky. Good luck. Keep us posted.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[misskriss 0]

Two of my girls had it when they were younger and thankfully have not needed their inhalers in some years now. I know that it can be so scary to see them struggle to breathe. The peak flow meter is a great way to keep on top of it because it will show issues before the child shows symptoms. My youngest played basketball and had the same trouble. We would give her the inhaler before the game and it helped out a great deal. We have cats too but neither of them showed any allergy to cats when tested by the allergist.

[skymama 37]

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Albuterol and such are fast acting inhalers and not good for long term as they increase the serum levels in your blood and cause increased heart rate and 'shakes'.

I just found the script info, they gave him Albuterol 90mcg. So, is this the kind he could take 15 min. before the game starts as a preventive measure? I'm so confused!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon