Does your refluxer need an inhalor? If so, what kind, and is it for asthma or for another reason? Also, does your refluxer cough up a lot of phlegm?

We just learned from the MRI doctor on Monday that Evan has inflamation in his lungs. (It was obvious--apparently--b/c of the large amounts of clear phlegm that Evan coughs up.) It's caused from breathing in all of the acid. He sent a referral to a pediatric respirologist at the same hospital after I said that there are no such specialists near us and that Evan's ped. will only deal with the larger issues, and that the GP would end up having to prescribe the correct steroid puffer. Out of concern that Evan might be given the wrong amounts, the MRI doctor made the referral.

No, my little reflux doesn't use a puffer but i am wondering about the whezing she does. They say her lungs are clear.

Zapsmom

I just saw this question and I dont know what Evan is doing now but Finlay uses a steriod puffer twice a day plus a releaver when needed. He has been weezy since the day he has been born and the steriods really seem to help, but I HATE that he has to use it. It make me really nervous

Darcy

Evan is on the steroid inhaler twice a day for 3 months and has a second inhaler in case of an "emergency". After the 3 months, it will be reviewed. Unfortunately, he doesn't always get the bedtime dose of inhaler. It's my dh's responsibility and he usually forgets. The Nasonex (nasal spray) is making a huge difference, though.

If you had asked this question a week ago, the answer would have been "no". But of course it is never a dull moment around our house! Patrick has RSV and is now using an inhaler twice a day.

Cheryl

Oh no...hope he gets better soon!

If you had asked this question a week ago, the answer would have been "no". But of course it is never a dull moment around our house! Patrick has RSV and is now using an inhaler twice a day.

Cheryl
That RSV is the absolute worst! How is Patrick doing by now?

Hi Janette-
Patrick is doing much better now, thanks for asking. Just when you think you can't handle anymore, things like that happen. It's funny because there is so much going on everyday with the reflux that when he gets "normal" baby things, it is always such a shock to me. Now we will keep our eyes open and see if he develops asthma in the future. (it is common after having RSV). It's always something.

Cheryl

My son 5 1/2 months sounds congested all the time but his lungs are clear. So hes not needed an inhaler yet .

Glad to hear he doesn't need an inhaler...can't imagine trying to get an infant to use one of those things!

I notice your avatar isn't working, feel free to send me the photo and I'll upload it for you...for some reason the boards aren't finding the photos when users upload.

yes michael is on flovent, a preventative med, and was on albuterol until last week when he had a 4 hr coughing episode and it didn't work. his pulmonoligist sent us to the er and they didn't know why he was doing it. they put him on steroids and they helped. yesterday was the first episode since, but the pulmo perscribed him ipratropium bromide (its generic i think for something else and i can't remember the name) but it worked very well. it is used w/the nebulizer. that's why were going for testing next week. the pulmo thinks he's aspirating and even started telling me about surgery. :cry: we'll have to wait and see.

Evan is still on Flovent and using Salbutamol only for emergencies. We use Nasonex on him, too. We're still not sure if Evan is breathing in the acid or aspirating. My guess is that it's a combo. of the two, especially since there are little ulcers in his nose. (How sad is that!?!) What tests are you having done next week?

i' sorry about your little boy. :cry: that is terrible. they are going to do a few tests. idon't know the names of the (can't pernounce them more a less spell them) but one is to see how much damage has been done from the reflux and the other is to see how often he's refluxing and if he's asperating on it(this one is 24hrs.) so we will be spending another night at the hospital :roll: they are also going to put in his mickey.

The first test sounds like the scope, but I don't know the name for the second one. Good luck with both, though! I'll look forward to hearing how they went. You already said that you put them on the calendar, right?

yeah i did. at least i think i did it right. thanks :)

My current refluxer does not, but my former refluxer does. He has small airway disease and is on a daily maintenance program. He was on albuterol nebulizer treatments 4x daily from birth until age 4 1/2, and since then (the last 5 years!), he's been on Singular, Advair and Zyrtec every darn day. He's the picture of health if you don't see him popping the pills. It's no big deal to him because he's never had an unmedicated day in his life and he doesn't know anything different.

Iain had RSV at 11 days old and was in the hospital for 8 days. Other than the usual scary stuff, I witnessed a "vegal response" from the deep suctioning. Surely I lost a few years due to that episode.

Unofficially, CHEO is supposedly doing a study on children who have RSV at an early age (I think 1 year and under) and asthma.

Iain started on ventolin at 8 months and flovent at 9 months and it has been non-stop since then. Recently, we have had a great break on the ventolin and it coincides with the start of the zantac.

Leigh