Re: hi from new member- question regarding breathlessness in my son

[Guest guest]

Glenda,

The first thing I want you to know is that asthma is a disease and is never

" Just in your head " so dont believe that when the dr. says that. I have been

diagnosed with asthma since the 6th grade. I get breathless just walking up

the stairs and my pulmonologist tells me it is connected with my asthma. I

have an inhaler " Intol " for exertion asthma and then other rescue inhalers.

What does help is if I use an inhaler or a breathing treatment before I

exert myself in anything. I would suggest going to a specialist that knows

more about it. Im sorry he is having such trouble I understand what he is

going through. But there is help. Hope that helps. God Bless You All!

Lee Ann

[Guest guest]

Hi Lee Ann,

Thanks for the reply

When you get breathless with any activity, can you describe it to me??? do you wheeze then too, because my son doesn't quite a lot of the time. that is why the drs are saying it isn't asthma.

I just wonder if he has some mild exercise induced asthma on top of the usual asthma symptoms. Is that possible?

thanks

Glenda

Re: hi from new member- question regarding breathlessness in my son

Glenda,The first thing I want you to know is that asthma is a disease and is never"Just in your head" so dont believe that when the dr. says that. I have beendiagnosed with asthma since the 6th grade. I get breathless just walking upthe stairs and my pulmonologist tells me it is connected with my asthma. Ihave an inhaler "Intol" for exertion asthma and then other rescue inhalers.What does help is if I use an inhaler or a breathing treatment before Iexert myself in anything. I would suggest going to a specialist that knowsmore about it. Im sorry he is having such trouble I understand what he isgoing through. But there is help. Hope that helps. God Bless You All!Lee Ann

[Guest guest]

Glenda,

There are times that my shortness of breath doesnt have wheezing at all and it just feels like someone is sitting on my chest and its hard to breath, sometimes like im suffocating and others I wheeze. My Pulmo says its all asthma, just different symptoms and kinds of it. Does your son ever complain of chest pain when he is short of breath or at any time? Yes it is possible to have exercise induced asthma on top of the other. I have excercise induced, allergy related, chronic sinitus related, acid reflux related, and chronic bronchitis related. all with different symptoms.

You are very welcome and good luck!

Lee Ann

[Guest guest]

Hi LeeAnn,

My son has the same sort of complications you are talking about- he has had allergies confirmed with his high IgE levels (extremely high), I'm sure he has sinus though its not confirmed either, he definitely has acid reflux (and has had surgery) and yes he gets chest pain a lot, but i don't think it particular relationship to asthma, and chronic chest infection. I am pretty sure he also gets exercise induced as well.

I find it very interesting that you experience similar symptoms, and that your pulmo says it is asthma related!!

My son's resp rate is often very high, and he is almost panting, trying to get anough air in.

Do you find that too??

Interesting too that you say you have different symptoms with each of them. I hadn't figured on that, thanks for that, i will keep an eye out now for that,

Glenda

Re: hi from new member- question regarding breathlessness in my son

Glenda,

There are times that my shortness of breath doesnt have wheezing at all and it just feels like someone is sitting on my chest and its hard to breath, sometimes like im suffocating and others I wheeze. My Pulmo says its all asthma, just different symptoms and kinds of it. Does your son ever complain of chest pain when he is short of breath or at any time? Yes it is possible to have exercise induced asthma on top of the other. I have excercise induced, allergy related, chronic sinitus related, acid reflux related, and chronic bronchitis related. all with different symptoms.

You are very welcome and good luck!

Lee Ann

[Guest guest]

Glenda,

The chest pain isnt always related to infections. I have something called caustacondritis long name but is means inflammation around the heart. I get pains ranging from collarbone down to my ribs and even on my back. Its the cartilage growing and causes pain. The pain can cause shortness of breath, heavy breathing. What happens is it hurts to take a deep breath so u take shorter faster ones. The test for this is simple you take your pointer and middle finger and tap on the chest under the collarbone. If it hurts then its most likely caustacondritis. You can try ant-inflammatorys but if that doesnt work sometime muscle relaxers and other prescription meds help. I have a hard time with this to where at times I feel like im having a heart attack (This has been misdiagnosed as a possible heart attack).

Also he may be hyperventilating. If his hands or lips or fingers or toes tingle when he is having trouble breathing it most likely is that. To test that the dr has to do an arterial blood gas (very painful) but accurate. Hope this helps.

Lee Ann

[Guest guest]

Hi Lee Ann,

He hasnt complained that his chest hurts like that, but I will doyour simple test. Easy enough to do to find out thanks.

He doesn't seem to be hyperventilating, and never complains of pins and needles or tingling in his extremities. Is there any other way of telling if he is doing that??? and if he is doing that, any idea why he would be?

Thanks once again for your input.

Glenda

Re: hi from new member- question regarding breathlessness in my son

Glenda,

The chest pain isnt always related to infections. I have something called caustacondritis long name but is means inflammation around the heart. I get pains ranging from collarbone down to my ribs and even on my back. Its the cartilage growing and causes pain. The pain can cause shortness of breath, heavy breathing. What happens is it hurts to take a deep breath so u take shorter faster ones. The test for this is simple you take your pointer and middle finger and tap on the chest under the collarbone. If it hurts then its most likely caustacondritis. You can try ant-inflammatorys but if that doesnt work sometime muscle relaxers and other prescription meds help. I have a hard time with this to where at times I feel like im having a heart attack (This has been misdiagnosed as a possible heart attack).

Also he may be hyperventilating. If his hands or lips or fingers or toes tingle when he is having trouble breathing it most likely is that. To test that the dr has to do an arterial blood gas (very painful) but accurate. Hope this helps.

Lee Ann

[Guest guest]

Glenda,

I use to hyperventilate when I was anxious or even during basketball games when i got real excited. If his pulse ox is good while he is still breathing fast then he is hyperventilating.

Lee Ann

____________________________________________________ IncrediMail - Email has finally evolved - Click Here

[Guest guest]

Take him to a new doctor! It sounds like his breathlessness is caused by excerise. If he isn't on any asthma medication daily, it sounds like he should be. There's a lot of good medications out there. Good Luck. Love, Glenna ps. I'm glad you are here, this is a great group.

hi from new member- question regarding breathlessness in my son

Hi all,I hope you can help me. I trust your opinions more than I trust drs. Anyway, my son is 6 yrs old, and has been diagnosed with moderate asthma. He has had 2 bouts of pneumonia in the last few months, and has had lots of asthma flares as well. My main concern is that he gets breathless on exertion, to the point that he can't keep up with his friends. He tells me it makes him go slow when he is puffy. He usually responds to his ventolin, but not always, and because it isn't associated with a wheeze (well, mostly not), the drs are saying the breathlessness is not connected to the asthma, and tell me not to worry about it. Well, I am worried. It is associated with tracheal tug, and he gets quite distressed with it at times, and it responds to oral steroids. From his latest blood test, it has shown up very high levels of IgE, and yet the drs don't want to investigate further the allergy component of his asthma. Does anyone have any comments on this?? I don't buy it that this is all in his head (one suggested it was psychogenic). I am desperate for some answers, and hope someone here can help,thanksGlenda

[Guest guest]

Thanks Glenna,

I've taken him to a few new drs, and none of them can get a handle on it. I think the breathlessness is caused by exercise too, and probably allergies. Since I have been taking more notice, the allergies do seem to really play havoc with him (puffy eyes, scratchy throat, post nasal drip, blocked nose, sneezing, and coughing).

He does take preventers daily (Flovent 250 twice a day at the moment, but has been on advair 250 twice a day up til recently.)

Thanks for your input. I just know I have to keep pursuing this with him, and it helps that I feel supported from members here. Thanks for the welcome too,

Glenda

hi from new member- question regarding breathlessness in my son

Hi all,I hope you can help me. I trust your opinions more than I trust drs. Anyway, my son is 6 yrs old, and has been diagnosed with moderate asthma. He has had 2 bouts of pneumonia in the last few months, and has had lots of asthma flares as well. My main concern is that he gets breathless on exertion, to the point that he can't keep up with his friends. He tells me it makes him go slow when he is puffy. He usually responds to his ventolin, but not always, and because it isn't associated with a wheeze (well, mostly not), the drs are saying the breathlessness is not connected to the asthma, and tell me not to worry about it. Well, I am worried. It is associated with tracheal tug, and he gets quite distressed with it at times, and it responds to oral steroids. From his latest blood test, it has shown up very high levels of IgE, and yet the drs don't want to investigate further the allergy component of his asthma. Does anyone have any comments on this?? I don't buy it that this is all in his head (one suggested it was psychogenic). I am desperate for some answers, and hope someone here can help,thanksGlenda