Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.comHalf of "untreatable" asthma cases may be treatable
Seeded on Wed Sep 8, 2010 2:16 PM EDT (msnbc.com)
— Filed under: health
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My son has severe asthma and is on his 3rd round of steroids in 3 weeks. He takes his medicines like h e is supposed to and there is no smoking around him. We have been trying to get him to start allergy shots but has not been steroid free. I don't know what else to do at this point. He is a healthy kid besides that and loves sports and this is really affecting it.
Angie: I've had 'unmanaged' (the term 'untreatable' is not medically correct; it is objectionable for relating to 'hopeless') asthma/allergy disease for 43 years. I relate to your concerns and remember when I was 13 and before the allergy immunology treatment began, it did take high doses of oral prednisone with time-released bronchodilating medication (probably a bacterial antibiotic too) several times just to calm it down before testing. Asthma is so easily irritated it does scare and worry parents & cause doubts which is common. It sounds like the doctor is not a general practitioner but maybe specialized in asthma/allergies or pulmonary diseases if he's prescribed 3 series of corticosteroid in 3-4 weeks. If the physician has solely prescribed that medication it would be very questionable but if other meds/treatments are included, like Advair Diskus, ProAir Inhaler, a time-released capsule even an open RX for a breathing treatment at a local ER or Urgent Care then things are fine and it just requires patience. The allergy shots are more time-energy consuming actually but the right serum is worth the efforts. My folks were very dedicated to the whole picture and didn't let me cheat or miss any directives and even though I'm a worse-case scenario (my lung 'collapsed' at 18, spontaneously) the immunology experiment in the 70's and new meds ever since saved my life more than once. At age 9 my life expectancy was around 20-21 years. The boon of research happened then and I just turned 50.
Angie, my older brother had asthma as a child. He "outgrew" it in his early teens. While I'm not sure "outgrew" is the proper term, I know that his symptoms disappeared [he played sports] and then reoccurred later on, but not nearly as severe, in his thirties. I will send you a link and a FAQ number you can call. Check your Vine page.
Hope you're doing well. Keep on keeping on. You're a fantastic mama, to be sure.
I did get the message and will check it out. I am so tired of the doctors. He is on his 3rd round and everytime he takes it he gains weight and is very moody. Thankfully it has not stunted his growth as he is 11 1/2 yrs old and 5'4 1/2" and 162 pds. He needs drop about 20 pounds. I enrolled him in a program for weight loss. I am not sure he needs it yet but maybe if he has the knowledge then it will not be a problem. I am sure that if he had not been on steroids anywhere from 4-10 times a year he wouldn't be this weight. It's a miracle drug but a curse. He has a moustache and isn't even 12 it's pretty noticiable. He gets us all sick and now I am on steroids as well. Love the kid but I am exhausted between his issues with asthma and his brothers special needs I am well over due for a vacation without the kiddos. I hope in my old age my kids take as good care of me as I did with them. Hope you day is blessed.
Much of asthma is triggered by airborne allergies. New developments in sublingual immunotherapy offer relief. Firstly, full disclosure here, we offer it online as it is an OTC treatment in Canada at prices comparable to antihistamines. Not saying you shouldn't see an allergist to determine your allergies but people have been buying allergy drops in Europe for decades and self administering. It would be a shame if cost prevented you from escaping the torment of airborne allergies. Several other posters here also have put up links to their practices, so I assume it is ok if it is on topic.
Secondly, the evidence supporting it is accumulating all the time to support its safety and efficacy in comparison to allergy shots see http://allergyspecific.com/content/scienctific-research-on-immunotherapy
I took all my meds and had horrible problems as a kid and the treatments never worked well for me. I didn't outgrow it at all. I finally went alternative and ordered some Yamoa and haven't even had to use my emergency inhaler in over two years and have now stopped my steriods.
After over 50 years of restrictions and problems is hard to get used to the idea of being free of the drugs and side effects (osteoporosis), but I'm very grateful .