WOW! I didn't realize it had been so long since I visited here. (6-16) I guess that just shows how well my daughter had been doing. Well, we had Hurricane Ivan visit us this past week and the day before the hurricane hit, my daughters allergies went haywire, which in turn set off her asthma. We struggled without phone and power for three days during which time we were using the Advair, Singulair, and her inhaler pretty frequently(couldn't use the nebulizer) well, we got power and phones back so I called her doc who put her on Prednisone. Her peak flow numbers were into her low yellow zone.....she took the prednisone for four days(which helped ALOT) and she saw her doc on Monday. He put her on a decongestant and cough suppresant (Certuss D) but took her off the Prednisone and xopenex(which we had started as soon as we got power).......Now her cough is getting worse, her numbers are going back down, and the decongestant seems to be making her MORE congested instead of less.........we have had no success with any decongestant/cough suppressant EVER........I don't know what else to do to help her......we are as tired of hearing her cough as I am sure she is of coughing. I guess I really don't have a precise question.....just wanted to share our newest "flare up".............and if you have any suggestions for the extreme congestion/cough I am all ears!!!! THANKS

WOW! I didn't realize it had been so long since I visited here. (6-16) I guess that just shows how well my daughter had been doing. Well, we had Hurricane Ivan visit us this past week and the day before the hurricane hit, my daughters allergies went haywire, which in turn set off her asthma. We struggled without phone and power for three days during which time we were using the Advair, Singulair, and her inhaler pretty frequently(couldn't use the nebulizer) well, we got power and phones back so I called her doc who put her on Prednisone. Her peak flow numbers were into her low yellow zone.....she took the prednisone for four days(which helped ALOT) and she saw her doc on Monday. He put her on a decongestant and cough suppresant (Certuss D) but took her off the Prednisone and xopenex(which we had started as soon as we got power).......Now her cough is getting worse, her numbers are going back down, and the decongestant seems to be making her MORE congested instead of less.........we have had no success with any decongestant/cough suppressant EVER........I don't know what else to do to help her......we are as tired of hearing her cough as I am sure she is of coughing. I guess I really don't have a precise question.....just wanted to share our newest "flare up".............and if you have any suggestions for the extreme congestion/cough I am all ears!!!! THANKS

Definitely call the doctor within the next 24 hours. I know that if I take any cough supressant/decongestant preparation, I get much, much worse - sometimes even bad enough for a trip to the ER. Prednisone and Xopenex sounds like the two ideal medications for her for now - Prednisone will lessen the inflammation and Xopenex will help to get the junk outta her. Now, I'm not sure if I've misunderstood you or not, but it sounds like you said that she's not taking either Prednisone or Xopenex right now?

I forgot to add, it's highly unrecommended that any asthmatic take cough supressants unless the cough is dry and annoying. It sounds to me that her cough is productive (maybe?). In that case, sinusitis/post nasal drip should be looked into and antibiotics be given accordingly.

Does she tend to wake up at night coughing?

Yeah swimfast is right, cough suppressants= stridor= possibly life threatening situation. To me the stridor is worse than the cough itself & you CAN'T cough until it all wears off then you cough and cough and cough so bad. The best things are steam(helps loosen congestion), xopenex, prednisone, & higher inhaled steroids.
does she take a daily antihistamine & singulair?
also maybe a nasal steroid spray can help PND which may be setting off the coughing or at least contributing to it.

hmmmm..........interesting. I wonder why her doc(who IS an allergy/asthma SPECIALIST) would have given her a cough suppressant-decongestant??? He listened to her and said no wheezing, sounds like alot of congestion. I specifically asked if I should continue the Prednisone and was told no. I did NOT however ask about the xopenex(and yes, you were correct in the fact that she is currently taking neither) Her daily meds for maintenance are Advair 100/50 twice a day and 5 mg Singulair once a day. She has xopenex for her nebulizer and an albuterol inhaler to use as needed. Her cough is DEFINITLY a congested cough and is NOT dry. She even sounds like she could strangle on the "junk" but she doesn't seem bothered by it. (She is 6) He asked about any fever and any colored drainage.....which she has none. She doesn't have a runny nose or anything. She seems to collect all the junk in her lungs. She gets pneumonia twice a year EVERY year and it looks as if this may be an even worse year.....we don't usually have problems this early. She usually flares up more Novemeber-February. She has NOT been waking up at night with the cough.....she never has....even with her worst bouts of pneumonia. The cough suppressant-decongestant has done NOTHING for her ..... it has NOT stopped her cough in the slightest. Her peak flow numbers were down to 125 this morning. (She usually can get 175 when she has been well for a long period of time Although her doc has her charted at 165 for her high/green zone) Thanks for the replies. I will try to get in touch with her doc - it may be hard because he has two offices and is at the other location today but I do have prednisone and xopenex and will use them if it becomes worse

So how's it going? Did the doctor do anything?

she is back on the prednisine and xopenex but is still on the decongestant/cough suppressant also. She is improving....I am sure only because of the steroid and nebulizer treatments but I will humor him and give her the other meds also. She goes back to see him Wednesday. Thanks for asking.

she is back on the prednisine and xopenex but is still on the decongestant/cough suppressant also. She is improving....I am sure only because of the steroid and nebulizer treatments but I will humor him and give her the other meds also. She goes back to see him Wednesday. Thanks for asking.

Glad to hear she's doing better! :) Let us know how the Wednesday appointment goes.

Hi, I used to live on the Gulf Coast and now I live on the NC coast - you can expect your daughter's symptoms to worsen as a hurricane approaches - length of time depends on speed of hurricane as it heads towards you. I would start Xopenex.

Decongestents are a difficult thing. There used to be a great one that worked for some of us for whom the more traditional ones don't work. It was called phenylpropoalamine (spelling?) and it was banned by the FDA following what my ENT said was a faulty study that showed that it can cause strokes. it was truly a marvelous decongestent - I could take prescription strength and often avoid having to go on antibiotics when I got a sinus infection b/c it worked so well.

Do you have an action plan from your daughter's allergist that spells out what to take when as symptoms get worse or do not improve? If you don't have a written plan, ask for one, and make sure it includes when to start xopenex and/or pred.

Anyway, i hope your daughter is on the mend soon!