Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Asthma Journal - 2/14/06

It occurred to me today that I started this blog in response to a suggestion of the Nurse-Practioner at our pulmonologist. She recommended that I start keeping a journal of my sons' asthma symptoms, so that when I spoke to her or the doctor, I would know how long each kid had been coughing, or wheezing, or pale, or had a rash, etc.

So I started a blog instead of a regular journal becuase - hey - I'm a professional Web marketer, after all.

It's become sort of an all-purpose asthma bulletin board, but I really do need to remember to use it as a journal. It's pretty key in keeping up with the boys' health -- especially now that I have three of them!

So...#1 son is home sick today. That rash on his face cleared up for a day or two, then came back badly yesterday, along with a low-grade fever. He's been coughing a little here and there for weeks, but BADLY since Saturday. I've got him on nebs every three hours today.

#2 seems okay, but he was in bad shape Sunday. Seemed to be non-asthma related...whiney, cranky, bad diaper rash, yukky diapers. I suspect he's allergic to grapes, and that was the culprit. But don't know for sure...

Have a call into the PP now. We'll see if #1 son needs to be seen, or if I'll get the usual action plan:

Alternate albuterol and DuoNeb every three hours via nebulizer; Dimetapp at bedtime; keep up Flovent 110 (2 puffs, 2x daily), Singulair, and Nasonex.

$10 bucks on that, unless they want to test for flu.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

New two-drug treatment for asthma

From http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=1567005

Rather than easing constriction and swelling, researchers are working on a
treatment that would actually reduce mucus production in the lungs:

A two-drug treatment may one day help restore healthy breathing in those
with asthma and chronic bronchitis, according to a study at Washington
University in St. Louis.

Dr. Michael Holtzman and other researchers found that some cells lining
the air passages of the lungs transform into another cell type in mice and
humans with those disorders, leading to the overproduction of mucus in the
airways.

Though researchers expect it would take at least a few years for
further testing of the treatments, they think that combining two drugs
ultimately could prevent the harmful transformation of the lining cells,
allowing for healthy airway function.


Even if it is a few years off, it's still a glimmer of hope!!

What's up with this kid?

#2 son seems better, after three days of nebs...but I'm concerned about #1. He's looking a little better, but still not right. He's still pale, and he's got that weird rash on his cheeks that he gets during an attack. It's odd. Just a pimply rash on his cheeks and occasionally on his eyelids. He seems fine; just that mucus-y sounding cough every now and then. But he's happy and normal, otherwise.

To be continued....