Cough Treatment | Imamother

Chanie

Thu, Aug 04 2005, 8:06 pm

My 2 year old son has a cough and his doctor asked if anyone in my family had asthma.. which someone did have a very mild case... he then preceded to give me a prescription for Alupent Liquid saying that my son should take it for a few days and see if anything changes... because maybe it could be something related to asthma. (but maybe not)
I think this is kind of extreme to be taking meds cause it might be s/t.... Especially since my son is sick with a virus and we've been having a changing weather pattern (boiling hot to rain and back again) so couldn't the cough be related to that?
Do I just give me son this drug? is their side effects (especially if it turns out that my sons cough is unrelated to asthma)? Anyone have any experiences with the drug?

proudmom

Thu, Aug 04 2005, 8:10 pm

I do have experience with it. There is side effects. If you give a little too much they might get jittery, and I think sleepiness (I am not sure).

Last edited by proudmom on Fri, Aug 05 2005, 9:48 am; edited 1 time in total

gryp

Thu, Aug 04 2005, 8:47 pm

Chanie, you can get a lot of info about different medications if you google the name and brand.
I did that recently, and was surprised to find out that the antibiotics I was taking is also given to animals!

Rivka

Wed, Aug 24 2005, 3:12 pm

RG antibiotics are given to animals when they have infections.
Doesn't mean it isn't ok for human consumption. Only problem is that they are giving it too often to animals and could be a problem regarding MRSA.
Anyway, best place to find info about drugs and their side effects is in a medical book like the BNF Drs and Pharmacists have here.
That would have all the available drugs what their uses and what their side affects.
Regarding the original poster, why else would the Dr think your son might be asthmatic? It has to be more than just a family member having it.
I would maybe go back to your Dr and question it.

lucky

Wed, Aug 24 2005, 11:29 pm

I thinkku should hold off giving the medicine. IF the symptoms worsen, u can then consider it. It is prob. viral anyway.

JEWISHMAMA

Thu, Aug 25 2005, 3:52 am

I don´t think you should hold off the meds as waiting longer, if it is asthma, can make it much worse.
My son´s asthmatic and if I wait on his meds he can end up in hospital. He is very effected by changes in the weather but, thank G-D, we have him under control.
Meds for asthma do have side effects which do include jitters and hyperactivity but it usually doesn´t last for long.
refuah shelema.

lucky

Thu, Aug 25 2005, 8:01 am

JEWISHMAMA wrote:

I don´t think you should hold off the meds as waiting longer, if it is asthma, can make it much worse.
.

Her Dr. did not say the kid actually has asthma. He was giving medication on a CHANCE that it is maybe asthma.

TzenaRena

Thu, Aug 25 2005, 10:21 am

Chanie, how is your son doing? I had a similar situation, where my son had a cough, was medicated with some unfamiliar medicine, and his cough wasn't improving over time, although maybe he had some symptomatic relief at night. I called the doctor's office, and asked them to switch his antibiotics because it wasnt working. I found out that the medication wasn't even antibiotic, it was an asthma type medication! No wonder he wasn't getting better!

After he was put on antibiiotic, everything cleared up. Doctors (my doc anyway) like to avoid antibiotic as much as possible, and sometimes ignore (what to us mothers is) the obvious.

lucky

Thu, Aug 25 2005, 2:39 pm

My pediatrician always says "Mom knows best" And he always validates my opinion. Very many times he tells ME to judge(by symptoms) if the kid needs the medicine.

Mommy912

Fri, Aug 26 2005, 9:50 am

RG wrote:

..surprised to find out that the antibiotics I was taking is also given to animals!

"The desire to take medicine is perhaps the greatest feature which distinguishes man from animals."
-Sir William Osler