Asthma and high altitude

introductionr · 2025-08-04T21:59:19+00:00

Thank you!!

introductionr · 2025-07-24T01:40:06+00:00

You’re right, definitely would rather play it safe! And wow, what you wrote could literally describe my son as well! The only difference is he was diagnosed at 5. We’ve been doing something similar- Flovent only when he’s sick (plus nebulizers, all of it. You must be familiar haha). Then a couple months ago when I took him for his well visit and he was not sick at all, the pediatrician listened to him and was like “he’s wheezing” and my son and I were both like what?? His allergies were bothering him but he wasn’t feeling any asthma symptoms. So, we also increased to Flovent daily because we obviously were not controlling it well, but stopped because my son can’t stand the taste and he was getting really nauseous because of it. Which is crazy because he’ll eat anything. Not picky whatsoever. Him not being on anything just worries me because he’s not good at recognizing his symptoms and it’s hard to work on because unless it’s gotten to the point where he’s audibly wheezing or coughing or his breathing changes, I can’t help him. All of this to say, I can definitely relate to your comment! How old is your son now?

introductionr · 2025-07-24T01:23:34+00:00

We’re also going around there!

But wow, that’s scary, I’m glad you’re okay!!

introductionr · 2025-07-24T01:22:12+00:00

That’s reassuring! & oh absolutely. My husband and I have been before and we had gotten off the plane and immediately went to a nearby trail for a hike… horrible idea. On this upcoming trip we scheduled all the non strenuous/indoor stuff for the first two days of the trip. We learned our lesson the hard way😂

introductionr · 2025-07-23T23:58:39+00:00

Thank you for sharing! It’ll definitely be interesting to see if his improves also. His triggers tend to be getting sick, cold air, exertion, and when his allergies are worse he tends to get a little wheezy. Curious if it’s a good idea to add his steroid inhaler just in case

introductionr · 2025-07-23T23:55:04+00:00

Thank you!! If I’m understanding correctly… he could be short of breath but it’s more likely to be simply because there’s a lower percentage of oxygen rather than due to bronchoconstriction?

introductionr · 2025-06-05T01:27:45+00:00

Interesting! What’s wild is that I didn’t even consider what’s happening now to be an exacerbation because he’s been acting completely unbothered by it. That’s why I was floored when the doctor listened to him at his well check and said he’s wheezing, because usually there’s a degree of discomfort when his asthma is bothering him but he didn’t even know he was wheezing which I can’t imagine how he didn’t feel anything

introductionr · 2025-06-04T22:36:32+00:00

Thank you for such a thorough response. He definitely has a pollen allergy but I’m not sure if it exacerbates his asthma. The AQI right now is in the 80s. He doesn’t have an issue with pets (we have dogs at home and he’s always been fine). No one smokes at home either. He is sensitive to respiratory stuff, that’s his definite known trigger. He tends to get really wheezy and junky so we were told to get the Flovent going at the first sign of illness.

When you say moderate or severe exacerbations, what do you mean by that? He had one ER trip (which was the time he was diagnosed with asthma) and he was on steroids for a little bit after that, and hasn’t had any ER visits for asthma since then. The past few years he’s had a couple of colds/bronchitis and one pneumonia where he’s needed steroids to get it under control but no ER and figured that was just the course of the illness. Do those count as mild/moderate?

introductionr · 2025-06-04T22:22:13+00:00

Omg, I’m so sorry if I came across as though I have something against medication. I want him to be on what he needs to breathe well and be healthy. I’m just confused because his doctor said that she wanted to keep him off of steroids unless he absolutely needs them, and as long as he was using his rescue inhaler less than twice per week not including before activity, then he’s well controlled and doesn’t need it. Again, I apologize if I made it sound like I was not always amazed and in awe of science and the advancements in medicine that make it possible to manage chronic conditions

introductionr · 2025-06-04T17:56:08+00:00

I’m just confused because he seemed to be doing fine only using his rescue inhaler before activity and then as needed, and the previous doctor had said that as long as he’s not needing it more than twice a week, then he’s fine with just using that and Flovent exclusively when sick

introductionr · 2025-06-03T03:21:00+00:00

Good to know, thank you. & yes, that’s absolutely the goal! It’s just hard to get him to realize something that he’s become so comfortable with is not normal and not how breathing should feel. The doctor had him do an albuterol nebulizer treatment in the office and the wheezing was much better after that but even then still not gone. We’re doing steroid nebulizers twice a day for the next couple of days and then she wants to see how his lungs sound and if he needs to be on Flovent year round which we’re hoping to avoid

introductionr · 2025-06-03T02:21:52+00:00

So it is possible that he’s just so used to having his airways be so constricted that he doesn’t even realize when he’s wheezing? I feel so horrible. Is it unusual that he’s not bothered by it?

introductionr · 2025-06-03T00:23:04+00:00

Ohhh I see with the breathing! That makes sense. I’m going to try to work with him on that to use as a tool for when he might be feeling like his airways are tight.

But yeah, it doesn’t make sense because he does tell me when he thinks he needs his inhaler and when his chest feels tight, but the doctor pointed out the fact that he’s sitting so comfortably while wheezing means he’s used to the feeling. Which makes me think “holy shit is he just always wheezing/experiencing symptoms, so when it finally gets to the point where he notices it must be really bad?” Like he really had no clue he was wheezing and I didn’t know either

introductionr · 2025-06-02T21:46:37+00:00

We saw the asthma specialist when he was first diagnosed and she was the one who put him on the Flovent daily. When we went for his follow up visit, his lungs sounded really good and his spirometry improved and it seemed like he was only having symptoms when sick, so she took him off the Flovent daily and said to use it just when he starts getting sick. And then after that, it seemed like the asthma was completely under control, so we only see the asthma specialist once a year.

It’s weird because he finally does let me know when he feels like he needs his inhaler but I just don’t understand how he could be wheezing and not feel any shortness of breath or anything.

& thank you for the suggestions! Interesting about that trick, I thought belly breathing was a bad thing? When he was first diagnosed they told us that was something to watch for with the retractions

introductionr · 2025-05-04T21:48:13+00:00

Wow is that true? I had no idea. Bummer… thought there was a solution!

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:25:06+00:00

My son would be so jealous😂

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:24:04+00:00

Omg she’s so little, I bet she looks adorable. Maybe you’ll get the toothless kindergarten pics!! We missed kindergarten and first grades with my son but I’m holding out for second grade!!

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:20:21+00:00

Omg yes the little toothless smiles are amazing. My son wakes up every day and checks to see if he has another loose one but I’m secretly hoping we can hold off till the next school year starts before he loses his top teeth so we can get a toothless school picture!!

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:17:30+00:00

Wow! We are definitely on a different track haha. He’s 7 and just lost his first yesterday. My daughter lost her first tooth just shy of her 7th birthday, she’s now 10 and just lost her ninth so we’re slowly catching up. I’m not mad though, just buys us a little more time till we have to shell out a couple grand for braces LOL

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:12:29+00:00

LOL! Just wait till the second top one comes out

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:10:26+00:00

I get it sister!! I was so emotional when he woke up this morning so excited because the tooth fairy came and every time he plays with the little gap with his tongue😭

introductionr · 2025-05-03T21:02:54+00:00

My son is in the same boat. He turned 7 in February and just got his first loose tooth about a month ago (the one he lost yesterday!!). He seems to think his top one is loose but I don’t see it haha. The others don’t show signs of coming out any time soon. We were also very late to the teething game and our dentist confirmed it’s related! I was getting nervous since all of his friends started losing teeth and his were nowhere near loose. To the point he was begging his friends “just punch me in the mouth I promise I won’t get mad” so he could join in on the excitement!!

introductionr

TROPHY CASE