Hi Liz and welcome!

Advair is something I take and have been on it for the past 3 years. I think it kept me from more serious exacerbations until August 20th when my life changed drastically. Now, I'm on the highest dose they make. I don't like taking it but I admit, it helps.

I am also on Spiriva, Singulair, Zyrtec, Albuterol, Xolair and the list goes on.

Although I'm decades older than your young daughter, I think these drugs do work. Instead of being short of breath sitting, I can walk a half mile now. I've improved!

Red-

It could be that the Singulair is causing stomach issues, or it could be that she may have a type of gasttric reflux which can aggravate asthma. I'd investigate the possibility of reflux and have her referred to a GI doctor, just to be on the side, as there are safe and effective medications that can be given for this.

Another possibility, given her history, is drug interaction. I'd discuss all drugs with her primary doctor and make sure there isn't something else going on here.

Good luck and please post what happens.

Wlelcome,
I was put on a prescribed stomache acid reducer to controll the ache from meds. She is young. you might want to ask her DR. also ask how that would affect her ability to absorb nutrients.

Hi there, I was diagnosed with asthma 5 years ago and put on singulair right away. I have only gone off of it once and ended up like your daughter in the ER about 2 weeks later. I don't get an upset stomach ever from it. Do you give it to her at night or in the morning? I read somewhere that if you are using it for asthma to take it at night and if you are using it for allergies to take it in the morning. I take mine at night and that seems to work really well. You could try that and see if it helps especially if she is taking a lot of other meds in the morning. They have time to absorb before adding the singulair in.

My doctor has put me on advair several times when i've had flair ups and it works pretty good but the powder makes me gag and throw up so I had to quit using it. (I've only taken it with singulair so not sure how well it works on it's own) Hope this helps. Please let us know how things turn out.

Thanks everyone for the responses. The Lung Line suggested as Orson and Chunkee (sorry) that there may be an acid thing going on. She does take the Singulair in the evening. I try and give it to her around 8pm bed time is 8:30 and she has complained some nights all night long and wakes up complaining of her stomach. I did find childrens tums and have been giving that to her at 8:30. She also takes the Claritin in the Am before school, but she is out the door at 6:30am to catch the bus, so her AM meds are very early. Her peditrician is getting us the referral to see the Allergist/Immunologist for reasons including Hyper IgE and her allergies. I also wanted to ask about side effects of to much meds. When we went to ER that night she had from 7pm-2am, 3 doses of albuterol in neb treatments, 2 albuterol from the rescue inhaler, orapred, a injected steriod and her flovent. Upon arriving in the ER, she fell asleep and was ragdoll limp. Not sure how else to explain it. She slept (passed out) for the entire ER visit. The shot, xrays and 2 breathing treatments, when she finally awoke she did so screaming that her head was going to explode. Does this sort of thing happen? As I mentioned in first post she is hypoglycemic. Can all these meds mess with her sugar levels?
I don't mean to be annoying or stupid. I just really need to know more then I do right now. I have been a huge advocate in her previous medical issues that I feel blindsided by all this.

Thanks,
Liz

Liz,

First, this is NOT annoying or stupid- on the contrary, it's extremely IMPORTANT. Everyone needs to know how these meds works and what can happen.

And what you ask about meds and blood sugar is especially important. Yes, steroids effect blood sugar tremendously. For this reason some diabetics are limited in just how much their systems can take, (balancing steroids and diabetes meds). Ask your doctor about this and have her blood sugar monitored should she need to be hospitalized again. You need to be VERY careful with this issue and might need to start at-home blood sugar testing and monitoring.

Another important thing. Yes, these meds do cause big headaches and can trigger migraines, and also for this reason some migraine sufferes are limited in what their systems can handle (bronchodilators vs. migraines and migraine meds). This is due to vessels dilating/opening up. However, the good news is usually a certain tolerance is built up over time, (with the down side being it could take even more meds in higher doses to have the same effect).I'd also be VERY concerned about how these drugs, which up as "uppers," might effect her heart (sinus tachycardia) and blood pressure- all of which I would also recommend monitoring at home.

Other meds could also have an effect on body chemistry. Even giving her too much Tums for her body weigth (considering there are breathing/cardiac problems added to this) can cause problems with blood and respiratory acid/base balances which can be fatal in some cases.

In short, when it comes to drugs and drug interaction, especially with your duaghter's medical history, no question is stupid. What you don't know can, in fact, kill her. For that reason, go over all of this with whatever allergist/immulonoligst you use. They need to know her complete history including all meds to know how to handle her special case.

Again, good luck going forward with this and please post what happens.

I urge you to talk with the pediatrician about all of this. Also look into getting her tested/treated for reflux if this is a factor.

Thanks Orson,
Because Kristin has ALWAYS had weight issues....less the 5% until this past summer...now in 25%, I have always had to administer OTC's by weight not age. I was reading some of your journal entries and it sounds as if you and Kristin share alot. She is always sick, pnuemonia, bronchitis, varying degrees of respiratory issues. She has had pnuemonia in July, both lower lobes. We have our appointment on Jan 2nd to see the Allergist/Immunologist. Hoping all goes well. With her other issues I have a very detailed binder of everything. Every dose, every time given and results. More so now since this exacerbation.
Thanks for all....

Liz and Kristin

I called the pharmacy today and they suggested I try milk or yougurt with the singulair to help coat. They said the Tums would be ok, since they are mostly calcium to begin with.

Liz

yes i take advair and it really does work it helps me i been taking advair ever since i was 4 years old. and i'm 11 years old now,Lilly

HiI take singulair and do find i get stomach discomfort with them. I amon reflux meds but stilltend to get side effects as the singulair causes different stomach problems to that of the refluxi suffer from. i am sorry your wee girl is having a tough time of it.

If your daughter is on inhaled steriod it will not effect her blood sugar as much as being given iv steriods. the amount of steriod in an inhlaer is so minimal it has very little effect on blood sugars even in diabetics.

if you ahve any questions feel free to message me.

olive