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Includes Expert Content

My 4 year old step daughter

mcdanielj21 posted:

ok so i am a bit bumfuzzled. I have a 4 year old step daughter who is supposed to have asthma. I am not very educated on asthma so i am not sure what to think but i have some concerns. She has been on an inhaler since she was about 2 and it has never worked for the good or bad for her. now on the 21st of october her dr has put her on flovent 2 times a day and she is also on a regular inhaler, and cough medicine for a cough that she does not seem to have. she is also on allergy medicine daily, singulair, for her allergies, which her dr relates all pof her symptoms too. now like i said i am not very educated on asthma, but i do not believe that she truly has it. she does not get out of breath when running, she does not have problems breathing if she is coughing, and she goes all the time, and yet her doctor has her on all this medicine for asthma, and has even recently put her on an adult dosage of albuterol, every 2-4 hours.

can someone please help me understand what is going on, and if you truly think that my step daughter has asthma. i personally think that this doctor is a quack, but its my opinion. i have never liked him. i think that he pushed medicine when they child is not sick, and then dont give it when she truly needs it.

please help me!!

6 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughterok so i am a bit bumfuzzled. I have a 4 year old step daughter who is supposed to have asthma. I am not very educated on asthma so i am not sure what to think but i have some concerns. She has been on an inhaler since she was about 2 and it has never worked for the good or bad for her. now on the 21st of october her dr has put her on flovent 2 times a day and she is also on a regular inhaler, and cough medicine for a cough that she does not seem to have. she is also on allergy medicine daily, singulair, for her allergies, which her dr relates all pof her symptoms too. now like i said i am not very educated on asthma, but i do not believe that she truly has it. she does not get out of breath when running, she does not have problems breathing if she is coughing, and she goes all the time, and yet her doctor has her on all this medicine for asthma, and has even recently put her on an adult dosage of albuterol, every 2-4 hours. can someone please help me understand what is going on, and if you truly think that my step daughter has asthma. i personally think that this doctor is a quack, but its my opinion. i have never liked him. i think that he pushed medicine when they child is not sick, and then dont give it when she truly needs it. please help me!!

Mathchickie responded:

You say she's your stepdaughter. Do you have custody? Or share custody? Have you seen her sick at any point recently? Can you get a second opinion?

Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughterYou say she's your stepdaughter. Do you have custody? Or share custody? Have you seen her sick at any point recently? Can you get a second opinion?

mcdanielj21 replied to Mathchickie's response:

well we have joint custody, and we have seen her sick, but its not an asthma related kinda sick. its a cold sick. and the dr has been treating her for asthma and not a cold for like 3 weeks now, and everytime he treats her for it its the same medicines and it does nothing for her symptoms.

Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughterwell we have joint custody, and we have seen her sick, but its not an asthma related kinda sick. its a cold sick. and the dr has been treating her for asthma and not a cold for like 3 weeks now, and everytime he treats her for it its the same medicines and it does nothing for her symptoms.

Aqua14 responded:

Because of the divorce situation, this is a delicate thing. You could go get permission to go to your stepdaughter's next medical appointment and ask your questions of the doctor then. You could also try to get a second opinion from another allergist. Other than that, you'll just have to trust her doctor's medical judgment, since he knows your stepdaughter's medical history and presumably has run the appropriate tests before he diagnosed her.

As you say, you don't know much about asthma, so your suspicions might be misplaced based on what you think you know about asthma -- which could be completely wrong. Not every asthmatic gets out of breath while running; not all asthmatics have problems breathing if they are coughing. In fact, everyone with asthma has different symptoms at different times, and what asthma meds work for one person don't work for another person.

What does your current spouse think about his/her daughter's medical treatment? Does your spouse share your concerns, or not?

Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughterBecause of the divorce situation, this is a delicate thing. You could go get permission to go to your stepdaughter's next medical appointment and ask your questions of the doctor then. You could also try to get a second opinion from another allergist. Other than that, you'll just have to trust her doctor's medical judgment, since he knows your stepdaughter's medical history and presumably has run the appropriate tests before he diagnosed her. As you say, you don't know much about asthma, so your suspicions might be misplaced based on what you think you know about asthma -- which could be completely wrong. Not every asthmatic gets out of breath while running; not all asthmatics have problems breathing if they are coughing. In fact, everyone with asthma has different symptoms at different times, and what asthma meds work for one person don't work for another person. What does your current spouse think about his/her daughter's medical treatment? Does your spouse share your concerns, or not?

DUKE MEDICINE

Gregory M Metz, MD responded:

It sounds like you are looking out for your stepdaughter and trying to do the best thing for her. There can be many symptoms of asthma including cough, shortness of breath and or wheeze. Some kids have a lingering cough especially after colds. The goal for both patients and doctors is to use the least amount of medications that are needed to achieve good control of the asthma. I would discuss your concerns with the child's physician at the next visit so you better understand the rationale for all the medications. Physicians want their patients (and parents) to be active participants in the decision making process. You can also consider having her seen by an allergist or pulmonologist for evaluation. Good luck and keep us posted.

Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughterIt sounds like you are looking out for your stepdaughter and trying to do the best thing for her. There can be many symptoms of asthma including cough, shortness of breath and or wheeze. Some kids have a lingering cough especially after colds. The goal for both patients and doctors is to use the least amount of medications that are needed to achieve good control of the asthma. I would discuss your concerns with the child's physician at the next visit so you better understand the rationale for all the medications. Physicians want their patients (and parents) to be active participants in the decision making process. You can also consider having her seen by an allergist or pulmonologist for evaluation. Good luck and keep us posted.

mcdanielj21 replied to Aqua14's response:

alot of people dont see this, but this issue is not very delicate becuz me and her mother are actually friends. my spouse thinks that the dr has her on too much medicine too, and that none of what he is putting her on is truly treating her problems. she has just went home for the night and she has not coughed one time all weekend. nthe dr has change3d her script to every 2 hours on her inhaler, and she didnt receive it the whole time that she was here and was fine. her mom still gives it to her weather or not she needs it and she is all the time sick, but comes here and has no symptoms. we have actually took her to an appointment before about this and she was having cold like symptoms then, and he wanted to put her on an inhaler, i asked him to do a round of antibotics first to try and knock her cold out of her and he did and within 2 days of getting the antibotics in her system she was just fine with absolutely no inhaler at all, and that is what the doctor wanted to put her on was an in haler. but becuz i asked him to try that he did and even though it worked no matter what is wrong with her, or her 1 year old brother-not my step son- he always puts them on the inhaler for everything and they do not get better we have to take her back to the doctor and he always wants to do the inhaler.

Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughteralot of people dont see this, but this issue is not very delicate becuz me and her mother are actually friends. my spouse thinks that the dr has her on too much medicine too, and that none of what he is putting her on is truly treating her problems. she has just went home for the night and she has not coughed one time all weekend. nthe dr has change3d her script to every 2 hours on her inhaler, and she didnt receive it the whole time that she was here and was fine. her mom still gives it to her weather or not she needs it and she is all the time sick, but comes here and has no symptoms. we have actually took her to an appointment before about this and she was having cold like symptoms then, and he wanted to put her on an inhaler, i asked him to do a round of antibotics first to try and knock her cold out of her and he did and within 2 days of getting the antibotics in her system she was just fine with absolutely no inhaler at all, and that is what the doctor wanted to put her on was an in haler. but becuz i asked him to try that he did and even though it worked no matter what is wrong with her, or her 1 year old brother-not my step son- he always puts them on the inhaler for everything and they do not get better we have to take her back to the doctor and he always wants to do the inhaler.

sgbl88 replied to mcdanielj21's response:

I think it is good for her daughter that you two are good friends. I have seen it happen several times.

I think it is time for a second opinion or a new doctor. Clearly that doctor doesn't really listen to you and your husband, and he should.

My two cents.

I pray things work out for your step daughter and you are able to get her real help.

Sonya

Sonya http://exchanges.webmd.com/fragrance-and-odor-issues http://exchanges.webmd.com/pediatric-asthma-parent-support http://exchanges.webmd.com/politics-and-health-debate-exchange

Report This| Share this:My 4 year old step daughterI think it is good for her daughter that you two are good friends. I have seen it happen several times. I think it is time for a second opinion or a new doctor. Clearly that doctor doesn't really listen to you and your husband, and he should. My two cents. I pray things work out for your step daughter and you are able to get her real help. Sonya

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