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Suggest Treatment For Whooping Cough And Wheezing In A Teenager

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Posted on Fri, 16 Sep 2016
Question: My Daughter is 17. 6 weeks ago she was at an outdoor event for a weekend, she woke up in the middle of the night in our tent shaking uncontrollably, I gave her Gatorade and she fell a sleep, in the morning she had a fever so I brought her to emergency room, they said she was dehydrated and gave her some IV's, they tested for bacteria to make sure she was ok and she did feel better but was rested the rest of the weekend, on Monday she felt better so I let her go to Bible camp when I picked her up on Friday that week she had a terrible cough it was like a chocking cough, she used her inhaler that she has for asthma but has really rarely used as it is not really bad at all but she was this weekend so I brought her to doctor the following Tuesday that would be 5 weeks ago, they gave her an antibiotic for Bronchitis, a steroid and inhaler this helped slightly but at night she still has a chocking cough that is horriable sounds like she is literally chocking. I brought her back again the following week they said lungs sounded ok but gave her another steriod for the cough again it still is the same so I brought her back again yesterday and they said to do another round of anti-biotics that she may have still some bacteria lurking in lungs and another albuterol inhaler, I suggested maybe flovent but they said no as lungs are not horriable it is the cough, well last night, today and tonight she is wheezing, I listended to her left lung I can hear a sqeeky sound so I make sure she stays on top of using inhaler, drinks a lot of water, now tonight she said she has a yeast infection so I went to Target for meds for that, she said has a headache, when she coughs her throat goes in and out it is a dry cough. I guess I am thinking what the heck does she have? Is it Whooping cough or just bronchitis why is she still sick. I don't know what else to do.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Steam inhalation is the mainstay of treatment.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

I have gone very carefully through your query and understand your concerns. Your daughter probably has a simple WALRI (wheeze associated lower respiratory infection) which is most often due to viral cause. Since occasionally there are superadded bacterial infections, some doctors prefer to prescribe antibiotics although that is often not expected to be effective. The inhalers need to be continued. But steam inhalation is very important. Water in form of vapor enters deep inside and helps in diluting the cough and makes the cough productive.

Had it been whooping cough or bronchitis or something severe, your doctor would have found out. I would insist you to give her steam inhalation and the inhalers. Hopefully she would be fine again in a week or so.

Let me know if I could help further.

Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (3 hours later)
Would you recommend she get Flovent or just the Albuterol, I thought maybe the Flovent would help her but they did not give one to her. I forgot to add in also and this may be something totally separate but before she went to camp she said her heart felt like it was racing, I had an app on my phone they does heart rate, she was sitting down and it was 158 then it went back down to normal she told me at camp her heart did this too but has not had it happen in last couple weeks.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha (16 hours later)
Brief Answer:
May be given.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for clarifying. Sorry for not being around to answer your query faster.

You can give Flovent (couple of times a day) or Albuterol (whenever required) if she has wheezing. You may stop them once she is doing fine. I would not be bothered about the heart rate. Please Do not depend on XXXXXXX apps for measurement of heart rate.

Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
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Answered by
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Dr. Prof. Kunal Saha

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1954

Answered : 4467 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Whooping Cough And Wheezing In A Teenager

Brief Answer: Steam inhalation is the mainstay of treatment. Detailed Answer: Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic. I have gone very carefully through your query and understand your concerns. Your daughter probably has a simple WALRI (wheeze associated lower respiratory infection) which is most often due to viral cause. Since occasionally there are superadded bacterial infections, some doctors prefer to prescribe antibiotics although that is often not expected to be effective. The inhalers need to be continued. But steam inhalation is very important. Water in form of vapor enters deep inside and helps in diluting the cough and makes the cough productive. Had it been whooping cough or bronchitis or something severe, your doctor would have found out. I would insist you to give her steam inhalation and the inhalers. Hopefully she would be fine again in a week or so. Let me know if I could help further. Regards