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Mixing Medications Safe?

12/08/2010

Question:

My son age 6 who has a history of sever asthma is currently taking albutrol solution(nebulizer) flovent as a preventive prednislone steriod for the presisit wheezing amoxicillion antibiotic for strep throat and atuss dm for presist cough. Is it safe for him to mix this many medications and is each medicine treating each syptom?

Answer:

Your son’s medications are doing the following: 

Flovent is a controller asthma medicine. The purpose is to prevent asthma symptoms from starting; if working, flares should be less frequent and milder. (Flovent should be taken every day, even after he recovers.) 

Albuterol treats asthma symptoms that are currently happening. The purpose is to relieve the spasm of airway muscles.
Prednisolone treats asthma symptoms that are currently happening and not responding to just albuterol. Prednisolone also relieves airway swelling and mucus production.
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic that treats the strep infection. (The infection may have triggered the asthma) All of these medications are safe to give at the same time. 
The Atuss DM is a form of cough syrup. It won’t hurt but also often doesn’t help much. If you are concerned about the number of medications he is taking, it would be OK to stop this one. If his cough isn’t going away with the other medications, he should have a recheck by his doctor.

For more information:

Go to the Asthma health topic.