To feel silly that I rang 111 and they sent paramedics?

[TypicallyEnglishMustard]

Hi, I'm sat here feeling a bit ridiculous.

I have asthma, and I've been coughing like crazy the last ten days, bringing up loads of mucus (sorry), but no cold or anything, felt fine in myself so carried on as normal, just been using my inhaler loads more than I normally would.

I felt weird this evening, and the cough was way worse, then I suddenly felt like I couldn't catch my breath properly, and was feeling dizzy and had pain in the middle of my chest. Used my inhaler, but felt no better, and started to panic. My fiancé rang 111, and I thought they'd maybe direct us to the OOH clinic, but paramedics were called out to us instead. Really great, because I was really starting to panic, and was having waves of feeling like, "I can't breathe, I really can't breathe."

Anyway, lovely paramedics came, and examined me really thoroughly, but my chest was absolutely clear, nothing wrong at all... I basically just have a really bad cough but deluded myself into thinking it was worse. So I got paramedics out at night for a cough.

AIBU to feel that was silly and I need to calm down next time, or is it okay that we rang 111? I feel so embarrassed that that's what they came out for.

[bigbluebus]

Our area doesn't currently use NHS 111 - it still has it's own out of hours direct number. The CCG are currently consulting on the introduction of 111 in this area as they have been told they need to have it by NHS England. I did their consultation survey on line and it asked if I thought going on to 111 was a good idea. I said NO - but nowhere did it give me space to say why I thought that . They are clearly going to introduce it anyway - I fear for the future of out of hours medical care in this area now - it is currently good.

My DD has multiple health conditions and is non verbal so the 111 algorithm isn't going to work for her. We will just be skipping 111 and going straight to A&E - which is what the system was supposed to avoid.

OP an asthma attack and breathing problems always warrants investigation - the paramedics may have been able to give you nebulisers if you had needed them and prevented a hospital admission.

[NCISaddict]

Boffin I would say about 75% of my calls do not need an ambulance, as in they could wait until the GP opens and probably don't even need that, think blocked nose (in an adult), mild pain that they haven't taken any pain relief for.
The worst/most entertaining one recently was someone who had an infection which causes pain, they seen a doctor and been given antibiotics but they called 999 because they still had the pain (4 hours after seeing the doctor) but they hadn't taken any painkillers because they didn't want the antibiotics to get confused. I just about kept a straight face. And this was an adult of average intelligence judging by the type of job they did.

[Janeymoo50]

This used to happen with my mum (albeit she was elderly with COPD), but it was not unreasonable to do this if you were struggling to breathe. Don't feel silly, hope you're feeling brighter now op.

[paddypants13]

Please don't worry op. A few weeks after giving birth to DS I started having extreme chest pains, I couldn't breath and felt clammy. It got worse and worse and I rang 111, who sent an ambulance. By the time the paramedics reached me, the pain had reduced and we put it down to a panic attack but they made me ring and book a doc appointment. Went to the doc and it turns out...I had really bad heartburn!!!!! The doc said my recent pregnancy and all the heartburn I had had had probably damaged my oesophagus over time so the heartburn I had experienced would have felt like like heart attack. I was mortified!

[Goingtobeawesome]

YABU to feel silly as it seems you have forgotten how serious asthma can be. That isn't meant to make you feel bad, just to remind you to take your condition seriously.

I have also had paramedics sent out to me as I couldn't breath and my inhalers weren't helping. Turned out I was "just" hugely stressed but I had all the symptoms of an asthma attack as well as a heart attack. I also had left arm pain and other symptoms.

[Katedotness1963]

Better safe than sorry!

Don't feel embarrassed, obviously the person on the phone thought sending them out was the best thing for you.

[queenoftheworld93]

DP is a (trainee) paramedic and does not mind going to calls like this :) it's much better to be safe than sorry!


111 though he does not like.

[YohY]

Please this is what it is for asthma kills!

[jevoudrais]

YABU.

One of my friends died on my 11th birthday after an asthma attack. Far better to be cautious. Glad you're OK.

[GraciesMansion]

Those saying that 111 sends unnecessary ambulances out - my dsis called 111 for advice RE a sudden onset headache, they sent an ambulance who complained about being sent out for a headache as did the triage nurse at A&E. The nurse was going to send her home with ibuprofen then spoke to the doctor. Turns out she had a brain haemorrhage and was in intensive care for weeks. First responders can't always tell just from initial symptoms.

Breathing difficulties is always something which should be treated as an emergency. 111 were correct in your case.

[wannabestressfree]

Happened to me this weekend...
Had a lung infection and was seen by the Dr Friday and given antibiotics. Sat I spent on the sofa and Sunday I woke up feeling terrible- looked grey and struggling to breath.
I went to a&e was triaged and put straight in resus with pneumonia. It has absolutely floored me. Spent the day in hospital (in 'resus) on a drip alternating antibiotics and fluids. Mad really.....
Am now doing the teacher guilt thing of wondering when I can go back to work even though I am knackered (that's another thread though :) )

[tspika1981]

111 once told me I must go immediately to A&E for what I knew was a UTI. I protested, but they insisted. It was ridiculous. (I was only calling because I'd just moved and didn't have a GP, and wanted to know where I should go.)

[Euripidesralph]

Firstly I second not hesitating where asthma is concerned I can remember when I got diagnosed telling the doc about a scenario where I was on my hands and knees in the front garden gasping for breath and hadn't called an ambulance and the doc gave me absolute he'll for not calling because I could've died she was absolutely furious with me .... I did actually make it through without medical assistance that time but she pointed out I didn't know I would at the time and not to ever take chances

Also I totally understand I rang 111 a week ago with DS2 who's was 6 weeks old , four weeks out of special care and they started to send an ambulance , in all honesty it really wasn't needed so I told them not to and took him to a and e , It was just that he met certain criteria which didn't show the real picture. But even though I didn't even really need hospital all the staff were totally understanding

They generally don't mind genuine situations that have been misunderstood, it's the piss takers that annoy them from my experience so please don't be embarrassed I'm. Sure the paramedics completely understood

But 111 does annoy me , I really do understand they are between a rock and a hard place but it really can be terrifying when they say they are sending the paramedics, I totally empathise with the panic making this worse

Chalk it up to being lucky it wasn't worse but you were absolutely right seeking medical attention

[NCISaddict]

I had forgotten I called 111 a while back with wheezing etc and they said they were sending an ambulance, I did tell them that they might as well stand it down as I knew exactly what I needed (an OOH appointment for antibiotics and steroids) but then I'm a paramedic and I live less than a 2 minute drive from my nearest A&E and DH was with me. I got my appointment and all was well but it isn't a course of action I would recommend to a lay person.

I really, really don't mind going out to people like the OP, I'm even nice to the cut finger brigade and just gently suggest a better course of action should it happen again.
I do get a bit sharp with people who call 999 for a lift home because their taxi has taken too long to turn up but I don't think anyone can blame me for that.

[NanaNina]

It's all very well being nice to the "cut finger brigade" but surely there must be others who really do need your services and have to wait because of the cut finger call out.