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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My asthma is worsening and doctors next available appoints are in January!

82 replies

btfly2 · 12/12/2016 03:51

Can't continue like this, even my current medication is not enough/ not working properly. Can't breathe at night but I don't want to go to A&E. All I need to see is my GP or any doctor ( not a specialist nurse or a paramedic) and I don't know what to do because there are no GPs until January!! Feeling rubbish and a bit desperate for advice too! Thank you!

OP posts:
EhWhatPardon · 12/12/2016 07:20

I've just spent the night in a + e with my ds because if his asthma. was worsening last week so rang for a gp appointment. was told to ring back Monday! Went to OOH Saturday and told to go straight to a and e. They've prescribed Pred and he's now having 10 x ventolin every 4 hours! Go and get seen to OP.

Surfingpig · 12/12/2016 07:25

I'm an A&E doctor.

If you're struggling with your breathing and your usual inhalers aren't working then come in now - don't let it get any worse. You are actually a patient who needs to be in A&E.

Sirzy · 12/12/2016 07:27

Even if you do go to a and e though (which I agree you should) if your preventers aren't working you will still need to push to see GP/asthma nurse as I doubt a and e will touch that side of things.

shovetheholly · 12/12/2016 07:42

If you ring up and say you want an appointment for asthma, they assume it's under control and you want an asthma check - and it will be weeks. This is an emergency. You need to take a tone of "I must see someone today, or I will have to go to A&E".

I would also ring NHS direct (or whatever it is called these days) and ask them about the maximum dose you can take of your inhaler until you are seen.

Original poster
btfly2 · 12/12/2016 08:51

Oh gosh I'm in tears while reading and writing. I had such an awful night, I don't remember this so bad in at least 30 years! Thanks for your support! My DH is taking the kids to school and take me to the doc cos I look pretty miserable. I hate to bother doctors or A&E but now I can't even talk to save air and to distract myself here I am iPad in hand just waiting for him. It's a horrible feeling when you can't breathe is like life slowly being taken of you if it's make any sense what I'm saying... Thank you, is so good to have you, I know is online but I know you're there X

OP posts:
AwaywiththePixies27 · 12/12/2016 09:24

If you cant talk OP you need A & E not the doctors. Please go. I promise you you won't be bothering them. You sound really poorly. Asthma is a bastard pain. Flowers

shovetheholly · 12/12/2016 09:25

Yes, please go to A&E. This sounds beyond a GP visit now. This is not something to mess about with. Flowers

HaveNoSocks · 12/12/2016 09:29

Thank god you're seeing a doctor. Any A&E doctor would tell you they'd much rather be "bothered" than have someone sitting at home struggling to breathe. My mum used to work in A&E and after some of the cases she saw she always stressed to my friends with asthma just how serious it was.

AwaywiththePixies27 · 12/12/2016 09:30

OP I've had five emergency admissions this year when my asthma has been well controlled before.

I'm never seen as a bother apart from one nurse, bur that's because she ignored me all day and gave me paracetamol when I repeatedly bloody told her I was struggling to breathe. She was ever so perplexed as to why she had to call critical care down for me five minutes before the end of her shift Hmm Most of my experiences have been good but I have had a few which make me reluctant to go in spite of knowing myself how poorly I can get very quickly.

Please go A&E, you'll feel much better once you've had that nebuliser. Well at least be able to breathe a little easier anyway.

JsOtherHalf · 12/12/2016 09:56

Hope you get treated soon.

I have a pulse oximeter monitor at home so i can see my O2 levels. It's helpful in deciding if another couple of puffs if blue inhaler is all that's needed, or a trip to the GP asap.

Something like this: www.amazon.co.uk/Oximeter-Display-Carrycase-Batteries-Lanyard/dp/B002MEUFKW/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1481536535&sr=8-1&keywords=o2+monitor

DontTouchTheMoustache · 12/12/2016 10:02

GO TO A&E. DO IT RIGHT NOW. I was in a similar state 2 years ago and refused to go till my dp called 111 who insisted I went and he thankfully wouldn't let me stay at home. Turned out I had pneumonia which has caused an asthma attack. I was not a terrible way for stuck in hospital for weeks and it was touch and go whether I'd survive the first night. If I hadn't gone when I did I might have died. I'd actually seen a GPS who had just given me steroids that morning, hadn't even checked my heart rate when I got to a&e they checked my vitals and they were all over the place. They had to put me straight on a nebuliser and more than likely your gp won't have one or like in my case they might not take it seriously enough. Please don't wait, go right now to a&e and if you are on your own call an ambulance because it really is that serious.

CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt · 12/12/2016 10:18

Op, I'm asthmatic.

If you're not talking to save oxygen, you should be phoning 999. I don't want to scare you, but the effort of walking and getting in a car to go to a&e may be too much. I know from experience!

specialsubject · 12/12/2016 10:21

I hope you are in a and e now. People who don't want to bother the doctor are usually exactly the people who should!

NHS is not funded for our vastly increased population, and a lot of people do waste its time due to swilling or stupidity. Hence the lack of appointments for real cases such as you.

Not your fault. A and e now!

FannyFifer · 12/12/2016 10:23

I'm a nurse, agree with others.
You can die from asthma, this is serious, if it's a choice between speaking & breathing then things are really really not good.
Please go to A&E.

mirokarikovo · 12/12/2016 10:27

Don't "hate to bother" the people who are there to help. You are suffering from a life-threatening situation which will be quickest solved the sooner you get to a&e. Going to the doctor first is a bit silly - you can't talk. Your symptoms are very serious. The doctor will call an ambulance for you and get you to a&e because that is where you need to be. That will waste more time than just going straight to a&e.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 12/12/2016 10:39

GET
AN EMERGENCY
APPOINTMENT

please! that's all, its a killer and if they don't give you one go to A&E

really some fucking receptionists

Mistigri · 12/12/2016 10:47

I hope you are in hospital now and that you feel better for Christmas. Let us know that you are OK!

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 12/12/2016 10:57

I don't think you can blame the receptionist without knowing exactly what the OP has said to them.

Hope you are in A&E now, OP.

YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut · 12/12/2016 10:58

I hope you went to A&E OP. I'm in hospital at the moment with pneumonia. My oxygen levels were pretty low (I'm on oxygen at the moment) and have been told I was in a fairly bad state when I was admitted. I was breathless, but nothing like to the point that you sound.

5to2 · 12/12/2016 11:00

You ring up early in the morning and ask for an appointment that day. Yes it is an emergency, if they ask. At my local surgery you have to ring at 8.30am and keep ringing, or go there and queue up. But you will get an appointment on the day if you ring/go at that time.

Marynary · 12/12/2016 11:05

No way should you try to leave this until January. As others have said, ask for an emergency appointment and don't let the receptionist tell you it isn't an emergency (I doubt that they will but this happened to my brother a few years ago so best to be prepared). If you can't see the GP quickly enough, then go to A&E.

JennyOnAPlate · 12/12/2016 11:10

If you are having to choose between talking and breathing you are beyond needing to see a GP. Call 999 for an ambulance. Flowers

BigApple11 · 12/12/2016 11:23

Please OP go to A&E ....Flowers

Happytalker · 12/12/2016 11:28

OP, I can only second what everyone else here is saying. I went to the Asthma UK Carol Service last week with a friend and met several people who'd lost loved ones to asthma. Many people think 'it's just asthma' because they know someone who uses an inhaler and they seem to be coping fine, but there are different kinds of asthma and it really can kill if you don't get help fast enough. If you are feeling breathless and your symptoms are getting worse and your inhaler isn't helping it means you're probably having an asthma attack you should have an asthma action plan that tells you what to do. Basically, as everyone here is saying it's to CALL AN AMBULANCE, not worry about not bothering your GP. If you're in any doubt, call the Asthma UK helpline - the nurses have been utterly amazing when my friend was worried and really know their stuff. They'll help you work out what to do, what to tell your GP and what to tell the hospital. Sending you a huge hug. Hope you get the help you need and feel better soon.

FurbysMakeSexNoises · 12/12/2016 11:33

Right. I haven't RTFL but I'm a GP (and an asthmatic)- don't for goodness sake ask for a routine appointment- you need an emergency appointment asap. If they can't do that then get yourself to A&E by hook or by crook and if that involves an ambulance so be it.

Asthma deaths do happen and paramedics really won't mind if you call- please don't do nothing.

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