To visit GP tomorrow or potentially call 111?

[DontTouchTheMoustache]

I'm posting for advice because I'm on my own so don't have anyone to ask. I have severe asthma, just under 2 years ago I had flu that developed into pneumonia which led to a very severe asthma attack which hospitalised me for 2 weeks and it was touch and go whether I would survive it. It has obviously left a very scary lasting impression on me.
All this week I've been coughing and sore throat, I think it's a chest infection (as coughing heavily, in a lot of pain, very wheezy, coughing up lots of green phlegm). I've been putting off going to the doctor because I know if it's a virus there isn't much they can do but my asthma is getting worse and reliever inhaler not really working on it so I think I might need some steroids to help breathing. I have a young DS (11 months) in bed (also with same bug as me) so a&e would be very tricky as I have no one who can take him (single parent, no family close by). I feel if I call 111 they will tell me to go to a&e as a precaution but I'm not as bad as I was last time so.I think I can manage until tomorrow to see GP but I don't know if it's stupid to wait until it gets worse. I don't know if going to GP is even an overreaction as prior to the pneumonia incident I wouldn't have even gone to them and would have just stayed at home but I think it's made me paranoid and over anxious. If I sit really far forwards it doesn't seem that bad, just tight chested so I'm wondering if I would just be wasting time by going to GP, especially as I say if it's a viral infection. I've been debating getting an appointment all day today but then I think I might be fine in a few hours but then if I don't go tomorrow the GP will be shut for the weekend and I'll have try and find some OOH care.

I do hope OOH called you back and we're able to help you last night x

Hope you're ok OP? Don't ever feel that you're wasting people's time, it's their job! Asthma is scary, I'm asthmatic, as is DS1 and I've lost a family member to an asthma attack in her sleep when I was a child ☹️

Hi everyone, I'm alive! Ooh couldn't help much in.the end, all they could offer me was an appointment about 30 min drive away which I couldn't have managed myself and couldn't afford a taxi. The offered to get a doctor to call me but said it would be about 3-4 hour wait and they wouldn't be able to prescribe me any tung over the phone. So I ended up leaving it til this morning, not slept at all as couldn't lay back. I had an emergency GP appointment where he prescribed me some steroids but then was quite dismissive of me, didn't ask me anything about my symptoms and said "oh it's just a virus, I had the same one" but he based that on nothing, if it was bacterial they could have prescribed antibiotics but he made no effort to find out. Even when I said I had coughed up a lot of green phlegm he said "that could just be the asthma". Then he told me I need to lower my heart rate and breathing speed but not that easy when you can't breathe properly (and you just carried a 25lb baby up 2 flights of stairs). I always just get the feeling at the GP that they think I'm being overdramtic. But last time the GP was quite dismissive as well and 3 hours later I was in a&e in a right state. I'm sure that won't happen this time.though.

Good to hear you're ok OP!

Now look after yourself won't you?! I prescribe lots of rest, a warm duvet on the sofa with a trashy DVD

Disclaimer- I'm not a doc ( unless you count my compulsive medical documentry watching obsession) but I hope you feel better soon

I'm not very happy with your gp's response to be honest and neither should you be. Do you have an asthma nurse at your GP surgery? Going forward I think you need their details to be able to contact them directly....

If you feel worse/no better/unhappy at any point today you need to push GP/111 again. Sad fact is that these days, unless you get an exceptional hcp, you will get 'dismissed'initally because so many ailments resolve themselves and it weeds out people who don't need the resources. You're not being dismissed in a 'there's nothing wrong' with you way (you'd be told that), you're being dismissed in a 'let's hope this solves itself' way. That's fine if it does but it relies on you, the patient, being alert and prepared to seek attention again. It sucks massive balls but it's the system.

You're rule of thumb should be, would I leave my baby in the sole care of someone who was in my situation for a day. If no then you need help. Even if it means dragging the baby along with you.

As an aside, if money isn't a huge issue you could pay for a Skype appointment and prescription. I've seen good things said on here about pushgp and paying means none of the angst about wasting nhs time. If it means nipping things in the bud it might be worth you looking into it.

Haha thanks pishedoff I have managed to organise someone to look after DS tonight which gives me chance to rest and if I get worse to go to a&e without any worries about him.

Brilliant plan moustache

DontTouch I wouldn't be happy with your GPs response either.

Another fellow asthmatic here. Oh and the day I thought I didn't feel that bad, I ended up in resus the very same night

My red flag symptoms are cough / wheeze, breathlessness and not being able to talk in full sentences. I've been in situations where paramedics have taken me in telling the doctors they're concerned I'm not reacting to the nebulisers' / oxygen combo and still been sent home severely unwell by complacent doctors who then look ever so suprised when I end up being rushed back in

The breathlessness would really concern me tbh. OP whereabouts are you in the UK? I'm asking as I'm East Midlands and we have a pink card system here where asthmatics who suffer can get a home visit from the community respiratory nurses. It may be worth asking about if your area does something similar (I dont know if all areas have them).

Whether its viral or not. It's affecting your asthma and needs treating. I once spent a week on the respiratory ward with 'just a virus'.

cornetto and away no I'm not very happy with it either to be honest. The frustrating thing is being so wheezy and breathless that talking to try and challenge him is hard (not to mention I've almost completely lost my voice from.coughing). I take GP'S with a pinch of salt in these situations with my asthma now after being sent home last time and then getting so poorly. I do understand they get a lot of people through the door with a case of the sniffles so it must get hard to recognise the genuine symptoms. That's the main reason I sorted some childcare for this evening so that I'm fully free to get further help.if I need it.
I'm in West Yorkshire away, I haven't heard of anything like that but I will certainly Google it to see

The frustrating thing is being so wheezy and breathless that talking to try and challenge him is hard (not to mention I've almost completely lost my voice from.coughing).

Completely understand you. It's really hard to stand up for yourself when you literally cant speak either properly / or at all. You're just concentrating on the breathing.

I think it is that they see so many people go in with sniffles etc they get complacent when someone who gneiinely needs help tries to access it for the first time. The reason I ended up with a pink card is because the first time paramedics had to come out to me he told me I was fine and just having a panic attack. I ended up really really poorly.

I don't blame them. We all make mistakes but it's so difficult when you're having to convince medical staff that actually, you aren't well.

I remember taking DS to the GPs for an eye infection (tried buying drops from chemist - wouldn't sell them me) . It was a locum GP. I had a later app at a different surgery and was trying to see if the receptionist could squeeze me in whilst I was there as I really wasn't feeling well. I'd told the GP my asthma was playing up. Ten minutes later I was in the nurses office on a nebuliser. Same GP walked past "what happened? You were alright to me ten minutes ago?".

Really?!

How are you doing op?

Have you heard of Asthma UK? They have a really helpful helpline staffed by asthma nurses who are lovely and up to date with latest advice. The reality is that most GPs don't know much about asthma - I have it and my GP admitted as much. I sometimes know more than them about what drug I'm taking! I have often found asthma nurses much better informed.

I'd definitely give Asthma UK a call and they also have some good info on their website. I was told to go to A&E if ten puffs of my reliever doesn't help and I'm still struggling as asthma can go downhill fast. Also please don't ignore your asthma symptoms because when your lungs are inflamed over the long term that can lead to systemic changes in the lungs meaning you might be more prone to problems later on. All the very best to you and I hope you are feeling much better soon.