That my friend is annoyed that an ambulance was called for me...

[ClothesHangingOnTheFloor]

I had a bad asthma attack in the middle of the night - lasted over an hour, my partner dialled 111 but they immediately issued an ambulance that arrived within five minutes. (Friday night).

I had low oxygen (blue lips), high heart rate, high BP and I couldn't speak a word, just continuous panicky cough and loud wheeze in between coughing . I was put on the nebuliser, and within 20 minutes I was coming out of it, could speak and was extremely grateful that I didn't have to go to the hospital (unless I wanted to ...I didn't). The only lasting effects were sore back muscles and raw throat from coughing, and advice to see GP to review meds.

The paramedics were excellent, and even said that if my symptoms returned then to call 999 again.

The last attack I had this bad was over four years ago, and I didn't call an ambulance, my friend/neighbour drove me and her husband stayed with my kids.

So...I was telling my friend this, and she implied I was a time waster because I never even ended up in hospital..."ambulances are for people who need to go to hospital". No amount of telling her that I didn't call the ambulance will convince her.

So... Am I being unreasonable to think that if you can be treated at home successfully by a paramedic, in an emergency situation, then what is the issue?

Your friend is very ignorant imo.
Hope you are feeling better. I was diagnosed in my late 20's. First year was very scarey..

I’m one of the biggest eye rollers at the abuse of ambulances these days but your friend is being a tit - the ambulance was necessary and the fact that they didn’t take you in is irrelevant! They treated you there and then - that’s what they’re trained to do if they can!

Sounds like your friend is a mumsnetter. I see similar posts here all the time.

You could always ask her if she'd prefer you to actually die of your asthma attack instead and save the NHS some money...

Your friend is an ignoramus when it comes to asthma, the advice for an attack like you suffered is to call an ambulance and not to attempt to make the journey yourself. An ambulance is equipped with nebulizers, monitoring equipment, O2 and trained staff, your car (or taxi) isn't.

If 111 thought you needed an ambulance and sent one, you needed an ambulance. If you needed treatment which only paramedics could provide, and urgently, you needed an ambulance. That sounds terrifying.

Never question whether to call an ambulance in that kind of situation. No paramedic would be inwardly grumbling at an asthma attack. You don't muck about with asthma. Tell your DP he was being unreasonable not to call one directly!

Hope you're feeling better today.

Your friend sounds lovely - where’s her concern for your wellbeing?! Asthma attacks can be fatal which is why 111 sent an ambulance for you. They would always start treatment and try to stabilise someone struggling to breathe before taking them to hospital and in your case it was lucky that it worked well and you didn’t need to go. But if they hadn’t done that then you would have ended up in hospital so it saved an admission! You are not being unreasonable, your friend is.

I had an attack in the middle of the night a few weeks ago and didn’t go to A&E because I felt guilty at the thought of wasting resources. Went to GP the next day and was told that I should definitely have gone!

Your friend clearly had no idea how terrifying and dangerous an attack can be.

You did the opposite of wasting time! You got the emergency treatment needed and then they could go knowing you were recovering..job done.

I presume she thought you should have made your own way to A+E? Remind her that a couple of thousand people die every year of asthma attacks... (sorry!) Prompt treatment is vital and you absolutely did the right thing!!

She's a pillock...

Asthma kills. You needed immediate, emergency medical care. Who cares what some know it all thinks.

Hope you are feeling better.

Your friend is a bellend.

Your friend is a twat

I know two people who have died of asthma attacks and one was an 11 year old child.

Both could've been saved if they'd had fast treatment.

YANBU.

Your ‘friend’ is being a tit. And weird about this. Would she have felt better if you’d died from your asthma attack instead of recovering due to skilled treatment from professional medics who you needed to arrive swiftly in an EMERGENCY?! Great that you didn’t need further treatment in hospital.

She sounds immature and idiotic frankly and clearly doesn’t understand that people die from severe asthma attacks sometimes.

I hope you stay well and don’t suffer further bad attacks OP.

She is wrong. Dh is a paramedic, (I’m a volunteer). The nhs doesn’t want anyone in hospital who doesn’t need to go, if they can treat and resolve an issue at home then that’s better for everyone.

There are plenty of times an ambulance is called and isn’t needed and that is a waste. But you needed treatment the crew could give, and anyway all is forgiven as you called 111 not 999.

Your friend is a knob.

I hope no one reading this thread, worries about calling an ambulance in a similar situation for fear of what others say.

Hope you are feeling better OP

Came on to say your friend is being a tit but it's already been said. What is your friend's preferred outcome? That you were so ill you needed to be hospitalised?

Of course your friend is unreasonable and a bit of an idiot. People die from asthma attacks. If your lips were blue, your oxygen sats were low and your pulse was very fast then you were very seriously ill- the fact that it resumed relatively quickly means nothing!

More and more they are upskilling paramedics to be able to do exactly what your's did thereby reducing hospital admittance and letting them get back on the road to the next call. The days when they were taxi drivers with a bit of first aid are long gone.

purplewith uh, 999 would have been perfectly valid too, OP had been struggling for an hour and was cyanosed

Your friend is wrong... you needed urgent treatment and you received it. If they can treat you without taking you in then surely that's good for you as well as the hospital.

Hope you're doing ok now OP

PurpleWithRed Mon 21-Jan-19 23:07:46
"all is forgiven as you called 111 not 999." This is silly as 999 is the number to call for an unremitting, severe life-threatening asthma attack so even if OP did call one then that would have been fine too.

Sounds like your so-called friend thinks an ambulance isn't much more than a fast bus to the hospital and doesn't realise how dangerous asthma can be. With the treatment administered by paramedics it basically saved your life, as well as avoiding you needing to go spend time in A&E. As others have said, 111 wouldn't have sent one if they hadn't thought it was necessary.

If 111 didn't think it necessary they wouldn't have sent the ambulance.

She makes the ambulance sound like a taxi by saying they should only be used if people need to attend hospital.
Without the equipment and medicines they have on board you may not be here to argue the point with her.
You may well have saved the NHS money. By the ambulance treating you quickly you have recovered at home and the ambulance could carry on its day. If someone had taken you to hospital, delaying your treatment, the hospital may have had to provide more costly treatment and possibly admit you overnight. (assuming you got there in time).
Your friend isn't talking sense.
Hope you are OK now, and that your friend is not with you if you have another attack.

YANBU They don't send out ambulances lightly. Must have been frightening for you. Glad you're ok. Glad yr friend doesn't work on 111. Lucky for you it was someone with common sense. It was the quickest way that you could get urgent treatment obvs. Doesn't she realise how serious it was? Some people don't realise how serious asthma can be I guess? Maybe explain esp if yr out with her one day and need help (hope that never happens btw)

Lots of people just do not realise how dangerous asthma is. Yanbu

Lisabel X post!