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?

YADNBU.

Your so-called friend is extremely ignorant.
I once worked with a young woman who looked completely fine and healthy. She was found dead in her home after an asthma attack. Her family were completely devastated and were never the same.
Asthma attacks can be very severe as you already know, it’s an emergency and so you have every right to call an ambulance.

Quite frankly I’d be questioning whether I’d want to be friends with someone like that who trivialises something so serious.

Your friend is either profoundly ignorant, or incapable of being anyone's friend. She's also astonishingly arrogant if she thinks she knows better than despatch, when it comes to prioritising emergency services to seriously ill people.

Asthma kills. And paramedics are trained to help people - what good would it have served, for you to risk infection and waste NHS resources in hospital, when you'd already had the emergency care you needed, just as you were supposed to, from qualified professionals?

I'm so glad you are okay. That must have been very frightening.

There is absolutely no need to justify yourself OP. You got the help you needed from the emergency services because you had an emergency.

If it had been during the day you might have had a “first responder” on a motorbike or car as it’s quicker and he/she would have done exactly the same as ambulance driving paramedics. Every second counts with asthma. Don’t even think twice about ringing 999 if it happens again (which I hope it doesn’t!).

Let’s hope your “friend” doesn’t retrain as a call handler for emergency services!!

A lot of people seem to think asthma is having a bit of a cough and don’t seem to realise that it can be a serious condition and healthy people can and do die during attacks - preventable deaths given the correct intervention. Luckily you phoned 111 and they acted correctly by getting you prompt emergency medical care. Does your friend think a) you should have died at home without help or b) that you should have gone to hospital anyway and clogged up a+e when the paramedics had already sorted you out?

I haven't read all of the responses and I feel you obviously did the right thing and you could also tell your "friend" that you took up less resources by being treated at home by the paramedics than if you were taking the space of a hospital trolley and several Dr's, nurses, Health Care Assistant's time and potentially being admitted and using a hospital bed. All of that would have taken a lot more time than what I expect you received at home.

Yanbu So she is ignorant to your condition or very confused at a good enough reason for an ambulance to attend.I can think of plenty of reasons not to have one and this is certainly not it.

Who the hell is your friend to say that?! Not trying to scare you op but I think that stats are 1 person dies every 7 minutes in U.K. from an asthma attack so it’s critical you get the right treatment when having an attack. Some friend!?!! I I used to sell asthma drugs and it’s this kind of attitude that causes problems. You are fully entitled to seek urgent medical attention in that situation.

This time last year I had excruciating chest pain. I rang the emergency doctor service who told me to call for an ambulance. They arrived very quickly and gave me aspirin, morphine and GTN spray. I went straight into resus and was told by the doctor that he was 90% certain I was having or had suffered a heart attack. I was in hospital for a week and had pericarditis and a pericardial effusion. A few weeks later I flew to Manchester for a hospital appointment and had the same pain on the flight. An ambulance was called for me and came to the plane. I was embarrassed because I knew that I wasn’t having a heart attack. I have done a lot of reading about heart attacks in women and often the symptoms are missed or ignored. The best thing I read was that no-one ever died of embarrassment! If you are very unwell and need medical attention then you shouldn’t hesitate to call an ambulance.

If she ever needs one and doesn’t have to be admitted,I hope you’re going to remind her of this.

Op, also I would call 999 not 111 if there is another time you need help for an asthma attack. It’s an emgerency and should be treated as such

I'm a well controlled asthmatic 20yrs plus. I never thought I could die from it until I was admitted to Resus following a 111 call and 2 paramedics arriving to try and stabilise me.

It IS serious and the ambulance was the right call.

What Sb74 said.Your friend is no friend for reacting that way

Your friend is a nob. Ambulances are not taxis. They enable skilled paramedics to get to you ASAP, to treat you in situ. Only if you need continued care or more specialises care will they Take you to hospital.

Tell your “friend” to feck right off. The fact that the paramedics were able to treat your emergency at home has saved the NHS money. They are first responders and they responded appropriately. Does she not realise asthma can kill. Jesus wept, the ignorance of some is epic.

Paramedics quite often see and treat, I think in a way they've replaced the old style Dr emergency visits in some ways. My nan was asthmatic and if she had a bad attack my grandad would run to the Dr's house (closer than the phone box!) And he'd come and bring with him what he needed, a few times it was beyond his capacity and she needed more treatment with different equipment and Dr sent grandad back to his house to tell his wife to call for an ambulance!
Those days are long gone but in effect that's what the paramedics do now, they can diagnose and treat on scene and if successful then the patient doesn't need a trip to hospital.
When I worked in care they sometimes did this with small injuries or the like, glue a wound, give us instructions on what to look out for and leave. Sometimes it was just the quick response paramedic on their own, sometimes a full ambulance but either way if it was deemed to need hospital treatment they'd go, but if not they'd treat on scene.
The paramedics did what a&e would have done, with a good outcome and no hospital admission. I'd say that's a winner all round tbh! Your friend clearly doesn't understand the function of paramedics - taking people to hospital is just one of their tasks.
I believe in Australia they have dedicated paramedics for this specific function (might be wrong, only seen it on TV) so the call handler diverts calls that are generally see and treats to those paramedics whose function is to treat minor injuries/illness in the setting and then move on to the next, leaves ambulances free and cuts hospital admissions.

What was the point of her saying that ffs? Personally I’d be really upset if a friend said that and tried to make me feel bad! I feel angry and upset for you. Just ignore the silly cow and if you have another attack call 999 immediately.

my daughter is an EMT o the ambulances and regularly says she treats people at home and is happy to get them back to a state that they dont need to go to hospital , she would be the first to say if she thought they were time wasters , asthma is not something to be taken lightly so dont worry what your so called friend says your safe and the right decision was made by 111

Tell your friend to wind her neck in!! You totally did the right thing op. As I am sure your asthma nurse has advised. Please do not let her negativity affect you and please be sure you do the same thing in the future.

You know yanbu..asthma can kill. Glad you felt better after the help

I am a asthmatic and my asthma is usually under control with inhalers.I can suddenly get a real bad attack when its like trying to get your breath through a straw with someone holding a pillow over you.If my inhalers dont work i need hospital treatment quick and i am always told to phone for a ambulance.5 people die a day through asthma attacks.Phoning the ambulance was the right thing to do.I should chose another friend

Haven’t read the full thread, but asthma is very serious and people can, and do, die. Next time you have an attack like that, dial 999. You were just fortunate the paramedics stabilised you else you would have been admitted. Any paramedic will tell you that. Hope you keep better OP

Your friend is entirely ignorant.
Asthma kills.
Glad you are ok.
Don’t ever hesitate in future 😚

Your friend is definitely wrong. I know a teenage lad at my children’s dance school who sadly lost his mother to a night time asthma attack. Asthma is a big killer and people don’t seem to understand that.

I’m in two minds. I have asthma, but the severe attacks are infrequent, like yours. Mostly it’s under control with preventers and by being careful of situations that could provoke it.

For years I’ve had a portable nebuliser. It’s a very simple bit of kit, not expensive and widely available. I can set it up alone easily, even when my breathing is very bad.

There’s basically nothing else a doctor, paramedic or hospital is going to do but put you on a nebuliser anyway so it’s a no-brainer for me. I’m not stuck waiting and worrying and freaking out my family (it really sounds scary to people around).

I’d have thought this was a better solution than calling on the resources of the ambulance or A&E.

That said, I don’t side with your friend. Any true friend would just be fervently glad that you survived and taking you out to get your mind off it.

Been where you are not with asthma but with friend like that.

I rang 111 (well my dh made me) because my lips and face had badly swollen.
I didn't think it was bad as i would have waited until the morning and rang GP.
Only when they blue lighted me to hospital that I thought oh shit this is bad.
But my friend thought it was just me being over dramatic and I could have waited, but according to the paramedics and Dr's I couldn't have because I'd possibly be dead.
So ignore your friend she hasn't got a clue. Hope you feeling better.