WTF do I do now? 111 haven't called me back and the allegedly dispatched ambulance (that I didn't ask for) hasn't arrived anyway!

[colditz]

Ds2 has asthma and is having a flare up. He's 12.

He had a 15% dip in peak flow and painful breathing at 9pm. Gave 8 puffs on ventalin, rang 111 for advice.

Spend 20 minutes on the phone to a call handler, to be informed that a 'clinician' would call me back, within 30 minutes, unless they decided to dispatch an ambulance, which would arrive within 2 hours.

Nobody called.

Nobody arrived.

So at 11.20 I rang them back, to be told an ambulance had been dispatched and that I needed to now ring 999 for advice, as they weren't able to deal with my call.

Rang 999.

(Ds2 stable, ill but stable. Peak flow of 300.)

Was told that they were very busy with life threatening cases (understandable) and as he is breathing and conscious, a 'clinician' will ring back within an hour, but to "watch him very closely"

It's now 12.45.

Nobody has rung

Nobody has arrived

I'm scared. If I can't keep his asthma under control I don't actually know what to do? Ring 999 again and scream? he's stable but he needs to be seen by a bloody doctor. I'd take him to A and E myself but if he has an asthma attack on the way, we'd then be at the roadside with an ambulance service that's too busy to come and find us. For the first time in my life, I am properly panicking that nobody is actually going to help us, and that we're going to be statistic.

I'm not ususally over dramatic, I'm so tired and worried.

Similarly if you can't get much of a pulse.

He's got a good strong pulse at a normal speed

All good then. He's probably tired because it's the middle of the night for a 12 year old.

Bless him. I hope the ambulance arrives soon and all will be well. Poor lad.

This is awful. I agree with the poster up thread re checking what the inhaler is dispensing, and maybe try a fresh inhaler if you have one.

After several incidents like this DS was given a nebulizer to use at home with some vials containing a big dose of the reliever medicine (was a while ago now so can't remember the names of the drugs). Perhaps you could ask your doctors about this in case this happens again. I hope the ambulance shows up soon.

Ambulance crew just left. Ds is ok. His sats are v good and all obs are normal. They are unimpressed with 111 service. They also agreed with me that keeping him out of A and E was wise, given that it would be quicker to go to the doctor in town. They were so nice and so professional.

111 isn't fit for purpose. I know I'm tired and emotional, but honestly, what is the point of calling for advice if nobody has time to give it, and instead calls an ambulance? I could have done THAT myself, but I didn't think the situation warranted it - and I was right!

Juts take him. If he hasn't deteriorated in the three hours you've waited, but you're concerned he could- drive him to ED before he does become a medical emergency, instead of waiting for him to become one

I'm glad you've eventually had some proper reassurance and medical attention. Just not fit for purpose, you're right. Hope you get some sleep now.

@SD1978 rtft

So, as advised byyy the ambulance crew, we are sitting in the doctors waiting room waitin to be seen by a doctor, who we will not be seeing because their list is full. We will be seeing a nurse.

I’m so, so tired and he just needs some fucking steroids. They could have done that 2 days ago when I brought him in with poorly controlled breathing and we could have avoided this whole massive waste of resources

Sounds like a nightmare Colditz ; poor you and your poor lad. Hope you get seen quickly.

Just didn’t want to read and not acknowledge. I’m sorry this has been such an all-round crap/dangerous/poorly managed experience

Hope you have a good peaceful day after this.

We’ve been here an hour and the waiting room is rammed, so probably not.

Thank you all for your support, it’s rrally kept me from panicking.

Has your son got a steroid inhaler?
How is he doing today?

He does, he has serevent, clenil 100 and ventolin.

He now also has prednisolone and Amoxicillin, as he has been seen by an actual doctor and diagnosed with a chest infection on top of asthma

OP that is shocking. Thankfully (touch wood) at 14 DS has all but outgrown his asthma as predicted when he was a baby, but I never had to wait more than 20 minutes for paramedics and ambulances when it was bad. GP also prescribed us soluble prednisolone to keep in reserve so that we could start his treatment when necessary and take him into the surgery afterwards.

Glad you got to see doctor and got antibiotics.

I have asthma, and it's a pain in the ass.

When someone else gets a cold and a cough, I inevitably end up with a chest infection. Can't stand snifflers and snufflers and splutterers at work. Their germs are potentially lethal for me.

Sorry your son is so poorly. I can’t get over the GP surgery’s in some areas. Today I had an appointment with the nurse at 11:15am. I checked in at 11:12am, and seen the nurse and had bloods done, went across and picked up my medication and was sat back in my car at 11:23am. That’s normal for our surgery too.

Poor you op glad things are stabilised what a horrible night. Hope you both get some rest now.

Well done op. If you have energy later after well earned rest, make a complaint about 111, they are so rubbish. Hope soon better

You could phone and ask for steroids for further exacerbations? We have some for my son as he seems to be worse at night/weekends (if he does have an exacerbation) so easier to give steroids myself but he must then be seen by a dr within 12 hours (obviously dependant on his condition etc) but can settle things down and buy a bit of time for him. He’s sat next to me now wheezing away

Also asthma uk have very good wheeze plans (for kids) for this scenario when you’re not sure exactly what to do how many puffs of blue to give - ours is 10 puffs mid via a spacer all asthmatic children should have a spacer unless you use inhalers which don’t require them. And also the Physical signs of a severe attack on a child - tugging at neck, sucking in at ribs, tummy ache, inability to speak etc. It can be scary when they are so unwell especially in the night when access to healthcare isn’t as easy as during the day & a&e is far away. I’m a paeds nurse and I deal with kids with exacerbations of asthma every day but when it’s your own child it is more scary due to what I see at work and you’re a mum then not a nurse, is your asthma nurse any good (we don’t see ours as she’s hopeless) but if good they can do a good plan and prescribe meds too. I don’t rely too much on 111 as they can’t see your kid you can and you know if they need to be seen, I use my nurse status and make it clear I need a dr to see him, and he’s always been seen by a gp In ooh or a&e within an hour.

Glad your son has been seen and has some meds he should feel better very soon, hoping mine doesn’t go down that route as he’s well controlled until he gets a cold and then it gets bad and he’s sniffly and coughing/wheezy controlled by inhaler for now though.

The wait at a and e will be the same if you arrive my ambulance or under your own steam.

Sorry to hear you’re going through this! I hope he’s well and back home soon. I recently had a need to call 111 who’s systems were down so couldn’t help then 999 where I was on hold for 15 minutes. Then an hour for an ambulance. Not life threatening fortunately but we were blue lighted to hospital (was my young child) and it terrified me to think that if one of us was in proper danger we would have been in serious trouble. I had no idea that there is a strong chance that if you call 999 you may have to wait a really long time. I feel I will be very over cautious in future!