Was I an ambulance timewaster?

[Orangejuice5]

Hi- im hoping that im tired and overthinking this but would really appreciate some perspective as I’ve got myself quite worried about it

I actually posted last week as I wasn’t sure if it was even an asthma attack or not but it was, but regardless of what it was I’m worried I’ve been a timewaster or called for help inappropriately

basically I have asthma and had a really bad attack in a public place. Someone called for help and I took 10 puffs of my inhaler which helped. By the time help came 15 minutes later, my attack had stopped and my inhaler had basically helped it. My heart was racing because of how many puffs I’d taken lol but apart from that I was fine and my wheezing and tight was was gone

was I a timewaster for getting help when I was actually able to manage it myself? Just wasn’t sure because if it had been a really serious attack obviously getting help is the right thing to do but for an attack which can’t have been that bad since I was able to manage it myself, did I call for help inappropriately or do something wrong since I was fine by the time they got there? and will there be some kind of black mark against my name for the future?

really hope I’m just over thinking this and I’m worrying about nothing but just worried I’ve somehow mis used the service as I should have given my reliever inhaler the chance to work before getting help and I’m worried that I’ll have some kind of black mark next to my name etc x

I don't understand this angst. You said someone else called for help, not you. So why on earth do you feel responsible? But, that person calling did the right thing! My god, breathing difficulties are an absolute priority. They called it, you were finally OK, paramedics no doubt relieved. Great result all round.

Do book an appointment with the asthma nurse at your GP surgery. They can train you on what to do if you have an attack. There are specific steps to take.

Ambulance time wasters are people who exaggerate their symptoms when they could make their own way in. Or get transported by Ambulance, get fed up after a couple of hours and go home. Not someone who when one was called had breathing difficulties. Your Ambulance would have just been directed to the next person in line.

A friends child who was a young adult died from an asthma attack. If you felt so unwell, it's better to be safe than sorry. Please don't worry.

Your using hindsight

at that moment in time you had no way of knowing the inhaler would work as it did

please don’t doubt yourself and do the same again

My cousin died of an asthma attack as he was alone, this was 30 odd years ago, had someone been with him to call an ambulance, he may well have survived. My brother also nearly died several times in his childhood, there wasn’t any inhalers then, when he was about 9 years old he was asked to go on a trial for inhalers, they gave him back his life. I hope you get to control your asthma, but sometimes an attack cannot be helped especially if it’s triggered by allergies.

I personally know two people who died of asthma. Better safe than sorry

Someone else called the ambulance - if they thought in any way you were a time waster, they wouldn't have done so.

I agree with others. Just to add that an ambulance can still be cancelled. So whilst it was called correctly, if you were OK before it arrived and you no longer needed it - you can call and cancel. The operator will decide if they still wish to send it or if it will go elsewhere.

I've worried like you when I needed to call for emergency help for an asthma attack, but they can go from needing some help with them to life-endangering very quickly.

You absolutely did the right thing.

Have a read about asthma and severe attacks on these websites, they'll help you to understand what you experienced & the action plans you need to put in place.

https://patient.info/
https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/

Your inhaler wasn't working & you needed help, you absolutely did the right thing.

NEVER worry about calling 999 for an asthma attack - better to be safe than dead.

Please don't overcompensate for this next time by delaying the ambulance because you don't want to be a nuisance. My DF died age 36 because he waited too long to get help. Don't end up like him.

Dont cancel the ambulance. I've experienced an attack seeming to get better before suddenly getting very dangerous.

If you need help, you need to be thoroughly helped & checked over. Don't take chances.

Agree with everyone else.

10 puffs is a LOT:. Even my nastiest attacks didn't need that many. (I have been very fortunate to have seemingly 'grown out' of my asthma - my last and worst attack was in my early 20s). Given you say it's also getting worse, I would agree you need an urgent review and probably different/better meds.

You need to book an urgent review with the asthma nurse at your GP surgery. Don’t bother with the GP - see the specially trained asthma nurse.

You should be flagged on the GP’s system for an annual review and make a note to chase them if they don’t send a reminder.

My 8yo was diagnosed 6 months ago and seeing him struggle to breathe, his chest sucked in with each breath, was terrifying. You did the right thing with the ambulance.

Oh, and if it makes you feel any better, I called an ambulance for croup in my then 18mo once. I'd not seen it before, it came on very suddenly from being the picture of health, and he was struggling to breathe. I felt a bit silly when they told me what it was (and did take us in because he needed steroids to settle it) but they were happy to have been called. I'm sure they were in your case too.

@Tilleuil thank you for this, had never heard of Buteyko. Seems useful for other lung conditions too.

https://buteyko-cursus.nl/en/about-buteyko/buteyko-method/

I nearly died last year after a nasty asthma attack. I was in hospital for three weeks and I got daily lectures about how I should have got help sooner, how there is a line and once you cross it it is v hard for them to get you back and how in future I am to get help much much sooner. I listened and will keep on listening. Asthma kills. You did the right thing

Look at it the other way, It’s common sense to call an ambulance if you can’t breathe.

You (and the person that called for help) didn’t know that your inhaler would work) at the time.

Never ever feel silly with a child struggling for breath, my DN was a croup sufferer (mine weren't luckily!), it looked awful!

OP, you did the right thing, but glad you did recover quickly.

I agree with pp, that the butyeko technique is extremely helpful.

ABCDE sssessment - airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure.

You knock out the first two, you’re fine stop overthinking it.

We’ve just had asthma and anaphylaxis training in school this week.
We were told that if a child is having an asthma attack that isn’t being controlled after 10 puffs using a spacer, then phone 999.
Asthma attacks are scary things. I’m not one for calling 999 Willy nilly, but you can’t really predict the progress of an attack. If I were you, I’d make an appointment to see the asthma nurse to check your meds, and take it from there.

You did the right thing OP, asthma is a common condition but that means we don’t always consider how dangerous it can be. 10puffs of salbutamol is a lot. I would also be worried about your heart rate after this amount as well as your as your asthma. In a hospital we use salbutamol to raise someone’s heart rate when theirs is too low due to various reasons.

You did the right thing to call when having the attack as you could have died, you weren’t to know that things would definitely improve. You can always call and update them, I have done this before for someone in a similar situation.

Never, ever, fuck around with asthma.

This just shows how broken everything is, that someone who experienced a severe asthma attack is doubting whether they deserved an ambulance.