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

Agree she needs a follow up but IME an asthma nurse can be much better than a GP.

You need an Asthma review it shouldn't be getting worse that shows it's not controlled. Do you use a spacer? That's much more effective at getting the drug in. Our advice is Administer 2, repeat if needed if you get to 10 puffs call ambulance.

You definitely did the right thing, you weren't to know 10 puffs would relieve the attack. In these situations it's always best to call for help.

A time waster is my ex, and the reason he is an ex. He got drunk, fell over, hurt his LITTLE TOE. Called an ambulance, got bored of waiting and then walked 2 miles to A&E where he was politely (more than I would have been anyway) to fuck off. That's a timewaster.

Asthma is serious and kills 3-4 people a day in the UK. I would always call an ambulance for an asthma attack - by the time you've tried 10 puffs it could be too late.

You now need an urgent asthma review with your GP or your surgery's asthma nurse. You need an asthma meds review (you may need a stronger preventer) and you should have a course of oral steroids following your attack.

You also need to demand an asthma action plan. If you don't already have them, buy a pulse oximeter and a peak flow meter. My asthma plan highlights when my asthma is worsening and what to do. One of them is when my peak flow falls below 340.

For the future, if you ever need 3 or more reliever puffs in a week, or additional puffs (e.g. if you're on a combination inhaler like Fostair) you need an urgent asthma review.

Agree. The trouble with asthma (and I assume several other conditions) is that by the time you wait and see if your inhaler will help might make it too late to get help if you wait and see

I work in an ED

I am glad you rang an ambulance. Big woo if you were better when they got there. It would change your status from life threat to stable when you get to ED but that’s a win!!

Not being able to breathe just further increases the feeling of panic at the time. I imagine you were very scared and I’m so glad you feel better. Struggling to breathe needs urgent medical assistance and you called for it. Totally appropriate use of services.

Definitely book yourself in for an asthma review with your primary care provider though, to review your medication and for peace of mind.

You're fine
Time wasting is
I had sex tonight and think I have an STD
I've run out of paracetamol
I can't walk home because my feet hurt

I have asthma and I agree with others that you need an urgent medication review. But not because you lack confidence (strange comment by a PP) but because your asthma isn’t under control.

It sounds like possibly a laryngospasm or panic attack? Typically (but not always) asthma attacks occur over a longer period of time/come on more gradually. I would say A&E is needed when 8-10 puffs of inhaler aren't lasting 4 hours between doses. If symptoms come on acutely out of the blue, then your asthma is severely unmanaged, it's an allergy, or it's something else line a laryngospasm/panic attack.

It wasn't asthma for me, but at the time I had an ambulance called for me, I had been suffering from bad upper back pain, and one morning I woke up and the pain was going down all my left arm. So I decided to call 111 for advice, and they decided to send me an ambulance who assessed me and took me to hospital for further checks. Turns out it was all fine, and nothing to do with my heart. They also helped with further pain relief. So I did not feel that it was a waste of time, especially as at the time nearly all my family were away out of the area and I couldn't get any help. So the point of my story is, if you feel you need help, you are entitled to it.

You were 100% right to call for an ambulance.

I have asthma too and an attack is terrifying, there is no knowing that the your reliever will work.
You tried to control it and it wasn't effective so you called for emergency help. Absolutely right.

Noway are wasting time/ resources, this is what they are for

not a time waster at all. My sister (many years ago ) when she was a teen , supported her best friend through the loss of her 13 year old sister. She had an attack and couldn't get to her inhaler. Everyone else was in the house but she was upstairs and it happened so fast that she had no breath to call for help. You are not a time waster. better the ambulance was not needed than you died! which was very possible

You also have no idea what happened after the ambulance left or was cancelled from you.

I live quite remotely so a long way from hospital. Last year my friend's husband had a heart attack. Fortunately for him, an ambulance was just leaving the next village having been called for an asthma attack which was under control without the patient needing to be taken in.

They said he is probably only still here because of that. The person who called it originally probably has no idea.

It doesn’t sound like that to me. Also asthma symptoms in an asthmatic which improve with the application of a large dose of salbutamol are more likely to be asthma than other things.

Asthma attacks come on very suddenly for some people. I can’t see anything in the description that doesn’t sound like an asthma attack

I have very allergic asthma. My blood tests confirm extremely high levels of response to cats, for example. I can't be around animals but have had attacks triggered by animal hairs which others had on their clothing. Often a sudden attack has a trigger which we can't always easily see. Asthma csn be the allergy response. Animal hair exposure has landed me in a and e a number of times.

I clean my mums house once a week and yesterday had a really bad wheeziness halfway through which i assumed would eventually go away. Come evening and i was literally gasping for air and my husband offered to take me to hospital but i decided to tough it out until i could ring the doctor first thing. They told me i should have called an ambulance during the night. They gave me 10 puffs on ventolin via a spacer and prescribing me oral stereoids. So do t feel bad about having called an ambulance.

I doubt ambulance crew would ever take issue with being called for an asthma attack. They were probably just happy you were ok! I imagine it happens a lot that people call and are out of danger by the time the ambulance arrives - for example a seizure that has finished or something like that. But it's a genuine medical emergency and you were right to call. I'm sure the paramedics would rather you be safe than sorry!

I imagine the kind of thing they'd be annoyed about is fake calls, people who can't be bothered to call a taxi, that sort of thing.

If it wasn't potentially serious the ambulance would've either refused you on the phone or took like 9 hours. Don't ever think that. If you feel that way again call 999 if the puffer isn't helping. Better safe than sorry. I thought I was a time waster when I actually had a broken hip and shoulder!

No, definitely not. Paramedics could check you over, check your oxygen levels. If no need to go to hospital they’re free for next job.

You should go back to your gp, you need to know these things you say you don't know. X