Ambulance for anxiety???

[Lonelydaisy]

Has anyone had such bad anxiety they had to call an ambulance? Really debating it now.
Got a Dr appointment but it's not til Monday

getting an ambulance out could mean someone else who needs one for life saving reasons may not get the help they need

This will not happen. Calls are prioritised, and someone requiring emergency treatment will always be attended before a non emergency

This can and DOES happen.

Yes calls are prioritised. But ambulances are a finite resource and unfortunate timing of calls could well mean a non emergency case slows down the response to an emergency.

If 999 calls drop off and op gets her ambulance then the paramedics will finish that visit thoroughly and completely before leaving.

And if 5 people start having a heart attack or choking whilst this ambulance is attending a non-emergency then it WILL slow down the response time.

999 should only be called for an actual emergency when there is no other option. The op knows what's wrong with her. Calling an ambulance would be completely inappropriate and increasing risk to others.

No unfortunately. Ambulances are emergency transport to hospital and people die when they are tied up on non emergency calls. I’ve been there OP. Download the DARE app for some calming down strategies, it works, or call Samaritans. Hope you’re feeling better all .

Please don't call an ambulance or pitch up at A&E unless you are having dangerous/harmful i intrusive thoughts . You have to learn and then use coping strategies to manage your health anxiety.

I know I sound harsh and make it sound easy. I know it isn't. I have GAD and (adult) DD has both GAD and depression. Ring your GP, tell the receptionist it is mental health related (they don't need to know anymore, though they may ask about intrusive thoughts in order to triage you faster) and ask to speak to a Dr/nurse as a matter of urgency.

Hopefully they can diagnose and prescribe over the phone for you, as well as giving you details of any online help you can get. Even if you have already done some online CBT it's worth revisiting to help you get through this tough time. Ask themIf there are any referrals for Neuro-Linguistic Programming for anxiety locally or online. I know some people think it's a fad, but it can be very useful and a good weapon to have in your fight against anxiety.

Anxiety is a bitch, but you need to learn how to manage it. You have to tell your brain to shut the fuck up, is how DD describes it. You have to assert yourself /your willpower over the thoughts coming from your brain.

Daft as it sounds start. telling your brain to shut up (say this out loud) tell it that you won't let it beat you. Keep making positive affirmations about yourself and how you are in charge of the anxiety and not the other way round. It may help in the short term.

Stay strong, you can beat this!

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/advice-for-life-situations-and-events/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/

Hope this is of some help OP

You are going to be ok.

My partner had a couple of panic attacks last summer (we didn't know that was what it was at the time) presenting with hyperventilation and severe stomach pain. He was rolling around the bed/breathing very strangely, but frankly, I personally felt he could have been just as easily driven in a car. He refused/was apparently unable to get up and kept asking for an ambulance. In the end his mum (!) called one, which is a whole other bitter thread.

They took several hours to arrive and we're pretty rude/made it quite plain that their time was being wasted and that he should have been driven in - and I actually totally agreed with that, even though they weren't being hugely professional. It was extremely awkward for me having to deal with them, especially being the one who didn't want to call an ambulance in the first place (while MIL just complacently sat downstairs with the children playing Duplo). The whole experience was terrible.

They did take him to hospital in the end (where nothing was found).

As a fellow sufferer of severe anxiety, I really wouldn't risk it. You'll only make yourself feel worse and waste paramedics' time. Please try to find someone to drive you in if you absolutely need to be in a hospital.

Long term obviously you need coping strategies, change of medication etc but short term if you feel you need A&E and none of the strategies are working then go.. Or phone your surgery and say your symptoms are worse and it is now an emergency. People use ambulances and A&E for way less than this.

gamerchick

Not being able to see a GP is all lies though. It's simply not happening.

And yet so many people can't get appointments.

It sounds as if you need strategies for managing the anxiety attacks rather than an ambulance per se.

This.

Have you been given any mindfulness/ meditation strategies? Something more than relying on medication?

Anxiety and panic attacks aren’t things that physical medicine can solve or cure. You need to take steps to heal yourself, as you KNOW rationally that your heart rate isn’t high, you know there’s nothing wrong with your heart or your breathing.

Is there any trigger? Has something happened that is out of the ordinary or has bothered you?

Can you talk to the Samaritans maybe? Just to focus on something beyond your anxiety and help your rational mind (rather than your panicking lizard brain!) to take back control.

But an ambulance isn’t going to help. Honestly.

An ambulance won’t really be able to do anything for your physical symptoms as they’re being brought on my your anxiety.

Do you have a friend you can call round?
I think having someone there to talk to helps and it puts your mind at rest that they can call an ambulance if needed.

What strategies have worked in the past?
Are you at home? Could you make some chamomile tea and have a hot bath/shower whilst listening to music/radio?

They say to slowly count to 10.
Then name 5 things you can see and then 5 things you can touch.
There are other things you can do to help manage your anxiety but it’s different for everyone.

I am sorry you are in such distress.
I think calling an ambulance may make things worse. The chances are they will send one if you describe chest pains etc but you will be waiting for a very long time and once you get to A&E they won't prioritise you. You will be in the waiting room for hours again.
The Ambulance may turn up and do obs and leave you at home.

I hope you can find a way to get the help you need.

@WeatheringStorms22

getting an ambulance out could mean someone else who needs one for life saving reasons may not get the help they need

This will not happen. Calls are prioritised, and someone requiring emergency treatment will always be attended before a non emergency

This can and DOES happen.

Yes calls are prioritised. But ambulances are a finite resource and unfortunate timing of calls could well mean a non emergency case slows down the response to an emergency.

If 999 calls drop off and op gets her ambulance then the paramedics will finish that visit thoroughly and completely before leaving.

And if 5 people start having a heart attack or choking whilst this ambulance is attending a non-emergency then it WILL slow down the response time.

999 should only be called for an actual emergency when there is no other option. The op knows what's wrong with her. Calling an ambulance would be completely inappropriate and increasing risk to others.

This. The clue is in the name, Accident & Emergency. OP has said she’s suicidal so no, she shouldn’t call an ambulance because as @WeatheringStorms22 points out, once an ambulance is sent, 4 people could be having actual hearts, RTA, strokes etc…

It’s shit people can’t see their GP. If I was in that position I’d call twice a day, probably even turn up at the GP surgery, not A&E!!

Or the crisis team. Just keep calling them.

@NotPersephone

Anxiety is horrible and debilitating.

But please do not take an emergency ambulance off the road for this reason. My DS nearly died when my placenta ruptured - the ambulance took nearly an hour because it was seeing to patients who didn’t need an ambulance.

If you think you need to be seen in A&E then get a taxi.

Exactly. People will die if ambulances are taken off the road for things that aren’t life threatening etc…,

It’s like when kids set things on fire and the fire crew have to go and sort it. All fun and games until they are needed urgently and they can’t attend fast enough because they’re having to deal with other stuff.

You can't phone an ambulance because you feel anxious. Seriously.

@TableFlowerss

I recently had to take a family member to a&e to under the polices recommendation to get said person Sectioned

[quote User5827372728]@TableFlowerss

I recently had to take a family member to a&e to under the polices recommendation to get said person Sectioned[/quote]
And when you say ‘take them’, I assume they didn’t say call an ambulance?

I’m not saying there isn’t MH teams there, but your situation with a family member is different. Obviously they don’t section people unless absolutely necessary.

To add, that would be an emergency.

What do you do to manage it OP apart from meds? Have you laid on the the floor, legs up against a wall and done controlled breathing where the exhale is longer than inhale for half an hour?

I have full empathy for how you feel.

However do not take an emergency ambulance off the road. This is not a life or death situation

I have tried to meditate using head space but it hasn't done much.

I've just ordered an anxiety ring as I've been very fidgety today.

I've had a few serious health problems, I know I shouldn't ring an ambulance and unless I couldn't breathe I wouldn't ring one for anxiety. It's just when I'm in the middle of an attack I can't think straight and just think the worst.

Thankyou for all the lovely messages

Call 111, the option 2.
That will put your through to the mental health crisis team

My brain tells me.. 'ok last time it wasn't a heart attack or anything serious but this time it definitely is' everytime.

I've also been at the other end of it when I had my stroke. Called an ambulance and they were convinced it was migraine and nothing to worry about. Intact she was 'almost certain'. But I said no I want to go to a&e just to be sure. One quick ct scan later and there it was a massive bleed.

I called my out of hours gp number once in the middle of the night and the person talked me down from a panic attack for a good 20 minutes and then got a gp to call me back
That was really helpful

I’m not sure A&E can do much to stop those physical anxiety symptoms. They could give you a one off dose of diazepam but may well be reluctant to as it’s highly addictive. You’d probably spend hours having bloods/ecg before seeing the MH team anyway as they’d need to rule out physical causes even though you know what’s going on.
I’d suggest asking your GP for a few prn diazepam for emergencies and a referral to secondary services for support with strategies to manage your anxiety.

@Lonelydaisy have you done the lie down legs up long breathing technique yet? Has it helped? Xx