Have you ever called the Asthma + Lun... - Asthma Community ...
Have you ever called the Asthma + Lung UK helpline or used the Whatsapp chat?
Let us know if you have ever used our helpline service and pop in the comments any feedback
Our Helpline Team are here to help
Call us on 0300 2225800 or WhatsApp on 07999 377 775 Monday-Friday 0915-5pm (excluding bank holidays)
I called the helpline several times when I was first diagnosed, as I received no help or support from my local surgery. Each time, the support I received from the helpline was totally brilliant. In the first call, the lovely nurse talked me through using an inhaler, how to write out an asthma action plan, how to recognise signs that my asthma was poorly controlled and when to go to the GP and when to the hospital as well as answering all my questions about how asthma was likely to impact my life in general (my advice from the GP was limited to "You've got asthma - I'm issuing you with an inhaler. Google how to use it ". )
The helpline has also given me advice on approaching my GP surgery to get the right inhaler when the first one wasn't sufficient and also helped me cope when Covid caused a flareup. I am sure that without the helpline, I would have ended up in hospital at least three times, if not more, in the past couple of years, but their advice has enabled me to take action before things got too serious. I recommend the helpline to everyone I know who has asthma - I don't know what I'd do without it!
I called the Nurses when I was first diagnosed last year aged 76. I was so lost & scared. They were wonderful, I have learnt so much since then on how to manage my asthma with their help.
Thank you
Fortunately I haven’t needed to. I also was not aware of it.
Fortunately for me I haven’t needed to but also I didn’t know of the Help line or WhatsApp chat help line , I shall make a not of the phone number thank you.
Yes definitely, both but mostly the helpline. I use Whatsapp routinely in my daily life but found I preferred actually talking to a nurse.
I used to use the helpline a lot partly for a sanity check when I was getting very unhelpful and confusing information from GPs etc. On several occasions, the nurses were able to tell just over the phone that I was having difficulties, which had been completely dismissed by GP/A&E at the time, and advised me on what to do.
I used the helpline when my asthma got bad suddenly, after a change of inhaler by my GP practice. The nurse knew straightway that the new inhaler wasnt right for me and advised me to tell my GP. It was absolutely the right thing to do and my asthma was soon back under control. An absolutely excellent service to have access to. Reassuring as well as knowledgeable. Thank you to the nurses on the helpline!
I didnt know I could ring or watapp is it the same for copd please
Yes, the helpline is for a range of lung conditions, including COPD.
Thank you
I used the helpline and spoke to the nurses when I was first diagnosed with late onset adult asthma in May 2020. They gave me advice that I didn’t get from the surgery. Without the advice I would have been totally lost as how to manage my asthma.
I have contacted the helpline on several occasions following unhelpful advice from my asthma team. I have always found the nurses to be amazing, they’re caring, supportive and extremely helpful. They gave me advice when I was refused biologics, even though I was eligible and only last week gave me further advice and support following difficulties I encountered with an Asthma Clinical Nurse Specialist. When the hospital tell you you’re fine and you know you’re not, the ALUK nurses have given me the confidence to advocate for myself. I was told for a number of years by the team that I don’t have severe asthma and they implied that it was “all in my head”, and even though I have my diagnosis now, I still question myself every time I feel I’m more symptomatic and worry I won’t be believed.
I wasn’t aware of this helpline
Used the helpline on many occasions and found the nurses very good. Not used WhatsApp as prefer to speak to people when need information. Great service thank you.
I've used the helpline a couple of times and have always been given good advice. I haven't used WhatsApp because, as others have said, I prefer to talk to someone. Plus, the last time I used the helpline the nurse on the other end could hear I wasn't right and talked me through how to manage it.
The Help line is so good. Particularly when navigating tricky doctor / consultant relationships. I highly recommend 🥰
Have used the helpline to check on information given since it didnt sound right-
The ALUK Nurse was absolutely clear that the info given was very wrong.
Its a very,very good service.
I have used both the helpline and what's app chat when mainly when first diagnosed and also when I had my first few admissions it was the nurses on the helpline who urged me to get help.
used the helpline a few times in the past with very bad flare ups , which was brilliant to have info and support in addition to my asthma nurse. Phoned again today to ask advice about another situation and was incredibly helpful, informative and easy to talk to. Thanks so much for the great work you do
The asthma nurses have been so supportive and informative. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be!
Have phoned twice, incredibly helpful and good advice
Personally I haven't used it however I've reccomended it multiple times since joining HealthUnlocked 11.5 years ago - based on feedback from those who have both here and BLF/ asthmalunguk-lung
