Im a Newby - my story.......

Hi all, Im new to the site, I have a 13 year old (who seems to have grown out of asthma) a 4 year old and a 1 year old - all with asthma.

The worst affected is my four year old Lucas, he has been admitted to hospital 4 times since September, and currently is taking blue & purple inhalers and montelukast tablets at bedtime.

Hes had symptoms since he was 6 months old, and has been in and out of hospital numerous times.

Last week I took him to the GP surgery because I knew he needed a neb, but the Nurse Practitioner said it WASNT his chest/asthma, that it was just a virus but his oxygen levels dropped quickly to 87% so she rang an ambulance and refused to let me run him up to the hospital in my car. We sat for 3 and a half hours waiting for that ambulance - with her adamant that they wouldnt keep him in and I must have told her 6 times that he needed a neb, to which she said he didnt.

The first thing the ambulance crew did was give him a neb, then when we got to the hospital he was on constant oxygen and hourly nebs for the next 24 hours, after which he started to improve a bit.

How could she get it wrong - and should I complain??

Im worried sick, he hasnt been home a week, Im constantly thinking that he'll be going back in, he was so poorly last week that I thought I was going to lost him.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks - Gaynor.

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Hi there..x

sorry to hear your 3 boys have asthma and your youngest has been pourly.

I am shocked to hear that the nurse wouldnt give him a neb when his oxygen levels dropped to 87% that is appaling! anybody in there right mind would no he needed to be nebulisers! and the fact you told her and didnt listen its appaling! you no your child more than anyone. I really do think you should write a complaint into your doctors as that was terrible.

I have really severe allergy asthma, and a few weeks ago they thought i had swine flu so doctor came out 2 see me and gave me a nebuliser and left me lieing in my bed when my oxygen levers were down to 82% and could hardly breath in the end i had to be hospitalised and i told the doctor i needed to go 2 hosp and they wouldnt listen! hospital put comnplaint in as the doctor knows how bad my asthma is.

my advice to you is to keep on at doctors and make sure your son is on the right treatment. i have a great consultant and hes really good with me. hes trying everything he can 2 get my asthma under control but nothing has worked yet. My IGE allergy levels are extremly high the now, anything sets it off.

Hope your wee boy feels better soon

Katie xx

[yaf_user681_23350]

Hi I have 2 boys with asthma, eldest 12 and seems only seems to get asthma with a cold and the other who's nearly 10 is a constant worry. Like your Son his asthma started at 6 months old.

Does your Son wheeze? My Son doesn't so we are always told it's another virus, chest lovely and clear! makes me want to scream at them.You need to complain, the nurse failed to treat your Son properly and waiting over 3 hours for an ambulance is dreadful. We had an experience nearly 2 years ago, my Son got double pneumonia. The ambulance man could hear crackling on his lungs and was seriously worried for my Son. We got to the hospital where the doctor told me he was fine and we could go home. Luckily we have a letter from the consultant saying if we show up, we go straight up to the childrens ward.We waiting 18 hours for an xray. When we got back to the ward with the results in our hand there was a blind panic and I was told my Son was seriously ill.I knew he was ill 18 hours before and did nothing. I can't tell you what my Son said to me 18 hours before as it haunts me to this day, he was only 7, and I trusted the doctors.I didn't even complain, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Never, never again. Now what I say goes, I will stand firm and have even refused to leave until I get the correct care. One nurse even congratulated me saying ""that consultant needs a firm word""

We have a nebuliser at home but that just puts extra pressure on us, when Matty needs extra help we call an ambulance for oxygen with the neb which really helps (only 4mins away), then the fight begins in a+e again!!

You are not alone and it's is just so wrong we have to go through this. It's nearly 2010 and things have not moved on in asthma care in our area since 2000 when my Son was born.

Take Care and hope your Son is feeling much better soon

Kate