Filled with such doubt & fear

My 4yr old has just had quite a severe attack, during attacks we are constantly doubting ourselves and its all because of the crap treatment she's had (or not had, more like!) from out of hours docs over the last few years. We never know if she's ""sick enough"" for us to ask for help. We fear we'll get judged or waste time. Nhs24 take so long to allocate us an appointment at out of hours, we go there & have to sit for ages in the waiting room (last time was 30mins),and by the time we see a doc, she's ok!

We don't know when or what to do

What is your rule of thumb on when to get help and what is your protocol for help? call nhs24? Phone 999? go straight to a&e?

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It very much depends on how much reliever she's needed to resolve her attack. Guidelines say 10 emergency puffs through a spacer, if that doesn't work a further 10 is ok, but then call 999. Any asthma attack should be followed up by her GP and medication/control reviewed.

If in any doubt don't mess with 111, call 999. Better to be safe and feel a bit silly than take risks.

Laura

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Hi Fiona,

I have had very similar experiences with OOH myself - I take a lot of reliever to get myself there and then sit in their waiting room where it is not too hot or cold, not pollen etc and by the time I see them, I'm fine! I have also had this with certain GPs.

Like you, this made me question whether I was doing the right thing. However, last week I saw my regular GP and explained the problem so, after several weeks of trying, he wrote me an action plan. This isn't based on pf but symptoms and points me in the right direction. Last night, my treatment by OOH was totally different with the plan, even though my symptoms were the same (I suppose they couldn't argue with ""my doctor says that when I am needing my inhaler every two hours for six hours, I am going downhill and need to be seen even though my symptoms at the time may not demand treatment"". This doctor (who I have seen before) looked at the plan, asked if I wanted a neb and prescribed pred all because of the plan.

Do you have a regular GP who listens to your concerns. If so, speak to them and hopefully they can point you in the right direction. Like Laura said, if in any doubt call 999 rather than taking risks.

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Thank you both for replying and bring supportive. Last night she was at 20 puffs or more, we lost count. The night before was the same but last night's attack was much worse.

I'm so tired of all this doubt. I did get our doctor to write an action plan though is very very vague and states 10 blue then get help if it's not helping. However if we go by that every time, we would be dialing 999 virtually every night

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Hi Fiona,

If she is struggling every night then she is not well controlled, sounds like she needs stepping up on treatment, I would take her to the GP and say that she is having problems virtually every night and see what they can do about stepping up her treatment.

Hope it goes ok!

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thank you. She just had her inhaler changed on Fri (after struggling for a week) from Flixotide to now being on Seretide.

I managed to get her an app this morning, I'm thinking it will be a course of pred Hopefully our doctor will change our Paediatrician referral to urgent now as we have been quoted a minimum of 7weeks waiting time