What happened?

[TJRN1959]

A few evenings ago my breathing become very difficult, and a full-on asthma attack ensued very quickly - the second in as many weeks. The blue inhaler had all the benefits of a brew in a chocolate teapot, so an ambulance was called. The crew were as ever fantastic, and duly nebulised and loaded with steroids, we set of under blues and twos to A&E 15 miles away. About ten minutes into the journey I suddenly felt that everything had gone into slow motion, I ceased to be aware of breathing at all, and all I could see was a very bright vividly purple light. Far far away I could hear the paramedic calling to me to "stay with us", but I felt hugely calm, and completely untroubled by her call. The noise of the ambulance was gone. I was then aware that she moved my head and shook my shoulder. I opened my eyes, the ambulance because noisy again, and I was again aware of struggling to breathe. The paramedic told the driver to get going a bit - although he was already rattling along at a fair pace, and then telephoned ahead to A&E, where on arrival I was stretchered straight past everyone else and into the Resus room. Things calmed down a lot, and several nebulisers later, one of them of magnesium, I was moved into a ward. It was only once things had settled that I started to give any serious thought to the "purple light" incident. If the paramedic had still been around I'd have asked for her view of what had happened to me, but of course by then she'd long since gone on to the next job. I do remember very clearly that she said "I thought we'd lost you." It sounds very dramatic, and I guess it was, but it's only after the event that I've started to reflect on the whole episode. Has anyone else ever experienced that same feeling?

[Topkat11]

I had a very bad asthma attack once a similar thing happened. I have a little bit of medical knowledge. What it's sounds like is your brain was starved of oxygen for a short while,at the same time your heart would have been pumping like mad trying to compensate for the lack of oxygen from your lungs. So in effect you probably fainted to lack of oxygen When the paramedic shook you this would have sent a surge of oxygen from the heart to the brain .which in effect would have also produced. large amount of adrenaline and this would have brought you back around. It's almost like yours body's ability to defibrillate. Hope this helps

[TJRN1959 in reply to Topkat11]

Thanks. That does indeed make sense. At the time so much was going on, and it was only as I whiled away the hours in hospital afterwards that I started to reflect on the experience.

[Topkat11 in reply to TJRN1959]

I hope you are well now. 😉an asthma attack is very frightening at the least & can be life threatening however with the right medication and care you can manage this horrible condition, now you've experienced something like that you'll know the signs however bad it was just make sure that you see an asthma nurse and that the doctor manages your medication good luck x

[TJRN1959]

Thanks. Yes, I've had asthma for 50+ years, but this was the worst attack I've ever known. As I knock on the door of 60 it seems as though my asthma symptoms are suddenly becoming much more aggressive. Well, at least I'll get my prescriptions for free in a few months time!

[Topkat11]

God 60 is the new 40 😉 unfortunately asthma doesn't get better. You can however manage it with the proper care & medication. Speak with your doctor as you may have COPD. Which covers the more acute chest problems, so don't worry about the label C.O.P.D as depending on which lung problem it is can also be managed

[Topkat11]

Also you do have a point about free prescriptions 😉

[fantwalk]

If it was lack of oxygen to the brain, I would have thought you would go unconscious? You may have had a near death experience, Google NDE's and read other peoples experience's and U Tube too and see if other people have had similar experiences, it's very interesting, check it out. Good luck with your Asthma.

[TJRN1959 in reply to fantwalk]

Yes, I did wonder about an NDE. I have read up on this, and certainly much of it fits. I even wondered if I'd been the (undeserving / unwilling) beneficiary of some sort of spiritual or religious event! Clearly something happened, and no doubt clinical science does have an explanation in terms of oxygen, brain cells and blood vessels.

Bizarrely I'm actually glad it happened as it's had a positive effect on me. The interesting thing is that so I read, NDEs are supposed to change the attitudes of those who have them, and it's true that my state of mind is now very different. I feel that I value my family and few close real friends very much more now, and have very much less time for things that don't really seem to matter, things like jobs and money, that previously I would have been very much more worried about.

Who knows, maybe it was an NDE, maybe the result of a surfeit of salbutamol, maybe the Good Lord did come a-knocking. I'm through it, and it's an experience that I doubt I'll forget in a hurry. Although it surprises me to say it, I do see the world differently now.