how did u know it was time to go to the ER?

Question

my question's mainly to asthmatics and any one who have an answer.
if u have an asthma attack which u can't really control.when do u really know it's time to forget about ur self-trials to fix it and decide to go to the ER?

Answer 1

Well I am not an asthmatic but I am an ER nurse. In my opinion, if your home remedies (inhaler, SVN machine) are not working, go to the ER immediately. Asthmatics can get very bad very fast and the longer you wait the worse you are going to get. If you get to the ER earlier we can give you meds to stop the asthma attack in it's tracks, but if you wait too long you may buy a breathing tube or worse.

Answer 2

Actions You Can Take During an Asthma Attack: An asthma action plan is the key to what actions to take during an asthma attack.

Mild asthma attacks are most common. Usually, taking your rescue (quick-relief) inhaler will help ease your symptoms, along with time. Usually within a few minutes - or at worse, a few hours - your airways will open up once again.

It is less common to have a moderate to severe attack, but when you do, it's crucial to get medical help right away. But, if you learn to recognize an asthma attack while it is still in the mild stages, you may be able to take action to prevent it from progressing to the severe stage.

Prevention: The best way to prevent an asthma attack is to avoid your triggers as much as possible.
It's also important to learn how to recognize what might be known as your "early warning signs" of an impending asthma attack. These are symptoms that happen just before an asthma attack begins. They tell you that your condition is about to worsen, or get out of control.

They might include things such as a frequent cough, especially during the nighttime hours, getting short of breath more easily, increased peak flow meter readings, feeling extra tired when you're active, a change in mood toward the negative, and trouble sleeping. You might also notice signs of a cold, such as nasal stuffiness, sore throat, sneezing, or runny nose.
If you notice any of these symptoms, take action quickly to prevent an asthma attack.

Asthma Action Plan: It is important for anyone who has asthma to have an Asthma Action Plan. This plan should be developed with the help of your doctor, and should have 3 components:
Stage of severity
A list of symptoms to watch for
Actions to take
Be sure you have an asthma action plan and that you follow it closely.

Answer 3

A good rule of thumb is to follow something called a "peak flow" - this is a simple measurement that you can do at home by blowing into a small plastic gadget.

If you visit your doctor when you're well, s/he can measure what your normal peak flow is and what to do if it falls below certain levels (this is often called an "asthma action plan" and usually there's a "green" level where you continue as usual and a "yellow" level where you increase the amount of medication you take and a "red" level where you go to see your doctor or the ER right away).

That way, when you're sick, you can pull out your peak flow meter and blow into it three times (usually people do it three times in a row to make sure they're getting about the same number each time) and see which color level you're at and then proceed appropriately.

Answer 4

Well i went to the ER before, but in arrythmic attack!
:((