Advice?

[oyceter]

Okay, so the cold seems to have morphed into an asthma attack. I haven't had one for years, so I have no inhalers with me. Urgent care opens at 8 (a little over four hours), and I will definitely go then, but does anyone know what emergency room signs are?

I can still breathe, and all my extremities are a healthy pink. I'm uncomfortable enough that I can't fall asleep, and I have to sit up. Also, any home remedies would be extremely helpful.

... though not sure who's awake right now...?

ETA: Ended up going to an ER because the thought of going for four more hours like I was was too painful. Am back now, with slightly more expanded bronchial tubes!

Comments

[innle.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear that! I am a first aider rather than a doctor or other medical person so please take what I say with a grain of salt . . .

If you can, it's probably best for you to stay sitting up and leaning forward slightly. You might need medical attention sooner rather than later if you start to have trouble talking or walking, become very sweaty, and/or your lips and nails start to turn blue.

Anyway, please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

[oyceter]

Thanks! I ended up going in just because the thought of not being able to breathe for three more hours was too much. Still wheezy, but so much better.

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

Oh good, glad to hear it was so easily fixed!

[innle.livejournal.com]

Very sensible! Glad you're okay.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you can still breathe and type, but it sounds like you should go to the ER. At worst, you will have spent a lot of time in an unpleasant place. At best, if the attack gets worse before urgent care opens, you will be in a place that is prepared to handle the situation and hand you an inhaler.

[oyceter]

Thank you! I ended up going and just got back, thankfully, they weren't very busy and stuck me on O2 and gave me inhaler stuff right away. ZOMG feel so much better now, even if I am still a bit wheezy.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* I'm glad you went and that you feel better.

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

Caffeine - start with something easy like hot tea. Drink it in a hot bath if possible, you want to bronchodilate. Also, call urgent care in advance and get advice from them if you can.

I very rarely get exercise-induced (or cold-induced) asthma and this is almost always enough for me. Mine are clearly much more mild than yours are though so (I would never say I couldn't sleep from it), so, maybe go straight to the CALL NURSE LINE plan and be ready with the tea and breathing warm water?

What does the int0rw3b say?

[cofax7]

Yes, hot tea: tea has theophiline, which is a bronchodilator.

::hugs::

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Really? Because I had a childhood allergy to theophiline and now I'm wondering if I'm poisioning myself every time I drink tea.

[oyceter]

I totally freaked out when I read about fatal asthma attacks so I tried calling the ER, except they don't give phone advice, so I ended up just going in because I was so damn uncomfortable. Now that I have inhalers, I feel so much better!

[vito-excalibur.livejournal.com]

Gah! I read this this morning, and was very happy to see the ETA. Glad you are okay.

[oyceter]

Thank you!

[hesychasm]

Oh, glad you went and got help! (I had a little episode this past weekend where I couldn't breathe which was quite scary, also having just gotten over a cold.... Luckily I got through it on my own.)

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

Eep! Glad you're okay now!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

You can always call me at 4:00 AM!

[oyceter]

I was seriously debating it and then decided you'd had a hard enough week to wake up at that time!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I would have just thrust the phone at Adrian. (Who tells me he would have told you to go to the ER.)

[oyceter]

Hee! Ok, good, am glad I did the advisable thing, although not looking forward to the bill.

I seriously need to treat Adrian to dinner or something when I'm down there as recompense for all the random medical emergencies I seem to be having this year...

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

As we've all already told you, ER was the right choice. Another quick-relief treatment, though, is steam heat. My mom and dad used to run the shower and stuff me in the bathroom when things got bad, on doctors' orders.

Am glad you're better. Sometimes I lose track of my rescue inhaler though I always try not to.