Have you ever called for an ambulance?

[Anxious_gal]

I'm so curious to know if you did, why you did and what was your experience?

Since I started suffering from extreme panic attacks (chest pain, muscles cramping, almost fainting etc..) I've contemplated ringing an ambulance

See the thing is, I keep reading, seing tv advertistings if you have these symptoms call an ambulance!!!

One is a sudden bad headache , um ok I get migraines!

Confusion,loss of speech, weak body, numb face, (stroke or mini stroke) I get these too with my migraines! But then I get the type of migraines that mimic a stroke.

Trouble breathing, hyperventilation anyone???

No wonder we get so scared! it's hard to tell at times if your only experiencing a panic attack!

[macc noodle]

Hi Mishel

It is indeed a constant balancing act when you suffer anxiety and panic, especially HA, as to whether this really is it (ie., stroke, heart attack, tumour etc) or just "another" attack of anxiety/panic.

In my more reflective moments , I do wonder if this constant reassuring myself that it is just anxiety and it will pass will actually in the end be my downfall and also if the docs. just pass you off as a person with a mental health issue complaining of "typical symptoms" yet again - but hey, as my counsellor of 16years ago said - "what is the worst that can happen?" - DUH - we die! (Note to counsellor that was not the answer I wanted because I do not wish to die!)

Having witnessed first hand people suffering from heart attacks, strokes and brain tumours, I can quite categorically tell you that if it were real YOU WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

You should never call an ambulance unless it is a real 999 emergency - you could deprive someone in genuine need of urgent help.

When needed, the paramedics, in my experience with my parents and family, have been absolutely brilliant and life savers.

Jan
x

[Ellie-Bear]

Hi Mishel

I've had an ambulance on 2 occasions for my panic attacks.
The first time, I was out with my family on a day out with the mother in law, had felt strange all morning and just felt worse and worse as the day went on. I found myself concentrating on my breathing almost constantly. I knew it was a panic attack but it just didn't seem to be passing. We got in the car to go and find somewhere for some lunch and it just got worse. I don't normally struggle with being in a vehicle but this was dreadful. My whole body felt like my heart beat (which at this point was very, very fast), I was hyperventilating, my chest was hurting and my throat felt like it was closing up, sweaty hands, shaking and then the pins and needles started in my hands and feet. It was my husband that called the ambulance as he could see how much I was struggling, and it was obvious that it wasn't passing. We stopped at a garage and that was where the ambulance and on call doctor met us. By this point my hands had 'curled in' as well. I was terrified as this was one of the longest and worst panic attacks I had ever had. The doctor checked me over then went into the ambulance for an ecg. All normal but very fast heart rate. Doctor checked me over again and told me to go and see my own gp as very bad indigestion. Did I feel like an idiot at that point, and started apologising to paramedics and doctor, they said it is what we are here for. Went to see GP next day and diagnosed with oesophagitis.
The 2nd time was exactly the same symptoms but really bad chest pain aswell, I was on my own at home this time and really did think this was it, I was going to die!! Having not suffered from panic attacks for very long (6 weeks due to a an adverse reaction to a course of steroids - oh joy!!) I didn't really know what was happening to me. I rang for an ambulance. I told the operator that I was having a panic attack and he was great. Tried to calm me down, then the paramedic car and ambulance arrived. Thoroughly checked over and another ECG done, all fine again except pulse rate of nearly 190. The ambulance men and paramedic were amazing. I apologised to them that I had needed to call them in the first place for a silly panic attack, but they said it was what they were there for. The paramedic man even stayed with me for another 45minutes after the ambulance had gone to amke sure I was completely okay. He was the first person to explain to me what a panic attack was and why it happens. His parting words to me were if you think you need an ambulance it is better to be safe than sorry, and never to feel like we were wasting their time because it is just a panic attack. Really made me feel at ease.
Sorry for the long reply :-)

[Magic]

Hi Mishel,
My brother has had the paramedics out to him a couple of times with severe panic attacks. They were ex with him and there was no need to take him to hospital.
I see you live in Ireland so things may be different there as regards to ambulances. Good Luck

[Kells81]

How would you feel if a member of your family was in urgent need of help due to a serious illness and the ambulance took too long to get their because they were with somone who was having a non life threatening panic attack?

999 is for complete emergencies only.

[snowgoose]

I didnt know what was happening to me .........went on emergency appointment to GP ............who called ambulance cos my pulse rate was 200 beats .
that happened twice ...........we didnt know it was panic at that time .
so if the Gp isnt sure ........how can we be ?
now I know ..........I dont call ambulance ............yet....... thank god .

[Hazel B]

The only times an ambulance was called for me:

1. When I had a bone disease and the trip to hospital saved my life after an immediate operation, if the ambulance had been late I may not have made it
2. I had been in a minor car crash and was bleeding heavily from a cut on my temple, needed stitches

I would never call the emergency services for anything but an emergency. Other people may have a greater need & the NHS have finite resources. People I know who have had heart attacks and strokes tell me that you KNOW when something is very wrong.

[Catalyst]

I dialled 999 after a car crashed into mine & then spun off through a wall, coming to rest in a tree in someone's garden! I dialled on impulse as it was quite a major crash (my car was totalled). Actually a passer-by had to take the phone from me & speak to the operator as my sister was screaming and I had to calm her down! Not sure what the passer by asked for, but we got police and an ambulance. The idiot in the other car walked away unscathed surprisingly, but my sister was taken into the ambulance due to shock. They were lovely with her.

I called an ambulance for my other sister 11 years later after an NHS Direct doctor told us to. She was writhing in pain & had started vomiting. Turns out it was appendicitis. Doctor could obviously tell from trying to speak with her on the phone that it was that bad!

Finally, someone called an ambulance for me in a nightclub some 12 years ago. I'd fallen on the dance floor and landed chin first on a beer glass. It smashed on impact and cut me through to the jaw bone (very lucky it wasn't my neck ) and I think it was the amount of blood that made them dial 999! I was grateful that they did though. And that marked the end of my clubbing days!

Personally, I've never called an ambulance for me. I've been to the hospital once when I had my first migraine with aura and was in a complete panic because I couldn't see. But I have fought off many panic attacks at home when my first instinct was to run (or call) for help. Plus since seeing how bad my sister was with her appendicitis, I think I have more of an understanding of what constitutes a 999 emergency!

[daisycake]

I've called them for my mum - and asked others to call them - countless times. I know where everything is located in them, I know the exact layout and that's horrible. I wish I didn't know all that.

For me - I've had them called twice. Once because I was severely dehydrated at age 4 due to bad gastric flu, that was a horrible night - and once because I had to get from one A&E to another 30 miles away, with a broken leg - no relatives could take me so the ambulance did it instead.

It's difficult to tell sometimes what symptoms are serious and what aren't.

[Anxious_gal]

Ellie, I think most people have rang an ambulance when they experienced their very first panic attack! Or even worse is this panic feels different, something must be wrong!
when you breath too fast you get too much carbon dioxide I think it is in your body so your muscles can spasm up, this happened my hands once and I totally freaked out
I've seen it happen too to a friend of my mine.
AW I'm glad that the ambulance people were good to you, because a panic attack really is scary and really do feel awful, it's nice of the too to explain what a panic attack is.

Jan:
Yes it's true often people call the emergency services for very minor things!
Although if someone is having a panic attack they really can be 100% convinced something is seriously wrong!
I was only in an ambulance once , after the ER doctor saying I was ok, I went home only to end up having a seizure. So I don't always trust doctors diagnoses.....

Nellie:
I know the ambulance people can decided if someone needs to be taken to hospital or not. I assume they did their tests and decided your brother was ok
I guess they get called out for panic attacks a lot

Kelly
Oh no I wasn't saying I ever would call an ambulance just that I thought about it, which lead me to think well some people must have called 999 for when they were experiencing a panic attack.
Panic attacks can mimic things like strokes etc... so how is someone to know if it's just a panic attack? especially if it's their very first experience of one.

Snow:
You hit the nail right on the head!!!!!
It's happened me twice but I just walked to the hospital lol.
First time was irregular heart beat, 2nd time was tatcycardia.
Had to spend the night in hospital twice!

Hazel :
Sorry to hear you were so sick, I guess my point is it can be hard to tell at times if it's just a panic attack especially if you get symptoms you hadn't got before like Snow said.

Cat:
aw another car crash? I'm sorry you too had to go through such an awful experience.
appendicitis owch, it's good that you can call the NHS when you are unsure.
Yes it true , when you see some one that really ill it does make you rethink if you really need emergency help.

Daisy:
aw that must have been awful to be so sick so young.
yeah my hospital is pretty small so I know the layout very well.

been there for 2 minor operations, twice because my doctor sent me, twice for extra scans and tests on heart, once for stitches and once to the ER on a Sunday because of nasty throat infection, they tested me for mumps, but the infection was caused by my wisdom teeth so all they could do was give me drugs