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severe asthma attack help

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Posted 9/16/2007 7:26 PM (GMT -8)
My girlfriend had a severe asthma attack yesterday, and I did not know what to do to help her. She has all the medication that an emergency room would have at home, and hates hospitals. As it happens her ex husband was in town visiting, and he helped her with treatment. Now she tells me I will learn in time what to do, but I want to know what he did to aid her last night so that I can help her when the next attack happens. Please can someone assist me in knowing what he did for her. I thank you for your help.
Posted 9/17/2007 2:59 AM (GMT -8)
Wow, that must've been scary for you! There are various ways to treat an asthma attack so we can't tell you what your g/f's ex did for her. Be open with her and ask her to show EXACTLY what to do in the event it happens next. Don't let her get away with just saying you will know in time. Because if it were to happen again and you DON'T know what to do, it could very well kill her (don't mean to frighten you). Asthma attacks are nothing to mess around with and if she is unclear as to what you should do for her, don't hesitate to call an ambulance if the need arises.
Posted 9/17/2007 7:08 PM (GMT -8)

dburke,

She needs to have it all written out for you, step by step and explain it to you now, not when she is in a crisis.  She should have a peak flow meter and explain those zones to you.  If you have the least little bit of doubt, you need to call an ambulance, no matter what she says.  I think you can handle her getting mad at you for calling an ambulance a lot easier than you can handle her dying.  I'm a stubborn asthma patient too.

Good luck!

Carla

Posted 9/22/2007 6:03 PM (GMT -8)
My girlfriend gave me a list of the items she is allergic to so in the event I have to get her to the emergency room, I will be able to tell the doctor what she cannot have that they usually treat asthmatics with. I am putting together 2 emergency kits, one for each of our autos- portable nebulizers, epipens, inhalers, and any other medicines she has that she usually keeps. I learned more specifics that he really did not do all that much that I couldn't have done its just that he was at her home visiting, and that's where her medicine was. He does not know I exist yet, and for now that is for the best. That is more to the point she was trying to make to me.

Posted 9/25/2007 3:41 PM (GMT -8)
I am not trying to scare youbut, if you get ina situation and she has an attack and you feel perhaps she needs better help. By all means call 911. I lost a very dear 40 yr old man to this awful disease 6 months ago. He left behind a wonderful wife & 2 yr old son that walks around looking for Daddy. He was being transported by ambulance to the hospital and was doa.

Susie
Posted 9/25/2007 8:58 PM (GMT -8)

dburke,

I totally agree with what Susie has to say.  No matter what your girlfriend says, if she is not responding, by all means, call 911.  Some of us asthma patients can be very stubborn and that includes me.  I hate the ER and I don't want an ambulance taking me any where.  I almost died a couple of years ago because I let an asthma attack get out of my control.  I didn't want to go in an ambulance, so I called a friend to take me to the ER.  I got a nurse who was having a bad day who told me I was not having an asthma attack because I was not even wheezing and sent me back out to the waiting room.  Fortunately, my friend had taken me into my doctor's office before when I was in full-blown attacks and she knew I was about to die.  She called my doctor who immediately made a phone call to the ER and I was taken right back.  I had no air moving in my lungs at all.  When you get to that point, you can't wheeze.  If I had not been so stubborn and called 911, they could have been treating me immediately when they picked me up.  I am hoping I have learned my lesson.

Good luck with your asthma patient!

Carla

Posted 10/1/2007 12:07 AM (GMT -8)
You just need to give her, her inhaler or medicines immediately when she gets the attack. I understand what happen to you when you saw her having the attack….I have gone to the same situation when I saw my husband having an attack for the first time…..I was shocked, my hands were trembling…..i felt that he was going to die. I can never forget that day. My husband is now following a herbal therapy…he is taking a medicine called biovent….I hope that with this medicine he will be able to control his asthma.
Posted 10/6/2007 4:27 PM (GMT -8)
Thank you for all the replies. She is finally back to herself again, and I am getting a real education on what to do the next time from her and all of you. I will not hesitate to call emergency assistance if I think she needs that. She is very knowledgeable, and cautious, and hopefully it will be a while before it gets that bad again.

Thank you again, and I will keep looking here for more info and updates.

Dennis

Posted 11/2/2007 5:29 PM (GMT -8)

You probably need to talk to your son's doctor right away. It may be different with children, but I would not take more than two nebulizer treatments within 30 minutes in an emergency situation.  I'm not sure what you use in his nebulizer, but most of those medications cause your blood pressure to rise and using too much in a short period of time can cause a different set of problems.  I am not a medical professional, just a 56 year old female with severe asthma, but I would strongly suggest that you talk with your doctor and find out what the guidelines are on how much is too much to give him before calling 911.

I am so glad he is o.k.  It has to be the worst feeling in the world to see your child like that and I'm sure it is hard not to panic.  If in doubt, I would never hesitate to call 911, as you saw they were able to start working on him right away.  From my own experience, when there is no air moving in the lungs, the nebulizer treatments are just not going to do anything.  Of course, you have to try because you don't know that he is to that point.  When I'm having an attack, I do better sitting up, I don't know if it would help him any to prop him up on pillows or not.  See if he wants any water to drink, if it's an attack in the early stages.  It helps me to stay hydrated.  In my opinion, your 8 year old is old enough to learn how to use a peak flow meter if he doesn't already have one, which could let him know when he is getting in trouble.  If you need me to explain how that works, just let me know.  I can not believe your one year old also has asthma.

My prayers are with you and your family,

Carla

Posted 11/3/2007 5:19 PM (GMT -8)

Vangelina,

Do you think you could find an allergist who would take them on.  It is a known fact that asthma patients treated by allergist do better.  Here is a good web site for you about peak flow meters and other information:  http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22586#whatis an allergist would give you one or you can buy one for about $10.

In my opinion, and I am not a medical professional, just a person who has had a lot of asthma attacks and had to learn how to deal with them, I think your 8 year old could start out by measuring his peak flows when he's doing well, maybe in the morning and possibly at night so that your would know what his norm is.  Then when he has some wheezing, but not exactly an asthma attack, see what those numbers are, which they should be lower.  Then when you have to use the nebulizer, use the peak flow first and see what the numbers are, don't keep repeating it though, because it can use up his air.  But it can let you know when you are in real trouble.  They call it the green, yellow and red zone.  Red zone is when you call 911.  Keep a record of all of these with the dates and times, you might be able to pin point something that is triggering his attacks, doubtful, but worth a try.

You really need to talk to your doctor about this, but I strongly encourage you to try to find an allergist to treat the boys.  Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you.

Prayers,

Carla

Posted 11/5/2007 8:21 AM (GMT -8)
HELP ! I just accidentally put the moderator in some sort of ignore list by accident and I didn't mean to!
I wan't to write to her and accidently clicked that button. How can I fix it?

Thanks,
Linda eyes
Posted 11/5/2007 9:39 AM (GMT -8)
Are you referring to Another Day or me that was put on the ignore? If you don't respond to this then I know it was me! lol But I am trying to find out the solution for you. Hang tight.
Posted 11/5/2007 12:38 PM (GMT -8)
Hi, I got your reply okay! I feel terrible about it and would love to get it fixed. Manyt hanks,
Posted 11/5/2007 1:22 PM (GMT -8)
Read the post made my Lynnwood - she tells you how to unignore someone :)
Posted 11/5/2007 6:47 PM (GMT -8)

Linda,

Just checking to see if you got all squared away.  It looks like you did from what I am reading from the post, but I just wanted to make sure.

Take care!

Carla

Posted 11/6/2007 6:19 AM (GMT -8)
Hi, it says to go to the Control Panel and click next to the persons name. I can't find the control panel confused
Posted 11/6/2007 7:04 AM (GMT -8)
The control panel is located in the upper blue bar on the left hand side next to Log Off. Not the very top blue bar but the one below it. It's also on the same blue bar that has Home, Calendar, Chat, Search, Members, Help just on the left side.
Posted 11/10/2007 8:16 AM (GMT -8)
dburke..your a great bloke who wants to do the best for his girl but if she is in a full blown asthma attack forget the medication..just get emergency medical help as soon as possible and leave it to the profesionals...she will be looked after.You say your g/f doesnt want her ex to know about you..well the stress of keeping the relationship secret will affect her asthma significantly...get everything out into the open and her asthma will improve...believe me Ive been there. luv groovey...be happy and healthy together xxx
Posted 11/11/2007 9:31 PM (GMT -8)
Finally, I got it fixed! I couldn't find the bar, and then I realized that I wasn't logged in! Thanks, jbhoneydo
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