RhodaBorrocks Sat 30-Dec-17 16:34:22

If she was suffering chest pain etc then it's plausible that paramedics would have worked on her. Did her husband say if they had done an ECG or given oxygen and checked her sats? Given a nebuliser? Paras can do all that and it takes time. You didn't say whether they decided to take her to hospital or not. If hospital is not necessary but a person is acutely unwell then paras will usually stay until they are stable enough to see a GP because they have a duty of care. It's one if the things that ties up ambulances from getting to more serious cases, but they have to attend if thetes any suspicion of a heart attack.



I am immunocompromised and can become this unwell too. I've never called an ambulance as I have people who can transport me quicker but this time last year I had to go to OOH and had a similar diagnosis - bronchitis, borderline pneumonia, pleurisy and costochondritis. I felt like I was dying (and simultaneously hoped I'd die to stop feeling so awful) and ended up on antibiotics for over a month as well as a steroid inhaler on top of my usual blue puffer. My SATs were at 88% and the GP I saw was very concerned that if I didn't improve from 2 days of antibiotics that I'd need admission.



So I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for them to be a bit dramatic over it. You say she's dramatic, but does she have form for medical dramatics? I'm terrible for downplaying things and making jokes so people think I'm not too bad/dealing with things, which means I don't always get help or sympathy apart from immediate family who know that I use humor to cope.