If I hadn’t called the helpline, I think I’d have ended up back in hospital

I was admitted to hospital with pneumonia in December 2022 and returned to work in the new year. But I still felt unwell. I tried to get an appointment with my GP but I was told that they were only taking emergency calls. I was worried and frustrated, so I decided to call the Asthma + Lung UK helpline.

The nurse really listened to me

While I was on the call, I didn’t feel rushed at all. I felt like the nurse genuinely wanted to reassure and help me. She listened to my symptoms, asked about the medication I was taking, and about how I was feeling. It was really thorough.

The nurse said it sounded like I was still unwell with an infection and advised me to call my GP again. With the nurse’s support, I had the confidence and the right information to help the GP understand how urgently I needed help.

I was too unwell to advocate for myself

I called the GP back, and told them I’d spoken to Asthma + Lung UK, who said I needed to see somebody as I might need antibiotics. Before talking to the helpline, I felt like no one was advocating for me, and I was so unwell that I couldn’t advocate for myself. Having the helpline nurse tell me exactly what I needed to say to get the care I needed was game-changing.

The nurse helped me get the care I needed

After I said that, I was given an appointment on the same day. The doctor confirmed I still had an infection and gave me a course of antibiotics. They also diagnosed me with possible pleurisy too.

Having recently come out of hospital and feeling increasingly unwell, I just felt so alone. If I hadn’t called Asthma + Lung UK, I think I’d have ended up back in hospital. The phone call with the helpline nurse changed everything. It was amazing.