Speaking as a fellow patient: My doctor has always told me that if I'm wondering whether I should go to the emergency room (A&E for you - from the UK, I assume?), I should already be there. I've always been told that if my chest is tight, and I'm struggling to breathe, and I'm thinking, "Should I be in Emergency?" I should.

So, if you're worried, go. If you're struggling, go. If your medicine isn't helping, go. What's the worst that can happen? Maybe you get stuck with a snarky or unsympathetic doctor. What's the worst that can happen if you don't go when you need to? You could die, and even if you don't, you'll end up feeling very bad for much longer than necessary. If you work, you might be home sick right now, but if not, I can guarantee that you're not working at your best, and your coworkers (if they're decent people) are worried about you. If you're at home, anyone you live with is probably worrying, at least a bit. I've been there. Trust me on that much.

Though I'm not a medical expert myself, all the medical experts in my family (three nurses, two doctors and a respiratory therapist) have told me that they would rather see a thousand people come in early for asthma (even if they maybe could have handled it on their own) than see even one person put it off until they're in a serious crisis. It's much easier to deal with asthma before you hit the crisis point, both for the patient and the caregivers. And the fact is that you're not a medical expert. You don't have a doctor with you to call the shots. So you have to rely on yourself. Be decisive! If you think you can't handle it yourself, do the smart thing and get help. Don't sit there hesitating and put it off until it's too late. Get help before you're in a crisis.

In other words, if you think you need help, get yourself to A&E. Just don't drive yourself! Get a friend to drive, or call an ambulance if necessary. The last thing you need is to be trying to concentrate on traffic when you're feeling like you are.