My brother has been intubated in an induced coma for 3 days following emergency surgery to clean out an infection in his wisdom tooth that had started to restrict his airway.
Came round Saturday afternoon and I went to visit yesterday. He’s not on any meds other than antibiotics, but seems to be strung out, lacking coordination and not quite the full person he was previously.
Quick Google and it seems this is a thing that can happen following intubation. Just spoken to him and he sounds no better 48 hours after being taken off ventilation.
Seems symptoms can last days, weeks, months, forever! Consultant seemed not too concerned, but he isn’t right, not by a long way.
Anyone had this or witnessed it happen on someone?
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Last edited by eletos; 22nd May 2023 at 14:43.
I've personally witnessed it several times when visiting post-operation patients, it's quite disturbing to see but in all the cases I saw it disappeared within several days. (Although I've been teasing my sis-in-law for years over her utter conviction that one of the ICU staff was going to murder her!).
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
For my own peace of mind, can you please say, "Sepsis" to the doctor or nursing staff? If nothing else, it would put my mind to rest. What you describe is consistent with the symptoms of blood poisoning.
I hope he's well and up on his feet soon!
My frail and elderly mother was admitted to hospital after a fall from which she suffered broken ribs and her coccyx.
She also had early dementia as well - So not someone in great health, but, she became very confused and forgetful.
This became worse over the next few weeks to the point that she could not remember where I lived, the fact that she had grand children and that I should come and take her home as there was nothing wrong with her. She thought that she was still married to my father - they divorced some 30 years ago. When she could not get what she wanted she became aggressive and rude. I could go on, but you get the idea. Normally she was a very polite and considered person.
On speaking to the Doctors they told me that she was suffering from delirium which I was led to believe made her dementia symptoms worse.
After several months when she went home she was almost back to 80 per cent but I'm not sure that she ever improved completely but I think that was because she had dementia.
Sepsis has been my big worry too given the nature and location of the infection. All good on that front fortunately.
Hopefully it’s a function of time and he’ll return to his usual form.
I never knew such a thing as this existed. Scary stuff.
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Can I ask how the infection got to the point that he had to be induced into a coma? Was it missed initially or did it come on suddenly? It sounds pretty scary.
I wish him well for a full recovery.
How he got there happened all very quickly.
Bit of tooth ache on Monday, same Tuesday booked in with dentist on Thursday, Wednesday the swelling started. By 6pm he was struggling to talk as his neck and throat were restricted.
Went to A&E at midnight, ultrasound scan, admitted to ward. Not given any medication or antibiotics. 11am Thursday started chocking, couldn’t breathe collapsed, emergency surgery, two teeth out and external drains put in.
They kept him under as his throat was so constricted.
He sounds a little more normal today, but even yesterday he couldn’t work out how to connect a Bluetooth headset to his phone!
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Bloody hell! The most amazing thing is that he managed to get a dentist appointment within two days.Originally Posted by eletos
But in all seriousness, that sounds like a hell of a ride. At least he appears to be on the mend.
I appreciate you checking, thank you. Hope he's on the mend!
I listened to a documentary about this on Radio 4 some time over the last few years. It may be this one https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000zsdn
My other half used to work on ICU and I spoke to her about the documentary after listening. She said ‘it happens all the time’ and it can be horrible/terrifying. Before listening to the programme I had no idea that such a thing existed.
I also found this R4 programme while searching for the above https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001jpv
I hope your brother recovers soon!
Thanks for the links, I’ll have a listen.
He came home yesterday, waited 5 hours for his meds, left in the end and they were taxi’d to him at 8pm last night! Unbelievable.
Anyway, he was battered when he got home. Had a proper nights kip last night and this morning seems pretty good. Although his mouth and throat from surgery are really hurting. Must take a good while for all the meds to wear off. He’s back, which is the main thing.
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I went through one of the same ops as our host a couple of years ago, and post-op went in to the same mind-set as your sis-in-law.
It lasted a few days , and was (apparently!) very frightening for my family and friends around me, although I remember very little of it, other than trying to “escape”, by pulling out the catheter, as well as all the IV gear in my arms etc.
A good friend who was an ICU sister warned us before the op that it was very likely to happen at about 3 days. Needless to say, at the time, given other focuses, we didn’t remember the advice.
We are able to laugh about it now, particularly as I secretly videoed some footage of the staff, as “evidence “ of their intentions (in my head!), but I do still get embarrassed about the way I behaved at the time.
It has now been a few days since the OP posted, so I hope that things are returning to relative normality.
Sorry to hear about your brother Eletos.
Intubation is serious and up there with the most stressful of unconscious experiences. Many Covid patients where intubated and the psychological damage was immense.
I am sure he will get back to normal, but it will take time.
Best wishes to your bro.
Thanks all.
He’s was pulling out all the pipes too, not funny at the time, but I guess if you really aren’t with it you would wonder what all these things are. Very odd to have witnessed all this without being briefed by the medical teams.
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I presume you mean other ancillary pipes rather than the intubated tube. As I understand it, you are significantly sedated and unconscious at all times during intubation
Yeah, when he came round. IV’s neck drains, catheter anything to hand.
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Yep, I have had that before, but last thing I wanted to do was unilaterally rip my catheter tube out.
Sounds like your brother has had an incredibly stressful experience and reacted as such.
I am sure that given a bit of time all will be good again.
Best to your brother.
Thanks, never had a catheter, but unilaterally pulling it out certainly makes you wince at the thought of it!
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I suffered ICU delirium last year. I was admitted with a closed loop bowel obstruction and developed pneumonia post op - spent a week on ICU (two weeks total in hospital. I was not intubated but had a central line, nasogastric tube and catheter as well as PICC. I suffered from the most terrifying hallucinations - which were equally terrifying for my wife. I too pulled out my nasogastric tube and catheter and generally went wild. I’m happy to say that when I was stepped down to a general ward the delirium reduced significantly and after a week I was pretty well free of it.
I understood from the consultant that this condition is quite common and affects about 40% of ICU patients - males over 60 are particularly prone to it.
I feel for your brother and I hope he improves rapidly.
At least in my case the ICU team were able to reassure my wife that what she was witnessing was a result of post op infection and heroic doses of opioids etc.
Last edited by Rinaldo1711; 25th May 2023 at 23:52.
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