anyone got any suggestions?

I'm in ICU on observations, had a few big attacks, ect... I'm feeling really tight, not asthma tight, but tight tight.. I've been told I've had tight muscles around my airways before causing my tightness... Its similar to that again & is fairly uncomfortable. Apparently I'm on the highest pain relief I can be on.. Stretching seems to help it a bit but can't stretch all the time. Can't ask the doctor/nurse about what I can do with it as talking doesn't want to happen. anyone got any suggestions??

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Hi Emma,

Can you ask them to give you something to write on if talking is difficult? Or use phone/whatever you're writing this on?

It may not be the quickest fix ever but would a respiratory physio help? Perhaps you could ask (in writing if you can) if there is a physio who could visit you and loosen things up a bit, if they think that's possible while you're in ICU. You definitely need to find some way of communicating, and maybe they could also help with finding it hard to talk (or have they told you to expect that after being ventilated?)

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Dad has said he'll bring me some paper & stuff tomorrow. I have some somewhere just don't know where my bag is where it is, suppose I could buzz doctor/nurse & communicate by my phone, just don't want to seem annoying. As for not being able to talk,, took me 5-6hrs to be able to talk after coming off ventilator having been on it 24hrs, was on it 46hrs this time round so expecting it to be longer than other times. Usually risk 200mg ibuprofen at home, slightest thing triggering asthma at min though.

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I don't think you'd be annoying them, you must be feeling pretty rubbish anyway so if there's anything you can do to improve how you're feeling a bit then take it - I'm sure the drs/nurses wouldn't mind and as you're in ICU and being observed, I'd think they might want to know about it so they know what's going on with you.

Could you buzz and then say on your phone that you want some paper, to make it easier? They must be used to people having trouble talking after being ventilated so might have things handy to help you communicate. Or if your obs are very frequent and you're really worried about being a nuisance (and I wouldn't be) you could ask the nurse at your next obs time?

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On obs every 15-20 mins, due nurse round in about 5-10 mins. Will try figure out how to word it then [head is mush at min] or if I can't figure it out, will give someone a buzz then. Feel like I'm being annoying and difficult. 3rd time I've come off ventilator in 1 admission :S

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Thought you were on icu? Icu has one to one care, one nurse to two patients if extubated.A nurse should be with you, you don't need to buzz a nurse. Must be a good icu non of the ones i've worke on have ever done obs every fifteen minutes!!! wow.

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I was just thinking the same as florence. I'm lucky to be able to so much as cough without nurses watching me whenever I end up on ITU!

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Glad ur awake, let ur nurse, by hand gestures know you want to write cos she will be observing you.Take care.

gill

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Yeah the offical guidlines are One to One on level one care and one to two on level 2 care (usually HDU) if a nurse leaves a room has to ensure someone is looking over patient and if tubed then has to be a trained in the room

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emmas mum

glad you are slowly getting better . just take it slow boring i know . you will get back to your old self . life will get better each day x