This is my story it happened in May of 15 I was diagnosed years before this took place and just didn't take it serious I wouldn't quit smoking when told I had COPD didn't know just how serious this progressive disease was and thought the dr, just wanted me to quit smoking , after several years dealing with low oxygen levels I started get bouts of sickness that would put me in the hospital first was for A - fib heart rhythms problem which I think was a first sign of COPD that lead to three bouts of five days in hospital then a passer was implanted , secondly they told me about the COPD that was like several years before I really got sick , I was the usual sick back and forth to dr, and hospital stays but it would clear up not realising it wasn't curable and progressive as it went on at first put on three lpm. At night only then that went also as needed , then I was suppose to use all the time I wouldn't and just delt with the low oxygen even tieing my shoes became difficult , lost interest in things I loved then I started turning light blue my wife would say and also daughter also I would just shake my head started to check my oxygen and it was 67 exertion about 77 at rest so I went to dr, he put me in hospital that's when the nightmere happened at first I remember going to the ER but that is about all next I was given way to much oxygen like twelve lpm. Which lead to carbon retention stacking effect of oxygen and no way for carbon to get out very dangerous so things got worst I started to go down hill high temp and flem mucus build up lungs were full near death now and ice packed incurbaited for two weeks then this hospital couldn't handle me so I was moved to the capital hospital and put in ICU still in coma now induced " they had to vent me because u can only be incurbaited 13 days or u will losses your ability to eat and drink and talk forever ,so that is how it went for three months in to rehab six weeks just to learn how to walk , o no one thought I was going to make it the dr. Couldn't believe I made this turn around its been about a year now I'm on six lpm. 24/7 vent is out , I do walk but oxygen levels are still and issue at exertion , and can only walk fourth feet before I need to rest , time to sell the Harley , I guess ? If u don't listen to your dr, this may be u so be careful
Induced coma vented and trachea : This is my... - COPD Friends
Induced coma vented and trachea
What you describes seems to be similar to locked in syndrome? This is talked about in a TEDx Glasglow talk titled Intentional medicine, and is also the subject of a book by Kate Allatt, titled Running Free, available in Amazon.
BillDavid
What is 6 ipm yes I know my Doctors kept say Quit, but no I thought if I smoked the really expense and suppose to have nothing chemical I would be okay, Well no I am on oxygen 24/7 so here I am depressed because, could not wait to retire and now this. If I go any where have to take my portable it is suppose to be only 5 pounds it feels like 50 after awhile. So pretty in the apartment with doing the same thing pretty much all the time.
Do you have a whole now in your throat?
Hi yes I know the feeling , no hole in throat but there is a closing type hole where it never quite closed the skin all the way I wish I has used Sherrie strips , anyway six liters per minute "lpm" my biggest problem is s.o.b.now and walking distance . But working on it . Depression is here and not going away so I live with it , do yourself a favor, quit smoking now before u go into what happened to me , I almost bought the farm , it doesn't matter what cigarette you buy or how much they cost there all bad ,
Hi Sandy 1944, ask your doctor to get you a walker with wheels and a seat, it has a place to put the portable and when you are out walking and get tired you have a place to sit and rest. I have one and I love it. There are different sizes so make sure you get one right for you.
have you tried rehab... hate to think you can not at least improve.
I use a back pack w/ a pulse regulator and c size cannisters. it can last me up to 3 hours for less depending upon exertion. It also makes me stand up straight. weighs a little of 10 pounds depending how much stuff i have to carry around, water bottle, cough med, etc.. really gives freedom that dragging a tank behind you does not. Good luck and happy trails.
Maybe help someone else with your story. thanks for posting. Take your time and breathe easy.
I was in induced coma day one as I don't even remember getting to hospital. I was moved hospitals Beverly 30 days but 3rd hospital was lung and breathing critical care! I was incubated and in a coma 5 1:2 months total but rehab was the shits! In getting off incubation I died 3 times and watch them start to balloon me 2 times with alarms blasting everywhere! Tim or my daughter were with me and days my grandkids would come and lay with me! Eventually they got me converted to oxygen tank but getting that mucous out with those tubes were horrible, eventually after rehab center after throat grew shit and surgery to open so I could drink and eat and relearn to move everything from fingers to toes. 24/7 oxygen and 8 drugs when I came home! Gradually got off all meds my high blood pressure returned to normal but brain and physical didn't totally come back but I can drive and garden cook and General housework! Nebulizer with steroids but I changed to colloidal silver in it then my need for oxygen got less and less, also started me on l-arginine which every one should google and get on! My world is much better but no oxygen in daytime unless bad chemtrails or forest fire smoke coming into Denver! When I've been exposed to illness or feel like I'm getting sick I avoid or get over with olive leaf extract! Also. They had me get off sugar and GMO's mostly organic , free range eggs and chicken and grass fed beef and porky, but a lot less than I used to! Also went to vinegar combinations for cleaners so no toxins in my laundry, shower, hai or any where! I found some lsundry sheets and they made me sick! Lots of work but COPD not bone but no longer stage 4! I got men from getting sepsis from a root canal! Now I only get anti biotics for dental work or if o ever get severely ill! She does not want me to use antibiotics as I had so many thy had to give me plasma to boost my blood to process the antibiotics! My dr calls me her miracle! This year will be first year I haven't had to go back to her for a year! This all took place in June 2011! Just keep trying to get better! Read on google everything you can find! My vinegar cleaners from DIY.com, are better cleaners than I've ever had!
I have to tell u your story sounds so much like mine I was in the hospital about three months ,two different ones icu in both and its arranged but I to lost memories of that experience may be for the better ,I remember getting there but that's it, I work up in another hospital and had been trachea and on a vent keep drifting in and out then I woke up and had them remove the vent ,but still had trachea for about four months afterwards now gone ,but getting to walk and do most things was very tuff when I was so weak and went on to rehab for another six weeks respiratory failures was the diagnosis copd since then I have to use trilogy at night with mask and six lmp. 24/7 I hope there is a way to get off oxygen but they tell me it's for ever tell the end ,so life suffers with not having to much fun and being stuck in the house ,lots of life time changes ,
I wonder if either of you mind telling your age? I find both of your stories scary. my worse experience was caused by not knowing not to use Aleve if you have COPD.
I use alve all the time why would u say that ,I was recently on Coumadin blood thinner for A fib and now calling the Dr. I'm telling him what happened I was at the sink moving dishes to the dishwasher and I twisted it felt like a pulled muscle in my leg I didn't think much of it at the time ,as I was getting in the shower my wife came in the bath and said where did u get that black and blue mark on your leg it's massive I couldn't see it it was on the back of my leg I took a mirror and it went from the crease of my leg all the way up to just short of my butt ,the whole leg was marked solid black where it has bleed under the skin ,so the doc, gets a call today I'm off that stuff,anyways I'm 63 when that happened ,listen I wouldn't listen to my Dr. When he wanted me to be on oxygen all the time and wanted to test for sleep apnea which at the time I knew nothing about carbon dioxide retention part of colds horrible conditions its what causes the problems read up on it ,pay attention to what your Dr. Is telling u they don't always explain in detail ,this didn't happen over night I went on not paying attention to my wife and daughter telling me I was bluish in color so one day I went over to the Dr just walked in and told them I needed to see him right away when I did my oxygen was 67 and he send me to the ER that's how it started they over saturated me trying to get oxygen to 100% big mistake and made a lot by hospitals which causes retention of carbon the killer gas ,that is why I ended up worst off if they had just slowly administered oxygen I would have come out of this better with use of anti abiotic s well sorry for post it's long but to try and tell u the pit falls of this and the things to watch out for ,
I could hardly breath and I felt like I was dying. The doctor said it was bronical spsams. He told me that Aleve would cause them IF YOU HAVE COPD. It effects me that way but maybe it does not everybody. I don't know.
That's odd I've noticed lately my face stays red and like I posted before on trilogy machine at 375 ans oxygen 2 ml but the spasm was so bad I pushed on area and wasn't stop then air gushes from my mouth made me weak ans dainty but pain left. I'm on steroids out the butt NEB's inhalers ans pills with theophylline if I itch and scratch lightly it forms blood bruises
Wow, that's a most intense situation! Thank you for your openness in sharing your dire experience. I was diagnosed last year with COPD and your words are certainly something I will not soon forget...again, thank you.
Am glad that you came through that seemingly impossible situation. It is indeed a miracle ..
Oh what a terrible experience. Your fault some what but sounds like the hospital is at fault for your condition also. Hope you continue to improve.