Husband struggling with ventilator

[bellabobs]

Hi, My husband is on day 9 of being in an induced coma. They are struggling to get him off the ventilator. He also picked up a chest infection. They want to give him a tracheotomy but cant till his lung function is better. I spoke to the consultant yesterday and she was saying the damage caused by a brain bleed was deep with in his brain. I don't really know what im asking here im just so terrified all the time just wondered more I suppose if it is fairly common to have trouble coming off the ventilator etc. Thankyou x

[Onedge93]

The impression I get is that it is normal for them to have to "wean" people off the ventilator gradually. But my advice would be to ask the doctors, really quiz them to find out what's going on, what their opinions are etc. The worst thing in this situation is having more uncertainty than you need to.

[bellabobs in reply to Onedge93]

thankyou so much for your reply he has had the Trachey fitted and is off all sedation but now they arnt happy as he should be trying to communicate

[DTBI]

Hi, I was in a coma for a couple of weeks after they’d taken half my skull off. I don’t have much memory of it personally, but similar to you my wife had to cope with a very dangerous period of time. The doctors and me pulled it together, I hope you experience the same result in time. Good luck x

[bellabobs in reply to DTBI]

Bless you and its horrendous for loved ones im at the satge now where hes off all sedation and breathing is going well but they are concerned as he should be more responsive visually by now

[Alb64]

Hi Bella.My husband didn't have a bleed on the brain.He has hypoxic brain injury from a cardiac arrest.He was in a coma for the first three weeks.When they tried to get him off it he kept fitting so had to go back on.Very worrying though he did come off it eventually and had a tracheostomy.Everyone is different.Sending you hugs at this difficult time.x

[sue-66]

Hi bella, my partner was in a coma about a month and had to be weaned off the ventilator, it was done slowly, over days and he was put on a teepee, I think thats what they called it, it is a step away from the full ventilation, it gave him breathing time on his own but took over if he struggled, then he had a trachy after 5 weeks. I should imagine it can be different how and when they do it depending on the person and injury and response. Talk to the Dr's and ask them to explain how, why and when x