Sedation side effects

[Cath78]

Hi does anyone know any good sites or have any knowledge about the side effects etc of sedation and how long they last ? Also about physio . the ward my partner has been put on after being on itu for 4 weeks is awful he has already had a fall each day since being on there xx any advice will be welcomed xx

[BBDEBS]

What sort of side effects Cath? They will last for around 2 years, hair loss, muscle wastage, nail loss, personality change, hallucinations, nightmares, appetite and bowel issues, change of taste buds, weight loss then gain.....there are loads. Your hubby really needs his bed rails up so soon after coming around.

How is he falling? The nurses should be going to the loo with him, helping him out of bed, he should be walking with a Zimmer frame and getting into his chair beside his bed to eat and exercise xx

[Cath78 in reply to BBDEBS]

Staff put him into his chair the first two mornings of being on ward which was Thursday and Friday and left him alone . which disturbed me as he was still very much confused. he is unable to stand on his own so far and needs assistance to go loo in a bottle ! Everyday since wednesday t.time thats when he went to ward . when I've been he has always just been in his bed so uncomfortable. What a shock from the excellent staff from itu to this ward words cannot describe how horrible it is !! Itu staff said he'll need alot of physio .twice he's been and now of course it's the weekend so no physio x

[Luckyone]

Hi Cath,

The side effects of sedation and ICU can vary so much as there is no set time limit it effects everyone differently,with the amount of time being sedated not really playing any part, as for the general ward that is a very different story, they often have no knowledge of where you've come from or what you've been through, for me personally it was like hell, after spending 3 months in ICU with fantastic care, I was then sent to a respiratory ward that seemed to have no knowledge of what I had been through, it was the worst 2 weeks of my life, it felt so bad that I actually looked forward to leaving the ward each day for my physio sessions even if they were painful but I pushed as hard as I could just to leave hospital and get back home.

After my discharge I spoke of my ward experience at several training days at the hospital and ICUsteps constantly work to educate healthcare professionals on the lack of information given when transferred to a ward, unfortunately it appears very little has changed, so we must continue to highlight the problems suffered.

Bill

[Cath78 in reply to Luckyone]

Yes bill i agree stronly with what your saying my partner was put in his chair the first two mornings of being on the ward still delusional and very weak and left on his own so thats when the falls happened his confusion is less now but still very weak . itu staff told me he needs lots of physio. twice he's had it so far . the staff on ward don't even seem to understand he needs assistance to go loo in a bottle ! 4 hours it took for the matron to come speak to me on friday . i am truly shocked at the lack of knowledge. I am horrified by the lack of personal care also x

[BBDEBS]

I'm so sorry but it is a massive shock when you go on a normal ward. I was fortunate to have a private room, can you get one of these by the nurses station? They can then keep an eye on him.

Going from one on one care to being on a ward can seem daunting. I was fortunate enough to have my husband with me from midday until 8pm and he fed me and helped me to the loo. Your hubby should really still be in bed, it's too soon for him to be out of bed. I didn't leave bed for 3 days and needed escorting to the bathroom.

How much time can you spend with him and have you voiced your concerns to his ITU team?

Cheers

Debs

[Cath78 in reply to BBDEBS]

There's no single rooms and as for time i can spend with him can change we have a 20 month old son who i havnt seen much of over the last 5 weeks so he needs my attention/ affection too x am just horrified by the lack of personal care on the ward xxxx

[BBDEBS]

Talk to his ICU care team xxx