Sepsis!!

[anniseg70]

Hi, I'm 23 years old. I've recently suffered with sepsis and fell into a coma as I couldn't breathe on my own. I had to have a central line in and I remember things. It's such a scary thing. I'm struggling to come to terms with it. It all started on the 29th of December I had my appendix out. 2 weeks after I was back in hospital with a collection of infection, got sent home with the impression I was okay and that the infected had cleared, after a few days I had to go back I was so poorly. I had to have surgery as they thought it was my ovaries that were the problem. They said it would be key hole and I wouldn't have much of a scar, but things weren't what they thought. They found puss all over my organs and in my pelvis and found I had sepsis. I had all abominable organs taken out and cleaned. I have a good 8inch scar down my belly. I also have 2 scars where my drains are. I never thought I'd be affected by my appearance when coming to something like this but I hate it. I just want to know how other people felt during there time in icu and if they had crazy dreams and crazy thoughts. I was so close to death and I could feel it, has anyone else felt this way??

[angelrock]

I had a similar experience, following a ruptured appendix, I was put in a medically induced coma for several days and was in ICU, had a tracheotomy put in and had sepsis.

As the surgeons were unable to close my wound up, so I had to have a skin graft on my abdomen the size of a dinner plate, which left my tummy looking horrendous and ugly. Finally last spring I had reconstructive surgery which has left me with a long scar but looking a lot neater. I still remember my first time in hospital and all the nightmares.

I feel privileged and lucky to be alive.

Please be reassured that things will improve slowly and steadily. All the very best and good luck.

[mikea101]

Hello - I felt moved to respond because you talked of having had crazy dreams and crazy thoughts during your time in ICU, and I had them too. I had eight days and nights of frightening hallucinations in which I was abroad and terrorists had dropped a 'dirty bomb' which led to nearly everyone being dead. Like you I felt how close I was to death, and it seemed almost miraculous to me when I eventually survived. I realised that I had been through a traumatic experience, and I now see that I was very fortunate to have been put in touch with the hospital's trauma therapist. I had six sessions with her and I cried and I cried as the terror and the dread of what I'd been through flooded out of me. It's said that trauma can be defined as "that which cannot be borne alone." It seems that we have this irresistible urge to tell the story of what happened when we were in induced coma in ICU. I would encourage you to find someone you can talk to about it, whether family, friend or therapist. The hospital should be able to help you with this. From my experience, now ten months away from my sepsis and treatment, you will benefit from the opportunity of sharing it with someone who is prepared to really listen and understand.

[LesAnne]

Hi You have been through a dreadful ordeal and unfortunately it will take your body a while to recover. I hax sepsis a year ago and was in an induced coma for 3 weeks. In order to save our lives we are pumped ful of drugs which often cause delerium and esse tially we are often left with a form of PTSD. I had dreadful nightmares when I came home which are now reducing in frequency. I think its important for you to ask for a referral to a mental health practitioner so that you can talk about your experience and your feelings surrounding your scarring. You will improve over time. Heaing hugs to you x

[Hidden]

Hi Hun ask your doctor to be reffered to a councellor or psychologist so you can speak to someone about your thoughts if you get fobbed of insist, our GP's can't understand PTSD I was told to go away it was just my imagination that was three years ago. My cardiologist took it into his own hands and reffered my himself after 3years I have been diagnosed with PTSD and have had the most amazing help from a lovely man . Best of luck , please speak to someon 😊Xx