Not following commands, trach, COPD, pneumonia

[PetesDaughter]

My 76 y.o. Dad has been in ICU since May 20, he was intubated until June 12 when they did a tracheotomy. He's been sedated, sort of awake (opening his eyes, moving his limbs, but not following commands), he's fighting pneumonia in his right lung, and has COPD. The pneumonia is getting better but his upper right love is still white on the xray. I'm concerned why he still isn't 'with it'. When they reduce the sedation, they say he gets too anxious, they've been giving him Xanax. Has anyone ever have issues with an ICU patient not following commands? They did a CT scan on his brain and there is no issue. Thank you.

[Celticthunder00]

Oh yes. I was the patient I have been in a induced coma twice for 3 months each time for the same surgery. What you have to understand is your father is in another universe right now. I traveled the the world in my mind while I was out. I traveled went to concerts. And built a horse ranch. All in places I have never been to, concerts of artists I don't even like. I will say it was always exciting and generally pleasant. Then there's your fathers age. Older people tend to get more confused in the hospital especially ICU. Get a notebook and write down his dreams when he wakes my youngest has done this and she says she is going to have it published

Debbie

[Offcut]

As the previous member said when I was in an induced coma I was in the Far East and parts of England I have never been, doing things I even said in my second life I cannot do? Some days I was very confused as I was not sure if I was dreaming of being awake or I was awake if that makes sense?

When I came out of my 12 day induced coma I asked the nurse what country I was in?

Be Well

[Sepsur]

Hi PetesDaughter

I was in a coma for two months, within that time I travelled all over the world to places i had never been. The dreamscapes were vivid and super 'HD'.

Apparently it took me eleven days to wake up - I have no recollection of this period of time except that some of my later dreams had the hospital landscape as a backdrop. I also had a note pinned to the door ahead. "You are In the Countess of Chester ICU". Which was rubbish since I was certain I was in a Caenarfon hospital, run by Mexicans, attacked by Islamists, somehow floating off the Mediterranean coast , South American & Welsh coast simultaneously.

The sedatives can take 9months to leave system. I hope your Dad improves soon.

[sejuma in reply to Sepsur]

Are you sure that sedatives can take 9 months to leave someone's system?

[Sepsur in reply to sejuma]

Hi sejuma

I'm not medically trained - so can't be absolutely certain - it's certainly what I was told by docs and outreach team.

[Austinrreneau in reply to Sepsur]

My experience completely..I lived another life. 1 month under. it’s in my bio. The hallucinations my friend, so real.

[PetesDaughter]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond and share your experiences. It brings me comfort to think my Dad is having wonderful adventures! The doctors keep making things sound worse and worse. They're saying now that he has only a remote chance of getting off the ventilator, and if he doesn't get off the ventilator, he'll remain in his current not really awake/not sleeping state. He opens his eyes and moves his body but doesn't show any sign that he's aware. I'm feeling more and more hopeless about his recovery, I hope he's having the adventure of a lifetime!

[LotusSon in reply to PetesDaughter]

Hi PetesDaughter did your dad get back to following commnads? If yes , how long did it take. My mom is in the same situation where she was in prolonged sedation for proning as a part of pnemonia treatment. She is breathing on her own for a couple of days now, but the doctors are saying they cannot take her off the ventilator unless she starts obeying commnads.

[Austinrreneau]

He’s not going to be “with it” for a while. His body has experienced trauma from his sickness and the sedation is extremely intense. He’ll be very confused for a couple days, possibly weeks. I know, I went into poly organ failure, lungs liver, kidneys, heart. It takes a while to recover, just keep reassuring him, he knows your there.

sorry old string, but i hope it helps anyone searching for this stuff