Induced coma athma attack.

[duffyc22]

My girlfriend at 25 years old has been put in a induced coma, she had a servere ashma attack 6 days ago. The consultant said it is the worst she has seen in 40 years. She is semi reponding to bronchidiolators, she improves then deteriates due to the fact they have to move her to suck out secretions created by the bronchi. Its catch 22. The doc said she is looking at two weeks for a response due the the sevarity of her condition before they can start waking her up. I feel she can hear me. I want to know if all her other organs are fuctioning correctly apart from the lungs. What are the effects on the brain? how long can her body sustain high Co2 levels in the blood? (Double the normal amount) so much hurt, too many questions. Please help! Will they keep her on the ventalator as aslong as she needs or wil she have a time period to recover.

[Angelia1234]

Induced coma? Wow, im so sorry. They should keep her on the vent until shes ready on her own but im not a dr of course.

Dont be afraid to ask them ALL the questions you have!

[Ceegeefee]

Ask for a meeting with the doctor. If you can take a list of questions written down so you don’t forget - when you are feeling so upset it’s easy to forget. Don’t give up hope. The body is an amazing and complex machine. Since my Dad was ill I’ve seen people recover from things that “should” have ended their life. Wishing you and your GF well. Take care.

[duffyc22 in reply to Ceegeefee]

Thankyou, for your replys they have been very helpfull. The doctors say all her other organs are working fine and her kidneys are compensating with the high co2 levels. Apparently its just a waiting game. Shes in a static condition. I believe she will pull through.

[spaceoutandshoegaze]

I’m so very sorry to hear about your girlfriend. I have been ventilated 10 times for my asthma over a number of years. I’ve had the exact same problem with high CO2 levels, high vent settings and only small improvements with standard bronchodilators. I have been in that situation and survived being resuscitated following respiratory and cardiac arrests. However, It is so scary.

If you can, do talk to your girlfriend when you visit. I heard many things that I remember whilst being ventilated. I had a lot of music played through headphones as well and that helped enormously. I don’t recall everything but my parents were surprised at how much I did hear and remember.

I too needed a lot of mucus plugs removed time and time again via bronchoscopy and suction. It takes time and the team treating me often used magnesium and aminophylline IV as well as ventolin IV, nebulisers and steroids.

I looked very swollen and poorly but I did get better each time and as a youngish person (in my twenties and thirties) I did recover although being vented takes its toll.

What I’m trying to say by boring you with my experiences is that there is hope and recovery is possible but it can be very slow.

My advice would be to talk to her as much as you can - my parents used to read newspapers to me and parts of my favourite books. Music helped a great deal and the staff must keep talking to her as they carry out procedures. I also valued a diary that my Mum kept about what happened to me each day and who came to visit etc. She also documented what medical procedures where needed each day. It was so scary to wake up and become aware of how much time had passed whilst I was vented. The diary helped a great deal in grounding my memories and giving me a timeline.

They can do so much for asthma and your girlfriend has every hope of a full recovery, but it may take some time. My longest vent was for over a month so don’t be worried if it takes longer for her.

Please get in touch via email if I can help at all. I hope and pray she will get there and recover fully. You are amazing to care for her so much and I’m sure she knows you’re there. My memories were patchy but I do remember a lot. Sadly I also have post-ITU PTSD so don’t be surprised if she seems depressed once she wakes up. However, I did better once I had my music and people talking to me.

Please let us know how she gets on.

All good wishes, Siân Thomas