RE: 14 days induced coma to recover from Covid 19 that was contracted during hospital stay.
Hello. I'm VERY glad to find this site! I was recently contacted by the wife of a young man (34 yrs old) who I've known for years (he's kind of like a son to me). I've been trying to walk this journey with her, as niether of them have family. They are in Australia and I am in the US. I'm seeing that the medical system in Australia is very different than the US.
He has been in the hospital recovering from a stroke, which left him with some mild memory impairment, a PEG tube for nutrition, slurred speech, and unable to walk without a walker and assistance. He has 5 young boys aged 9 months to 7 years. He contracted Covid 19 at the hospital.
He was placed in the induced coma to allow his body to better battle Covid 19. After 14 days, the doctors told his wife that they wanted to "wake him up" and see if he has recovered. They "reduced the life support from 100% to 80%" (I'm not sure exactly what that means). After the reduced to 80%, he did not regain consiouness. His oxygen level dropped to 80 and his blood pressure to around 40/70. His temp was 103. The next day, he was still at the same levels.
The doctors told her that there was no hope because he didn't wake up and wanted to remove all life support. She said that she wanted to wait. She is a young girl, only 27 with no family support. To me, it feels like the doctors are pushing her too hard to remove life support.
To me, it seems quick for the doctors to come to the conclusion that there is no hope. I work in the medical field (as a speech pathologist) and have had patients who have awakened from comas and recovered, including at least one who had a stroke and was in a coma, and just like many of the reports here, I have had patients who have been in a kept in an induced coma for much longer than 14 days in order to recover from illness, such as sepsis.
So, I was looking for any feedback from people on what their "take" on this is. I want to be able to support this young man and young woman as much as I can on this hard, hard journey. (They also have 5 boys, ages 9 months to 7 years.)
Thank you for any input you might have!!!
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I wouldn’t be removing him yet... but that’s just me. My mum was in ICU for other things but while we were there (more than 3 months) we heard a few miraculous stories. Which hospital is he at?
Also, it’s my understanding that if he’s been sedated for 14 days in an induced coma he could take more than 1 day to wake up from all of the medications etc.
All the best to them, what a terrible situation to be in.
Thank you, Emrad. I agree... I think the Drs are pushing much too fast. It's helpful to have the encourgement. I don't know the name of the hospital. It's in Melbourne, Australia. This young man and his wife don't have much money, so I'm sure it's under the public health system, which can impact the level of care... life support is expensive. But a life is priceless!
Hi! My mum was in ICU previously and they too wanted to take her off the machine because she didn’t wake up when she was meant to wake up. We refused, then they gave her tracheotomy and she remained on life support for a whole month before she was able to be weaned off the ventilator. Everyone heals at different times and in my mum’s case, her body needed more time than normal people. Please don’t let them rush this process. Keep the faith and all the best.
My husband was in an induced coma for 2 months after contracting double pneumonia and going into septic shock. He had severe Ards which is why it took so long for him to be weened off the ventilator. They tried to wake him up a couple of times but he got too distressed. Eventually when he wasn't needing as much ventilation he was given a tracheotomy. They then reduced the sedation and he started reacting to noises, people and opening his eyes within a day, but it took him about 2 weeks to wake up properly and understand what was going on. All I know is that it took a lot of perseverance by the medical staff to finally get my husband off the ventilation and to wake him up. I wish you all well, this is such a horrible time for you all.
He still needed ventilation via the trachy for another couples of weeks. But the physio's could try to get him moving a bit more with the trachy in. He had to learn to sit up and walk and eat agian. They have so much muscle wastage whilst in a coma. Because my husband was in an induced coma for almost 2 and a half months they said it could take up to 3 years for him to recover. He was working again about 18 months later, but had put loads of effort into his recovery and was doing physio everyday.
Wow.. holibob. Yes, the recovery time to regain function is very hard... your report is very encouraing... and yes, the recovery takes loads of hard work and perseverance.
I was in an induced coma for 57 days and remained in icu for 90 days in total. It took me 11 days to properly come round from coma and even then I was hallucinating like hell. It remained a battle ground for another month after waking up. Although my wife was told on numerous occasions I wouldn’t survive, or even if I did, I would be, most likely, brain damaged due to oxygen deprivation or the leukaemia would kill me or secondary opportunistic infections would kill me & I had plenty of them, CMV, VRE, MSSA, EBV & glandular fever - all potentially deadly for someone as ill as me. In the end no one gave up on me - encourage that young lady to fight like hell. He is young with every chance of making a good recovery.
I was told it would take me 3yrs minimum to recover from all the trauma to my body, that I might no get the use of all my faculties & that I might never work again. Within 18 months despite undergoing ongoing treatment for cancer - I lead a normal full life - albeit in lockdown at present.
Wow AKASepsur. Thank you! Yes, I believe (and not just because I WANT to believe.. I just sense) that this young man is going to survive and heal. It's hard, because his wife is very young and the doctors intimidate her. They are in Australia and I am in USA. Only communication is through internet messaging. There is a strong group of 5 of us (myself, my husband, my Bishop/Pastor and others in my church) that are praying constantly for his healing. I haven't heard from his wife for 2 days, except a message that said "Been a hard day. I will know more soon." So... hoping and praying.
I was 32 days in in ICU and my wife was told that I was not going to survive the night Twice! I am still here. However it is a very thought provoking situation without more information? It is important to find what organs are functioning on their own and what damage has been done to them if any?
Thank you Offcut. She hasn't said that there was any damage to organs. Just the BP and heartrate were low and tha the he hadn't woken up. Thank you for your kind words and wishes.
Drug induce coma can cause serious Mental Health Problems. The Induced Coma helps with sleeping problems. I am sure you are ready to have them take you off life support if they feel it is redundant.
The drugs used to induce coma are very powerful and my brother was unconscious for a month. He had sepsis from flu in his 40s and his youngest child was 6 at the time. Remain hopeful was the best advice we were given by one kind consultant. You are right in your instincts that it may take weeks for him to start to come round. Best wishes for his recovery and in supporting his wife and family. We are grateful to therapists like you as my brother had to relearn how to swallow and speak and walk again.
Thank you for that encouragement Copse77! SO glad that your brother recovered. Rehab is a long difficult road... I bet everyone at rehab was so excited to see him WALK out of the facility and go home to his family!! So wonderful!
UPDATE: She is standing up to the doctors and said that they have backed off, since they see that she is standing her ground and NOT giving in!
Today his BP was the same (but did not go down) - just a bit below normal. Not awake yet, but that will come. His temp (from the Covid 19) was down from 103 to 102. Tomorrow they will lower from 80% to 75% and watch his BP.
God is good! And prayers will not stop.
Everyone's support here at HealthUnlocked has really helped... You helped to encourage me, so I could keep encouraging her!
I am so sad to read about your friend and her husband. I was in a medically induced coma with septic shock. Family told I wouldn’t make it ( ie lights out). They fought for me and 3 years later, I am still alive. My advise, if he’s not “ brain dead” then Definitely give him a chance to live. The body goes into shock & shutdown BUT it CAN recover even from COVID-19. Give him a chance, keep him on full life support even it takes weeks- he could still RECOVER. No one knows too much yet about COVID-19. Hospital l and ICU under pressure- she must must fight for him, if she doesn’t, no one else will, that is why he married her, because he trusted her to fight for him. The road out of recovery from a coma is long. It IS hard for everyone and most of all, the patient, but it IS possible to make a full recovery and NOT be a statistic. What wd the drs recommend if there was no COVID? I believe they would give him a chance - his body just needs TIME.
Wishing you all the best & pray he makes a full recovery.
Thank you so much Pippauk. Yes, she has been strong with the Drs and yesterday told me that they are "backing off now, becuase they know that I won't give in." He's hanging on... Still don't know about brain function because hasn't woken up. But I know I've had patients in my own work (in rehab) I work on cognition, who were totally unaware of who they were, what was going on, etc. and did recover. I had one gentleman, who walked out with his mind 100% and he was in that kind of shape when he came in. It CAN happen. God knows more than the Drs. And, thank you for your prayers. I believe that he is going to recover. I keep saying... "I won't stop praying until God tells me to stop." Thank you for concern and input... and I am so very glad that you are "here."
I am going through something similar with my mom. They stopped sedating her on Friday but shes not waking up, they did CT and that came back negative. They will do MRI tomorrow.
I am glad in my heart that she is strong for him and won’t give up. When I was in a coma, I lay still & understandably was wired up to so many machines to keep me alive. I have no memory of it which is traumatic in itself & although I came out of it disabled, my family & the microbiologists didn’t give up . I have a deep feeling he will pull through, I don’t know why, but I feel there is a reason that it is important that he survives - I keep thinking of a little boy - have absolutely no idea why except he is somehow connected to him with fair hair- it sounds silly I know, but I feel your friends husband has the wish to live and will live . The medical profession as you know, are not allowed to turn his life support off, without consent so She must continue 24/7 to be very strong and continue to fight for him, just as my family did for me. You will all be in my prayers & May he keep you all safe. . Please let me know how he gets on .. and send her my best wishes, pip
Thank you SO MUCH Pippauk for your encouragement and prayers! That means a lot to me! I have felt in my spirit that he will pull through; and it's not just emotional. He and his wife have 5 boys, ages 9 months to 9 years (I said earlier 7 years, but mistyped). The 3-year old is his younger sister's son. She died tragically when he was a baby. I was with her when she suddenly said "I know what his name is!" (via messaging - they are in Australia, I am in the US.) His name is Ezekiel. He is being raised by this young man and his wife, as their own. I wonder if he is who you are thinking of. I am going to copy your message to the wife. Thank you.
That makes sense about the little boy.. he didn’t feel that it was his son but someone who was close and he was very protective of, now I understand that’s the little boy is his sisters young son. Maybe because she died so tragically, she is trying to reach out to her brother being so ill & in a coma- maybe your friend can send her husband a message about Ezekiel and tell him he must fight to get better for his sisters son..I have a very deep strange feeling that Ezekiel depends on his uncle’s survival and also strangely that he will have many years of his childhood with him.. this had never really happened to me before, it sounds a little nutty sorry, but I really feel his sister in heaven is trying to help him get better too so he can be involved in the upbringing of her son who needs his uncle very much - or he will eventually be on his own.. the couple bribing him up for now, won’t be able to.. this is so important. I feel it’s so so important - I don’t know why.. I so hope your grebes husband gets better and she continues to fight for him. He will come out of the coma I am sure, but not for awhile ... she must be brave and be her husbands voice .. he can hear but can’t communicate. Let me know how he is and sending my best wishes to your friend. I live in England in the countryside on a farm with my son and was a teacher in a school . So not a nutter! Pippa x
Hi it's never a good idea to put private details ie your telephone no. on a public forum, especially as the post isn't locked. It will go viral and can appear anywhere on the Web. You are making yourself a target for trolls and scammers.
Use private messaging for this. To do this click on the persons name then on message. Protect your privacy online.
I'm so sorry about yourmom... these things are so hard. As many have reported here, there's a lot of variation in how long it takes someone to wake up. Yes... we keep praying... Prayers have gone out for "Sidra's mom"... and will continue. Keep us posted. I will do the same.
I wouldn’t recommend removing life support either. It’s too early! He may just need time. My brother was up and down for weeks with his oxygen requirement and held at 80-90% for a good week. When he had low blood pressure he received a bp med drip. Have they tried proning him? That helped my brother tremendously. The docs wanted to give up on my brother early too. Unless he’s maxed out on all support and they have tried all treatments, I would say no to withdrawing care. Some patient even need ECMO. I just don’t understand why they are giving up so early
UPDATE! He is out of ICU and has "woken up" from his coma - 3 days ago! His wife said "He was happy to see the boys (their 5 sons ages 9mos to 10 yrs). He is still very confused, but that is to be expected. It has been months that he's been on life support. His wife held her ground each time that the doctors told her that it was hopeless! Lots of prayer has been going out. Thank You Lord! Thank you all for sharing your personal experiences, advice, thoughts and prayers! Prayers continue for full healing, for his mind to clear. It will.
I am very grateful for this group here! THANK YOU!!!
Oh my goodness, I just read your entire post for the first time and that is such wonderful news! My dad is much older than your friend, but his confusion lasted quite a while after he woke up. This young man has a long recovery ahead. I have no doubt his wife will help him through it.
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