Dad is very agitated when lowering on sedation

[Tangmft]

My dad is intubated almost 3 weeks now. Doctor try to wean him from sedation and off the ventilator but was very agitated everytime they try to lower the sedation. I'm very worried that he won't be able to wean off ventilator if he continue. they try him on CPAP while sedated and did great, but he's having a hard time if sedation are turned down. Anyone experienced this?

[Sepsur]

Yes - it took them weeks to step me down - I’d drop down to CPAP onto PEEP & back again. My family were in this constant state of shifting sands for almost 12 weeks in total. Even in that last week I transferred out of ICU onto a ward with suspected glandular fever, EBV confirmed CMV & VRE. Each ones of these had the potential to send me back into ICU - because I was so immune compromised

[Tangmft in reply to Sepsur]

Yes my dad got Klebsiella before they did the trach, put on two antibiotics, still have fever once a day

[Rgsable]

Have they done a tracheotomy? This is happening to my husband as well and the doctor said not to worry to much they will try and monitor as much as they need to

[Tangmft in reply to Rgsable]

Yes he got the trach last week. But then he got an secondary infection four days ago so they just let him rest for now and started methadone three days ago. I'm really hoping this methadone can help with the withdrawal that they think my dad is having.

[Pmub]

Hi Tangmft,

I had a very similar experience to your dad 3-years ago in ICU. Every time they tried to take me off sedation I would become very agitated and try and push people off me and try to escape the bed. The problem is with the sedation that it is very powerful and can cause hallucinations and delirium believing that you are being held against your will etc.. I'm not sure if it's the same with your dad but what I will say is that the fact he is becoming agitated shows that he is strong willed and fighting all the way. The ICU staff you are very familiar with this behaviour and are experts at bringing people out of States of heavy sedation. I was in ICU for a month intubated unconscious for two weeks before they could bring me back down to earth. I woke up very confused and unable to speak because of the tracheostomy but the ICU staff are amazing and it's like being looked after by a member of your family so I'm sure your father will be ok it just takes a while to get out of sedation.

[Tangmft in reply to Pmub]

Thank you, this gave me hope. Doctors were talking to me about many possible Scenario today including long term facilities, but then said they may be ahead of themselves because he's far from that point. they had to change Porpofol back to verses because one of the level is high. They went up on the seroquel today, im hoping that the the methadone will help him get off the sedation and the ventilator

[Nerwen88]

Hi,

I am in the same situation right now.

My dad has surgery for throat cancer on June 12th, he is now in ICU still intubated as he is very agitated when they try to lower the sedation.

Unfortunately he also developed pneumonia and is also not responding right now, but the doctors don't know why. The MRI didn't show any sign of brain damage.

They didn't do tracheotomy yet, it's the plan but the want to wait a few days to see if he gets slightly better.

He is 69.

How is your dad doing now?