Stroke patient not coming off sedation

[Mandiehendrickson]

My husband had a stroke on the 23rd, he went into the hospital able to talk and move his right side and starting to regain the ability to move left side. He was admitted. Next day they did a TEE test where they say his throat became occluded and the had to incubate him. Afterwards still could follow commands etc. Off vent in a few days. On the 30th his neuro checks changed and they tell me he needs to have emergency craniotomy due to swelling on brain. After surgery he is able to follow a few commands but doctor says he doesn’t want him moving and orders him to be on a paralytic along with the sedation med and fentanyl. Here we are day 11 of being on vent and sedation. Every time they try to turn it down his blood pressure goes up and pulse. Talking about placing tracheotomy in a few days although vent on lowest setting and he’s doing spontaneous breaths most of day. Does anyone have any suggestions? Loved ones who took longer to come off sedation and follow commands? When they lower them now he will wiggle his right toes and squeeze right hand and blink. He does not track with eyes. But after awhile his pressure goes up...... desperately trying to find answers. We just want him to respond and be ok. Thank you

[Sepsur]

Whilst we come off sedation - each will behave & respond differently.

I appeared very still after waking from 57 day coma, apparently it took me around 11 days to fully engage. I was experiencing hypoactive delirium.

The effects of the sedatives take a long time to leave system, some people have more chemical tolerance than others etc etc, so will respond quicker.

Trachy is a positive move forward, it was the start of the journey of weening me off intubation. I then moved on to CPAP, PEEP & nebulisers & eventually drop down to HDU & general ward.

[Mandiehendrickson in reply to Sepsur]

Thank you so much for responding and giving me some encouragement, he came off sedation last night and has been off since, some responses so hoping he’ll continue to progress

[Sepsur in reply to Mandiehendrickson]

Early days 😊