Does delirium go?

[Doggie1233]

Hey, my dad has been off the ventilator for a good few days now and no help with breathing, everything all seems ok. They tried to get him up today but wasn’t successful. He had developed a nasty side to him today, the last few zooms have been really positive and he was fine just a bit fed up. Does this pass? He’s having his trachy taken away tomorrow so hoping once he’s moved from icu he will improve. He thinks we have left him in there and not getting him out and he thinks he’s going to be in there for ages, thanks

[Ferham]

Hi, this is common within ITU admission. My husband was rude and hostile towards me and the nursing staff as he was "coming round" .His delirium took about 3 weeks to clear, it was a long 3 weeks . Once he realised he had been so rude, he was mortified.

Have a peep at my post's I have replied to a few delirium queries .

[Doggie1233 in reply to Ferham]

Thanks so much, that’s good to hear. I’m worried it’s not going to go! He’s not had a good day the nurse said today as he thinks we have all left him alone in hospital. Hope it passes soon, he should be having his Tracy removed tomorrow then monitored for 24 hours then I think to a new ward, maybe it will help when he is out of icu and in a bit of a calmer atmosphere xx

[Ferham in reply to Doggie1233]

My husband was moved onto a step down ward and it was several weeks before it cleared, as scary and upsetting as it is, in several months time, you will manage to find humour in some of the things he is saying. My husband thought we had abandoned him and was so angry with us, especially when he was telling me, I had spent all my time out in pubs and eating out, he was convinced it was his birthday and we were all toasting with fizz and he was just drinking water , he was most put out.

Honestly, it's really worrying , you feel they have been through so much and then this - it will pass and you will have him back. xx

[Doggie1233 in reply to Ferham]

It really is one thing after the next, main thing is he’s off the ventilator and going in the right direction to recover fingers crossed xxx

[FamilyHistorian]

Hi Doggie

Yes absolutely. Unfortunately most of us are aggressive towards our loved ones (and the staff) and may even be violent.

We don’t know we are doing it even if you think we do!!!!!

In my case the aggressiveness started to go once I was weened off. But as a word of warning his delirium may stay with him for awhile - shan’t say how long as it is different for every one and will depend on the support he gets and how he deals with it. He may not want to tell you, you can expect tears and reliving it. It does sort its self.

See my post on Delirium which includes a link to the ICUSteps website and various information sheets including one on delirium.

It sounds as if he is starting to recover. He probably is very weak and any movement let alone physio will be very tiring.

Take care of yourself

[Doggie1233 in reply to FamilyHistorian]

Thanks for ur reply, aslong as it doesn’t stay around forever we can take it. Just praying it will pass, they did try to get him to stand today which he couldn’t do so maybe that’s not helped. I zoomed him yesterday and he was a bit fed up but still asking questions and having a joke, but today the nurse called and said he wasn’t having a good day and was even rude to him. This isn’t like my dad at all!xx

[FamilyHistorian in reply to Doggie1233]

Well the nurse would understand and perhaps he was trying to explain “it happens”. He will be I expect absolutely pissed off as nothing is within his control. Moving is exhausting . He can’t perform his role as “protector”

[Doggie1233 in reply to FamilyHistorian]

That’s exactly what he is, pissed off! The sooner he can get stronger and move more the better. Then hopefully the delirium will go in time, we just wana get him home but this is probably a long way off xx

[Sepsur]

Yes / for me it lasted about 11 days. I had massive mood swings & sometimes I could be really funny too

[Doggie1233 in reply to Sepsur]

How does it pass? Just all of sudden they are back to their normal self? Dreading to find out how he is today and how he’s been x

[Sepsur in reply to Doggie1233]

For me it just suddenly passed - well the extreme stuff. I believe the sedatives took months to fully leave my system - so emotionally I was fairly volatile- mild to murderous in the flick of a switch. It will pass and if it doesn’t - talk to staff about what can be done.

[Doggie1233 in reply to Sepsur]

Thanks, I think it might take some time. He was ventilated over 7 weeks which is a long time to have all the drugs etc. We will speak to the staff again, they have said it is common and should pass so hopefully they are right x

[Sepsur in reply to Doggie1233]

Same sort of time as I was - but we all have different tolerances to chemicals

[FamilyHistorian in reply to Doggie1233]

I don’t want to raise your expectations because everyone is different. I went on a course of CBT where I developed strategies. The problem is that a particular hallucination can be triggered quite unexpectedly. One of my strategies was non avoidance so I can now watch all the ambulance and hospital programs. My emotions are different and there are other changes as well.

[Georgiab123]

It’s a terrible time for yours just give it time, my son was attacked and went though same thing, things will improve it’s looking good , just let doctors and nurses do there job and you send love to him and make him see your there for him x

[Doggie1233 in reply to Georgiab123]

Really hope he gets past this, he normally is quite laid back and never horrible at all. Sorry to hear about ur son. Thank u for ur advice xx

[PeterJu]

hi - I had delirium post vent too. The first thing to remember is that you are hearing the delirium and confusion talking, not your dad. Pls don't confuse the two! the delirium is caused by multiple things including the very strong drugs required to help your da, the environment and other things. It will go. Mine lasted nearly a week after coming off the vent. The Doctors had to play around with my meds in order to establish if any were contributing to my delirium etc. It will take a while but you will get there. best wishes Pete

[Doggie1233 in reply to PeterJu]

Thank u so much for ur reply, this is reassuring. My dad has had the trachy taken off today and has tested covid negative finally. He is trying to get out of bed, speaking a load of rubbish and is very confused. They said they can move him out of icu when he’s less confused but I don’t think it’s helping being in icu with all the alarms going off and seeing the really sick people there x

[PeterJu]

Pleasure! My delirium coontinued in the step down ward. Wherever you are in a hospital will have noise etc etc. The bottom line is that there are a series of steps that the medics will need to take in order to get your dad home. I am not sure you can avoid them. Key is to look after yourself as best you can. Best wishes Pete

[qmcsurvivor]

I had this for entire time when sedated in ICU and was ventilated for 9 days with Covid Pneumonitis. After moving to ward area as step down these still continued for at least a few days after and looking back now I know some thoughts/dreams/delusions not really sure what to call them as so real I still remember now 7 weeks after discharge but these are now memories horrible ones but DO NOT have any nightmares about them. Best wishes.

[Doggie1233 in reply to qmcsurvivor]

Thanks so much for ur reply, my dad seems to have gotten over his delirium pretty quickly, he’s been moved to a step down ward and doing really well. Just needs time on his mobility as finding that hard at the moment but will take time. He has said on our zoom about some horrible dreams he’s had and they sound horrific, the sooner they go from his mind the better. Hope u are well and have recovered xx