tracheostomy

[Yoga501]

My husband got covid and was in icu for a month he had trach in for 4 weeks, now his muscles have gone slack and he cant swallow food. They have put a peg in his stomach to feed him,, how long will it take before he can eat normally again

[Sepsur]

Is your husband having daily physio? Has OT seen him or the SALT team?

Until you start to combat the muscle waste and rebuild those essential muscles needed to swallow, I’m guessing the peg will have to stay. Why did they not leave in the nasal feeding tube? Did he have other difficulties?

This is definitely a question for the team looking after him still.

I’m not medically qualified, so I can only offer you a subjective understanding of what happened to me.

I was in a coma for 57 days, a trachy for about another 2weeks.

I had my first drink day 70 & my first meal, day 75. My feeding tube was removed around day 90.

[Tanky1968]

How ever long it takes ,in these situations time is not relevant

[FamilyHistorian]

HiI am 73 soon to be 74 and was in icu when I was 71 - 2 years ago. We are all different so it is difficult to do comparisons. I had a valve replacement, double pneumonia and sepsis plus a range of other infections . I didn’t tolerate a breathing tube so was fitted with a tracky which I kept from roughly Christmas through to February whilst I was in a coma and after. I had a feeding tube for all that time and that wasn’t removed until 13 March when I was discharged. I lost about 5 stone. Obviously a lot of that was fat etc but it also includes muscle. Every single muscle is wasted. So not only I didn’t have any strength in my arms, legs and body I couldn’t swallow or speak. Once I was conscious the SaLT team started to give me swallowing exercises which involved doing exercises with ice chips. As daft as it may sound these were very difficult and tiring.

My speech is back, my laugh is much better and nearer to what it used to be be but I still have to be careful with my swallow. There are some foods that are an absolute no no brown rice, lettuce and brownies as an example.

It takes time. In the meantime it is really important that you take care of yourself

[ironmen]

HI I HAD A T IN 4 OVER 1OO DAYS OUT NOW 9 MONTHS RE DOUBLE COVID STILL NOT 100% BUT IT DOES IMPROVE ESP SWALLOWING AND STOMACH ISSUES TAKE CARE

[Tanky1968]

As long as it takes have faith