High BP -Delirium coming off Sedatives - does anyone have experience with this?

On Friday January 21st my mom had a small procedure. Following the procedure she started vomiting and heaving and blew out her femoral artery plug causing her to bleed internally her heart stopped and she resuscitated fairly quickly. She was out on a vent and sedated. She then tested positive for Covid. My mom has COPD, is a heavy smoker and is 70 with a body of an 85 years old due to heavy drug abuse in her younger years. She’s since been taken off of the ventilator, put on a bipap which she is also now off of as well. Her breathing is labored which I think is due to COPD. I’m worried because every time they try to bring her off sedation she gets agitated and her BP goes up so they sedate her again. She’s grasped at the air, tried to bite a nurse, she flails her arms, but has only responded twice I think. We finally got to FaceTime yesterday despite that she was out due to being given Ativan after being agitated. CT scan shows old small strokes and normal stuff associated with aging. So that’s good. I don’t even know what my question is, besides maybe talking to someone who’s went through this as I’m extremely alone and don’t have anyone to talk to besides my sister and she’s dealing with the same worry and stress so I don’t want to bombard her with my anxiety. I’m scared. Is it normal for her BP to jump after sedation being withdrawn? They’re saying she may be having hallucinations and delirium. I’m just worried I love my mom she’s my best friend.

[Rhyl1 Partner Moderator ICUsteps]

I’m so sorry to hear about your mum. I’m a retired ICU nurse and this is a common problem coming off sedation. Your mum’s blood pressure is going up because she’s getting agitated and delirious coming off the sedation. In this situation perhaps there is a place for a slower reduction of the medication as some of what you’re describing might be your mum withdrawing from it. In ICU sedation is given alone, an opiate is normally given as well. So patients can get opiate withdrawal symptoms. If she has received benzodiazepines as part of her sedation then she could be experiencing withdrawal from that as well. Look after yourself and don’t forget that your sister might want to talk to you about her feelings but isn’t because she’s trying to protect you in her turn.

[Hidden in reply to Rhyl1]

Thank you for the reply. That did help ease my mind. We did get a call from her ICU nurse tonight that she was able to wake mom and get a response out of her and got her to gargle, so that seemed to help my anxiety a bit. If the nurse is able to wake her again soon, she’s going to immediately FaceTime us so that we can talk to her and see if we can help ease her mind. My sister mainly is the one who communicates with the doctors and nurses because she and her husband have a medical background and they seem to understand it better and know what questions to ask, and they report everything to me. My sister and I talk multiple times a day but I try not to bother her when I have my meltdowns because I know she’s going through the same thing. Thank you again for responding I don’t think you know how much that did help, knowing this is not an uncommon thing.

[Sepsur]

Delirium is very scary mostly because it is so intense and ‘real’. The good news is that it passes for most of us quite quickly. Some have a more prolonged experience and it can dip in and out.Have a read of the delirium guide in this linkcc-sn.org/information

I found it really helpful.

[FamilyHistorian]

I’m 74 in March and 2 years ago I was in a coma from before Christmas ‘19 into February. I had pneumonia, sepsis and a heart op. My family were told twice that I wouldn’t make it twice. I took along time to be weened off and suffered from hallucinations. I was violent in the end the nurses had to put boxing gloves on my hands to stop me pulling out the tubes. As Rhyl1 says it is really important that you look after yourself and be aware the worse is not over.