Constantly Tired.

[PattyK2310]

Hello Again!

I'm on to ask this time if it is normal for someone recovering from sepsis to just want to stay in bed most of the day. My husband has in all of our 39 years of together always been a `morning person` but that however has seemed to have gone for now and he barely gets out of bed until mid-day and then will sit up for a few hours and want back to bed again. I have never known him like this. He worked for 40+ years before his retirement and barely seen the inside of a GP practice or hospital now all that seems to be a constant feature in our lives just now. We did venture out last week for an hour but unfortunately the next day he wasn't worth a button. He wants to get back out in the car again and just even go for a drive thru coffee somewhere maybe, but it takes him all his time to more or less get out of bed now never mind out the door. Just so distressing to see him like this.

[FBUK]

Hi Patty. I am a 60 year old man from the UK. 2 years ago I was in a coma for 5 weeks form issue with my airway. I also got sepsis. It has taken me almost 18 months to full recover but I do recall the first 4 months were extremely draining, constantly tired, feeling exhausted after a little walk around my garden.. But 2 years on I am mostly back to feeling like a 60 year old man. Be patient it will take time.

[PattyK2310 in reply to FBUK]

Thank you so much for your reply FB. My husband is 69 and in the last few months with this and all his other health issues he just looks that age and more. He has always been the one to want to be out and about somewhere and just to see him like this now as I said, is just so distressing. He was so full of ideas of what he wanted to do in his retirement but all of that seems to have been taken away from him for now and he just resembles a `typical old man`. Yes we've been told there is no `quick fix` to post-sepsis, and like a cold/flu or even covid, it is something that just needs to run it's course be it maybe that bit slower though. Think I just need to be patient as you said. Not one of my strong points though I must admit but I can bide my time with it if it means getting my husband back to who he was.

[Sepsur]

it took me months to recover from ICU - I still work and had worked everyday of my adult life, rarely sick - never at GP. My work was physical so I was used to being on the go. After discharge, the level of weakness and fatigue is indescribable- putting on a t-shirt used to send me back to bed for a few hours. Over time I’ve got my mojo back but it isn’t by chance. Although I hate the gym, I’ve done regular strength & mobility exercises so that I can get back to as near to normal as I ever will. These guys helped me no end.

cc-sn.org/exercise-group

[PattyK2310 in reply to Sepsur]

Thanks Sepsur. Yes, we used to go to the gym regular too. Prior to hubby retiring he was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and that shocked him. We began working on it though, going to the gym about 3 times a week and playing badminton other days and eating healthily. It was working, but then of course covid happened and everything had to shutdown. We managed to try to keep it going at home with the online workouts but they all kind of fell by the wayside. And at the end of 2020 that was when all his other health problems surfaced finding out about the bowel cancer etc and well, we are where we are now. He has physio coming in regular though to help him with his mobility as that took quite a knock too with the sepsis. His voice is a bit strained too always sounds as if he has a sore throat I'm that used to telling him to bring it down a decibel😊because he one of those people `you hear them before you see them` but I have actually try to hear what he is saying just now. I'm sure we'll get through it.

[Signingfun]

In the midst of all this, your husband was diagnosed with bowel cancer too? That's a lot to deal with especially when you don't feel well. After surgery, sepsis and being in a coma, I was exhausted all the time. I'm usually an upbeat person, but I was struggling to stay positive in rehab. My doctors suggested, I try a prescription to treat depression. I started a low dose prescription for depression and was helped through a very difficult time in my life.

Anne

[PattyK2310 in reply to Signingfun]

Hello Anne!

Yes that's right. He got his cancer diagnosis in July 2021 and he went to get surgery done on it last January (2022) they did get it all but it returned 5 months later. I did ask about post op chemotherapy as a precaution to maybe clear any lingering cells missed but was told if not necessary they don't do it. Well I just wonder now if they did at the time would we be back going through it all again. He's in hospital again after his 3rd bout of sepsis and they are saying now that he cannot get anymore chemotherapy because his immune system will be too weak so we will maybe try looking at alternative treatments. He is over the worst of the sepsis though- again! He is out of HD and back in a regular ward now. His haemaglobin he has been told is quite low and they need to try to get that back up again. Trying medication first and if that doesn't work blood transfusion. His blood sugar was a bit low today too but they gave him a glucose drink and something else which has worked for that. His kidneys are good which is good news they were in the throes of shutting down on Wednesday evening when he was admitted. Infection treatment ongoing still pumping in the antibiotics to him and his blood pressure has stabalised fully too.

Only thing is, I got up this morning and my head felt I had been hit with a hammer and just felt and a bit `achy` so just thinking it was a cold I did a covid test anyway and I'm positive so that's my visits to the hospital out for this week.

[Signingfun]

Patty,

I'm glad to hear he's doing better! He's been through a lot.

I'm so to hear you have been diagnosed with covid. That will be hard on both of you to be separated.

Anne