Lifting Sedation

[PurpleRain-87]

Is it possible for someone to èxpĺàin the process of lifting sedation ɓècause Dr's are talking of lifting my close friends sedation this weekend

[Clunk]

It can certainly be a process! Sedation drugs are are serious drugs so people have to be weaned off. They will reduce your friend’s dosage slowly over a few days and regularly check if they are responding properly, i.e. are they waking up. They might open their eyes, even respond but be prepared that it can take time for the drugs to wear off. One day ny husband was awake and responding, the next he didn’t remember I had been there at all.

The thing I wish I had known going into lifting sedation is that it can be hardest part. The drugs… it’s like going through a withdrawal and a lot of people get something called ICU delirium. Their brain has to get used to not working off the drugs so people will be agitated, paranoid and think that doctors want to hurt them. I think doing some research will help you be prepared for this.

The other thing is that sedation lifting doesn’t always work the first time. My husband was too getting too agitated the first time around - doctors told me it can be tricky getting the balance of reducing dosages right because it varies by person so it’s common that they have to put people back under full or partial sedation and restart. On his second go, they added a calming drug and kept it longer in my husband’s system and his second wakeup went much better. Pleased to say he is now ok and doing great.

I hope this helps! Happy to answer any questions

[FamilyHistorian]

The answer to your question is difficult to answer. We are all different and both the patient and the relative/friend go through a different trauma.

In my case my family were told that I would come round in a couple of days, I didn’t. It was changed to a week then a month they he’l come round when he is ready. It was nearly 2 months in the end. Weening off is gradual and has to be safe! The effect of the drugs last for some time.

Being in a coma is not like the films you don’t just jump out of bed back to normal. It takes time - a lot of time and that is when your friendship will be really tested

[ForMyPapa]

I am sorry to hear that your friend is not well. My dad was recently in ICU and for him, it took 3 weeks and a half to wean off the sedatives he had been on. They try two times first to stop the drugs and wake him up at once but both times, his own breathing didn't sync with the ventilator and he was put back on the drugs. The third time, they weaned him off of it slowly over two weeks and change the ventilator setting to SIMV mode. SIMV mode let him breath on his own pace, so he was finally able to stay off the sedatives. I don't know if your friend is on a ventilator, so it might be very different from my dad's process, but I hope this helps.

[Sepsur]

Everyone responds differently so the procedure to stop sedation changes. As part of the process of removing life support like intubation, where needed a trachy is fitted. Then sedation is reduced- if the patient is really agitated - they might decide to re sedate - so if your loved one can breathe on their own without needing ventilation - the sedation is reduced again etc etc