ICU, COMING OUT OF SEDATION AND SO ANGRY AND AGITATED

[Mish31]

Hi everyone, I need help to understand, my brother had a major heart attack 2 weeks ago, the first heart attack was 18 months ago and had a stint inserted and this time he got a clot in the stint and a further two clots. The hospital completed op on his heart which is now fine - he was fully sedated on a ventilator for 12 days as we worried if he had brain damage, he is now out of sedation with 3 days and is so agitated and very angry, the strength that he has is unbelievable and he keeps trying to remove all other tubes and is so upset with us as a family. The Dr's and nurses say this is normal but what I am seeing is not my brother. They are now saying they may have taken him off sedation too fast and now back sedating him slowly again with anti physcotic drug... we do not have a clue what questions to ask and what support he and us needs, he also has a bowel infection and battling pneumonia. Please can someone help me, he is only 50 yrs old with a young family but I am afraid he will never be him again... any idea of time for normality if this is possible. Thank you in advance from a very lost and lonely sister 💔

UPDATE ON MY BROTHER

Hi all, we as a family are relieved, my brother is no longer agitated or angry, all he needed was a good long sleep on his own without any sedation and he is back... his memory of it was jumping from train to train and he couldn't gey off. Thankfully he has no brain damage and he knows us all. His kids are finally getting to see him today for the first time since the 10th November when it all happened. He has a long road ahead for full recovery but we have all the time in the world for this. He is coming out of ICU shortly to coronary ward for another while. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart for all your help and wishes, it was very greatly appreciated 💞 Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas with your families and that any family going through the same keep going and take each day as it comes x

[CarbonDioxideExhaler]

LoL sorry to laugh but I am recovering from a sepsis coma after dying twice. After I woke up from the coma (and having 5000 coma dreams nightmares) I was like your brother. The journey is so real. Terribly frightening at times. So when you come to you might be still running or fighting something in the other dimension. It will take time to get the meds out of his system. He will need to sleep with lights on and play some Lauren Diagle music. May peace be with you. Dano

[Mish31 in reply to CarbonDioxideExhaler]

Thank you for your message, much appreciated

[Alfiedude99]

hi and sorry this is an upsetting time for you, all I can say is bear with it at the moment…….I had 9 days where the hospital repeatedly tried to wean me off sedation and ventilation but I got very agitated and too unwell so it wasn’t to be. My family got prepared for brain damage but I’m here and recovering well, the sedation drugs they use are very strong drugs and can cause delerium/physchosis and your brother can potentially be terrified by the unknown…what’s true and what your brain has made up. From what I’ve read and heard from others experiences many thoughts are about being trapped/kidnapped cause of the amount of wires…..I thought alsorts about being trapped in a tower/a prison/different countries and it’s all so so realistic. There’s information about delerium which the hospital gave to me and my family/friends (readable on this site, actually how I found this site) that sort of puts it into sense for you……I found it really helpful, I believed I was crazy and my family were lying. Everyone is different with their experiences but having a bit more information might help, I hope things get better for you x

[Mish31]

Thank you so much Alfiedude99, this is what I wanted to hear, hope you are doing OK yourself, take care

[Alfiedude99 in reply to Mish31]

No problem at all I think someone has put a link to click on I think my family looked on it too while I was there maybe, we both spoke to the nurse in charge and she gave me a patient diary that my family, friends and nurses wrote in daily…..it was a brilliant ‘tool’ to put things in perspective for me and helped (still does) when I was in the delerium, I think I wouldn’t of believed a word any of them without it. If you have one have a jot down day by day so he can look back at it, it may be helpful. Photos aswell…..I had some of me and my children and my mum which again helped, it’s hard to explain the realness of delerium and it’s terrifying at the time. I had thoughts of being some sort of rag doll and huge boxing gloves……that was some glove’s being put on my hands as I was trying to pull wires out and so agitated I had to be back on sedation. I can’t even imagine how hard it must be for you, I’ve said this to my friends it’s all surreal for everyone involved. This site is a wealth of information, take each day as it comes x

[Mish31 in reply to Alfiedude99]

You are so kind to reply, I really do appreciate you taking the time to reply to me. Best wishes to you and your family 🥰

[Copse77]

It is very upsetting for you to witness. I understand as I saw and had a similar experience when my brother became critically ill out of the blue. It is delerium and there is guidance available to explain about ICU delerium from the charity ICU steps. Remain hopeful is the advice I give to other families. I will send you a link to the guidance.

[Mish31 in reply to Copse77]

Thank you so much Copse77, I really appreciate your time in replying and for the link...

[Copse77]

icusteps.org/assets/files/i...

[ZanderB]

Hi Mish31

What you relate sounds very familiar as I went through much the same 3 years ago. The doctors would try to wean me off the sedatives and apparently I would try to pull the various tubes and wires out of my body, etc. I don't think you are seeing your brother at all when you see this happening but I can imagine that it's very disturbing for you. The drugs are very powerful and he may well be experiencing ICU delirium - vivd and scary hallucinations that may be very, very real to him. My family were also told that it was possible that I had brain damage but I think I got out of it okay. It's a crazy, difficult process but stay positive as many of us on here have been through this and survived relatively intact. Wishing you both all the very best...

[Mish31 in reply to ZanderB]

Thank you ZanderB for your kindness, I really do appreciate it. Best wishes to you and your family...

[BigH63]

Hi Mish31

I to am sorry you and he are going through this.

I to like those that have replied have experienced the same condition. I like Alfiedude 99 was a long time coming off meds, I was in an induced coma and had to be paralysed as well. , I can honestly say I’ve never been scared of anything in my like until this point. You literally do not understand what’s going, among my many delirium nightmares I to felt i had to escape, mine was in the Himalayas, then India just a couple of many. I to was scanned for brain damage and think I might have suffered a little but it could be others things from ICU.

Like others have said these meds are very strong and take months to come out the system in my case, but things do get better. You’ve done the right thing and asked here, I would also say look at this link and ask the ICU sister for patient and relatives leaflet/ book on the subject

icudelirium.org/patients-an...

it will take time but just be supportive and open to their view of the world, it’s a scary one.

Good luck.

[Mish31 in reply to BigH63]

Thank you BigH63 for your kind message, see above for my edited post x

[BlueTheCat]

Hi Mish31

I can only reiterate what others have said. It is a tough environment for both the patient and their loved ones.

I was an ICU patient, and I apparently got very agitated at times.

I have very vague and blurry memory of myself sitting up in bed feeling very pleased with myself for pulling out a number of tubes and wires from various parts of my body. I don't think the nursing staff were as equally impressed as they made me wear these big padded mittens for a while after that! ICU Restraint Mitts are what I think they are called.

There are no stupid questions, so don't be afraid to ask them of your brother's care team.

It is upsetting, but hang on in there. It sounds like you are doing a great job so far.

[Mish31 in reply to BlueTheCat]

Thank you Gurberley for your kind message, see above for my edited post x