Delirium : I had sepsis and multi organ failure... - ICUsteps

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Delirium

Lassie2011 profile image
9 Replies

I had sepsis and multi organ failure February 2022, I have gone from being on Zero medication practically before this (apart from

Treatment for an autoimmune disease) to 10 tablets a day, mostly for fluid retention . What matters most is that I survived, I had terrible difficulty with delirium during and after coma, and still have great difficulty 2 years later accepting what I seen to be false. I had extremely distressing and disturbing nightmares during this time and still fear yet to this day that someone is trying to kill me. It haunts me yet at night, I think it will never leave, I am a calm rational person and making sense of this is beyond me.

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Lassie2011 profile image
Lassie2011
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9 Replies
Isl_living profile image
Isl_living

Hi Lassie2011

I'm almost 3 years out, and I'm suffering nightmares related to my ICU experience. They seem to start up again as I get close to the anniversary where my life changed, courtesy initially from Pneumonia & Sepsis. I was intubated and placed into a coma and supported by a ventilator. The delirium was pretty challenging and it pops in now and again.

I also take a lot of meds now, as I came home with a condition that affects my balance, cognition & memory. Are you receiving some professional help? I see a psychologist monthly, which I find to be helpful, but like you've said, it never really goes away. Joining this group gives you access to some decent resources. I hope you can begin to feel better, though I know it is a battle.

Best wishes to you from sunny Australia.

Lassie2011 profile image
Lassie2011 in reply toIsl_living

No I never seen anyone. Have mentioned it to my GP a lot at the start but he never really got into it with me or offered referral to any service so I've stopped mentioning it to him now at this stage. I even feel like I get very vivid nightmares since that seem real also while occurring

Sepsur profile image
Sepsur

flashbacks, recurring nightmares & intrusive thoughts are all symptoms of PTS. It is hardly surprising that we can experience this since we register these dreams as if they are reality. EMDR & CBT are known to be effective treatments - you don’t need to carry on punishing yourself 💙

FamilyHistorian profile image
FamilyHistorian

it’s now 4 years since I came out. I have had CBT which helped a lot however they way way that I treat my delirium is that it was another reality.. I can remember all my hallucinations, in detail, but they don’t bother me any more. However I do have problems working out the difference between real memories and those of the events within the hallucinations which are embedded. That is getting easier but the alternative reality was real.

Copse77 profile image
Copse77

I find the Reading ICU information helpful. I will share the link in case it helps you. It explains about trauma and its effects.

Lassie2011 profile image
Lassie2011 in reply toCopse77

Thank you

Copse77 profile image
Copse77

readingicusupport.co.uk/for...

Misterpaulwood profile image
Misterpaulwood

Out of eight week coma 13 months ago, I've had serious pts since... Have now been getting weekly one to one therapy for the last 3 months.It's realy helping and the nightmares are getting less frequent.

Things do get better it just takes time.

Paul at the Steampacket Inn Knottingley

charliesdad profile image
charliesdad

I had counselling and wrote down before this all that I could remember that came to me over time, which helped recognition that a lot of what I remembered wasn’t true and some bits had a grain of truth but the brain had elaborated a 100 fold.

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