In 2020 I contracted Covid. Had severe pneumonia my lungs were collapsing and was going into respiratory failure, was ventilated then put into a medically induced coma for a month. I have absolutely no recollection of any of it. What I do remember though is the hallucinations and dreams whilst in the coma, very disturbing and traumatic as they felt so real. To this day I’m still struggling with cognitive issues. Fatigue, insomnia, depression the list goes on. While I’m thankful I’m still alive, trying to cope with the changes within me I struggle with, not all of me came out of the coma that’s for sure. I have had cbt therapy, physcology therapy for long covid and now I’m starting Emdr therapy. I’m proud of how far I have come in my journey , I just miss the person I used to be.
Aftermath of covid and icu: In 2020 I contracted... - ICUsteps
Aftermath of covid and icu
hi I read your post and could pretty much tick off all the same experiences. I just wanted to let you know about my experience of EMDR. I have had two treatments of it to deal with my PTSD triggers. I have no idea how it works, but it did for me.
IMO, I also think the benefit wears off, or at least reduces after a while, but in any case it was a major help and I cannot thank the NHS enough for offering it to me.
It sounds like you have done so well! Bless you! I was literally in icu for a short time (for an asthma attack) and wasn’t sedated or ventilated however nearly died twice. But I feel very traumatised by that particular hospital trip …not actually ICU, but just generally. I can really relate to not all of me coming out of it the same! I definitely find it difficult to find words that I’m looking for and feel silly about it with some people. I’m only 46. But it’s a significant change I notice a lot. And I can’t seem to explain how significantly ICU and the rest of that admission affected me psychologically.
I guess going through something that is so traumatic impacts us lots …physically and psychologically and we need to be kind to ourselves remembering how much we’ve gotten through!
❤️
Hi I’m the same I’m not the same person I used to be I loved going out socialising and driving now I don’t go out the house unless I’ve got to I can’t stand the TV being social life is zilch. I was in a coma for a three week. I had Covid and had a stroke 2 cardiac arrest My eating habits are terrible. I loved foods And now I can’t stand butter and I loved it anything fatty. I can’t eat it. The good side is that a lost six stone in weight which has helped a lot. I’m definitely not the same Person my husband says I’m so quiet now the things I would love to do but can’t my life isn’t very good. The only time I go out is if I have an appointment at the hospital I’m glad I’m still here, but my life definitely changed since it’s been in a coma in ICU Take care of yourself x.
I have a very similar story. Pneumonia with septic shock and intubated and put in a coma for 3 weeks. I do have some memories of this, probably from when they were trying to wake me. This took several attempts. I had/have very scary traumatic dreams which seemed so real.I also left some of myself behind with the ventilator. I lost cognitive function, which eems to be centered around memory, concentration and verbal skills. I sometimes find it very hard to finish a sentence. I had to retire early bc of this.
Physically I am a shadow of my former very fit self and have a scarred lung which makes me breathless and incapacitated.
I am now in a position where I have recurrent pneumonia, which always turns into septic shock, requiring an ICU admission. Last year I had 11 admissions. This year I have had 2 so far.
I am definitely not the same person that I was. I grieve for that person but try to accept myself as I am now, frustrating as that might be. I would rather be me today than not to have survived.
I still have a great quality of life.
I can still love the bones of my family and am interested in their lives. I still love my husband of 45 years and appreciate everything he does for me.
I can still go to craft groups which I enjoy.
I can still love my pets and can even still look after my horses when I've had time to recover between episodes of septic shock.
I am acutely aware that the next episode could be my last one so I try to live in the moment and to appreciate every new day that I wake up well.
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