Drug induced coma

Posted , 1 user is following.

Hi All,

I am new to the forum and looking for advice.

My mother in law was recently admitted to ICU after she was found unconscious, her lungs were unable to function without support after pneumonia.

They put her into a drug induced coma with the view that she would be more comfortable while the antibiotics were being administered.

She was gradually weened off the sedation after 10 days, while under she was on propofol.

Immediately after 'waking' she was very confused, telling stories of nightmares and unable to tell what was real or not (off course she thought everything was real)

She has now been at home with us for 1 week and is still confused, constantly repeating conversations and changing her mind all the time.

She was discharged with no guidance on these type of symptoms and we are really concerned that she has suffered permanent brain damage.

Sorry for the long post, any help or advise would be very much appreciated.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Should have mentioned - she was on 20mg of citalopram for 7 months which she hasn't started taking again.
  • Posted

    The vivid nightmares etc are normal, the concoction they give you makes you as high as a kite cheesygrin Older people metabolise certain medicines more slowly, she's probably still out of it a bit. If you are worried sick make her an appointment and take her along to see her GP smile
  • Posted

    Cheers Benny, she went to GP today but he just said it was early days, lets keep an eye on it.

    Very frustrating.

  • Posted

    Hello again,

    Its been over a year now sinse i posted my original concerns. I should have mentioned she is only 58. Sinse the situation she has had severe chest infections and seems to always have a cough and constant colds.

    Other symptoms are memory loss, muddled words and always tired.

    Will her immune system be effected with the drugs she was on? and will the memory loss etc be with her for life now?

  • Posted

    Hi , in 2007 I suddenly awoke from a 23 day induced coma,due to pneumonia,I had a tracioctamy(sic) in my throat, MRSA was then on the open wound in my throat wich left the scar actually longer and more prominent, I also had a life threatening DVT form in my left leg from knee to groin,wich I was told was because I'd lay "still! on special bed !with clexane injections!" Any way going back to the original query my personality has definitely changed since my very traumatic experience! Even 13 years later I'm still also getting more or less constant pain in lower left back(wich is the lung that caused all the problems) I'm confident that for what ever reason I've never been the same since and I also think as u do that maybe I wasn't getting enough oxygen,it was touch and go a few times and my family were called in a number of times to say there goodbyes as I kept deteriorating! Also when I was braught round from the induced coma I shocked all ICU staff by getting very aggressive and attacking staff trying to save my life,this happened a few times until they tied me to the bed with sponge type slings ,could you tell me if your relative has been getting any pain "lung scaring pain" as it's been ten years now and it does worry you that somthing sinister is going on! Sorry about the very long in depth write up but wanted to get all my facts over to u

  • Posted

    Sorry just to add I'm almost 40 and it was ten years ago not 13 

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