Any experience here with being on a ventilator?

[JackDragna]

I'm asking since a family member may need to be put on one for a time. I'm looking for questions to ask doctors, for the most part, as well as any other helpful tidbits.

Sigh. It's been a long day.

[cbayer]

1. What kind of questions do you have?

:hi:

[JackDragna]

2. Well, sort of depends..

..if people are medical professionals, I'd like to know the kinds of things I should ask the doctors or nurses. Heck, even if someone isn't a professional but has some experience. Will they need to be sedated the whole time they're on it? How do they gauge how long a person will need one?

[cbayer]

4. It depends on why they are being placed on the ventilator. I will give you an example.

There is a condition called Guillain-Barre. It can cause various levels of paralysis and is often reversible, though it may take an extended period of time. If it begins causing paralysis of muscles needed for breathing, a patient may be placed on a ventilator.

Ventilators can be extremely anxiety provoking in a patient who is not in a coma. For this reason, patients are often very heavily sedated for the duration. They may also be given drugs to further paralyze them, as patients have a tendency to want to pull the tube out.

Patients are generally weaned from a ventilator. The sedation is reduced for a while, while the settings on the ventilator are turned down. Once a patient passes the test of breathing on their own (adequately) without assistance of the ventilator, attempts will be made to remove it. The wean can take an extensive period of time.

Your best questions are about appropriate sedation, if you feel the patient is overly anxious or agitated, and about how the weaning process is going. The nursing staff who works with the patient should be very able to answer these questions, or they may refer you to the pulmonologist or anesthesiologist.

You may also want to ask about signs of infection, appropriate nutritional support and physical therapy.

I hope that helps and that things go smoothly with a positive outcome.

[REP]

5. I can vouch for the self-extubation - been there, got tied to the bed

If you have surgery with general anesthesia, you're generally on a vent during the procedure. During one of my earlier procedures, before it was known that a lot of anesthestics either don't work on me or cause a kind of convulsion, I was overdosed and 'died' on the table. I woke up on a vent, and since I couldn't breathe, extubated myself. Repeatedly. And then got tied to the bed.

The anesthesiologist who worked on me killed a patient the next month by improper dosing.


I've had a lot of general anesthesia since; I always request that I not be tied to the bed if vented in recovery.

Though the situation you describe is a lot different, I think knowing what will happen and why will help relieve some anxiety for all, so ask the medical team LOTS of questions. Good doctors (etc) don't mind answering, even if they seem ... odd (like my request not be tied to a bed!).

Best wishes!

[JackDragna]

6. Thanks for the info.

The reason for the ventilator is because of a result of a surgery for a tumor. The surgery went fine, but my sister has chronic bronchitis/COPD and the nursing staff sort of dropped the ball on making sure she did things to strengthen her lungs, like getting up and going for a walk. So, they've apparently put her on the respirator for a bit to give her lungs a chance to catch up. The pulmonologist said they're going to try to take her off every day for the next couple of days. Is that a sign the docs think this will be short-term? I'd ask myself, but unfortunately, I'm kind of out of the loop. :(

Edited to add additional detail.

[cbayer]

7. Sounds like it should not be too long.

They can set a ventilator on an assist mode, so that the patient stays awake and tries to do the breathing themselves, with the ventilator only kicking in when needed.

Sometimes a temporary tracheostomy is done, so that the ventilator is connected to the trachea through the neck. This is much more comfortable for patients and allows them to talk at times. Most of the time, however, it is attached through the mouth, so no talking. That can make it hard for a patient to express their anxiety, discomfort or ask any questions. A pad and paper are essential.

I hope that all goes well. It sounds temporary and reversible.

[Roon]

3. My Uncle was on one for a bit after his heart attack

He said it was very uncomfortable and sucks. I think they have to sedate you so they can stick the tube down into your lungs. They said they wouldn't have had to do that if he didn't smoke.

That's all I know about being on a ventilator.