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Original poster

Were you told that you were being put into a coma?

69 replies

Howallergic · 20/08/2020 04:43

Just that really.
It's quite a few years ago now, but the last thing I recall is struggling to get off the bed to go home and a nurse saying 'we're just giving you something to relax you'.

I woke up out of the induced coma 2 weeks later (and had no idea that I had been in one - in fact I thought I was still waiting on a doctor to see me so wanted to go home as I had been waiting too long - another story lol). During the coma my organs had started to fail etc. and I almost died. I realise I needed to be in a coma as I recall they couldn't get my BP above 60/40 and they were fussing around me and what happened while I was in the coma would indicate that I damned well needed to be in one.
My only question is, is whether you're ever told that we're going to be putting you into a coma?

OP posts:

AlternativePerspective · 20/08/2020 06:32

@ Yaottie I assume you’ve never actually spent time in an induced coma and had several days/weeks of your life essentially obliterated as a result?

You made your point upthread, there’s really no need to come back to snipe at the op.

SmallYappyTypeDog · 20/08/2020 06:38

@yaottie nothing like a bit of empathy for someone unable to sleep due to deeply traumatic experiences .

OP I would contact the hospital about arranging a debriefing. 3 years is not that long and they will still have your records, it is also common for people to need years to fully process the experience. It will be a 1 on 1 as it is private medical information. That would never be done in a group setting, if one was mentioned that would probably be in relation to a support group or similar and entirely optional. Talking things through with a professional could help bring you a measure of peace.

Love2cycle · 20/08/2020 06:40

Hi OP. To answer the only question you asked: no I wasn't asked. I was told afterwards.
👍

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Original poster

Howallergic · 20/08/2020 06:40

I was brought by ambulance to Resus. I was about 30mins there I'd estimate while they were trying to get lines in and arguing among themselves until the nurse said she was giving me something to relax me. No recollection of anything after that until about a day after they woke me up.

OP posts:

YinuCeatleAyru · 20/08/2020 06:45

I have a friend who clearly remembers saying "do not put me to sleep" as various alarms went off while she was in labour and the next thing she knew was coming around from a General Anaesthetic to meet her baby who was a few hours old by then. obviously a breach of consent but it saved her life and that of her baby.

However I agree medical staff would never say "we are going to put you in a coma" as that isn't a medically meaningful phrase. and would also cause distress and anxiety.

Original poster

Howallergic · 20/08/2020 06:46

I will contact the hospital today I think. Should I contact the main switchboard? What/whom do I even ask for? I can't even remember what team I was under whether it was medical/surgical. I know I was in ICU and it was probably multidisciplinary due to organs failing left right and centre but I don't know who my consultant was. I met him once - told him all about my 3 babies! No idea what specialty he was though!

OP posts:

Whenwillow · 20/08/2020 06:51

Good luck OP. If you can bear to, I hope you'll keep us posted. A hand hold from me

Original poster

Howallergic · 20/08/2020 06:51

Love2cycle Ye, I figured it's not something they tell you ordinarily. Just curious I suppose.

OP posts:

Whenwillow · 20/08/2020 06:53

Sorry in answer to your question, I'd just ring main switchboard and explain the situation, and with any luck they'll put you through to the right person.
I had a traumatic premature labour situation, and was offered free counselling, which was very helpful.

pinguwings · 20/08/2020 06:55

Contact PALS, they will be able to direct you to the best person to ask for a debrief.

Original poster

Howallergic · 20/08/2020 07:03

Need to write down a list of questions I have for them first I suppose.
Mainly about why they put me in a coma, why my family was called in, what organs were failing and what was actually wrong with me.
I would have been withdrawing from nicotine - did they give me patches?
Silly questions really, but it's 2 weeks of my life.

OP posts:

Original poster

Howallergic · 20/08/2020 07:10

Luckily I don't remember any of it, but I had very vivid dreams which persisted into consciousness (having 3 babies) and other things. I had a lot of dreams about drowning, but I know my lungs were failing so that may account for those. I had other disturbing dreams which I won't detail. They were not nice. I dreamed a lot about my ex, but apparently he was at my bedside every hour he could visit (which of course I was annoyed with him for because he should have been working). My family came, no dreams of that at all.

OP posts:

Friendsoftheearth · 20/08/2020 07:12

It sounds to me like you felt a little violated, that these things happened to you - even though they saved your life, but you would have preferred to have understood what was happening, that your control was taken away at a key point in your survival. Even if it was for your own good, maybe you feel deceived and misled in some ways, you were not being relaxed you were being knocked out for weeks. You were extremely unwell, so the medical team did the right thing.

I would speak to someone that specialises in PTSD (I have been looking it up myself) look on the bacp website. They can certainly help you with your fear of hospitals, which might not sound very much of a big deal but might well stop you getting treatment when you need it further down the line

CherryPavlova · 20/08/2020 07:43

@YinuCeatleAyru

However I agree medical staff would never say "we are going to put you in a coma" as that isn't a medically meaningful phrase. and would also cause distress and anxiety.

Not necessarily a breach of consent at all.

If the team had reasonable grounds for thinking the friend lacked capacity to make that decision, at that time, they needed to make a best interest decision. In an otherwise healthy young woman, the position would be that supporting her to live was in her best interest. It is entirely possible that in the throws of a complicated labour that a woman is unable to assimilate all the necessary information to make an informed decision.

RNBrie · 20/08/2020 07:50

A friend was recently in hospital with Covid and sedation was discussed with her before they did it. So there are definitely circumstances where you get properly informed and can participate in the decision.

Try and get hold of PALS at your hospital, they are the patient liaison service and Will help you navigate a debrief etc.

It's really not unusual to have hallucinations and feel extremely disoriented during and after a stay in ITU. I suspect what you're going through is quite normal and PALS will have seen it many times over and can hopefully help you through it.

flibbertmygibbert · 20/08/2020 07:55

So do you still not know what you actually ‘ wrong’? I would write it all down so you can read it back and process what’s missing from your series of events and then formulate the questions from that. I have 4 pages of the errors that were made by the NHS with my child. Writing it all down really helped worked out which questions I had and wanted answering.

flibbertmygibbert · 20/08/2020 07:56

‘Had wrong’

Katharinablum · 20/08/2020 08:05

@Howallergic get the switchboard to put you through to ICU. Ask to speak to a ward manager. You need to find out if they do a post ICU clinic. They might not know your case personally but they will be able to refer you to whoever runs it. We have one every few weeks. You would have access to an experienced ICU nurse to explain what happened in understandable terminology and also the opportunity to speak to a psychologist who could help with any mental health issues. Take your diary with you so you can discuss any entries that worry you or you don't understand. They may read through it with you and explain what happened.
We also offer drop in groups for ex ICU patients at a local cafe now and again which have been well used.
On our unit patients frequently come back to look around. You could also arrange to do that, again it would maybe help you understand what happened
to you.
I really appreciate your description (and other peoples too) of how you felt and how your mind was working at the time. It helps us as practitioners to look after you more sensitively by knowing your thought processes.
Hope you get it sorted I'm sure things will fall into place once you've spoken to somebody.

Katharinablum · 20/08/2020 08:07

Agree about ringing pals. Probably a good start. Not sure how functioning they are at the monent though.

gaia · 20/08/2020 08:21

I have been present when patients have been sedated and ventilated, Prior to icu transfer. we don’t use the word coma generally, when time permits an explanation about giving you drugs to send you off to sleep and talking about tubes down the throat etc. In a resus situation to be honest what the nurse said sounds like the sort of thing I’ve heard said or have said.
And yes in icu nicotine patches are prescribed for patients who are smokers.
Bad dreams post icu are very common, I hope you’re able to access some of the icu debrief service.

Ginfilledcats · 20/08/2020 08:26

I used to manage ITU, so not clinical but obviously know a few bits and bobs.

Most ITU units will have a debrief with you if you ask - no matter how long the time frame but different trusts organise this in different ways. Some you can just ring the ward as a PP has said and they'll book you an appointment to sit with usual a senior nurse/and one who was caring for you, and they'll go through your notes/tone line of events and explain the rationale behind decisions.of course you can ask questions and they'll explain. Others you would contact pals (again as pp have suggested) if you explain the situation to them they will contact itu and get something arranged quickly.

In my humble and non clinical opinion, if you need to be in an induced coma you are often to unwell to be aware/informed and are likely already unconscious but by putting you in a medically induced it's more stable and they can control it better. But again, not medical!

GameSetMatch · 20/08/2020 08:40

My MIL was told she was being put in a coma, she said her last thought was ‘I wonder if this is it’

TableFlowerss · 20/08/2020 08:44

I agree, they’re trying to save life’s so they won’t have time to go in to the ins and outs of all the steps. It would be frightening to hear the words ‘We’re putting you in to a coma’, so I’m not surprised they dont routinely tell people.

It’s like people that suffer traumatic accidents and they are taken to hospital. Some would reflect and look back and be so happy that they’re still hear to tell the story. Others will dwell on it and they’d end up feeling frightened.

I’m not really sure why going through old notes of a difficult time is beneficial to be honest. I’m surprised you were allowed to keep them.

I’m sorry you had a traumatic experience.

TableFlowerss · 20/08/2020 08:45

here

GerardWay123 · 20/08/2020 08:52

I'm so pleased I've found this thread. I was put in an induced coma Oct '18. I don't remember anything, 2 weeks of my life just gone.
I've tried to avoid the subject but I can't anymore. What was done? How ill was I? What are the lasting effects etc?

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