On ventilation

[Worriedfriendx]

I am sorry I did not know what would be the right place to post this. I am posting because I am worried about a friend who is very ill at the moment. I don’t know all the details and I don’t want to badger family with questions, but I know my friend is not breathing by herself at the moment and a ventilator is doing this for her.

I guess all I wanted to know at this point is do people come back from this, I mean if you can’t breath by yourself, can you start to do so. I don’t believe there are any other life support systems being used and there is definitely brain activity.

As I say, I am not in the position of being able to have a proper discussion with a medic as it is not my place to, but I just wondered if anybody with some medical knowledge could have an opinion on whether people start breathing on their own again.

I guess it depends on the cause but dh spent a month in icu and has largely recovered. However being icu in itself carries risks as you are vulnerable to other infections and often need other interventions as part of the treatment and there are longer term consequences. Fingers crossed for your friend.

The ventilator may not be doing all the work. She may still be taking some breaths. The main questions are how much oxygen are they requiring. And is she holding her own or needing inotropic support.

It depends on why she is on a ventilator really, she will be on medication but people can start breathing on their own again if their body can cope with it. Sorry about your friend.

Absolutely yes I know many people that have. Depends why as pp have said but frequently it can be to keep them heavily sedated to allow recovery from their illness.

I have a family member right this minute who was extubated and unventilated yesterday aged 78 with multiple comorbidities who's doing very well!

Try not to worry

Yes without doubt. I'd say more come off vents and do well than don't.

Yes. I have been on a ventilator twice. Once when I had sepsis/endo/miocarditis following the flu, and once after a cardiac arrest.

What they will do is attempt to remove the tube and will see whether the person automatically breathes by themselves. If they do then the tube is removed.

There are potential complications though is that people who have been ventilated can be prone to infection such as pneumonia. This also comes about as a result of them lying in one place, iyswim.

But it’s not a given. I had pneumonia as part of the flu but not the vent, but I did have pneumonia after my cardiac arrest,and it’s unknown as to whether it was as result of the ventilator or CPR.

Thanks for comments. I don’t know the exact scenario and don’t want to pester her family. But she had hypothermia too, she is 27.