DP cardiac arrest advice please

[Viciouslybashed]

Hi this will be garbled so I am sorry. My DP had a cardiac arrest a few days ago and was brought round from his sedation yesterday. I've woken up to messages from him that the nurse is trying to kill him and I need to help him. I spoke to him and he sounds very agitated. I know that this is obviously not true but wondered if anyone has any experience of what their husband wife partner is like after such a terrible event. Personally I have never been more scared since it happened and during it happening but my strong brave DP sounded so scared. Any one got any advice words of wisdom.

are you able to visit? or talk to the nurse another way.

confusion after sedation is normal to some extend and can be very scary to the patient.

all the best wishes!

Does he understand what’s happened and why he’s there? The sedative and painkilling medication can make people very confused and scared. Hopefully as he starts to recover and they can reduce this he will start to feel better and less confused.

I’d let the staff know about the messages, so they can reassure him.

It's very common for there to be some cognitive issues initially on waking. His whole body has been through a huge event snd this often results in agitation/confusion/repetitive speech etc.
It most often than not resolves (95% of the time) and many people go on to live normal lives afterwards.

Has he had surgery? My mum went a bit crazy after an op some years ago due to the painkillers she was on (IV morphine I think) and was calling me at all hours with all sorts of hallucinations and 'they're going to take me and kill me, they're poisoning the tea' tales.

It is most likely your dp is reacting to the drugs, but please do speak to the staff and try not to worry about the long term effects.

My mum fully recovered, and has had a heart attack before her surgery, she's back to normal as soon as the drugs wore off

This happened to my father a few years ago after a severe heart attack. I think it was the combination of reduced blood flow to his brain while he was out (he was out for about 10 or 15 mins) and also he was put into an induced coma in hospital for a few days.

The strange behaviour lasted a few weeks and we really thought that it was going to be permanent by thankfully he slowly got back to normal.

He was having proper conversations with friends who he thought were in the room talking to him, he thought he was in prison and that the police were out to get him, he became quite aggressive and was seeing things (he thought the drugs trolley was a drinks trolley and was getting really annoyed when the nurse wouldn't give him a gin and tonic!). It was pretty scary at the time, but try not to worry, hopefully it will wear off soon, and I hope that he makes a good recovery.

Thanks for the speedy replies. I've spoken to the nurse now and he is refusing to let them treat him. He is worried he has been awful to them when he was unconscious and that they are cross with him. They are so lovely to him. They are saying he's been awake all night and needs to rest. Meanwhile he is ringing me and told me if he rings to let it go to voicemail so I have lots of messages of him recording what they are saying to him. Poor thing is do agitated.
His mum is his named visitor due to covid and our general confusion in not realising the person that visits first is then the only visitor allowed on this ward. I feel better speaking to the nurse working with him but I am now so worried that he might be changed from the lack of oxygen etc

This whole time since his cardiac arrest I have been so scared that I didn't do compressions right and didn't find him quickly enough. This has fed into all that fear. I feel sick again. I had such a euphoric feeling yesterday as he was awake and conscious and speaking. But this has knocked me back.

Which type of ward is he on op? Has he had any stents put in?

My mum told me that the doctors and nurses were actually undertakers in disguise which is why they were poisoning her on 'the drugs trolley'. Also that the red flashing lights that she saw at night were the devil waiting under the next bed for her, it was really horrible to hear the terror in her voice. I was hugely reassured by the icu staff, all completely expected after certain drugs. Speak to them about your worries x

@Viciouslybashed

This whole time since his cardiac arrest I have been so scared that I didn't do compressions right and didn't find him quickly enough. This has fed into all that fear. I feel sick again. I had such a euphoric feeling yesterday as he was awake and conscious and speaking. But this has knocked me back.

OP honestly the number of out of hospital cardiac arrests that make it onto a ventilator and then wake up is very slim. He has come this far and that is because of you doing an absolutely outstanding job for him. Well done

As others up thread have said it is perfectly normal to be delerious in this situation, he will be up and down but back to his normal self in no time I'm sure. Take care of yourself you've been through a hell of a trauma

It's not uncommon if he isn't getting enough oxygen to his brain.

SO sorry OP

But it is usually not long term, he is in the best place even if he doesn't realise it just now.

I'm an A&E nurse. Firstly so sorry for what has happened to your husband it's a huge shock and awful thing for you as well as him to go through.

But also wanted to reassure you that this is totally normal. It's more likely caused by the anaesthetic, very normal after a stay in ITU to become delirious and confused. It will pass.

There is a Facebook group called Chain of Survival UK for people/families who have been through the same experience as you have; you might find them supportive and understanding. www.facebook.com/groups/643122902711790

If you did chest compressions as well as called an ambulance you did a fantastic, lifesaving thing. And give it/him a bit of time, his body including his brain has taken a huge amount of "insult" and been flooded with powerful drugs and treatment. It all needs time to recover.

Was it explained to you that your mum would be the only visitor allowed if she went in first? If it wasn't explained properly then I would escalate that and fight to try and get in there and see him. He's agitated and refusing care - your presence might really help him so I think you have a very good reason to argue your case.

You did incredibly well to do what you did until medical help took over. Be proud of yourself 💐

He has been 'lucky' too, as Troy's said, making it onto a ventilator & waking up isn't common.

I know it's scary, very scary that he's saying what he is, but it's the medication/experience.

He's alive, just give it time!!

Can you ask on the ward if you can (permanently) swap to bring his nominated visitor? I'd be surprised if they didn't accommodate this. A bit tough on his mum, but hopefully she'd understand.

Thank you all for replying to me. I am such an emotional wreck I'm all teary again. The visiting thing was explained but we misunderstood in the panic and insanity of it all. He's in intensive care. I don't have the fight in me re the visiting as I understand their position as they have a lot of covid around and I really don't want to put anyone at risk. His parents have been and seen no one so are safe really. I will obviously fight that battle if needed and he doesn't settle but honestly can't face it.
I just keep reliving the event and when it happened. He has brugada syndrome but had been told he didn't need a device fitted because they felt he was only at risk if he had a temp etc. He was perfectly fine weds evening and then he wasn't so I am hoping this means he will get a device fitted.
Apologies for garbled messages.

This is a very common phenomenon in ICU patients

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-15881720, there was also a really good programme on Radio 4 about it, not sure if it was about David or by David but it gives a really good insight into what your DH might be experiencing.

Sorry that link above is a bit rubbish ! this one is better hopefully ?

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000zsdn

@Viciouslybashed

Thank you all for replying to me. I am such an emotional wreck I'm all teary again. The visiting thing was explained but we misunderstood in the panic and insanity of it all. He's in intensive care. I don't have the fight in me re the visiting as I understand their position as they have a lot of covid around and I really don't want to put anyone at risk. His parents have been and seen no one so are safe really. I will obviously fight that battle if needed and he doesn't settle but honestly can't face it. I just keep reliving the event and when it happened. He has brugada syndrome but had been told he didn't need a device fitted because they felt he was only at risk if he had a temp etc. He was perfectly fine weds evening and then he wasn't so I am hoping this means he will get a device fitted. Apologies for garbled messages.

Have you got anyone you can speak to OP, friend etc? It will really help to have some friendly ears. It is totally normal to feel like you do. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't get an ICD after this so don't worry about that either

The fact he can use his phone is a good sign, it shows that the brain has enough "power" to know how to message you. This requires quite complex hand eye coordination.
As many have said, confusion after sedation is very common and whilst very worrying is not necessarily associated with poor outcomes

@Viciouslybashed

Thank you all for replying to me. I am such an emotional wreck I'm all teary again. The visiting thing was explained but we misunderstood in the panic and insanity of it all. He's in intensive care. I don't have the fight in me re the visiting as I understand their position as they have a lot of covid around and I really don't want to put anyone at risk. His parents have been and seen no one so are safe really. I will obviously fight that battle if needed and he doesn't settle but honestly can't face it. I just keep reliving the event and when it happened. He has brugada syndrome but had been told he didn't need a device fitted because they felt he was only at risk if he had a temp etc. He was perfectly fine weds evening and then he wasn't so I am hoping this means he will get a device fitted. Apologies for garbled messages.

It's such a traumatic experience to go through and unbelievably scary. It'll take a while to process it and come out the other end. Hope they review the need for an internal defibrillator, I am sure they will after this. I imagine they may not discharge him until he has one fitted. How old is he?

Lots of hugs xxx

He is only 48 healthy man till May last year when I noticed he had a rash on his back and nagged him to call Dr when it didn't fade with cup test. I thought it was meningitis. He was told to go to a and e. He was then in for days with temperature and ecg that was abnormal. Not properly diagnosed with brugada till this year but he's been well recently and not been off work. Didn't help with his care that after the flecanaide challenge where he reacted badly and immediately and had to be kept in that whoever discharged him wrote that he had had no response to fhe challenge and was discharged after no issues. Which was nonsense. So it's been delayed and he didn't push as he believed they would get to him. My poor children are all worried for their dad and worried they may have inherited it too.

@Viciouslybashed I would be very very surprised if they don't put an ICD in on this admission once he's recovered some more. It would be pretty negligent not to after a cardiac arrest caused by brugada.

I don't know anything about genetic screening for brugada but have you been in touch with the British heart foundation? They are a wealth of knowledge about all cardiac conditions and would imagine they can advise what screening your children could get to at least see if they have the gene.

Hope your DH is feeling a bit more normal OP ? Keep talking to family and friends about what happened, it's a huge thing to have dealt with.

Yesterday was hard. Had a weird facetime chat with him and a few of his friends and he didn't believe I was me. He looked so well but so scared and worried. I am waking up today with a sinking sad feeling. Everyone keeps telling me to be positive like that is an easy thing to do. I have done nothing but try and be positive but actually I feel rotten and sad. I'm not expecting anyone to have any words and I know people are being lovely I'm just feeling rubbish.