Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My Dad was recently put on a ventilator because he could not release enough CO2. How hard is it to come off. they had to sedate him cuz he is not in his right mind and combative due to the CO2 levels. SO its a catch 22 If they stop sedating him he will pull it out.
A lot will depend on his general health, age and why he wasn't getting rid of the CO2. Talk to his doctor. He owes you an explanation as to what's going on and the future outlook.
A few months back my sister was also put on a ventilator. She has Mysthenia Gravis so they had a difficult time with sedation but she also was trying to take out the ventilator. It's a difficult situation. Your Dr. should take out the time to sit down and discuss this over with you and keep you informed. So far my sister is now off the ventilator and doing better but it does take time. A squeeky gate is the one that gets oiled---so be that squeeky gate and stay informed!!! Don't let the Dr.s/hospital make your father just another number--let them know you need to be informed and want some answers. You and your father deserve that!! Good luck.
I Know It Is Hard But, Try Not To Worry About The Things You Can Do Nothing About Just Pray And Stay Strong. Talk To Him He Can Hear You. I Will Keep You In My Prayers.
My Dad was recently put on a ventilator because he could not release enough CO2. How hard is it to come off. they had to sedate him cuz he is not in his right mind and combative due to the CO2 levels. SO its a catch 22 If they stop sedating him he will pull it out.
How old is your dad? Why is he retaining CO2? Does he have COPD? Any other health problems?
Those questions need to be taken into consideration and the longer they are on the ventilator the harder it is to wean them off.
My son was on one for some time. To keep him from becoming dependant on it, they would cut it back from time to time to see how well he would breathe on his on. I don't remember how long he was on it (a burn victem) but they kept him in a drug induced coma for 2 or 3 weeks and he had the ventilator that whole time. He had inhaled some of the smoke/fire and had a blister form in his lung that burst.. Had it not been for that ventilator, he would have died.
Everyone is different and reacts/responds different so you need to corner the doctor and ask your questions and even then, they can not give you a timeline. When we asked why nobody explained things to us, they told us sometimes we were better off not knowing and nobody wanted to give us a timeline because everyone responds so different and nobody wanted to be held to a timeline because it would be impossiable to predict.
Whenever we would ask what kind of night he had, they would tell us he had a good night..... we later found out that if they don't die, that is considered a good night by the staff.
He was in the hospital for 9 months and I am proud to say, he is doing really well. He will never be what he was before because of the burns but he has a good quality of life.
I hope your Dad does good and heals fast. I wouldn't worry about how long he is on the ventalitor, they know what they are doing and things to watch for and hopefully one day soon the problem will be resolved and he can come off of it.
A forum is a difficult place to get accurate information about someone who is acutely ill. There are too many variables to consider. You should talk to the physician everyday, but to do that you need to find out when they usually come around and be available. Once they get caught up in another situation, they may not be able to get back to you right away. They aren't trying to blow you off. You need to talk to the nurses. Know the nurses, let them get to know you. They are your resource and advocate. It's the nurses that will be your lifeline. Write down your questions so you don't forget. Hope this helps, hang in there.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
