Breathing Tube Fear
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ATHENS1964
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I had the surgery at 07.00 in the morning I woke up at 11.30 in the evening, I had no tube in my mouth. The afternoon my wife and I had seen me after the surgery, I had tubes in my mouth, apparently they removed the tubes first and then they woke me up.
i had no recollection of the breathing tube being removed after my surgery tbh
I was also woken up after the breathing tube had been removed....as far as I know. They give one medications which give amnesia so could have been that, either way I don't remeber the breathing tube at all, the only thing I remember is at some point it being very dark and someone talking loudly to me, but its never dark in ICU so that is a mystery. When I really woke up I felt fine. Hubby took a photo of me in ICU as I had wanted him to as I wanted to know what I looked like unconcious and on the ventilator, I had the tube in then and I looked peaceful.
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I had no breathing tube in when I woke up, at least not that I remember, and felt pretty good. I believe I even came on the forum and joked something like "what bus?" as a friend had warned that valve surgery feels like getting hit by a bus. Well, I was just feeling that way because the anesthesia had not yet worn off, lol. The bus feeling did kick in later that night, but it really was not so bad once we got the pain meds going.
Going into surgery, waking up with the breathing tube was one of the things I was a little worried about- worried I'd feel like I could not breath.
But, don't worry, the anesthesia will have you feeling loose as a goose after surgery.
Kramer- Loose as a Goose.
And, welcome to the forum!
Going into surgery, waking up with the breathing tube was one of the things I was a little worried about- worried I'd feel like I could not breath.
But, don't worry, the anesthesia will have you feeling loose as a goose after surgery.
Kramer- Loose as a Goose.
And, welcome to the forum!
Last edited:
cldlhd
Well-known member
As seems to be the experience with most out here I don't remember the breathing tube. I do remember having a bit of fear regarding it before my surgery and if I'm being honest if I have to have a repeat surgery I think it would bother me more than it did the first time. Not sure why but the idea of not being able to swallow and clear my throat bothers me as well especially with the feeling of something down it like a tube. But, again, I don't remember it at all. According to my wife I woke up pretty abruptly and they immediately removed it.
I woke up with the breathing tube in, unfortunately I do remember it clearly. Two nurses were with me and it seemed to me that they woke me up. They talked to me about it, saying to stay calm and it would be removed right away. They did remove it and it felt great. I wouldn’t worry about it too much, it wasn’t that bad. At that point I would expect you to have one to one nursing, so if you wake up with it in, someone should be there to deal with is.
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This was my experience as well; one on one nursing for the day of surgery and all night. The policy at UCLA was that the next morning, and for the remainder of time in ICU, each nurse had two patients.
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
groggy ... all that was gone when I woke up.
Hyp2r
Active member
I also was worried about waking with the breathing tube and panicking, my wife said it was in when she visited shortly after being taken to ICU. When I woke it was gone.
My experience after waking up was the extreme tiredness, could only stay awake for a few minutes. I was transferred to the ward after around 18 hours and finally feeling more awake.
My experience after waking up was the extreme tiredness, could only stay awake for a few minutes. I was transferred to the ward after around 18 hours and finally feeling more awake.
Astro
Well-known member
Before my operation, I worried about waking up with the breathing tube. I was pleasantly surprised to wake up with no tube and not too much pain. My plan for if I did wake up with the tube still in, was to try to relax and point to the tube. This would show the staff that I was too awake to need the tube anymore.
KatherineA
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I woke with the breathing tube in and remember feeling like t could take 2 breaths and not the third for what seemed like forever. Like I was drowning. The next thing I remember about it is waking up once more with the tube and the most excruciating pain in my back left shoulder. I panicked with the pain and the nurses kept tryin to calm me while they prepared something to stick in me. Then no pain. But I still felt like I was drowning again until the tube came out at some point in the next haze of sort of waking up.
It was the longest time ever n my head. In my life. I remember thinking to myself look away from the clock and breathe 20 times and then you can look again. It was 11:00 forever on that clock in ICU it seemed.
I think that the fentanyl concoction they pumped me with really jacked me up mentally. Everything was clockwork orange for at least 2 days. Consequently, I’m not sure what was really real and what wasn’t. That’s still disturbing from time to time (see mental health depression thread). But it is finally much better this summer
It was the longest time ever n my head. In my life. I remember thinking to myself look away from the clock and breathe 20 times and then you can look again. It was 11:00 forever on that clock in ICU it seemed.
I think that the fentanyl concoction they pumped me with really jacked me up mentally. Everything was clockwork orange for at least 2 days. Consequently, I’m not sure what was really real and what wasn’t. That’s still disturbing from time to time (see mental health depression thread). But it is finally much better this summer
greeny47
Member
Don’t worry about the breathing tube- they keep you medicated so when I did wake up I really wasn’t at all stressed. They woke me up to take it out and it was no big deal. You will be fine!
carolinemc
Well-known member
You will wake up a few times, but you will be breathing. They will have you medicated during the post op. Then you will wake up as they take out the tube. It will be sore for a moment, the throat. But it is not nothing to fear. And you will be able to swallow after the tube is out. Just relax and there is nothing to fear, as the staff knows what to do in post op.
What I did as I was waking up, I banged on the bed railing, they came to check on me and got me settled down. You will be so medicated, no panic will happen. Just relax. You will be fine.
carolinemc
Well-known member
Yeah they test to make sure you can breathe on your own before removing the tube. Heavily medicated and relaxed. I banged on the railing to let them know I was coming around.
bizinsider
Well-known member
I think almost everybody has the same fear. I woke up very drowsy with the tube still in and they told me to just breathe slowly. I probably dozed off again, until I heard them say something like, "give us a small cough." I looked up at a very bright light and the tube was dangling above me after they pulled it out. Surreal, at best, but if I had to do it again it would not be among the things I fear.
carolinemc
Well-known member
The medication was to keep you relaxed. When you heard the voice, it was explaining the remove of the tube. They medicate you so you are relaxed when they remove the tube. Not to give you amnesia. Glad it worked out for you.
carolinemc
Well-known member
They did the same to me, was half asleep. But was glad that part was finally over.
-andrew-
Member
After my first surgery I woke up with it in and remember it clearly. I even asked for a pad of paper and pen (using the internationally recognised wiggle of fingers to mimic writing) so I could ask if the surgery had gone well, what valve I had and when the tube was coming out. It really wasn’t bad at all and the effects of the anaesthesia seem to dull any temptation to panic. That was about 20 years ago. My last two operations I’ve apparently woke up with it in and been fine but had absolutely zero recollection of being awake with the tube in (to do with the amnesia drug I believe).
