Ross
Well-known member
Nicole I'll try to answer this question as I've been tubed numerous times. I'm not going to sugar coat this any since you have lung problems as do I.
For the most part and if all goes well, you'll be so sedated that you won't remember the tube. In cases like ours, it is possible and very likely that you will require it longer then normal. Should you awake with it and are lucid enough to know it's there, try to time your breathing with the ventilator so that you breath in when it pulses in and you exhale as it leaves the pressure off. It's easier said then done, but this is the only way I can cope with it. If you fight against it, it makes things so much worse. If you do fight it, they will sedate you or at the very least, mild sedation to calm you down. The maximum time you can have the tube in your mouth is 10 days, after that, they will go to tracheotomy and place a trach tube in instead. The reasoning is to lessen the chances of infection. It's very easy to deal with. You still won't be able to talk, but it's much nicer then having it stuck in your throat.
Take and make sure you have access to a writing pad and pen or pencil. You'll have to write notes to your ICU nurse unless they're proficient at lip reading. Mine weren't and it was very aggravating.
The other drain tubes and such are more of a nuisance then anything else. They can hurt if you catch them on something, but they'll be out of you within 1 to 3 days. Coming out, some people say it was painful and wanted some sedation, I didn't find it painful but rather a weird feeling that kind of irritates you like fingernails on a chalkboard. I hope you know what I mean here. It's really hard to explain how it felt, but it was weird. Pacer wires and such are nothing.
Hope this helps you some. Let me know if you have any more questions that I might be able to answer.
For the most part and if all goes well, you'll be so sedated that you won't remember the tube. In cases like ours, it is possible and very likely that you will require it longer then normal. Should you awake with it and are lucid enough to know it's there, try to time your breathing with the ventilator so that you breath in when it pulses in and you exhale as it leaves the pressure off. It's easier said then done, but this is the only way I can cope with it. If you fight against it, it makes things so much worse. If you do fight it, they will sedate you or at the very least, mild sedation to calm you down. The maximum time you can have the tube in your mouth is 10 days, after that, they will go to tracheotomy and place a trach tube in instead. The reasoning is to lessen the chances of infection. It's very easy to deal with. You still won't be able to talk, but it's much nicer then having it stuck in your throat.
Take and make sure you have access to a writing pad and pen or pencil. You'll have to write notes to your ICU nurse unless they're proficient at lip reading. Mine weren't and it was very aggravating.
The other drain tubes and such are more of a nuisance then anything else. They can hurt if you catch them on something, but they'll be out of you within 1 to 3 days. Coming out, some people say it was painful and wanted some sedation, I didn't find it painful but rather a weird feeling that kind of irritates you like fingernails on a chalkboard. I hope you know what I mean here. It's really hard to explain how it felt, but it was weird. Pacer wires and such are nothing.
Hope this helps you some. Let me know if you have any more questions that I might be able to answer.
