Ventilator

[bookjp]

Might be a dumb question but how do they know if you can breathe on your own if your on a ventilator.Still worried about the breathing tube.

 

[Cooker]

Might be a dumb question but how do they know if you can breathe on your own if your on a ventilator.Still worried about the breathing tube.

There are no dumb questions and the answer is I don?t know ?. They have a way of weaning you off and they pull it when they know you can breath on your own?..

 

[bookjp]

There are no dumb questions and the answer is I don?t know ?. They have a way of weaning you off and they pull it when they know you can breath on your own?..

Cooker you stick with me long enough I might surprise you(no dumb questions)

 

[Adrienne]

I know the answer to this, not because of my own surgery, but because in 1991, my father had a quintuple bypass at age 83 after having a heart attack. He was in the ICU for several days, and I would look at the different numbers on the ventilator. It indicated the percentage of breaths taken on your own versus the percentage done by the machine.

 

[Nancy]

Those machines are so sophisticated. They show all kinds of measurements. You can't get away with anything while hooked up to one of them! The machine will tell your medical people that you are ready.

 

[bookjp]

Those machines are so sophisticated. They show all kinds of measurements. You can't get away with anything while hooked up to one of them! The machine will tell your medical people that you are ready.

I hope my medical people are there the minute it shows I'm ready!!!!

 

[Bina]

I have no memory of it being removed......yup, strong drugs.

 

[Cooker]

I have no memory of it being removed......yup, strong drugs.

I remember waking up with it in.......

 

[bookjp]

I remember waking up with it in.......

Cooker with all that hair on your face they probably didn't see it!!!

 

[kfay]

I definitely woke up with mine still in, several times. As for whatever measurements they go by in determining whether the time is right to pull it, I didn't meet those measurements for hours and they debated for a while over whether or not those numbers were going to come up any more with me on the vent. It was finally decided that they weren't so they removed it and then those numbers got better. That has happened to me more than once.

Kim

 

[bookjp]

I definitely woke up with mine still in, several times. As for whatever measurements they go by in determining whether the time is right to pull it, I didn't meet those measurements for hours and they debated for a while over whether or not those numbers were going to come up any more with me on the vent. It was finally decided that they weren't so they removed it and then those numbers got better. That has happened to me more than once.

Kim

Kim, I just copied your answer and I'm going to make sure my surgeon and anesthesiologist see your reply on the day of my surgery.

 

[Cameron]

I was pretty groggy at 1:10am in the morning after my surgery the previous afternoon when they removed the tube. I remember someone repeatedly telling me to BREATHE. I only vaguely remember the tube coming out. They got me on my feet just after this and I promptly threw up - felt like motor oil coming up. Generally speaking I don't think too many people are too awake at the time the tube is removed to worry about it too much. It should all be a vague memory if anything at all.
Cameron

 

[ponytaila1a]

Thanks for this thread. I think all of us on "this side of the mountain" worry about that.
I always think "what if no one is around when I am ready to have ti removed....don't want it any longer than required. My friend told me that he remembers them talking about the #'s...but your posts are so much more informative. Thanks!! Jennifer

 

[bookjp]

I was pretty groggy at 1:10am in the morning after my surgery the previous afternoon when they removed the tube. I remember someone repeatedly telling me to BREATHE. I only vaguely remember the tube coming out. They got me on my feet just after this and I promptly threw up - felt like motor oil coming up. Generally speaking I don't think too many people are too awake at the time the tube is removed to worry about it too much. It should all be a vague memory if anything at all.
Cameron

Cameron a friend of mine had quadruply by-pass six months ago and he told me that's all he remembers.Someone telling him to breath.

 

[gerrys]

My wife tells me I was growling like an old dog and chomping on the tube when they came to take it out. Just one of those things I don't or don't care to remember.

 

[bookjp]

Thanks for all the quick replies.I was just sitting hear thinking about Cooker. With all that body hair,I'm surprised they had time for surgery after your body shave!!!

 

[Jkm7]

Most CICU for post op have one on one nursing immediately post op. My nurse seemed to be at my bedside almost continuously. My first OHS, I remember waking with the tube but though I had been nervous about it and was aware I was awake and it was still in me, it didn't bother me. I must have gone back to sleep immediately.

My second OHS, I remember waking for a minute or two with it and my nurse said they would be removing it soon. I don't remember anything else. When I next woke, it was gone.

 

[kfay]

Kim, I just copied your answer and I'm going to make sure my surgeon and anesthesiologist see your reply on the day of my surgery.

I need to add that I think that most nurses in ICU are fantastic. My nurse told me the next day she was worried because she knew I didn't really have any pain meds on board at that point (I was NOT in pain) and she wanted to give me some but knew that they could cause me more breathing problems. When I was aware of enough of them having this discussion of removing the vent, I wrote on a piece of paper that it was ok if they left it in...they all got a chuckle and told me they wouldn't remove it if they weren't sure it was the right thing to do. Also, my nurse was always at my side in ICU.

I must say, I was a little more nervous about them removing the temporary pacing wires on day 4 or 5. They were definitely like a security blanket for me. Once again, they assured me they wouldn't pull them if they didn't feel like my heart was ok. They were right, it was fine. There are times through all of this that I, for one, felt very vulnerable.

Kim

 

[bookjp]

I need to add that I think that most nurses in ICU are fantastic. My nurse told me the next day she was worried because she knew I didn't really have any pain meds on board at that point (I was NOT in pain) and she wanted to give me some but knew that they could cause me more breathing problems. When I was aware of enough of them having this discussion of removing the vent, I wrote on a piece of paper that it was ok if they left it in...they all got a chuckle and told me they wouldn't remove it if they weren't sure it was the right thing to do. Also, my nurse was always at my side in ICU.

I must say, I was a little more nervous about them removing the temporary pacing wires on day 4 or 5. They were definitely like a security blanket for me. Once again, they assured me they wouldn't pull them if they didn't feel like my heart was ok. They were right, it was fine. There are times through all of this that I, for one, felt very vulnerable.

Kim

Thanks Kim.It seems that the majority don't remember the tube but the way my lucks been going the last two months I'll probably be one of the ones that wake up with it still in!!!

 

[CA Pigg]

I've been wondering this myself so I'm so glad you asked this question... When is your surgery again bookjp???